diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0f7e2f2ed09..7dec7ffd448 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1156,6 +1156,116 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "colors": [
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.Normal",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for normal mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.Insert",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for insert mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.Visual",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for visual mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.VisualBlock",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for visual block mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.VisualLine",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for visual line mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.Replace",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for replace mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.EasyMotionMode",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for easy motion mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.EasyMotionInputMode",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for easy motion input mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.SurroundInputMode",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for surround input mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.Disabled",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for disabled mode.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.SearchInProgressMode",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for when a search is in progress.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "statusBarItem.vimMode.CommandlineInProgress",
+        "description": "Vim status bar color for when entering a command.",
+        "defaults": {
+          "dark": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "light": "statusBar.foreground",
+          "highContrast": "statusBar.foreground"
+        }
+      }
+    ],
     "languages": [
       {
         "id": "Vimscript",
diff --git a/src/statusBar.ts b/src/statusBar.ts
index 66962988db8..a5cf998aa3b 100644
--- a/src/statusBar.ts
+++ b/src/statusBar.ts
@@ -70,11 +70,7 @@ class StatusBarImpl implements vscode.Disposable {
     }
 
     // StatusBar color
-    const shouldUpdateColor =
-      configuration.statusBarColorControl && vimState.currentMode !== this.previousMode;
-    if (shouldUpdateColor) {
-      this.updateColor(vimState.currentMode);
-    }
+    this.updateColor(vimState.currentMode);
 
     this.previousMode = vimState.currentMode;
     this.showingDefaultMessage = false;
@@ -122,6 +118,23 @@ class StatusBarImpl implements vscode.Disposable {
   }
 
   private updateColor(mode: Mode) {
+    // original color update method - applies to the whole line by modifying the user's settings
+    if (configuration.statusBarColorControl && mode !== this.previousMode) {
+      this.updateWholeStatusBarColor(mode);
+    }
+
+    // narrow color update method - applies to the Vim status bar items based on color settings
+    this.updateVimStatusBarItemColor(mode);
+  }
+
+  private updateVimStatusBarItemColor(mode: Mode) {
+    const modeName = Mode[mode];
+    const foregroundColor = new vscode.ThemeColor(`statusBarItem.vimMode.${modeName}`);
+    this.statusBarItem.color = foregroundColor;
+    this.recordedStateStatusBarItem.color = foregroundColor;
+  }
+
+  private updateWholeStatusBarColor(mode: Mode) {
     let foreground: string | undefined;
     let background: string | undefined;