diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ec09f3f..1bace07 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -113,21 +113,18 @@ refer to the annotated screenshot,
 
 ![Annotated screenshot](develop/annotated_default.png)
 
-The values for each colour in the .prf stylesheet must be recorded as single
-RGB integers, with each colour channel in 8-bit (0-255), R as big endian,
-and a opaque alpha channel. Because the format for RGB colours in Java allows
-for an alpha channel and the integers are signed, all the colours you record
-in your .prf file should be negative, spanning the range
-`-16777216` (black, `[0,0,0]`) to `-1` (white, `[255,255,255]`).
-
-The text file for your pre-existing theme will typically specify its colous in
-hexadecimal format, or in terms of R, G, B values. You will need
-to convert the colours from this format into the format which MATLAB preference
-files use to specify colours instead.
-The Schemer package comes with a utility function
-[develop/color2javaRGBint.m](develop/color2javaRGBint.m)
-to help make this easier. See the `color2javaRGBint` documentation for more
-details.
+As of MATLAB Schemer v1.5.0, the values for each colour in the .prf
+stylesheet may be recorded as a standard hexadecimal RGB color in the
+format `C0xRRGGBB` where `RR`, `GG`, `BB` are hexadecimal values in the
+range `00` to `FF`. For example, `C0xFFFFFF` for white, `C0x000000` for
+black or `C0x00FF00` for green.
+
+Alternatively, the "legacy" colour format used in previous versions of
+MATLAB Schemer is still supported. This format consists of expressing the
+6-digit RGB colour code as a 32-bit signed integer literal, optionally
+including an unused dalpha channel of `FF` in the highest byte position,
+resulting in a negative integer value. For example, the hex color code
+`C0x002b36` would be expressed as `C-16766154` in the legacy format.
 
 
 ### Setting colours for additional languages
diff --git a/schemer_import.m b/schemer_import.m
index 9749ee6..de2b0c0 100644
--- a/schemer_import.m
+++ b/schemer_import.m
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
 function varargout = schemer_import(fname, inc_bools)
 
 % ------------------------ Parameters -------------------------------------
-SCHEMER_VERSION = 'v1.4.0';
+SCHEMER_VERSION = 'v1.5.0';
 
 % ------------------------ Input handling ---------------------------------
 % ------------------------ Default inputs ---------------------------------
@@ -572,7 +572,11 @@
 
     elseif ismember(n.name, names_color(:, 1))
         % Deal with colour type (final type to consider)
-        if ~strcmpi('C', n.pref(1))
+        if strcmpi(n.pref(1:3), 'C0x')
+            rgb = hex2dec(n.pref(2:end));
+        elseif strcmpi('C', n.pref(1))
+            rgb = str2double(n.pref(2:end));
+        else
             warning('Bad color for %s: %s', n.name, n.pref);
             continue;
         end
@@ -581,7 +585,7 @@
         previousVal = ...
             com.mathworks.services.Prefs.getColorPref(names_color{idx, 1});
         % Set the colour to the target value
-        rgb = str2double(n.pref(2:end));
+
         jc = java.awt.Color(rgb);
         com.mathworks.services.Prefs.setColorPref(n.name, jc);
         com.mathworks.services.ColorPrefs.notifyColorListeners(n.name);