     //----------------------------------
 	//  backgroundColor
 	//----------------------------------
-	
-	private var _backgroundColor:String = "0xFFFFFF";
 	
 	[Bindable("backgroundColorUpdated")]
 	
 	/**
 	 *  @copy mx.core.Container#backgroundColor
 	 */
-	public function get backgroundColor():String
+	public function get backgroundColor():Object /* Color (int or String) */
 	{
-		return _backgroundColor;
+		return getStyle("backgroundColor");
 	}
 	
-	public function set backgroundColor(value:String):void
+	public function set backgroundColor(value:Object /* Color (int or String) */):void
 	{
-		if (value == _backgroundColor)
+		if (value == getStyle("backgroundColor"))
 			return;
 			
-		_backgroundColor = value;
+		setStyle("backgroundColor", value);
 		
 		dispatchEvent(new Event("backgroundColorUpdated"));
-	}
-	
-	//----------------------------------
-	//  backgroundColorNumber
-	//----------------------------------
-	
-	[Bindable("backgroundColorUpdated")]
-	
-	/**
-	 *  Background color of a component.
-	 *  Because backgroundColor is a String, backgroundColorNumber
-	 *  is just a Number so it can be used by flex graphics.
-	 */
-	public function get backgroundColorNumber():uint
-	{
-        var colorNumber:uint = StyleManager.getColorName(backgroundColor);
-		if (colorNumber == StyleManager.NOT_A_COLOR)
-			colorNumber = parseInt(backgroundColor);
-		
-        return colorNumber;
 	}
     
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 *  attributes of its superclass and adds the following tag attributes:</p>
 *
 *  <pre>
 *  &lt;mx:Application
 *    <strong>Properties</strong>
 *    application="<i>No default</i>"
 *    frameRate="24"

        // documentDescriptor property for the application object.
        // We get the id and the creationPolicy, which we want to
        // set very early, from that descriptor.
        
        // because we don't have namespace-specific styles yet
        // just set the default here
        // TODO (rfrishbe): remove this...
        setStyle("backgroundColor", "white");
    }

    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
