I have a project using Storyboards and whenever I push a view controller with a segue, the dynamically created bar button item is always blue.
I think you are looking for a property of your UINavigationBar. Try setting self.navigationController.navigationBar.tintColor = [UIColor whiteColor];
See "Appearance of Navigation Bars" section: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/userexperience/conceptual/UIKitUICatalog/UINavigationBar.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40012857-UINavigationBar-SW1