diff --git a/src/textual/color.py b/src/textual/color.py
index a8361fea38..e13bd5a888 100644
--- a/src/textual/color.py
+++ b/src/textual/color.py
@@ -167,6 +167,13 @@ class Color(NamedTuple):
     """Alpha (opacity) component in range 0 to 1."""
     ansi: int | None = None
     """ANSI color index. `-1` means default color. `None` if not an ANSI color."""
+    auto: bool = False
+    """Is the color automatic? (automatic colors may be white or black, to provide maximum contrast)"""
+
+    @classmethod
+    def automatic(cls, alpha: float = 1.0) -> Color:
+        """Create an automatic color."""
+        return cls(0, 0, 0, alpha, auto=True)
 
     @classmethod
     def from_rich_color(cls, rich_color: RichColor | None) -> Color:
@@ -205,7 +212,7 @@ def inverse(self) -> Color:
         Returns:
             Inverse color.
         """
-        r, g, b, a, _ = self
+        r, g, b, a, _, _ = self
         return Color(255 - r, 255 - g, 255 - b, a)
 
     @property
@@ -216,14 +223,15 @@ def is_transparent(self) -> bool:
     @property
     def clamped(self) -> Color:
         """A clamped color (this color with all values in expected range)."""
-        r, g, b, a, _ = self
+        r, g, b, a, ansi, auto = self
         _clamp = clamp
         color = Color(
             _clamp(r, 0, 255),
             _clamp(g, 0, 255),
             _clamp(b, 0, 255),
             _clamp(a, 0.0, 1.0),
-            self.ansi,
+            ansi,
+            auto,
         )
         return color
 
@@ -235,7 +243,7 @@ def rich_color(self) -> RichColor:
         Returns:
             A color object as used by Rich.
         """
-        r, g, b, _a, ansi = self
+        r, g, b, _a, ansi, _ = self
         if ansi is not None:
             return RichColor.parse("default") if ansi < 0 else RichColor.from_ansi(ansi)
         return RichColor(
@@ -249,13 +257,13 @@ def normalized(self) -> tuple[float, float, float]:
         Returns:
             Normalized components.
         """
-        r, g, b, _a, _ = self
+        r, g, b, _a, _, _ = self
         return (r / 255, g / 255, b / 255)
 
     @property
     def rgb(self) -> tuple[int, int, int]:
         """The red, green, and blue color components as a tuple of ints."""
-        r, g, b, _, _ = self
+        r, g, b, _, _, _ = self
         return (r, g, b)
 
     @property
@@ -288,7 +296,7 @@ def hex(self) -> str:
 
         For example, `"#46b3de"` for an RGB color, or `"#3342457f"` for a color with alpha.
         """
-        r, g, b, a, ansi = self.clamped
+        r, g, b, a, ansi, _ = self.clamped
         if ansi is not None:
             return "ansi_default" if ansi == -1 else f"ansi_{ANSI_COLORS[ansi]}"
         return (
@@ -303,7 +311,7 @@ def hex6(self) -> str:
 
         For example, `"#46b3de"`.
         """
-        r, g, b, _a, _ = self.clamped
+        r, g, b, _a, _, _ = self.clamped
         return f"#{r:02X}{g:02X}{b:02X}"
 
     @property
@@ -312,7 +320,7 @@ def css(self) -> str:
 
         For example, `"rgb(10,20,30)"` for an RGB color, or `"rgb(50,70,80,0.5)"` for an RGBA color.
         """
-        r, g, b, a, ansi = self
+        r, g, b, a, ansi, _ = self
         if ansi is not None:
             return "ansi_default" if ansi == -1 else f"ansi_{ANSI_COLORS[ansi]}"
         return f"rgb({r},{g},{b})" if a == 1 else f"rgba({r},{g},{b},{a})"
@@ -324,12 +332,12 @@ def monochrome(self) -> Color:
         Returns:
             The monochrome (black and white) version of this color.
         """
-        r, g, b, a, _ = self
+        r, g, b, a, _, _ = self
         gray = round(r * 0.2126 + g * 0.7152 + b * 0.0722)
         return Color(gray, gray, gray, a)
 
     def __rich_repr__(self) -> rich.repr.Result:
-        r, g, b, a, ansi = self
+        r, g, b, a, ansi, _ = self
         yield r
         yield g
         yield b
@@ -345,7 +353,7 @@ def with_alpha(self, alpha: float) -> Color:
         Returns:
             A new color.
         """
-        r, g, b, _, _ = self
+        r, g, b, _, _, _ = self
         return Color(r, g, b, alpha)
 
     def multiply_alpha(self, alpha: float) -> Color:
@@ -359,7 +367,7 @@ def multiply_alpha(self, alpha: float) -> Color:
         """
         if self.ansi is not None:
             return self
-        r, g, b, a, _ = self
+        r, g, b, a, _, _ = self
         return Color(r, g, b, a * alpha)
 
     @lru_cache(maxsize=1024)
@@ -380,14 +388,16 @@ def blend(
         Returns:
             A new color.
         """
+        if destination.auto:
+            destination = self.get_contrast_text(destination.a)
         if destination.ansi is not None:
             return destination
         if factor <= 0:
             return self
         elif factor >= 1:
             return destination
-        r1, g1, b1, a1, _ = self
-        r2, g2, b2, a2, _ = destination
+        r1, g1, b1, a1, _, _ = self
+        r2, g2, b2, a2, _, _ = destination
 
         if alpha is None:
             new_alpha = a1 + (a2 - a1) * factor
@@ -414,10 +424,10 @@ def tint(self, color: Color) -> Color:
             New color
         """
 
-        r1, g1, b1, a1, ansi1 = self
+        r1, g1, b1, a1, ansi1, _ = self
         if ansi1 is not None:
             return self
-        r2, g2, b2, a2, ansi2 = color
+        r2, g2, b2, a2, ansi2, _ = color
         if ansi2 is not None:
             return self
         return Color(
diff --git a/src/textual/command.py b/src/textual/command.py
index c371040f3a..b82282a816 100644
--- a/src/textual/command.py
+++ b/src/textual/command.py
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class CommandList(OptionList, can_focus=False):
     }
 
     CommandList > .option-list--option {
-        padding-left: 2;
+        padding: 0 2;
     }
     """
 
diff --git a/src/textual/content.py b/src/textual/content.py
index 55b5d6bba2..cb1f88c4f0 100644
--- a/src/textual/content.py
+++ b/src/textual/content.py
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ def _justify_lines(
 
     if justify == "left":
         lines = [line.truncate(width, overflow=overflow, pad=True) for line in lines]
-
     elif justify == "center":
         lines = [line.center(width) for line in lines]
     elif justify == "right":
@@ -658,7 +657,7 @@ def get_style(style: str, /) -> Style:
         ]
         spans.sort(key=itemgetter(0, 1))
 
-        stack: list[int] = [0]
+        stack: list[int] = []
         stack_append = stack.append
         stack_pop = stack.remove
 
@@ -672,7 +671,8 @@ def get_current_style() -> Style:
             cached_style = style_cache_get(cache_key)
             if cached_style is not None:
                 return cached_style
-            current_style = combine([style_map[_style_id] for _style_id in cache_key])
+            styles = [style_map[_style_id] for _style_id in cache_key]
+            current_style = combine(styles)
             style_cache[cache_key] = current_style
             return current_style
 
@@ -890,10 +890,7 @@ def wrap(
                 new_lines = line.divide(offsets)
             new_lines = [line.rstrip_end(width) for line in new_lines]
             new_lines = _justify_lines(
-                new_lines,
-                width,
-                justify=justify,
-                overflow=overflow,
+                new_lines, width, justify=justify, overflow=overflow
             )
             new_lines = [line.truncate(width, overflow=overflow) for line in new_lines]
             lines.extend(new_lines)
diff --git a/src/textual/visual.py b/src/textual/visual.py
index f7442cded1..0e01646636 100644
--- a/src/textual/visual.py
+++ b/src/textual/visual.py
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ class Style:
     strike: bool | None = None
     link: str | None = None
     _meta: bytes | None = None
+    auto_color: bool = False
 
     def __rich_repr__(self) -> rich.repr.Result:
         yield None, self.background
@@ -142,12 +143,17 @@ def from_styles(cls, styles: StylesBase) -> Style:
         text_style = styles.text_style
         return Style(
             styles.background,
-            styles.color,
+            (
+                Color(0, 0, 0, styles.color.a, auto=True)
+                if styles.auto_color
+                else styles.color
+            ),
             bold=text_style.bold,
             dim=text_style.italic,
             italic=text_style.italic,
             underline=text_style.underline,
             strike=text_style.strike,
+            auto_color=styles.auto_color,
         )
 
     @cached_property
@@ -389,8 +395,6 @@ def render_strips(
             None if height is None else height - padding.height,
             style,
         )
-        for strip in strips:
-            print(strip.cell_length, repr(strip.text))
 
         if padding:
             rich_style = style.rich_style
diff --git a/src/textual/widget.py b/src/textual/widget.py
index 7ed002d02b..d352f92246 100644
--- a/src/textual/widget.py
+++ b/src/textual/widget.py
@@ -490,6 +490,9 @@ def __init__(
         self._odd: tuple[int, bool] = (-1, False)
         """Used to cache :odd pseudoclass state."""
 
+        self._layout_cache: dict[str, object] = {}
+        """A dict that is refreshed when the widget is resized / refreshed."""
+
     @property
     def is_mounted(self) -> bool:
         """Check if this widget is mounted."""
@@ -1015,7 +1018,16 @@ def get_component_rich_style(self, *names: str, partial: bool = False) -> Style:
 
         return partial_style if partial else style
 
-    def get_visual_style(self, *names: str) -> VisualStyle:
+    def get_visual_style(self, component_classes: Iterable[str]) -> VisualStyle:
+        """Get the visual style for the widget, including any component styles.
+
+        Args:
+            component_classes: Optional component styles.
+
+        Returns:
+            A Visual style instance.
+
+        """
         background = Color(0, 0, 0, 0)
         color = Color(255, 255, 255, 0)
 
@@ -1023,9 +1035,10 @@ def get_visual_style(self, *names: str) -> VisualStyle:
         opacity = 1.0
 
         def iter_styles() -> Iterable[StylesBase]:
+            """Iterate over the styles from the DOM and additional components styles."""
             for node in reversed(self.ancestors_with_self):
                 yield node.styles
-            for name in names:
+            for name in component_classes:
                 yield node.get_component_styles(name)
 
         for styles in iter_styles():
@@ -3627,7 +3640,7 @@ def _size_updated(
         Returns:
             True if anything changed, or False if nothing changed.
         """
-
+        self._layout_cache.clear()
         if (
             self._size != size
             or self.virtual_size != virtual_size
@@ -3818,7 +3831,7 @@ def refresh(
         Returns:
             The `Widget` instance.
         """
-
+        self._layout_cache.clear()
         if layout:
             self._layout_required = True
             for ancestor in self.ancestors:
@@ -3933,8 +3946,13 @@ def _render(self) -> Visual:
         Returns:
             A Visual.
         """
-
+        cache_key = "_render.visual"
+        cached_visual = self._layout_cache.get(cache_key, None)
+        if cached_visual is not None:
+            assert isinstance(cached_visual, Visual)
+            return cached_visual
         visual = visualize(self, self.render())
+        self._layout_cache[cache_key] = visual
         return visual
 
     async def run_action(self, action: str) -> None:
diff --git a/src/textual/widgets/_option_list.py b/src/textual/widgets/_option_list.py
index 19cd617a80..85c5d422c7 100644
--- a/src/textual/widgets/_option_list.py
+++ b/src/textual/widgets/_option_list.py
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ def __init__(
         }
         """A dictionary of option IDs and the option indexes they relate to."""
 
-        self._content_render_cache: LRUCache[tuple[int, Style, int], list[Strip]]
+        self._content_render_cache: LRUCache[tuple[int, str, int], list[Strip]]
         self._content_render_cache = LRUCache(256)
 
         self._lines: list[tuple[int, int]] | None = None
@@ -405,7 +405,6 @@ def get_content_width(self, container: Size, viewport: Size) -> int:
     def get_content_height(self, container: Size, viewport: Size, width: int) -> int:
         # Get the content height without requiring a refresh
         # TODO: Internal data structure could be simplified
-        style = self.rich_style
         _render_option_content = self._render_option_content
         heights = [
             len(_render_option_content(index, option, "", width))
@@ -465,14 +464,13 @@ def _render_option_content(
 
         Args:
             option_index: Option index to render.
-            renderable: The Option renderable.
-            style: The Rich style to render with.
-            width: The width of the renderable.
+            content: Render result for prompt.
+            component class: Additional component class.
+            width: Desired width of render.
 
         Returns:
             A list of strips.
         """
-
         cache_key = (option_index, component_class, width)
         if (strips := self._content_render_cache.get(cache_key, None)) is not None:
             return strips
@@ -482,11 +480,11 @@ def _render_option_content(
         if padding:
             visual = Padding(visual, padding)
 
-        visual_style = (
-            self.get_visual_style("option-list--option", component_class)
-            if component_class
-            else self.get_visual_style("option-list--option")
-        )
+        component_class_list = ["option-list--option"]
+        if component_class:
+            component_class_list.append(component_class)
+
+        visual_style = self.get_visual_style(component_class_list)
 
         strips = Visual.to_strips(self, visual, width, None, visual_style, pad=True)
         style_meta = Style.from_meta({"option": option_index})