diff --git a/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts b/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts
index f3d319f11c6..ddff1093720 100644
--- a/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export class User {
   orgRole: any;
   timezone: string;
   helpFlags1: number;
+  lightTheme: boolean;
 
   constructor() {
     if (config.bootData.user) {
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/heatmap_ctrl.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/heatmap_ctrl.ts
index 6eedbbaf9c4..2777b84e2f8 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/heatmap_ctrl.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/heatmap_ctrl.ts
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ let panelDefaults = {
     cardRound: null
   },
   color: {
-    mode: 'color',
+    mode: 'spectrum',
     cardColor: '#b4ff00',
-    colorScale: 'linear',
+    colorScale: 'sqrt',
     exponent: 0.5,
-    colorScheme: 'interpolateSpectral',
+    colorScheme: 'interpolateOranges',
     fillBackground: false
   },
   dataFormat: 'timeseries',
@@ -53,44 +53,37 @@ let panelDefaults = {
   highlightCards: true
 };
 
-let colorModes = ['opacity', 'color'];
+let colorModes = ['opacity', 'spectrum'];
 let opacityScales = ['linear', 'sqrt'];
 
 // Schemes from d3-scale-chromatic
 // https://github.com/d3/d3-scale-chromatic
 let colorSchemes = [
   // Diverging
-  {name: 'Spectral', value: 'interpolateSpectral'},
-  {name: 'BrBG', value: 'interpolateBrBG'},
-  {name: 'PRGn', value: 'interpolatePRGn'},
-  {name: 'PiYG', value: 'interpolatePiYG'},
-  {name: 'PuOr', value: 'interpolatePuOr'},
-  {name: 'RdBu', value: 'interpolateRdBu'},
-  {name: 'RdGy', value: 'interpolateRdGy'},
-  {name: 'RdYlBu', value: 'interpolateRdYlBu'},
-  {name: 'RdYlGn', value: 'interpolateRdYlGn'},
+  {name: 'Spectral',  value: 'interpolateSpectral', invert: 'always'},
+  {name: 'RdYlGn',    value: 'interpolateRdYlGn',   invert: 'always'},
 
   // Sequential (Single Hue)
-  {name: 'Blues', value: 'interpolateBlues'},
-  {name: 'Greens', value: 'interpolateGreens'},
-  {name: 'Greys', value: 'interpolateGreys'},
-  {name: 'Oranges', value: 'interpolateOranges'},
-  {name: 'Purples', value: 'interpolatePurples'},
-  {name: 'Reds', value: 'interpolateReds'},
+  {name: 'Blues',     value: 'interpolateBlues',    invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'Greens',    value: 'interpolateGreens',   invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'Greys',     value: 'interpolateGreys',    invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'Oranges',   value: 'interpolateOranges',  invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'Purples',   value: 'interpolatePurples',  invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'Reds',      value: 'interpolateReds',     invert: 'dark'},
 
   // Sequential (Multi-Hue)
-  {name: 'BuGn', value: 'interpolateBuGn'},
-  {name: 'BuPu', value: 'interpolateBuPu'},
-  {name: 'GnBu', value: 'interpolateGnBu'},
-  {name: 'OrRd', value: 'interpolateOrRd'},
-  {name: 'PuBuGn', value: 'interpolatePuBuGn'},
-  {name: 'PuBu', value: 'interpolatePuBu'},
-  {name: 'PuRd', value: 'interpolatePuRd'},
-  {name: 'RdPu', value: 'interpolateRdPu'},
-  {name: 'YlGnBu', value: 'interpolateYlGnBu'},
-  {name: 'YlGn', value: 'interpolateYlGn'},
-  {name: 'YlOrBr', value: 'interpolateYlOrBr'},
-  {name: 'YlOrRd', value: 'interpolateYlOrRd'}
+  {name: 'BuGn',    value: 'interpolateBuGn',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'BuPu',    value: 'interpolateBuPu',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'GnBu',    value: 'interpolateGnBu',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'OrRd',    value: 'interpolateOrRd',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'PuBuGn',  value: 'interpolatePuBuGn',     invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'PuBu',    value: 'interpolatePuBu',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'PuRd',    value: 'interpolatePuRd',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'RdPu',    value: 'interpolateRdPu',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'YlGnBu',  value: 'interpolateYlGnBu',     invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'YlGn',    value: 'interpolateYlGn',       invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'YlOrBr',  value: 'interpolateYlOrBr',     invert: 'dark'},
+  {name: 'YlOrRd',  value: 'interpolateYlOrRd',     invert: 'darm'}
 ];
 
 export class HeatmapCtrl extends MetricsPanelCtrl {
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/partials/display_editor.html b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/partials/display_editor.html
index 530a7ecbcf9..92409b3ad5e 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/partials/display_editor.html
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/partials/display_editor.html
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <div class="section gf-form-group">
     <h5 class="section-heading">Colors</h5>
     <div class="gf-form">
-      <label class="gf-form-label width-8">Color mode</label>
+      <label class="gf-form-label width-7">Mode</label>
       <div class="gf-form-select-wrapper width-12">
         <select class="input-small gf-form-input" ng-model="ctrl.panel.color.mode" ng-options="s for s in ctrl.colorModes" ng-change="ctrl.render()"></select>
       </div>
@@ -10,44 +10,38 @@
 
     <div ng-show="ctrl.panel.color.mode === 'opacity'">
       <div class="gf-form">
-        <label class="gf-form-label width-8">Card Color</label>
+        <label class="gf-form-label width-7">Color</label>
         <span class="gf-form-label">
           <spectrum-picker ng-model="ctrl.panel.color.cardColor" ng-change="ctrl.render()" ></spectrum-picker>
         </span>
       </div>
       <div class="gf-form">
-        <label class="gf-form-label width-8">Opacity scale</label>
-        <div class="gf-form-select-wrapper width-12">
+        <label class="gf-form-label width-7">Scale</label>
+        <div class="gf-form-select-wrapper width-8">
           <select class="input-small gf-form-input" ng-model="ctrl.panel.color.colorScale" ng-options="s for s in ctrl.opacityScales" ng-change="ctrl.render()"></select>
         </div>
       </div>
       <div class="gf-form" ng-if="ctrl.panel.color.colorScale === 'sqrt'">
-        <label class="gf-form-label width-8">Exponent</label>
+        <label class="gf-form-label width-7">Exponent</label>
         <input type="number" class="gf-form-input width-8" placeholder="auto" data-placement="right" bs-tooltip="''" ng-model="ctrl.panel.color.exponent" ng-change="ctrl.refresh()" ng-model-onblur>
       </div>
       <div class="gf-form">
-        <svg id="heatmap-opacity-legend"
-          width="22.7em" height="2em">
-        </svg>
+        <svg id="heatmap-opacity-legend" width="22.7em" height="2em"></svg>
       </div>
     </div>
 
-    <div ng-show="ctrl.panel.color.mode === 'color'">
+    <div ng-show="ctrl.panel.color.mode === 'spectrum'">
       <div class="gf-form">
-        <label class="gf-form-label width-8">Color scheme</label>
+        <label class="gf-form-label width-7">Scheme</label>
         <div class="gf-form-select-wrapper width-12">
           <select class="input-small gf-form-input" ng-model="ctrl.panel.color.colorScheme" ng-options="s.value as s.name for s in ctrl.colorSchemes" ng-change="ctrl.render()"></select>
         </div>
       </div>
       <div class="gf-form">
-        <svg id="heatmap-color-legend"
-          width="22.7em" height="2em">
-        </svg>
+        <svg id="heatmap-color-legend" width="22.7em" height="2em"></svg>
       </div>
-      <gf-form-switch class="gf-form" label-class="width-10"
-        label="Fill background"
-        checked="ctrl.panel.color.fillBackground" on-change="ctrl.render()">
-      </gf-form-switch>
+      <gf-form-switch class="gf-form" label-class="width-9" label="Fill background" checked="ctrl.panel.color.fillBackground" on-change="ctrl.render()">
+			</gf-form-switch>
     </div>
   </div>
 
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/rendering.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/rendering.ts
index 93112dca496..12316e6be79 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/rendering.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/rendering.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import _ from 'lodash';
 import $ from 'jquery';
 import moment from 'moment';
 import kbn from 'app/core/utils/kbn';
-import {appEvents} from 'app/core/core';
+import {appEvents, contextSrv} from 'app/core/core';
 import d3 from 'd3';
 import {HeatmapTooltip} from './heatmap_tooltip';
 import {convertToCards, mergeZeroBuckets, removeZeroBuckets} from './heatmap_data_converter';
@@ -371,11 +371,11 @@ export default function link(scope, elem, attrs, ctrl) {
       return card.values.length;
     });
 
-    setColorScale(max_value);
+    colorScale = getColorScale(max_value);
     setOpacityScale(max_value);
     setCardSize();
 
-    if (panel.color.fillBackground && panel.color.mode === 'color') {
+    if (panel.color.fillBackground && panel.color.mode === 'spectrum') {
       fillBackground(heatmap, colorScale(0));
     }
 
@@ -426,9 +426,16 @@ export default function link(scope, elem, attrs, ctrl) {
     }
   }
 
-  function setColorScale(max_value) {
-    let colorInterpolator = d3[panel.color.colorScheme];
-    colorScale = d3.scaleSequential(colorInterpolator).domain([max_value, 0]);
+  function getColorScale(maxValue) {
+    let colorScheme = _.find(ctrl.colorSchemes, {value: panel.color.colorScheme});
+    let colorInterpolator = d3[colorScheme.value];
+    let colorScaleInverted = colorScheme.invert === 'always' ||
+      (colorScheme.invert === 'dark' && !contextSrv.user.lightTheme);
+
+    let start = colorScaleInverted ? maxValue : 0;
+    let end = colorScaleInverted ? 0 : maxValue;
+
+    return d3.scaleSequential(colorInterpolator).domain([start, end]);
   }
 
   function setOpacityScale(max_value) {
@@ -710,8 +717,7 @@ export default function link(scope, elem, attrs, ctrl) {
     let legendWidth = Math.floor($(d3.select("#heatmap-color-legend").node()).outerWidth());
     let legendHeight = d3.select("#heatmap-color-legend").attr("height");
 
-    let colorInterpolator = d3[panel.color.colorScheme];
-    let legendColorScale = d3.scaleSequential(colorInterpolator).domain([legendWidth, 0]);
+    let legendColorScale = getColorScale(legendWidth);
 
     let rangeStep = 2;
     let valuesRange = d3.range(0, legendWidth, rangeStep);
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/specs/renderer_specs.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/specs/renderer_specs.ts
index 1ba1bec9b83..3467c5b7542 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/specs/renderer_specs.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/heatmap/specs/renderer_specs.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ describe('grafanaHeatmap', function () {
 
         beforeEach(angularMocks.inject(function ($rootScope, $compile) {
           var ctrl: any = {
+            colorSchemes: [
+              {name: 'Oranges',   value: 'interpolateOranges',  invert: 'dark'},
+              {name: 'Reds',      value: 'interpolateReds',     invert: 'dark'},
+            ],
             events: new Emitter(),
             height: 200,
             panel: {
@@ -40,11 +44,11 @@ describe('grafanaHeatmap', function () {
                 cardRound: null
               },
               color: {
-                mode: 'color',
+                mode: 'spectrum',
                 cardColor: '#b4ff00',
                 colorScale: 'linear',
                 exponent: 0.5,
-                colorScheme: 'interpolateSpectral',
+                colorScheme: 'interpolateOranges',
                 fillBackground: false
               },
               xBucketSize: 1000,