Sept 11, 2014: This post has an updated version which brings a much more accurate customization, resembling Plasma 5 in both appearance and functionality, check it out here:Give your KDE a Plasma 5 Looks Via The Following Customization
As you already know, the KDE project is working hard to bring us a newer, slicker and shinier version of its famous Plasma desktop, KDE Next Gen Plasma Workspace is Getting Near Production.
While it’s still not ready for a prime-time appearance, that doesn’t mean we can’t barrow it’s design and apply it to our own KDE 4.X workspace now, does it? if the mountain won’t come to Muhammad…
So how do we do that? how do we give our desktop a refreshing face-lift without compromising its stability for that sake? Easily – by changing a few of our theming options, follow these steps:
Give Your Desktop A Refreshing Breeze
1. First, Download the following list of files needed for theming process:
- Breeze.qtcurve (- copy the text and insert inside an empty text file, then name it: Breeze.qtcurv)
- Breeze.colors (- do the same here, only name the file: Breeze.colors)
- Breeze-mouse
- Evolvere Plasma theme
- flattr-icons-kde
2. Extract the files that need extraction, and in case you don’t have it installed by now, you’ll need to install Qtcurve using your distro package manager. On Debian and Ubuntu derivatives, open Terminal and type:
3. Now move (copy) the files into their designated directories (Note: you might need to enable ‘show hidden files’ first):
- /home/<YOUR-USER-NAME>/.kde/share/apps/QtCurve/Breeze.qtcurv
- /home/<YOUR-USER-NAME>/.kde/share/apps/color-schemes/Breeze.colors
- /home/<YOUR-USER-NAME>/.icons/Breeze (Mouse cursor)
- /home/<YOUR-USER-NAME>/.kde/share/apps/desktoptheme/Evolvere
- /home/<YOUR-USER-NAME>/.kde/share/icons/flattr-icons-kde-master
* Another method to apply these, is by going into both Application and Workspace Appearance and install the zip files from there.
4. Almost done, the last step is to apply the themes, colors, etc…
Go inside System Settings (via start menu) >> Application Appearance >> inside Style under Applications tab select Widget style: QtCurve.
Inside Colors option, under Schemes, select Breeze. Inside Icons, under Theme tab select Flattr. Go back to Overview and enter Workspace Appearance:
Inside Window Decorations select Qtcurve. Inside Cursor Theme select Breeze. Inside Desktop Theme select Evolvere.
There you go, a beautiful KDE desktop!