diff --git a/ipygany/ipygany.py b/ipygany/ipygany.py
index f760026..2f2e4ed 100644
--- a/ipygany/ipygany.py
+++ b/ipygany/ipygany.py
@@ -486,8 +486,8 @@ class Scene(_GanyDOMWidgetBase):
 
     children = List(Instance(Block)).tag(sync=True, **widget_serialization)
 
-    background_color = Color('#fff').tag(sync=True)
-    background_opacity = CFloat(0.).tag(sync=True)
+    background_color = Color('white').tag(sync=True)
+    background_opacity = CFloat(1.).tag(sync=True)
 
     def __init__(self, children=[], **kwargs):
         """Construct a Scene."""
diff --git a/src/widget.ts b/src/widget.ts
index 30834ae..4a459a3 100644
--- a/src/widget.ts
+++ b/src/widget.ts
@@ -713,8 +713,8 @@ class SceneModel extends _GanyDOMWidgetModel {
     return {...super.defaults(),
       _model_name: SceneModel.model_name,
       _view_name: SceneModel.view_name,
-      background_color: '#fff',
-      background_opacity: 0.,
+      background_color: 'white',
+      background_opacity: 1.,
       children: [],
     };
   }