diff --git a/core/output.py b/core/output.py
index ac2e418..ca21119 100644
--- a/core/output.py
+++ b/core/output.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class i3(object):
     def __init__(self, theme=core.theme.Theme()):
         self._modules = []
         self._status = {}
+        self._theme = theme
 
     def modules(self, modules=None):
         if not modules:
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ class i3(object):
                 'full_text': widget.full_text(),
                 'instance': widget.id(),
                 'name': module.id(),
+                'color': self._theme.fg(widget),
+                'background': self._theme.bg(widget),
             })
         return widgets
 
diff --git a/core/theme.py b/core/theme.py
index 73aa92a..4721c67 100644
--- a/core/theme.py
+++ b/core/theme.py
@@ -1,6 +1,41 @@
+import os
+import io
+import json
+
+THEME_BASE_DIR=os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+PATHS=[
+    '.',
+    os.path.join(THEME_BASE_DIR, '../themes'),
+    os.path.expanduser('~/.config/bumblebee-status/themes'),
+]
 
 class Theme(object):
-    def __init__(self, name='default', iconset=None):
-        pass
+    def __init__(self, name='default', iconset=None, raw_data=None):
+        self.name = name
+        if raw_data:
+            self._data = raw_data
+        else:
+            self._data = self.load(name)
+
+    def load(self, name):
+        for path in PATHS:
+            theme_file = os.path.join(path, '{}.json'.format(name))
+            if os.path.isfile(theme_file):
+                with io.open(theme_file, encoding='utf-8') as data:
+                    return json.load(data)
+        raise RuntimeError('unable to find theme {}'.format(name))
+
+    def fg(self, widget=None):
+        return self.__get(widget, 'fg')
+
+    def bg(self, widget=None):
+        return self.__get(widget, 'bg')
+
+    def __get(self, widget, key, default=None):
+        value = default
+        if 'defaults' in self._data:
+            value = self._data['defaults'].get(key, value)
+
+        return value
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/tests/core/test_theme.py b/tests/core/test_theme.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9dc2a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/test_theme.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import unittest
+
+import core.theme
+
+class theme(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.invalidThemeName = 'this-theme-does-not-exist'
+        self.validThemeName = 'default'
+        self.defaults = {
+            'defaults': {
+                'fg': 'red', 'bg': 'black'
+            }
+        }
+
+    def test_invalid_theme(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            core.theme.Theme(self.invalidThemeName)
+
+    def test_valid_theme(self):
+        theme = core.theme.Theme(self.validThemeName)
+        self.assertEqual(self.validThemeName, theme.name)
+
+    def test_defaults(self):
+        theme = core.theme.Theme(raw_data=self.defaults)
+        self.assertEqual(self.defaults['defaults']['fg'], theme.fg())
+        self.assertEqual(self.defaults['defaults']['bg'], theme.bg())
+
+# vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/themes/default.json b/themes/default.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ddda5fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/themes/default.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+	"icons": [ "ascii" ],
+	"defaults": {
+		"urgent": true,
+		"fg": "#aabbcc"
+	}
+}