diff --git a/src/ctxt.h b/src/ctxt.h
index 3b586b9..550bafd 100644
--- a/src/ctxt.h
+++ b/src/ctxt.h
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ struct ax_ctxt {
     char* err;
 
     // theme
-    struct ax_theme* sel_theme;
-    struct ax_theme_builder* thmb0;
+    struct rgn thmb_rgn;
     struct ax_theme_builder* thmb;
+    struct ax_theme* sel_theme;
 };
 
 void ax__ctxt_init(struct ax_ctxt* ax, struct rgn* self_rgn);
diff --git a/src/ctxt/ctxt.c b/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
index cb73fb7..50605b1 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
+++ b/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
@@ -41,17 +41,14 @@ void ax__ctxt_init(struct ax_ctxt* ax, struct rgn* init_rgn)
     rgn_init(&ax->err_rgn, SMALL);
     ax->err = "";
 
-    ax->sel_theme = NULL;
-    ax->thmb0 = ralloc_typed(init_rgn, struct ax_theme_builder, 1);
+    rgn_init(&ax->thmb_rgn, THEME_BUILDER_DESIRED_REGION_SIZE);
     ax->thmb = NULL;
+    ax->sel_theme = NULL;
 }
 
 void ax__ctxt_cleanup(struct ax_ctxt* ax)
 {
-    if (ax->thmb != NULL) {
-        ax__theme_builder_cleanup(ax->thmb);
-    }
-
+    rgn_cleanup(&ax->thmb_rgn);
     rgn_cleanup(&ax->err_rgn);
 }
 
@@ -61,21 +58,15 @@ void ax__ctxt_cleanup(struct ax_ctxt* ax)
 
 void ax_begin_theme(struct ax_ctxt* ax)
 {
-    if (ax->thmb != NULL) {
-        ax__theme_builder_cleanup(ax->thmb);
-    }
-
-    ax->thmb = ax->thmb0;
-    ax__theme_builder_init(ax->thmb);
+    rgn_clear(&ax->thmb_rgn);
+    ax->thmb = ralloc_typed(&ax->thmb_rgn, struct ax_theme_builder, 1);
+    ax__theme_builder_init(ax->thmb, &ax->thmb_rgn);
 }
 
 int ax_end_theme(struct ax_ctxt* ax, struct ax_theme** out_thm)
 {
     ASSERT(ax->thmb != NULL, "`ax_end_theme' called while not building a theme");
-
     ax__theme_builder_finish(ax->thmb, ax->init_rgn, out_thm);
-    ax__theme_builder_cleanup(ax->thmb);
-    ax->thmb = NULL;
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ctxt/theme.c b/src/ctxt/theme.c
index ad1479c..0ecd288 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/theme.c
+++ b/src/ctxt/theme.c
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "theme.h"
 #include "../util.h"
-
-#define THMB_RGN_SIZE  MEDIUM
+#include "../util/region.h"
 
 static void theme_init(struct ax_theme* thm)
 {
@@ -28,14 +27,11 @@ static void theme_init(struct ax_theme* thm)
     thm->font_size[AX_FONT_BUTTON] = 14;
 }
 
-void ax__theme_builder_init(struct ax_theme_builder* thmb)
+void ax__theme_builder_init(struct ax_theme_builder* thmb, struct rgn* rgn)
 {
-    theme_init(&thmb->thm);
+    thmb->rgn = rgn;
     thmb->dflt_font_path = NULL;
-}
-
-void ax__theme_builder_cleanup(struct ax_theme_builder* thmb)
-{
+    theme_init(&thmb->thm);
 }
 
 void ax__theme_set_color(
diff --git a/src/ctxt/theme.h b/src/ctxt/theme.h
index 15e8109..c4e9b68 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/theme.h
+++ b/src/ctxt/theme.h
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <stdint.h>
-#include "../util/region.h"
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+struct rgn;
+#define THEME_BUILDER_DESIRED_REGION_SIZE (16*1024)
 
 enum ax_color_cat {
     AX_COLOR_BACKGROUND = 0,
@@ -35,16 +38,17 @@ struct ax_theme {
 };
 
 struct ax_theme_builder {
-    struct ax_theme thm;
+    struct rgn* rgn;
     const char* dflt_font_path;
+    struct ax_theme thm;
 };
 
 int ax__string_to_color_cat(const char* str, enum ax_color_cat* out_cat);
 int ax__string_to_font_cat(const char* str, enum ax_font_cat* out_cat);
 //void ax__color_cat_to_string(enum ax_color_cat cat, const char** out_str);
 
-void ax__theme_builder_init(struct ax_theme_builder* thmb);
-void ax__theme_builder_cleanup(struct ax_theme_builder* thmb);
+void ax__theme_builder_init(
+    struct ax_theme_builder* thmb, struct rgn* rgn);
 
 void ax__theme_set_color(
     struct ax_theme_builder* thmb,