diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index d42ac94..48cd873 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -23,12 +23,6 @@
 	path = src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/plenary.nvim
 	url = https://github.com/nvim-lua/plenary.nvim.git
 
-# color theme
-# init.vim
-[submodule "src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/rasmus.nvim"]
-	path = src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/rasmus.nvim
-	url = https://github.com/kvrohit/rasmus.nvim.git
-
 # url motions
 # init.lua
 [submodule "src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/urlview.nvim"]
@@ -36,7 +30,6 @@
 	url = https://github.com/axieax/urlview.nvim
 
 # git symbols in the gutter
-# init.vim
 [submodule "src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/vim-gitgutter"]
 	path = src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/vim-gitgutter
 	url = https://github.com/airblade/vim-gitgutter.git
@@ -97,3 +90,12 @@
 [submodule "src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/opt/ultisnips"]
 	path = src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/opt/ultisnips
 	url = https://github.com/SirVer/ultisnips.git
+
+# color theme
+# init.lua
+[submodule "src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/nvim-noirbuddy"]
+	path = src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/nvim-noirbuddy
+	url = https://github.com/jesseleite/nvim-noirbuddy.git
+[submodule "src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/colorbuddy.nvim"]
+	path = src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/colorbuddy.nvim
+	url = https://github.com/tjdevries/colorbuddy.nvim.git
diff --git a/src/.config/nvim/coding.vim b/src/.config/nvim/coding.vim
index 235c69c..0b43f88 100644
--- a/src/.config/nvim/coding.vim
+++ b/src/.config/nvim/coding.vim
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 " Code folding
 set foldmethod=expr
 set foldexpr=nvim_treesitter#foldexpr()
-"autocmd BufEnter * normal zR
+" unfold by default
+set foldlevel=99
 
 source $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim/vimspector.vim
 
diff --git a/src/.config/nvim/init.vim b/src/.config/nvim/init.vim
index ffc84b5..ba6cc08 100755
--- a/src/.config/nvim/init.vim
+++ b/src/.config/nvim/init.vim
@@ -85,16 +85,4 @@ if $SYSTEM_PROFILE == "DEFAULT"
 endif
 
 " personal preference
-autocmd ColorScheme * highlight clear statusline
 set shortmess+=I
-
-" color of git diffs to the gutter (side bar thing)
-" plug: vim-gitgutter
-highlight GitGutterAdd ctermfg=green
-highlight GitGutterChange ctermfg=yellow
-highlight GitGutterDelete ctermfg=red
-
-" color theme
-" plug: rasmus
-let g:rasmus_transparent = 1
-silent! colorscheme rasmus
diff --git a/src/.config/nvim/lua/init.lua b/src/.config/nvim/lua/init.lua
index d252fa9..3f84aba 100644
--- a/src/.config/nvim/lua/init.lua
+++ b/src/.config/nvim/lua/init.lua
@@ -41,7 +41,44 @@ keymap("<leader>eh", "<cmd>Telescope help_tags<cr>")
 keymap("<leader>es", "<cmd>Telescope lsp_document_symbols<cr>")
 keymap("<leader>eb", "<cmd>Telescope keymaps<cr>")
 
+------
+-- color theme
+-- plug: nvim-noirbuddy, colorbuddy.nvim
+------
+require("noirbuddy").setup({
+	colors = {
+		primary="#99AABB"
+	},
+	styles = {
+		italic = true,
+		bold = false,
+		underline = true,
+		undercurl = true,
+	},
+	preset = "slate",
+})
+-- force transparent bg
+local Color, colors, Group, groups, styles = require("colorbuddy").setup {}
+Group.new("Normal", colors.noir_4, colors.none, no)
+Group.link("StatusLine", groups.normal)
+Group.link("Gutter", groups.normal)
+Group.new("LineNr", colors.noir_8, colors.none, no)
+Group.link("SignColumn", groups.LineNr)
 
+-- other overrides
+Group.new("identifier", colors.noir_3, nil, no)
+
+Group.new("function", colors.noir_2, nil)
+Group.link("@function", groups["function"])
+Group.link("@lsp.type.function", groups["function"])
+
+Group.new("comment", colors.noir_6, nil, styles.italic)
+Group.link("@comment", groups.comment)
+
+Group.new("keyword.return", colors.noir_4, nil, styles.bold)
+Group.link("@keyword.return", groups["keyword.return"])
+Group.link("type.qualifier", groups["keyword.return"])
+Group.link("@type.qualifier", groups["keyword.return"])
 
 --------------------------------
 --------------------------------
diff --git a/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/colorbuddy.nvim b/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/colorbuddy.nvim
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..cdb5b06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/colorbuddy.nvim
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit cdb5b0654d3cafe61d2a845e15b2b4b0e78e752a
diff --git a/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/nvim-noirbuddy b/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/nvim-noirbuddy
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..131b032
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/nvim-noirbuddy
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 131b032debf1d9aebd096f41bb3fb7b9e1545b7c
diff --git a/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/rasmus.nvim b/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/rasmus.nvim
deleted file mode 160000
index f824de9..0000000
--- a/src/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/3pp/start/rasmus.nvim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit f824de95d446686e479781c0c2b778c177da528f