diff --git a/include/wx/osx/statusbr.h b/include/wx/osx/statusbr.h
index 76d6bbaebd..e8ff1d312e 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/statusbr.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/statusbr.h
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ protected:
     virtual void DrawField(wxDC& dc, int i, int textHeight) wxOVERRIDE;
     virtual void DoUpdateStatusText(int number = 0) wxOVERRIDE;
 
+private:
+    wxColour m_textActive, m_textInactive,
+             m_bgActiveFrom, m_bgActiveTo,
+             m_borderActive, m_borderInactive;
+
     wxDECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxStatusBarMac);
     wxDECLARE_EVENT_TABLE();
 };
diff --git a/src/osx/carbon/frame.cpp b/src/osx/carbon/frame.cpp
index 006a064142..4b27f3d719 100644
--- a/src/osx/carbon/frame.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/carbon/frame.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ wxBEGIN_EVENT_TABLE(wxFrame, wxFrameBase)
   EVT_SYS_COLOUR_CHANGED(wxFrame::OnSysColourChanged)
 wxEND_EVENT_TABLE()
 
-#define WX_MAC_STATUSBAR_HEIGHT 18
+#define WX_MAC_STATUSBAR_HEIGHT 24
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // creation/destruction
@@ -205,6 +205,11 @@ void wxFrame::OnActivate(wxActivateEvent& event)
         }
 #endif
     }
+
+#if wxUSE_STATUSBAR
+    if ( GetStatusBar() && GetStatusBar()->IsShown() )
+        GetStatusBar()->Refresh();
+#endif
 }
 
 #if wxUSE_MENUS
diff --git a/src/osx/carbon/statbrma.cpp b/src/osx/carbon/statbrma.cpp
index 9bc4274227..8cd90d1b67 100644
--- a/src/osx/carbon/statbrma.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/carbon/statbrma.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #if wxUSE_STATUSBAR
 
 #include "wx/statusbr.h"
+#include "wx/platinfo.h"
 
 #ifndef WX_PRECOMP
     #include "wx/dc.h"
@@ -57,33 +58,51 @@ bool wxStatusBarMac::Create(wxWindow *parent, wxWindowID id,
                             long style ,
                             const wxString& name)
 {
+    SetBackgroundStyle( wxBG_STYLE_TRANSPARENT );
+
     if ( !wxStatusBarGeneric::Create( parent, id, style, name ) )
         return false;
 
-    if ( parent->MacGetTopLevelWindow()->GetExtraStyle() & wxFRAME_EX_METAL )
-        SetBackgroundStyle( wxBG_STYLE_TRANSPARENT );
-
     // normal system font is too tall for fitting into the standard height
     SetWindowVariant( wxWINDOW_VARIANT_SMALL );
 
+#if MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED < 101000
+    if ( !wxPlatformInfo::Get().CheckOSVersion(10, 10) )
+    {
+        // 10.9 Mavericks and older:
+        m_textActive = wxColour(0x2F, 0x2F, 0x2F);
+        m_textInactive = wxColour(0x4D, 0x4D, 0x4D);
+        m_bgActiveFrom = wxColour(0xDA, 0xDA, 0xDA);
+        m_bgActiveTo = wxColour(0xA0, 0xA0, 0xA0);
+        m_borderActive = wxColour(0x6E, 0x6E, 0x6E);
+        m_borderInactive = wxColour(0xA3, 0xA3, 0xA3);
+        SetBackgroundColour(wxColour(0xE1, 0xE1, 0xE1)); // inactive bg
+    }
+    else
+#endif // MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED < 101000
+    {
+        // 10.10 Yosemite and newer:
+        m_textActive = wxColour(0x40, 0x40, 0x40);
+        m_textInactive = wxColour(0x4B, 0x4B, 0x4B);
+        m_bgActiveFrom = wxColour(0xE9, 0xE7, 0xEA);
+        m_bgActiveTo = wxColour(0xCD, 0xCB, 0xCE);
+        m_borderActive = wxColour(0xBA, 0xB8, 0xBB);
+        m_borderInactive = wxColour(0xC3, 0xC3, 0xC3);
+        SetBackgroundColour(wxColour(0xF4, 0xF4, 0xF4)); // inactive bg
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
-void wxStatusBarMac::DrawFieldText(wxDC& dc, const wxRect& rect, int i, int WXUNUSED(textHeight))
+void wxStatusBarMac::DrawFieldText(wxDC& dc, const wxRect& rect, int i, int textHeight)
 {
     int w, h;
     GetSize( &w , &h );
 
-    if ( !MacIsReallyHilited() )
-        dc.SetTextForeground( wxColour( 0x80, 0x80, 0x80 ) );
-
     wxString text(GetStatusText( i ));
 
-    /*wxCoord x, y;
-    dc.GetTextExtent(text, &x, &y);    -- seems unused (FM)*/
-
     int xpos = rect.x + wxFIELD_TEXT_MARGIN + 1;
-    int ypos = 1;
+    int ypos = 2 + (rect.height - textHeight) / 2;
 
     if ( MacGetTopLevelWindow()->GetExtraStyle() & wxFRAME_EX_METAL )
         ypos++;
@@ -128,27 +147,24 @@ void wxStatusBarMac::OnPaint(wxPaintEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
     int w, h;
     GetSize( &w, &h );
 
-    if ( MacIsReallyHilited() )
+    wxTopLevelWindow *tlw = wxDynamicCast(MacGetTopLevelWindow(), wxTopLevelWindow);
+    if ( tlw && tlw->IsActive() )
     {
-        wxPen white( *wxWHITE , 1 , wxPENSTYLE_SOLID );
-        // Finder statusbar border color: (Project Builder similar is 9B9B9B)
-        if ( MacGetTopLevelWindow()->GetExtraStyle() & wxFRAME_EX_METAL )
-            dc.SetPen(wxPen(wxColour(0x40, 0x40, 0x40), 1, wxPENSTYLE_SOLID));
-        else
-            dc.SetPen(wxPen(wxColour(0xB1, 0xB1, 0xB1), 1, wxPENSTYLE_SOLID));
+        dc.GradientFillLinear(dc.GetSize(), m_bgActiveFrom, m_bgActiveTo, wxBOTTOM);
 
-        dc.DrawLine(0, 0, w, 0);
-        dc.SetPen(white);
-        dc.DrawLine(0, 1, w, 1);
+        // Finder statusbar border color
+        dc.SetPen(wxPen(m_borderActive, 2, wxPENSTYLE_SOLID));
+        dc.SetTextForeground(m_textActive);
     }
     else
     {
-        // Finder statusbar border color: (Project Builder similar is 9B9B9B)
-        dc.SetPen(wxPen(wxColour(0xB1, 0xB1, 0xB1), 1, wxPENSTYLE_SOLID));
-
-        dc.DrawLine(0, 0, w, 0);
+        // Finder statusbar border color
+        dc.SetPen(wxPen(m_borderInactive, 2, wxPENSTYLE_SOLID));
+        dc.SetTextForeground(m_textInactive);
     }
 
+    dc.DrawLine(0, 0, w, 0);
+
     if ( GetFont().IsOk() )
         dc.SetFont(GetFont());
     dc.SetBackgroundMode(wxTRANSPARENT);