diff --git a/docs/examples/introduction/intro02.py b/docs/examples/introduction/intro02.py
index 2f5d3ed64..514029ebb 100644
--- a/docs/examples/introduction/intro02.py
+++ b/docs/examples/introduction/intro02.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class ExampleApp(App):
     def on_key(self, event):
         if event.key.isdigit():
             self.styles.background = self.COLORS[int(event.key)]
+        self.refresh()
         self.bell()
 
 
diff --git a/src/textual/app.py b/src/textual/app.py
index fb9ef621d..fac988dc6 100644
--- a/src/textual/app.py
+++ b/src/textual/app.py
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ class App(Generic[ReturnType], DOMNode):
 
     CSS = """
     App {
-        background: $surface;
-        color: $text-surface;                
+        background: $background;
+        color: $text-background;             
     }
     """
 
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ class App(Generic[ReturnType], DOMNode):
                 self.screen.refresh(layout=True)
 
     def render(self) -> RenderableType:
-        return Blank()
+        return Blank(self.styles.background)
 
     def get_child(self, id: str) -> DOMNode:
         """Shorthand for self.screen.get_child(id: str)
diff --git a/src/textual/renderables/blank.py b/src/textual/renderables/blank.py
index c0ed42b2f..b83dbbc34 100644
--- a/src/textual/renderables/blank.py
+++ b/src/textual/renderables/blank.py
@@ -11,12 +11,8 @@ class Blank:
     """Draw solid background color."""
 
     def __init__(self, color: Color | str = "transparent") -> None:
-        background = color if isinstance(color, Color) else Color.parse(color)
-        self._style = (
-            Style()
-            if background.is_transparent
-            else Style.from_color(None, background.rich_color)
-        )
+        background = Color.parse(color)
+        self._style = Style.from_color(bgcolor=background.rich_color)
 
     def __rich_console__(
         self, console: Console, options: ConsoleOptions
diff --git a/src/textual/screen.py b/src/textual/screen.py
index a8463446a..c960d33bd 100644
--- a/src/textual/screen.py
+++ b/src/textual/screen.py
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ class Screen(Widget):
 
     CSS = """
     Screen {
-        background: $background;
-        color: $text-background;
         layout: vertical;
         overflow-y: auto;
     }
@@ -71,7 +69,10 @@ class Screen(Widget):
         pass
 
     def render(self) -> RenderableType:
-        return Blank()
+        background = self.styles.background
+        if background.is_transparent:
+            return self.app.render()
+        return Blank(background)
 
     def get_offset(self, widget: Widget) -> Offset:
         """Get the absolute offset of a given Widget.