diff --git a/less/buttons.less b/less/buttons.less
index 3cc7da00d1..ad3c7ac613 100644
--- a/less/buttons.less
+++ b/less/buttons.less
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
   &:hover,
   &:focus {
-    color: #fff;
+    color: @btn-hover-color;
     text-decoration: none;
   }
 
diff --git a/less/carousel.less b/less/carousel.less
index 7d134ca629..d7dfdf9f66 100644
--- a/less/carousel.less
+++ b/less/carousel.less
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@
   width: 15%;
   .opacity(.5);
   font-size: 20px;
-  color: #fff;
+  color: @carousel-control-color;
   text-align: center;
-  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.6);
+  text-shadow: @carousel-control-text-shadow;
   // We can't have this transition here because webkit cancels the carousel
   // animation if you trip this while in the middle of another animation.
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
   // Hover/focus state
   &:hover,
   &:focus {
-    color: #fff;
+    color: @carousel-control-hover-color;
     text-decoration: none;
     .opacity(.9);
   }
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
     height: 10px;
     margin: 1px;
     text-indent: -999px;
-    border: 1px solid #fff;
+    border: 1px solid @carousel-indicators-li-border-color;
     border-radius: 10px;
     cursor: pointer;
   }
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
     margin: 0;
     width:  12px;
     height: 12px;
-    background-color: #fff;
+    background-color: @carousel-indicators-active-bg;
   }
 }
 
@@ -167,9 +167,9 @@
   z-index: 10;
   padding-top: 20px;
   padding-bottom: 20px;
-  color: #fff;
+  color: @carousel-caption-color;
   text-align: center;
-  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.6);
+  text-shadow: @carousel-caption-text-shadow;
   & .btn {
     text-shadow: none; // No shadow for button elements in carousel-caption
   }
diff --git a/less/close.less b/less/close.less
index 5fe23b3dc8..454a73fdcb 100644
--- a/less/close.less
+++ b/less/close.less
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@
   font-size: (@font-size-base * 1.5);
   font-weight: bold;
   line-height: 1;
-  color: #000;
-  text-shadow: 0 1px 0 rgba(255,255,255,1);
+  color: @close-color;
+  text-shadow: @close-text-shadow;
   .opacity(.2);
 
   &:hover,
   &:focus {
-    color: #000;
+    color: @close-hover-color;
     text-decoration: none;
     cursor: pointer;
     .opacity(.5);
diff --git a/less/variables.less b/less/variables.less
index 321590f538..ed5051df7f 100644
--- a/less/variables.less
+++ b/less/variables.less
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@
 @btn-info-bg:                    @brand-info;
 @btn-info-border:                @btn-info-bg;
 
+@btn-hover-color:                #fff;
+
 
 
 // Forms
@@ -390,6 +392,23 @@
 @breadcrumb-color:            #ccc;
 @breadcrumb-active-color:     @gray-light;
 
+// Carousel
+// ------------------------
+@carousel-control-color:                      #fff;
+@carousel-control-hover-color:                #fff;
+@carousel-control-text-shadow:                0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.6);
+
+@carousel-indicators-active-bg:               #fff;
+@carousel-indicators-li-border-color:         #fff;
+
+@carousel-caption-color:                      #fff;
+@carousel-caption-text-shadow:                0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.6);
+
+// Close
+// ------------------------
+@close-color:                 #000;
+@close-hover-color:           #000;
+@close-text-shadow:           0 1px 0 rgba(255,255,255,1);
 
 // Miscellaneous
 // -------------------------