diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 5afcf25..401b810 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@
 [submodule "vim/bundle/bufexplorer"]
 	path = vim/bundle/bufexplorer
 	url = git@github.com:jlanzarotta/bufexplorer.git
+[submodule "vim/bundle/vim-colors-solarized"]
+	path = vim/bundle/vim-colors-solarized
+	url = git@github.com:altercation/vim-colors-solarized
diff --git a/tmux.conf b/tmux.conf
index 138ac53..b65b9c1 100644
--- a/tmux.conf
+++ b/tmux.conf
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #tmux config file
 
+set-option -g default-terminal screen-256color-bce
+
 #use ctrl-a instead of ctrl-b
 unbind C-b
 set -g prefix C-a
diff --git a/vim/bundle/vim-colors-solarized b/vim/bundle/vim-colors-solarized
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..528a59f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/vim-colors-solarized
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 528a59f26d12278698bb946f8fb82a63711eec21
diff --git a/vimrc b/vimrc
index 16691a9..9e39471 100644
--- a/vimrc
+++ b/vimrc
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ execute pathogen#infect()
 syntax on
 filetype plugin indent on
 
+set t_Co=256
+set background=dark
+colorscheme solarized
+
 nnoremap <silent> <M-l> :TmuxNavigateLeft<cr>
 nnoremap <silent> <M-j> :TmuxNavigateDown<cr>
 nnoremap <silent> <M-k> :TmuxNavigateUp<cr>
diff --git a/zshrc b/zshrc
index 356e567..b526760 100644
--- a/zshrc
+++ b/zshrc
@@ -75,3 +75,5 @@ export PATH="/home/tim/.scripts:/usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/lo
 alias attach="tmux a"
 
 DISABLE_AUTO_TITLE=true
+
+export TERM=screen-256color-bce