diff --git a/bumblebee/error.py b/bumblebee/error.py
index b07cc24..129f02d 100644
--- a/bumblebee/error.py
+++ b/bumblebee/error.py
@@ -8,4 +8,8 @@ class ModuleLoadError(BaseError):
     """Raised whenever loading a module fails"""
     pass
 
+class ThemeLoadError(BaseError):
+    """Raised whenever loading a theme fails"""
+    pass
+
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/bumblebee/theme.py b/bumblebee/theme.py
index e65bc41..e07c1b8 100644
--- a/bumblebee/theme.py
+++ b/bumblebee/theme.py
@@ -1,7 +1,30 @@
 """Theme support"""
 
+import os
+import json
+
+import bumblebee.error
+
+def theme_path():
+    """Return the path of the theme directory"""
+    return os.path.dirname("{}/../themes/".format(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))))
+
 class Theme(object):
     """Represents a collection of icons and colors"""
-    pass
+    def __init__(self, name):
+        self._theme = self.load(name)
+
+    def load(self, name):
+        """Load and parse a theme file"""
+        path = theme_path()
+        themefile = "{}/{}.json".format(path, name)
+        if os.path.isfile(themefile):
+            try:
+                with open(themefile) as data:
+                    return json.load(data)
+            except ValueError as exception:
+                raise bumblebee.error.ThemeLoadError("JSON error: {}".format(exception))
+        else:
+            raise bumblebee.error.ThemeLoadError("no such theme: {}".format(name))
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/tests/test_theme.py b/tests/test_theme.py
index 65014f9..746f95b 100644
--- a/tests/test_theme.py
+++ b/tests/test_theme.py
@@ -1,3 +1,25 @@
-# pylint: disable=C0103,C0111
+# pylint: disable=C0103,C0111,W0703
+
+import unittest
+from bumblebee.theme import Theme
+from bumblebee.error import ThemeLoadError
+
+class TestTheme(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        pass
+
+    def test_load_valid_theme(self):
+        try:
+            Theme("solarized-powerline")
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.fail(e)
+
+    def test_load_nonexistent_theme(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(ThemeLoadError):
+            Theme("no-such-theme")
+
+    def test_load_invalid_theme(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(ThemeLoadError):
+            Theme("invalid")
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/themes/invalid.json b/themes/invalid.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d510f27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/themes/invalid.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+this is really not json