diff --git a/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.html b/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.html
index f5cddc897323..7b9c87a3ccfe 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.html
+++ b/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <md-card>
     <md-card-subtitle>ngModel</md-card-subtitle>
 
-    <md-select placeholder="Drink" [(ngModel)]="currentDrink" [required]="drinksRequired" [disabled]="drinksDisabled"
+    <md-select placeholder="Drink" [color]="drinksTheme" [(ngModel)]="currentDrink" [required]="drinksRequired" [disabled]="drinksDisabled"
       [floatPlaceholder]="floatPlaceholder" #drinkControl="ngModel">
       <md-option *ngFor="let drink of drinks" [value]="drink.value" [disabled]="drink.disabled">
         {{ drink.viewValue }}
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@
         <option value="never">Never</option>
       </select>
     </p>
+    <p>
+      <label for="drinks-theme">Theme:</label>
+      <select [(ngModel)]="drinksTheme" id="drinks-theme">
+        <option *ngFor="let theme of availableThemes" [value]="theme.value">{{ theme.name }}</option>
+      </select>
+    </p>
 
     <button md-button (click)="currentDrink='water-2'">SET VALUE</button>
     <button md-button (click)="drinksRequired=!drinksRequired">TOGGLE REQUIRED</button>
@@ -33,7 +39,7 @@
     <md-card-subtitle>Multiple selection</md-card-subtitle>
 
     <md-card-content>
-      <md-select multiple placeholder="Pokemon" [(ngModel)]="currentPokemon"
+      <md-select multiple [color]="pokemonTheme" placeholder="Pokemon" [(ngModel)]="currentPokemon"
         [required]="pokemonRequired" [disabled]="pokemonDisabled" #pokemonControl="ngModel">
         <md-option *ngFor="let creature of pokemon" [value]="creature.value">
           {{ creature.viewValue }}
@@ -43,6 +49,12 @@
       <p> Touched: {{ pokemonControl.touched }} </p>
       <p> Dirty: {{ pokemonControl.dirty }} </p>
       <p> Status: {{ pokemonControl.control?.status }} </p>
+      <p>
+        <label for="pokemon-theme">Theme:</label>
+        <select [(ngModel)]="pokemonTheme" id="pokemon-theme">
+          <option *ngFor="let theme of availableThemes" [value]="theme.value">{{ theme.name }}</option>
+        </select>
+      </p>
       <button md-button (click)="setPokemonValue()">SET VALUE</button>
       <button md-button (click)="pokemonRequired=!pokemonRequired">TOGGLE REQUIRED</button>
       <button md-button (click)="pokemonDisabled=!pokemonDisabled">TOGGLE DISABLED</button>
diff --git a/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.ts
index 04813bdae4e9..6e2ff635a202 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/select/select-demo.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ export class SelectDemo {
   latestChangeEvent: MdSelectChange;
   floatPlaceholder: string = 'auto';
   foodControl = new FormControl('pizza-1');
+  drinksTheme = 'primary';
+  pokemonTheme = 'primary';
 
   foods = [
     {value: 'steak-0', viewValue: 'Steak'},
@@ -48,6 +50,12 @@ export class SelectDemo {
     {value: 'psyduck-6', viewValue: 'Psyduck'},
   ];
 
+  availableThemes = [
+    {value: 'primary', name: 'Primary' },
+    {value: 'accent', name: 'Accent' },
+    {value: 'warn', name: 'Warn' }
+  ];
+
   toggleDisabled() {
     this.foodControl.enabled ? this.foodControl.disable() : this.foodControl.enable();
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss b/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss
index 499b41c7a989..01fcc8585fd2 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss
+++ b/src/lib/core/option/_option-theme.scss
@@ -5,19 +5,29 @@
   $foreground: map-get($theme, foreground);
   $background: map-get($theme, background);
   $primary: map-get($theme, primary);
+  $accent: map-get($theme, accent);
+  $warn: map-get($theme, warn);
 
   .mat-option {
     &:hover:not(.mat-option-disabled), &:focus:not(.mat-option-disabled) {
       background: mat-color($background, hover);
     }
 
-    &.mat-selected {
+    &.mat-selected.mat-primary, .mat-primary &.mat-selected {
       color: mat-color($primary);
+    }
+
+    &.mat-selected.mat-accent, .mat-accent &.mat-selected {
+      color: mat-color($accent);
+    }
 
-      // In multiple mode there is a checkbox to show that the option is selected.
-      &:not(.mat-option-multiple) {
-        background: mat-color($background, hover);
-      }
+    &.mat-selected.mat-warn, .mat-warn &.mat-selected {
+      color: mat-color($warn);
+    }
+
+    // In multiple mode there is a checkbox to show that the option is selected.
+    &.mat-selected:not(.mat-option-multiple) {
+      background: mat-color($background, hover);
     }
 
     &.mat-active {
@@ -28,6 +38,5 @@
     &.mat-option-disabled {
       color: mat-color($foreground, hint-text);
     }
-
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss b/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss
index 118235123d26..260b8d1601f1 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss
+++ b/src/lib/core/selection/pseudo-checkbox/_pseudo-checkbox-theme.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 @import '../../theming/theming';
 
+@mixin _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, $pallete-name) {
+  $pallete: map-get($theme, $pallete-name);
+  $color: mat-color($pallete, 500);
+
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked.mat-#{$pallete-name},
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate.mat-#{$pallete-name},
+  .mat-#{$pallete-name} .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked,
+  .mat-#{$pallete-name} .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
+    background: $color;
+  }
+}
 
 @mixin mat-pseudo-checkbox-theme($theme) {
   $is-dark-theme: map-get($theme, is-dark);
@@ -14,6 +25,7 @@
   $white-30pct-opacity-on-dark: #686868;
   $black-26pct-opacity-on-light: #b0b0b0;
   $disabled-color: if($is-dark-theme, $white-30pct-opacity-on-dark, $black-26pct-opacity-on-light);
+  $colored-box-selector: '.mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked, .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate';
 
   .mat-pseudo-checkbox {
     color: mat-color(map-get($theme, foreground), secondary-text);
@@ -23,19 +35,11 @@
     }
   }
 
-  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked, .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
-    &.mat-primary {
-      background: mat-color($primary, 500);
-    }
-
-    &.mat-accent {
-      background: mat-color($accent, 500);
-    }
-
-    &.mat-warn {
-      background: mat-color($warn, 500);
-    }
+  @include _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, primary);
+  @include _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, accent);
+  @include _mat-pseudo-checkbox-inner-content-theme($theme, warn);
 
+  .mat-pseudo-checkbox-checked, .mat-pseudo-checkbox-indeterminate {
     &.mat-pseudo-checkbox-disabled {
       background: $disabled-color;
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/select/_select-theme.scss b/src/lib/select/_select-theme.scss
index 09e7849932e6..d996f4de8165 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/_select-theme.scss
+++ b/src/lib/select/_select-theme.scss
@@ -1,46 +1,33 @@
 @import '../core/theming/palette';
 @import '../core/theming/theming';
 
+@mixin _mat-select-inner-content-theme($palette) {
+  $color: mat-color($palette);
+
+  .mat-select-trigger, .mat-select-arrow {
+    color: $color;
+  }
+
+  .mat-select-underline {
+    background-color: $color;
+  }
+}
+
 @mixin mat-select-theme($theme) {
   $foreground: map-get($theme, foreground);
   $background: map-get($theme, background);
   $primary: map-get($theme, primary);
+  $accent: map-get($theme, accent);
   $warn: map-get($theme, warn);
 
-  .mat-select-trigger {
-    color: mat-color($foreground, hint-text);
-
-    .mat-select:focus:not(.mat-select-disabled) & {
-      color: mat-color($primary);
-    }
-
-    .mat-select:not(:focus).ng-invalid.ng-touched:not(.mat-select-disabled) & {
-      color: mat-color($warn);
-    }
-  }
-
   .mat-select-underline {
     background-color: mat-color($foreground, divider);
-
-    .mat-select:focus:not(.mat-select-disabled) & {
-      background-color: mat-color($primary);
-    }
-
-    .mat-select:not(:focus).ng-invalid.ng-touched:not(.mat-select-disabled) & {
-      background-color: mat-color($warn);
-    }
   }
 
-  .mat-select-arrow {
+  .mat-select-disabled .mat-select-value,
+  .mat-select-arrow,
+  .mat-select-trigger {
     color: mat-color($foreground, hint-text);
-
-    .mat-select:focus:not(.mat-select-disabled) & {
-      color: mat-color($primary);
-    }
-
-    .mat-select:not(:focus).ng-invalid.ng-touched:not(.mat-select-disabled) & {
-      color: mat-color($warn);
-    }
   }
 
   .mat-select-content, .mat-select-panel-done-animating {
@@ -49,9 +36,20 @@
 
   .mat-select-value {
     color: mat-color($foreground, text);
+  }
 
-    .mat-select-disabled & {
-      color: mat-color($foreground, hint-text);
+  .mat-select:focus:not(.mat-select-disabled) {
+    &.mat-primary {
+      @include _mat-select-inner-content-theme($primary);
     }
+
+    &.mat-accent {
+      @include _mat-select-inner-content-theme($accent);
+    }
+  }
+
+  .mat-select:focus:not(.mat-select-disabled).mat-warn,
+  .mat-select:not(:focus).ng-invalid.ng-touched:not(.mat-select-disabled) {
+    @include _mat-select-inner-content-theme($warn);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.html b/src/lib/select/select.html
index c31a4b3f3518..917a89d9c20a 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.html
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.html
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   [offsetY]="_offsetY" [offsetX]="_offsetX" (attach)="_setScrollTop()" (detach)="close()">
   <div class="mat-select-panel" [@transformPanel]="'showing'" (@transformPanel.done)="_onPanelDone()"
     (keydown)="_keyManager.onKeydown($event)" [style.transformOrigin]="_transformOrigin"
-      [class.mat-select-panel-done-animating]="_panelDoneAnimating">
+      [class.mat-select-panel-done-animating]="_panelDoneAnimating" [ngClass]="'mat-' + color">
     <div class="mat-select-content" [@fadeInContent]="'showing'" (@fadeInContent.done)="_onFadeInDone()">
       <ng-content></ng-content>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
index 0e74b9cc4eda..471726da3a92 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ describe('MdSelect', () => {
         SelectWithPlainTabindex,
         SelectEarlyAccessSibling,
         BasicSelectInitiallyHidden,
-        BasicSelectNoPlaceholder
+        BasicSelectNoPlaceholder,
+        BasicSelectWithTheming
       ],
       providers: [
         {provide: OverlayContainer, useFactory: () => {
@@ -1709,6 +1710,55 @@ describe('MdSelect', () => {
 
   });
 
+  describe('theming', () => {
+    let fixture: ComponentFixture<BasicSelectWithTheming>;
+    let testInstance: BasicSelectWithTheming;
+    let selectElement: HTMLElement;
+
+    beforeEach(async(() => {
+      fixture = TestBed.createComponent(BasicSelectWithTheming);
+      testInstance = fixture.componentInstance;
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      selectElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select')).nativeElement;
+    }));
+
+    it('should default to the primary theme', () => {
+      expect(fixture.componentInstance.select.color).toBe('primary');
+      expect(selectElement.classList).toContain('mat-primary');
+    });
+
+    it('should be able to override the theme', () => {
+      fixture.componentInstance.theme = 'accent';
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(fixture.componentInstance.select.color).toBe('accent');
+      expect(selectElement.classList).toContain('mat-accent');
+      expect(selectElement.classList).not.toContain('mat-primary');
+    });
+
+    it('should not be able to set a blank theme', () => {
+      fixture.componentInstance.theme = '';
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(fixture.componentInstance.select.color).toBe('primary');
+      expect(selectElement.classList).toContain('mat-primary');
+    });
+
+    it('should pass the theme to the panel', () => {
+      fixture.componentInstance.theme = 'warn';
+      fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-select-trigger')).nativeElement.click();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const panel = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('.mat-select-panel');
+
+      expect(fixture.componentInstance.select.color).toBe('warn');
+      expect(selectElement.classList).toContain('mat-warn');
+      expect(panel.classList).toContain('mat-warn');
+    });
+
+  });
+
 });
 
 
@@ -2040,6 +2090,20 @@ class BasicSelectInitiallyHidden {
 })
 class BasicSelectNoPlaceholder { }
 
+@Component({
+  selector: 'basic-select-with-theming',
+  template: `
+    <md-select placeholder="Food" [color]="theme">
+      <md-option value="steak-0">Steak</md-option>
+      <md-option value="pizza-1">Pizza</md-option>
+    </md-select>
+  `
+})
+class BasicSelectWithTheming {
+  @ViewChild(MdSelect) select: MdSelect;
+  theme: string;
+}
+
 class FakeViewportRuler {
   getViewportRect() {
     return {
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.ts b/src/lib/select/select.ts
index 55dd43557a05..a44d58f1d1d2 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   Optional,
   Output,
   QueryList,
-  Renderer,
+  Renderer2,
   Self,
   ViewEncapsulation,
   ViewChild,
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export type MdSelectFloatPlaceholderType = 'always' | 'never' | 'auto';
     '[class.mat-select-disabled]': 'disabled',
     '[class.mat-select]': 'true',
     '(keydown)': '_handleKeydown($event)',
-    '(blur)': '_onBlur()'
+    '(blur)': '_onBlur()',
   },
   animations: [
     transformPlaceholder,
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ export class MdSelect implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnInit, ControlVal
   /** Tab index for the element. */
   private _tabIndex: number;
 
+  /** Theme color for the component. */
+  private _color: string;
+
   /**
    * The width of the trigger. Must be saved to set the min width of the overlay panel
    * and the width of the selected value.
@@ -287,6 +290,17 @@ export class MdSelect implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnInit, ControlVal
   /** Input that can be used to specify the `aria-labelledby` attribute. */
   @Input('aria-labelledby') ariaLabelledby: string = '';
 
+  /** Theme color for the component. */
+  @Input()
+  get color(): string { return this._color; }
+  set color(value: string) {
+    if (value && value !== this._color) {
+      this._renderer.removeClass(this._element.nativeElement, `mat-${this._color}`);
+      this._renderer.addClass(this._element.nativeElement, `mat-${value}`);
+      this._color = value;
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Combined stream of all of the child options' change events. */
   get optionSelectionChanges(): Observable<MdOptionSelectionChange> {
     return Observable.merge(...this.options.map(option => option.onSelectionChange));
@@ -301,7 +315,7 @@ export class MdSelect implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnInit, ControlVal
   /** Event emitted when the selected value has been changed by the user. */
   @Output() change: EventEmitter<MdSelectChange> = new EventEmitter<MdSelectChange>();
 
-  constructor(private _element: ElementRef, private _renderer: Renderer,
+  constructor(private _element: ElementRef, private _renderer: Renderer2,
               private _viewportRuler: ViewportRuler, private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
               @Optional() private _dir: Dir, @Self() @Optional() public _control: NgControl,
               @Attribute('tabindex') tabIndex: string) {
@@ -314,6 +328,7 @@ export class MdSelect implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnInit, ControlVal
 
   ngOnInit() {
     this._selectionModel = new SelectionModel<MdOption>(this.multiple, null, false);
+    this.color = this.color || 'primary';
   }
 
   ngAfterContentInit() {
@@ -686,7 +701,7 @@ export class MdSelect implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy, OnInit, ControlVal
 
   /** Focuses the host element when the panel closes. */
   private _focusHost(): void {
-    this._renderer.invokeElementMethod(this._element.nativeElement, 'focus');
+    this._element.nativeElement.focus();
   }
 
   /** Gets the index of the provided option in the option list. */