Use identical color with LVM_SETBKCOLOR and LVM_SETTEXTBKCOLOR (or CListCtrl::SetBkColor/SetTextBkColor if you're using MFC):
CListCtrl &lst = ...;
lst.SetBkColor(RGB(255, 0, 0));
lst.SetTextBkColor(RGB(255, 0, 0));
This should make all background red. Tomasz Sowinski -- http://www.shooltz.com