diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.cpp
index aff4de6e3a..72d53f0bcb 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
 #include <windows.h>
 #endif
+#ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#endif
 
 #include <QtCore/QCoreApplication>
 #include <QtCore/QDateTime>
@@ -32,6 +36,40 @@ LogHandler& LogHandler::getInstance() {
     return staticInstance;
 }
 
+LogHandler::LogHandler() {
+    QString logOptions = qgetenv("VIRCADIA_LOG_OPTIONS").toLower();
+
+#ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
+    // Enable color by default if we're on Unix, and output is a tty (so we're not being piped into something)
+    //
+    // On Windows the situation is more complex, and color is supported or not depending on version and
+    // registry settings, so for now it's off by default and it's up to the user to do what's required.
+    if (isatty(fileno(stdout))) {
+        _useColor = true;
+    }
+#endif
+
+    auto optionList = logOptions.split(",");
+
+    for (auto option : optionList) {
+        option = option.trimmed();
+
+        if (option == "color") {
+            _useColor = true;
+        } else if (option == "nocolor") {
+            _useColor = false;
+        } else if (option == "process_id") {
+            _shouldOutputProcessID = true;
+        } else if (option == "thread_id") {
+            _shouldOutputThreadID = true;
+        } else if (option == "milliseconds") {
+            _shouldDisplayMilliseconds = true;
+        } else if (option != "") {
+            fprintf(stdout, "Unrecognized option in VIRCADIA_LOG_OPTIONS: '%s'\n", option.toUtf8().constData());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 const char* stringForLogType(LogMsgType msgType) {
     switch (msgType) {
         case LogInfo:
@@ -51,6 +89,29 @@ const char* stringForLogType(LogMsgType msgType) {
     }
 }
 
+const char* colorForLogType(LogMsgType msgType) {
+    switch (msgType) {
+        case LogInfo:
+            return "\u001b[37;1m";  // Bold white
+        case LogDebug:
+            return "";
+        case LogWarning:
+            return "\u001b[35;1m";  // Bright magenta
+        case LogCritical:
+            return "\u001b[31;1m";  // Bright red
+        case LogFatal:
+            return "\u001b[31;1m";  // Bright red
+        case LogSuppressed:
+            return "";
+        default:
+            return "";
+    }
+}
+
+const char* colorReset() {
+    return "\u001b[0m";
+}
+
 // the following will produce 11/18 13:55:36
 const QString DATE_STRING_FORMAT = "MM/dd hh:mm:ss";
 
@@ -133,7 +194,15 @@ QString LogHandler::printMessage(LogMsgType type, const QMessageLogContext& cont
 
     QString logMessage = QString("%1 %2\n").arg(prefixString, message.split('\n').join('\n' + prefixString + " "));
 
-    fprintf(stdout, "%s", qPrintable(logMessage));
+    const char* color = "";
+    const char* resetColor = "";
+
+    if (_useColor) {
+        color = colorForLogType(type);
+        resetColor = colorReset();
+    }
+
+    fprintf(stdout, "%s%s%s", color, qPrintable(logMessage), resetColor);
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
     // On windows, this will output log lines into the Visual Studio "output" tab
     OutputDebugStringA(qPrintable(logMessage));
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.h b/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.h
index 8f84899b78..7bd5c69c63 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/LogHandler.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public:
     void setupRepeatedMessageFlusher();
 
 private:
-    LogHandler() = default;
+    LogHandler();
     ~LogHandler() = default;
 
     void flushRepeatedMessages();
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ private:
     bool _shouldOutputProcessID { false };
     bool _shouldOutputThreadID { false };
     bool _shouldDisplayMilliseconds { false };
+    bool _useColor { false };
 
     int _currentMessageID { 0 };
     struct RepeatedMessageRecord {