Well, it is only a beta…

Yep, more than four and a half years since it first launched Gmail has added what many would deem a welcome but rather basic feature: themes, finally adding a degree of flexibility into the service’s famously stripped down look.

“Gmail fans have been building unofficial extensions to spice up their inboxes for a while, but up til now themes haven’t been an integral part of Gmail,” admitted the company on its official Gmail blog. “We wanted to go beyond simple color customization, so out of the 30 odd themes we’re launching today, there’s a shiny theme with chrome styling, another one that turns your inbox into a retro notepad, nature themes that change scenery over time, weather driven themes that can rain on your mailbox, and fun characters to keep you in good company.”