diff --git a/src/statusbar/statusbarspaceinfo.cpp b/src/statusbar/statusbarspaceinfo.cpp
--- a/src/statusbar/statusbarspaceinfo.cpp
+++ b/src/statusbar/statusbarspaceinfo.cpp
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@
 
 #include "spaceinfoobserver.h"
 
+#include <KColorScheme>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 #include <KNS3/KMoreToolsMenuFactory>
 
 #include <QMouseEvent>
+#include <QPalette>
 
 StatusBarSpaceInfo::StatusBarSpaceInfo(QWidget* parent) :
     KCapacityBar(KCapacityBar::DrawTextInline, parent),
@@ -104,6 +106,17 @@
         const quint64 used = size - available;
         const int percentUsed = qRound(100.0 * qreal(used) / qreal(size));
 
+        QPalette p = palette();
+        KColorScheme colorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::Window);
+
+        if (percentUsed >= 50) {
+            p.setBrush(QPalette::Highlight, colorScheme.background(KColorScheme::NegativeBackground));
+        } else {
+            p.setBrush(QPalette::Highlight, colorScheme.foreground(KColorScheme::ActiveText));
+        }
+
+        setPalette(p);
+
         setText(i18nc("@info:status Free disk space", "%1 free", KIO::convertSize(available)));
         setUpdatesEnabled(false);
         setValue(percentUsed);