diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/palette.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/palette.rs
index 4556583d8e..8fb996c05a 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/palette.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/palette.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 use ansi_term::{Color, Style};
 use nu_protocol::hir::FlatShape;
 use nu_source::{Span, Spanned};
+use serde::{self, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
+use std::error::Error;
+use std::ops::Deref;
+use std::str::Bytes;
+use std::{fmt, io};
 
 pub trait Palette {
     fn styles_for_shape(&self, shape: &Spanned<FlatShape>) -> Vec<Spanned<Style>>;
@@ -58,6 +63,268 @@ impl Palette for DefaultPalette {
     }
 }
 
+pub struct ThemedPalette {
+    theme: Theme,
+}
+
+impl ThemedPalette {
+    // remove this once we start actually loading themes.
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn new<R: io::Read>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<ThemedPalette, ThemeError> {
+        let theme = serde_json::from_reader(reader)?;
+        Ok(ThemedPalette { theme })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Palette for ThemedPalette {
+    fn styles_for_shape(&self, shape: &Spanned<FlatShape>) -> Vec<Spanned<Style>> {
+        match &shape.item {
+            FlatShape::OpenDelimiter(_) => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.open_delimiter.normal(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::CloseDelimiter(_) => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.close_delimiter.normal(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::ItVariable => single_style_span(self.theme.it_variable.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Keyword => single_style_span(self.theme.keyword.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Variable => single_style_span(self.theme.variable.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Identifier => single_style_span(self.theme.identifier.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Type => single_style_span(self.theme.r#type.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Operator => single_style_span(self.theme.operator.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::DotDot => single_style_span(self.theme.dot_dot.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Dot => single_style_span(Style::new().fg(*self.theme.dot), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::InternalCommand => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.internal_command.bold(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::ExternalCommand => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.external_command.normal(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::ExternalWord => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.external_word.bold(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::BareMember => single_style_span(self.theme.bare_member.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::StringMember => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.string_member.bold(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::String => single_style_span(self.theme.string.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Path => single_style_span(self.theme.path.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::GlobPattern => single_style_span(self.theme.glob_pattern.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Word => single_style_span(self.theme.word.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Pipe => single_style_span(self.theme.pipe.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Flag => single_style_span(self.theme.flag.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::ShorthandFlag => {
+                single_style_span(self.theme.shorthand_flag.bold(), shape.span)
+            }
+            FlatShape::Int => single_style_span(self.theme.int.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Decimal => single_style_span(self.theme.decimal.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Whitespace => single_style_span(self.theme.whitespace.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Separator => single_style_span(self.theme.separator.normal(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Comment => single_style_span(self.theme.comment.bold(), shape.span),
+            FlatShape::Garbage => single_style_span(
+                Style::new().fg(*self.theme.garbage).on(Color::Red),
+                shape.span,
+            ),
+            FlatShape::Size { number, unit } => vec![
+                Spanned::<Style> {
+                    span: *number,
+                    item: self.theme.size_number.bold(),
+                },
+                Spanned::<Style> {
+                    span: *unit,
+                    item: self.theme.size_unit.bold(),
+                },
+            ],
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct ThemeError {
+    serde_err: serde_json::error::Error,
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for ThemeError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "failure to load theme")
+    }
+}
+
+impl Error for ThemeError {
+    fn source(&self) -> Option<&(dyn Error + 'static)> {
+        Some(&self.serde_err)
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<serde_json::error::Error> for ThemeError {
+    fn from(serde_err: serde_json::error::Error) -> Self {
+        ThemeError { serde_err }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
+struct Theme {
+    open_delimiter: ThemeColor,
+    close_delimiter: ThemeColor,
+    r#type: ThemeColor,
+    identifier: ThemeColor,
+    it_variable: ThemeColor,
+    variable: ThemeColor,
+    operator: ThemeColor,
+    dot: ThemeColor,
+    dot_dot: ThemeColor,
+    internal_command: ThemeColor,
+    external_command: ThemeColor,
+    external_word: ThemeColor,
+    bare_member: ThemeColor,
+    string_member: ThemeColor,
+    string: ThemeColor,
+    path: ThemeColor,
+    word: ThemeColor,
+    keyword: ThemeColor,
+    pipe: ThemeColor,
+    glob_pattern: ThemeColor,
+    flag: ThemeColor,
+    shorthand_flag: ThemeColor,
+    int: ThemeColor,
+    decimal: ThemeColor,
+    garbage: ThemeColor,
+    whitespace: ThemeColor,
+    separator: ThemeColor,
+    comment: ThemeColor,
+    size_number: ThemeColor,
+    size_unit: ThemeColor,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+struct ThemeColor(Color);
+
+impl Deref for ThemeColor {
+    type Target = Color;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        &self.0
+    }
+}
+
+impl Serialize for ThemeColor {
+    fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
+    where
+        S: Serializer,
+    {
+        serializer.serialize_str("TODO: IMPLEMENT SERIALIZATION")
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for ThemeColor {
+    fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<ThemeColor, D::Error>
+    where
+        D: Deserializer<'de>,
+    {
+        let s = String::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+        ThemeColor::from_str(&s)
+    }
+}
+
+impl ThemeColor {
+    fn from_str<E>(s: &str) -> Result<ThemeColor, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        let mut bytes = s.bytes();
+        let r = ThemeColor::xtoi(&mut bytes)?;
+        let g = ThemeColor::xtoi(&mut bytes)?;
+        let b = ThemeColor::xtoi(&mut bytes)?;
+        Ok(ThemeColor(Color::RGB(r, g, b)))
+    }
+
+    fn xtoi<E>(b: &mut Bytes) -> Result<u8, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        let upper = b
+            .next()
+            .ok_or_else(|| E::custom("color string too short"))?;
+        let lower = b
+            .next()
+            .ok_or_else(|| E::custom("color string too short"))?;
+        let mut val = ThemeColor::numerical_value(upper)?;
+        val = (val << 4) | ThemeColor::numerical_value(lower)?;
+        Ok(val)
+    }
+
+    fn numerical_value<E>(character: u8) -> Result<u8, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        match character {
+            b'0'..=b'9' => Ok(character - b'0'),
+            b'a'..=b'z' => Ok(character - (b'a' - 10)),
+            _ => Err(E::custom(format!("invalid charater {}", character))),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn single_style_span(style: Style, span: Span) -> Vec<Spanned<Style>> {
     vec![Spanned::<Style> { span, item: style }]
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::{Palette, ThemedPalette};
+    use ansi_term::Color;
+    use nu_protocol::hir::FlatShape;
+    use nu_source::{Span, Spanned};
+    use std::io::Cursor;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn create_themed_palette() {
+        let json = r#"
+{
+    "open_delimiter": "a359cc",
+    "close_delimiter": "a359cc",
+    "type": "a359cc",
+    "identifier": "a359cc",
+    "it_variable": "a359cc",
+    "variable": "a359cc",
+    "operator": "a359cc",
+    "dot": "a359cc",
+    "dot_dot": "a359cc",
+    "internal_command": "a359cc",
+    "external_command": "a359cc",
+    "external_word": "a359cc",
+    "bare_member": "a359cc",
+    "string_member": "a359cc",
+    "string": "a359cc",
+    "path": "a359cc",
+    "word": "a359cc",
+    "keyword": "a359cc",
+    "pipe": "a359cc",
+    "glob_pattern": "a359cc",
+    "flag": "a359cc",
+    "shorthand_flag": "a359cc",
+    "int": "a359cc",
+    "decimal": "a359cc",
+    "garbage": "a359cc",
+    "whitespace": "a359cc",
+    "separator": "a359cc",
+    "comment": "a359cc",
+    "size_number": "a359cc",
+    "size_unit": "a359cc"
+}"#;
+        let mut json_reader = Cursor::new(json);
+        let themed_palette = ThemedPalette::new(&mut json_reader).unwrap();
+        let test_shape = Spanned {
+            item: FlatShape::Type,
+            span: Span::new(4, 9),
+        };
+        let styled = themed_palette.styles_for_shape(&test_shape);
+        assert_eq!(styled.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(
+            styled[0],
+            Spanned {
+                item: Color::RGB(163, 89, 204).bold(),
+                span: Span::new(4, 9),
+            },
+        );
+    }
+}