diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 5bd6c05..26af0f1 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ temp_dir = tempfile.gettempdir()
 
 
 def _print_error(msg):
-    sys.stderr.write("\n\nERROR: " + msg + "\n\n\n")
+    sys.stderr.write("\n\n" + error_color_start + "ERROR: " + msg + color_end + " \n\n\n ")
+    sys.stderr.flush()
 
 
 def which(program):
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ def deal_with_error_code(err_code, operation_name):
     if err_code != 0:
         _print_error("A non-zero error code was returned at operation: " +
                          str(operation_name) + ". Code returned is: " +
-                         str(err_code) + ". Exiting!\n")
+                         str(err_code) + ". Exiting!")
         sys.exit(1)
 
 
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ def clone_git_repository(dir, repos_link):
     print("Done cloning repository: " + repos_link)
 
 question_color_start = "\x1b[0;37;44m"
+error_color_start = "\x1b[0;37;41m"
 color_end = "\x1b[0m"
 
 def ask_openblas_optimization_level():
@@ -118,7 +120,8 @@ def ask_openblas_optimization_level():
     print("3) -Ofast")
     print("4) Keep the default")
     print("5) Skip compiling OpenBLAS and assume it exists in the system")
-    sys.stdout.write("Please enter the option number: ")
+    print(question_color_start + "Please enter the option number: " + color_end)
+    sys.stdout.flush()
     option_chosen = input()
     if option_chosen.replace(" ", "") == '1':
         return "-O2"
@@ -131,7 +134,7 @@ def ask_openblas_optimization_level():
     elif option_chosen.replace(" ", "") == '5':
         return "SKIPOPENBLAS"
     else:
-        raise IndexError("Error: An unknown option was entered")
+        raise IndexError(error_color_start + "Error: An unknown option was entered" + color_end)
 
 
 def ask_spintrum_optimization_level():
@@ -146,7 +149,8 @@ def ask_spintrum_optimization_level():
     print("3) -O2")
     print("4) -O3")
     print("5) -Ofast")
-    sys.stdout.write("Please enter the option number: ")
+    print(question_color_start + "Please enter the option number: " + color_end)
+    sys.stdout.flush()
     option_chosen = input("")
     if option_chosen.replace(" ", "") == '1':
         return "-g"
@@ -159,7 +163,7 @@ def ask_spintrum_optimization_level():
     elif option_chosen.replace(" ", "") == '5':
         return "-Ofast"
     else:
-        raise IndexError("Error: An unknown option was entered")
+        raise IndexError(error_color_start + "Error: An unknown option was entered" + color_end)
 
 
 def recursive_glob(rootdir, pattern='*'):
@@ -169,12 +173,52 @@ def recursive_glob(rootdir, pattern='*'):
             if fnmatch.fnmatch(filename, pattern)]
     return lst
 
+
+def get_openblas():
+    openblas_dir = "3rdparty/OpenBLAS"
+    openblas_dir_install = "spintrum/OpenBLAS_install"
+    openblas_full_path = os.path.join(start_working_dir, openblas_dir)
+    openblas_full_path_install = os.path.join(start_working_dir, openblas_dir_install)
+    openblas_git = "https://github.com/xianyi/OpenBLAS.git"
+
+    openblas_target_optimization = ask_openblas_optimization_level()
+    if openblas_target_optimization != "SKIPOPENBLAS":
+        clone_git_repository(openblas_full_path, openblas_git)
+        if openblas_target_optimization != "":
+            if not os.path.isdir(openblas_dir):
+                _print_error("Cannot open expected OpenBLAS directory " + openblas_dir)
+                sys.exit(1)
+
+            makefiles_to_glob = os.path.join(openblas_dir, "Makefile*")
+            makefiles = glob.glob(makefiles_to_glob)
+
+            print("Number of files found: " + str(len(makefiles)))
+
+            for f in makefiles:
+                print(f)
+                inplace_change(f, "-O2", openblas_target_optimization)
+
+        # make openblas
+        os.chdir(openblas_dir)
+        make_openblas_err_code = subprocess.call(["make"], shell=True)
+        deal_with_error_code(make_openblas_err_code, "Making OpenBLAS")
+
+        # install openblas
+        install_openblas_err_code = subprocess.call(
+            ["make PREFIX=" + openblas_full_path_install +
+             " install"], shell=True)
+        deal_with_error_code(install_openblas_err_code, "Installing OpenBLAS")
+        os.chdir(start_working_dir)  # restore working dir
+
+
 dir_name = "spintrum"
 lib_file = "lib/libspintrum.so"
 
 
 class DependenciesBuilder(_build):
     def run(self):
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+        sys.stderr.flush()
         if sys.platform.startswith('win'):
             _print_error("You cannot build Spintrum on Windows. It is not supported.")
 
@@ -186,41 +230,7 @@ class DependenciesBuilder(_build):
 
         print("Building Spintrum C/C++ extension prerequisites")
 
-        ########## get OpenBLAS
-        openblas_dir = "3rdparty/OpenBLAS"
-        openblas_dir_install = "spintrum/OpenBLAS_install"
-        openblas_full_path = os.path.join(start_working_dir, openblas_dir)
-        openblas_full_path_install = os.path.join(start_working_dir, openblas_dir_install)
-        openblas_git = "https://github.com/xianyi/OpenBLAS.git"
-
-        openblas_target_optimization = ask_openblas_optimization_level()
-        if openblas_target_optimization != "SKIPOPENBLAS":
-            clone_git_repository(openblas_full_path, openblas_git)
-            if openblas_target_optimization != "":
-                if not os.path.isdir(openblas_dir):
-                    _print_error("Cannot open expected OpenBLAS directory " + openblas_dir + "\n")
-                    sys.exit(1)
-
-                makefiles_to_glob = os.path.join(openblas_dir, "Makefile*")
-                makefiles = glob.glob(makefiles_to_glob)
-
-                print("Number of files found: " + str(len(makefiles)))
-
-                for f in makefiles:
-                    print(f)
-                    inplace_change(f, "-O2", openblas_target_optimization)
-
-            # make openblas
-            os.chdir(openblas_dir)
-            make_openblas_err_code = subprocess.call(["make"], shell=True)
-            deal_with_error_code(make_openblas_err_code, "Making OpenBLAS")
-
-            # install openblas
-            install_openblas_err_code = subprocess.call(
-                ["make PREFIX=" + openblas_full_path_install +
-                 " install"], shell=True)
-            deal_with_error_code(install_openblas_err_code, "Installing OpenBLAS")
-            os.chdir(start_working_dir) #restore working dir
+        get_openblas()
 
         ############## get Polymath
         polymath_git = "https://git.afach.de/samerafach/Polymath"
@@ -230,12 +240,12 @@ class DependenciesBuilder(_build):
 
         ############## build spintrum
         spintrum_optimization_target = ask_spintrum_optimization_level()
-        print("Building Spintrum")
+        print("Building Spintrum extension...")
         err_code = subprocess.call(["cmake . -DPythonInstallation=1 -DOptimizationLevel=" + spintrum_optimization_target], shell=True)
         deal_with_error_code(err_code, "CMaking spintrum")
         err_code = subprocess.call(["make"], shell=True)
         deal_with_error_code(err_code, "Making spintrum")
-        print("Done building spintrum.")
+        print("Done building spintrum extension.")
 
 
 setup(name='spintrum',