diff --git a/src/kcolorscheme.h b/src/kcolorscheme.h
--- a/src/kcolorscheme.h
+++ b/src/kcolorscheme.h
@@ -312,8 +312,9 @@
     KColorScheme &operator=(const KColorScheme &);
 
     /**
-     * Construct a palette from given color set and state, using the colors
-     * from the given KConfig (if null, the system colors are used).
+     * Construct a palette from given color set and state. Colors are taken
+     * from the given KConfig. If null, the application's color scheme is used
+     *  (either the system default or one set by KColorSchemeManager).
      *
      * @note KColorScheme provides direct access to the color scheme for users
      * that deal directly with widget states. Unless you are a low-level user
@@ -342,8 +343,7 @@
      * Retrieve the requested shade color, using
      * KColorScheme::background(KColorScheme::NormalBackground)
      * as the base color and the contrast setting from the KConfig used to
-     * create this KColorScheme instance (the system contrast setting, if no
-     * KConfig was specified).
+     * create this KColorScheme instance.
      *
      * @note Shades are chosen such that all shades would contrast with the
      * base color. This means that if base is very dark, the 'dark' shades will
@@ -363,15 +363,16 @@
     /**
      * Returns the contrast for borders as a floating point value.
      * @param config pointer to the config from which to read the contrast
-     * setting (the default is to use KSharedConfig::openConfig())
+     * setting. If null, the application's color scheme will be used
+     *   (either the system default or one set by KColorSchemeManager).
      * @return the contrast (between 0.0 for minimum and 1.0 for maximum
      *         contrast)
      */
     static qreal contrastF(const KSharedConfigPtr &config = KSharedConfigPtr());
 
     /**
      * Retrieve the requested shade color, using the specified color as the
-     * base color and the system contrast setting.
+     * base color and the application's contrast setting.
      *
      * @note Shades are chosen such that all shades would contrast with the
      * base color. This means that if base is very dark, the 'dark' shades will
@@ -483,26 +484,27 @@
 
     /**
      * Construct a stateful brush from given color set and foreground role,
-     * using the colors from the given KConfig (if null, the system colors are
-     * used).
+     * using the colors from the given KConfig.
+     * If null, the application's color scheme is used (either the system
+     * default, or one set by KColorSchemeManager).
      */
     explicit KStatefulBrush(KColorScheme::ColorSet,
                             KColorScheme::ForegroundRole,
                             KSharedConfigPtr = KSharedConfigPtr());
 
     /**
      * Construct a stateful brush from given color set and background role,
-     * using the colors from the given KConfig (if null, the system colors are
-     * used).
+     * using the colors from the given KConfig (if null, the application's
+     * colors are used).
      */
     explicit KStatefulBrush(KColorScheme::ColorSet,
                             KColorScheme::BackgroundRole,
                             KSharedConfigPtr = KSharedConfigPtr());
 
     /**
      * Construct a stateful brush from given color set and decoration role,
-     * using the colors from the given KConfig (if null, the system colors are
-     * used).
+     * using the colors from the given KConfig (if null, the application's
+     * colors are used).
      */
     explicit KStatefulBrush(KColorScheme::ColorSet,
                             KColorScheme::DecorationRole,
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@
      * determined from the base QBrush (which fills in the Active state)
      * according to the same rules used to build stateful color schemes from
      * the system color scheme. The state effects from the given KConfig are
-     * used (if null, the system state effects are used).
+     * used (if null, the application's state effects are used).
      */
     explicit KStatefulBrush(const QBrush &, KSharedConfigPtr = KSharedConfigPtr());
 
@@ -524,7 +526,7 @@
      * states are determined from the base QBrush (which fills in the Active
      * state) according to the same rules used to build stateful color schemes
      * from the system color scheme. The state effects from the given KConfig
-     * are used (if null, the system state effects are used).
+     * are used (if null, the application's state effects are used).
      *
      * @param background The background brush (or color) corresponding to the
      * KColorScheme::NormalBackground role and QPalette::Active state for this
diff --git a/src/kcolorscheme.cpp b/src/kcolorscheme.cpp
--- a/src/kcolorscheme.cpp
+++ b/src/kcolorscheme.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <QColor>
 #include <QBrush>
 #include <QWidget>
+#include <QCoreApplication>
 
 //BEGIN StateEffects
 class StateEffects
@@ -250,6 +251,12 @@
 };
 //END default colors
 
+KSharedConfigPtr defaultConfig() {
+    // Read from the application's color scheme file (as set by KColorSchemeManager).
+    // If unset, this is equivalent to openConfig() and the system scheme is used.
+    return KSharedConfig::openConfig(qApp->property("KDE_COLOR_SCHEME_PATH").toString());
+}
+
 //BEGIN KColorSchemePrivate
 class KColorSchemePrivate : public QSharedData
 {
@@ -431,7 +438,7 @@
 KColorScheme::KColorScheme(QPalette::ColorGroup state, ColorSet set, KSharedConfigPtr config)
 {
     if (!config) {
-        config = KSharedConfig::openConfig();
+        config = defaultConfig();
     }
 
     switch (set) {
@@ -662,7 +669,7 @@
 KStatefulBrush::KStatefulBrush(const QBrush &brush, KSharedConfigPtr config)
 {
     if (!config) {
-        config = KSharedConfig::openConfig();
+        config = defaultConfig();
     }
     d = new KStatefulBrushPrivate[3];
     d[0] = brush;
@@ -674,7 +681,7 @@
                                KSharedConfigPtr config)
 {
     if (!config) {
-        config = KSharedConfig::openConfig();
+        config = defaultConfig();
     }
     d = new KStatefulBrushPrivate[3];
     d[0] = brush;