20 Great Themes for Linux

Posted on November 1st, 2009 under Desktop Customization

I like to fiddle around with Linux quite often. In fact it had permanent residence in my Laptop (till it broke a while ago). Ubuntu is what I usually go for, since it’s one of the friendliest distros out there. In Linux like in any OS that I install one of the first things I do is to change the default look of it. If it’s Windows, specially our old friend XP, there was many things to change in order to make it minimally attractive (I showed you how I did it in my Windows XP Customization Guide). Windows Vista and now 7 on the other hand have a much more modern look, despite the fact that I’m not the biggest Glass look, so changing visual style in Windows Vista was something I regularly did.

Concerning Linux, if you use a distro like Ubuntu you’ll have a decent looking GUI to start with. I’m a fan of dark interfaces (if you haven’t figured that out already by the look of this website), so I prefer the new Ubuntu dark theme. There is a lot of Windows themes compilations, but there is general lack of the same for Linux users, variety is everything, so here I am with another list of themes, this time, for a change, for Linux! Grab a new theme for your Linux OS, a new wallpaper, activate Compiz-Fusion and make your Windows friends jealous.

Linux Themes

1. Khali

2. Zeka mod

3. Minimum

4. Capriccio

5. Fawn

6. Gaia

7. Vorta Suite

8. Kupo Finale

9. Fresh Dark Gnome Theme

10. Mira

11. Cole

12. Mire v2

13. Black

14. Calla

15. Shiftie July

16. Lithium

17. Tuxido

18. Hyo o9o8

19. Espresso

20. Elfin2

More Linux Themes

Tags: Desktop Customization, Linux, Themes

kilinkis on November 4, 2009, 13:43

really cool, but i dunno how to use them. any help please?

[ Reply ]
greven on November 4, 2009, 20:22

@Kilinkis: I assume you are using Linux?

[ Reply ]
Dair T'arg on November 21, 2009, 00:14

Personally I found only 2 themes are really useful — Mire v2 and Capriccio. Other are seems to be either absolutely inconvenient or just a very similiar to the already existed themes (the default ubuntu themes or some compiz window decorations).

[ Reply ]
dsdeur on November 24, 2009, 21:45

Hi, Great Post!
I’m just starting with linux and was looking for some nice themes. Thanks.

[ Reply ]
mjt on December 6, 2009, 02:57

These are obviously the author’s opinion – these are
all “dark” themes, which, personally, I don’t like.

I feel like I’m in a “dungeon” or basement whenever
I’ve tried dark themes. I prefer the “brighter”, or
should I say, “upbeat” themes.

One of the side effects of dark themes is widgets
get “lost” in the overall GUI. This is a well-known
fact if you’ve studied human factors engineering.

Regards, mjt, author, “Inside Linux”

[ Reply ]
greven on December 6, 2009, 13:35

Hi mjt. Yes, of course, it’s a personal opinion. I do prefer dark themes, they are softer on the eye. I do like colourful themes too, but for limited time use!

I can make a compilation of brighter themes, that would work too. :)

[ Reply ]
Yaro on December 6, 2009, 20:38

Any KDE themes at all? This looks like almost all GNOME.

[ Reply ]
Mathias on December 7, 2009, 12:42

Yes, all gnome themes. I haven’t found any nice themes for kde4.

[ Reply ]
azhar ali buttar on December 10, 2009, 11:26

Nice one buddy, I am really a shell lover but I am impressed. Will surely apply some of them on my desktop

[ Reply ]