diff --git a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/javadoc/ColorUtil.java b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/javadoc/ColorUtil.java
index 745693b94d71..0ae045a61d51 100644
--- a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/javadoc/ColorUtil.java
+++ b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/javadoc/ColorUtil.java
@@ -29,22 +29,8 @@ public class ColorUtil {
   private ColorUtil() {
   }
 
-  public static String toHex(@NotNull final Color color) {
-    final StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
-    for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
-      String s = Integer.toHexString(i == 0 ? color.getRed() : i == 1 ? color.getGreen() : color.getBlue());
-      if (s.length() < 2) {
-        sb.append('0');
-      }
-
-      sb.append(s);
-    }
-
-    return sb.toString();
-  }
-
   public static String generatePreviewHtml(@NotNull final Color color) {
-    return String.format("<div style=\"width: 50px; height: 30px; background-color: #%s; border: 1px solid #222;\">&nbsp;</div>", toHex(color));
+    return String.format("<div style=\"width: 50px; height: 30px; background-color: #%s; border: 1px solid #222;\">&nbsp;</div>", com.intellij.ui.ColorUtil.toHex(color));
   }
 
   public static void appendColorPreview(final PsiVariable variable, final StringBuilder buffer) {
diff --git a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java
index 96beb3d05dc6..7a0ee5b85f6c 100644
--- a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java
+++ b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java
@@ -19,8 +19,14 @@
  */
 package com.intellij.ui;
 
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
+
 import java.awt.*;
 
+/**
+ * @author max
+ * @author Konstantin Bulenkov
+ */
 public class ColorUtil {
   private ColorUtil() {
   }
@@ -36,4 +42,49 @@ public class ColorUtil {
   public static Color withAlphaAdjustingDarkness(Color c, double d) {
     return shift(withAlpha(c, d), d);
   }
+
+  public static String toHex(@NotNull final Color c) {
+    final String R = Integer.toHexString(c.getRed());
+    final String G = Integer.toHexString(c.getGreen());
+    final String B = Integer.toHexString(c.getBlue());
+    return new StringBuffer()
+      .append(R.length() < 2 ? "0" : "").append(R)
+      .append(G.length() < 2 ? "0" : "").append(G)
+      .append(B.length() < 2 ? "0" : "").append(B)
+      .toString();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return Color object from string. The following formats are allowed:
+   * <code>#abc123</code>,
+   * <code>ABC123</code>,
+   * <code>ab5</code>,
+   * <code>#FFF</code>.
+   *
+   * @param str hex string
+   * @return Color object
+   */
+  public static Color fromHex(String str) {
+    if (str.startsWith("#")) {
+      str = str.substring(1);
+    }
+    if (str.length() == 3) {
+      return new Color(
+        17 * Integer.valueOf(String.valueOf(str.charAt(0)), 16).intValue(),
+        17 * Integer.valueOf(String.valueOf(str.charAt(1)), 16).intValue(),
+        17 * Integer.valueOf(String.valueOf(str.charAt(2)), 16).intValue());
+    } else if (str.length() == 6) {
+      return Color.decode("0x" + str);
+    } else {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Should be String of 3 or 6 chars length.");
+    }
+  }
+
+  public static Color fromHex(String str, Color defaultValue) {
+    try {
+      return fromHex(str);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      return defaultValue;
+    }
+  }
 }