diff --git a/R/column_spec.R b/R/column_spec.R
index 1e2f13a..3af165b 100644
--- a/R/column_spec.R
+++ b/R/column_spec.R
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 #' need to be emphasized.
 #' @param monospace A T/F value to control whether the text of the selected column
 #' need to be monospaced (verbatim)
+#' @param color A character string for column text color.
+#' @param background A character string for column background color.
 #'
 #' @examples x <- knitr::kable(head(mtcars), "html")
 #' column_spec(x, 1, width = "20em", bold = TRUE, italic = TRUE)
@@ -23,7 +25,8 @@
 #' @export
 column_spec <- function(kable_input, column,
                         width = NULL, bold = FALSE, italic = FALSE,
-                        monospace = FALSE, color = NULL, background = NULL) {
+                        monospace = FALSE, color = NULL, background = NULL,
+                        border_left = FALSE, border_right = FALSE) {
   if (!is.numeric(column)) {
     stop("column must be a numeric value")
   }
@@ -35,18 +38,21 @@
   if (kable_format == "html") {
     return(column_spec_html(kable_input, column, width,
                             bold, italic, monospace,
-                            color, background))
+                            color, background,
+                            border_left, border_right))
   }
   if (kable_format == "latex") {
     return(column_spec_latex(kable_input, column, width,
                              bold, italic, monospace,
-                             color, background))
+                             color, background,
+                             border_left, border_right))
   }
 }
 
 column_spec_html <- function(kable_input, column, width,
                              bold, italic, monospace,
-                             color, background) {
+                             color, background,
+                             border_left, border_right) {
   kable_attrs <- attributes(kable_input)
   kable_xml <- read_kable_as_xml(kable_input)
   kable_tbody <- xml_tpart(kable_xml, "tbody")
@@ -67,6 +73,18 @@
                                              group_header_rows]
   }
 
+  # Border css
+  border_l_css <- "1px solid"
+  border_r_css <- "1px solid"
+  if (is.character(border_left)) {
+    border_l_css <- border_left
+    border_left <- T
+  }
+  if (is.character(border_right)) {
+    border_r_css <- border_right
+    border_right <- T
+  }
+
   for (i in all_contents_rows) {
     target_cell <- xml_child(xml_child(kable_tbody, i), all_contents_array[i])
     if (!is.null(width)) {
@@ -94,6 +112,14 @@
                                                "background-color: ",
                                                background, ";")
     }
+    if (border_left) {
+      xml_attr(target_cell, "style") <- paste0(xml_attr(target_cell, "style"),
+                                               "border-left:", border_l_css, ";")
+    }
+    if (border_right) {
+      xml_attr(target_cell, "style") <- paste0(xml_attr(target_cell, "style"),
+                                               "border-right:", border_r_css, ";")
+    }
   }
   out <- as_kable_xml(kable_xml)
   attributes(out) <- kable_attrs
@@ -102,7 +128,8 @@
 
 column_spec_latex <- function(kable_input, column, width,
                               bold, italic, monospace,
-                              color, background) {
+                              color, background,
+                              border_left, border_right) {
   table_info <- magic_mirror(kable_input)
   if (!is.null(table_info$collapse_rows)) {
     message("Usually it is recommended to use column_spec before collapse_rows,",
@@ -116,7 +143,7 @@
 
   table_info$align_vector[column] <- latex_column_align_builder(
     table_info$align_vector[column], width, bold, italic, monospace,
-    color, background)
+    color, background, border_left, border_right)
 
   kable_align_new <- paste(table_info$align_vector, collapse = align_collapse)
 
@@ -134,7 +161,8 @@
 }
 
 latex_column_align_builder <- function(x, width, bold, italic, monospace,
-                                       color, background) {
+                                       color, background,
+                                       border_left, border_right) {
   extra_align <- ""
   if (!is.null(width)) {
     extra_align <- switch(x,
@@ -148,13 +176,24 @@
     color <- sprintf("\\\\color{%s}", color)
   }
 
+  if (!is.null(color)) {
+    background <- sprintf("\\\\columncolor{%s}", background)
+  }
+
   latex_array_options <- c("\\\\bfseries", "\\\\em", "\\\\ttfamily")[
     c(bold, italic, monospace)]
-  latex_array_options <- c(latex_array_options, extra_align, color)
+  latex_array_options <- c(latex_array_options, extra_align,
+                           color, background)
   latex_array_options <- paste0(
     "\\>\\{", paste(latex_array_options, collapse = ""), "\\}"
   )
   x <- paste0(latex_array_options, x)
+  if (border_left) {
+    x <- paste0("|", x)
+  }
+  if (border_right) {
+    x <- paste0(x, "|")
+  }
 
   return(x)
 }
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
index fd83d76..e716b96 100644
--- a/R/zzz.R
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
   usepackage_latex("multirow")
   usepackage_latex("xcolor", "table")
   usepackage_latex("wrapfig")
+  usepackage_latex("colortbl")
 }
diff --git a/man/column_spec.Rd b/man/column_spec.Rd
index 9b24b01..81986e4 100644
--- a/man/column_spec.Rd
+++ b/man/column_spec.Rd
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 \title{Specify the look of the selected column}
 \usage{
 column_spec(kable_input, column, width = NULL, bold = FALSE,
-  italic = FALSE, monospace = FALSE)
+  italic = FALSE, monospace = FALSE, color = NULL, background = NULL,
+  border_left = FALSE, border_right = FALSE)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{kable_input}{Output of \code{knitr::kable()} with \code{format} specified}
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@
 
 \item{monospace}{A T/F value to control whether the text of the selected column
 need to be monospaced (verbatim)}
+
+\item{color}{A character string for column text color.}
+
+\item{background}{A character string for column background color.}
 }
 \description{
 This function allows users to select a column and then specify
diff --git a/man/kable_styling.Rd b/man/kable_styling.Rd
index 6bb43a2..8402227 100644
--- a/man/kable_styling.Rd
+++ b/man/kable_styling.Rd
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 \item \code{repeat_header_method} can either be \code{append}(default) or \code{replace}
 \item \code{repeat_header_text} is just a text string you want to append on or
 replace the caption.
-\item \code{strip_color} allows users to pick a different color for their strip lines.
+\item \code{stripe_color} allows users to pick a different color for their strip lines.
 }
 }
 \examples{
diff --git a/man/row_spec.Rd b/man/row_spec.Rd
index 8ad0c7d..a344479 100644
--- a/man/row_spec.Rd
+++ b/man/row_spec.Rd
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 \title{Specify the look of the selected row}
 \usage{
 row_spec(kable_input, row, bold = FALSE, italic = FALSE,
-  monospace = FALSE)
+  monospace = FALSE, color = NULL, background = NULL)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{kable_input}{Output of \code{knitr::kable()} with \code{format} specified}
diff --git a/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_html.Rmd b/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_html.Rmd
index d63ab49..277e338 100644
--- a/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_html.Rmd
+++ b/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_html.Rmd
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
 kable(dt, "html") %>%
   kable_styling(full_width = F)   %>%
   row_spec(1, bold = T) %>%
-  column_spec(2, "5cm", bold = T, color = "white", background = "red") %>%
-  column_spec(3, monospace = T) %>%
+  column_spec(2, "5cm", bold = T, color = "white", background = "gray") %>%
+  column_spec(3, monospace = T, border_right = T) %>%
   column_spec(4, "3cm", italic = T)
 ```
 
diff --git a/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_pdf.Rmd b/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_pdf.Rmd
index b727f0f..52c1b0a 100644
--- a/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_pdf.Rmd
+++ b/tests/visual_tests/column_row_spec_pdf.Rmd
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@
 )
 
 kable(dt, "latex", booktabs = T, align = "r") %>%
-  column_spec(2, "3cm", bold = T) %>%
+  column_spec(2, "3cm", bold = T, border_right = T) %>%
   column_spec(3, monospace = T)%>%
-  column_spec(4, "3cm", italic = T, color = "red")  %>%
+  column_spec(4, "3cm", italic = T, color = "red", border_left = T, background = "blue")  %>%
   row_spec(3, monospace = T, color = "yellow", background = "black")
 ```