How can I do advanced customization of themes/visual styles/GUI?

There are a few different things I'm trying to achieve. So I'm looking for directions on how to directly address the things below, or any guides/TUT's on the topic in general. This is sort of a long post, so if you can help me with one or all of these things I'd really appreciate it. The thing I want to change the most is directly below (transparency) other than that, there is no real preferential order of importance.

First of all, I want to make the explorer/window transparent, just as the "gadgets" window is. I turned off the aero "blur" and for the gadgets menu it affects not only the border but the whole background as well. The result is... the border is completely clear like all explorer windows, but the entire background has also become more clear, but not completely...it's still sort of a "frosted" glass look, but its clear enough that you can clearly see images and read text through it, unlike before removing the blur it was completely blurred (translucent, but not transparent)

I've seen several 3rd party themes available that change the color of the explorer window's background, so would it not be possible to apply the same background from the gadget's window to the normal explorer window? Then as long as I have the Aero "blur" removed, it will result in the effect I'm looking for.

Blur


No Blur



I would also like to know how to change the color of the selection window and selected items. I opened the window color and appearance's advanced appearance menu and chose "selected items" from the drop down box and changed it to black. It does affect certain things like highlighted text in a web browser and adds a pathetic skinny black "border" to the selection window (1st pic), but it still doesn't change the selected items as a theme pictured below does (2nd pic). In the second pic the selected items are black/gray, but I'd also like the selection window itself to be something other than blue.

Pathetic


Good


In addition there are several other changes I'd like to be able to make, that are obviously not possible using the simple windows "personalize" menu/function such as:

Changing the color/transparency of the start menu and selector bar... I'd also like the left side of the start menu to be transparent, not just the right. Also I would like the "all programs" menu to match the front/first one.


Customizing the "right click" menu


changing the transparent color of the address bar. And changing the color and/or buttons of the menu bar in explorer/web browser windows


changing the color of progress bars

Thank you, Really helpful information. I'll look into that windows style builder when I get the chance and some extra cash.

I've seen that full glass theme before, I tried using the "full glass.exe" before with a different theme but I didn't like the result. BTW... Is using an executable/program like that, the only way to get a clear explorer?