Workaround: void radDropDownList1_VisualListItemFormatting(object sender, VisualItemFormattingEventArgs args) { if (args.VisualItem.Selected && radDropDownList1.ThemeName == "VisualStudio2012Dark") { args.VisualItem.BackColor = Color.DarkBlue; } else { args.VisualItem.ResetValue(LightVisualElement.BackColorProperty, ValueResetFlags.Local); } }