diff --git a/common/base-graphical/default.nix b/common/base-graphical/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40542ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/base-graphical/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+let
+  cfg = config.qenya.base-graphical;
+in
+{
+  imports = [
+    ./desktop.nix
+    ./sound.nix
+  ];
+
+  options.qenya.base-graphical.enable = mkEnableOption "Base configuration for graphical environments";
+
+  config = mkIf cfg.enable {
+    services.xserver.enable = true;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/common/base-graphical/desktop.nix b/common/base-graphical/desktop.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50ff84c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/base-graphical/desktop.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+  inherit (lib) mkIf mkOption types;
+  cfg = config.qenya.base-graphical;
+
+  isGnome = cfg.desktop == "gnome";
+  isPlasma6 = cfg.desktop == "plasma6";
+in
+{
+  options.qenya.base-graphical.desktop = mkOption {
+    type = types.enum [ "gnome" "plasma6" ];
+    default = "gnome";
+    example = "plasma6";
+    description = "Which display manager and desktop manager to use.";
+  };
+
+  config = mkIf cfg.enable {
+    services.xserver.displayManager.gdm.enable = isGnome;
+    services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome.enable = isGnome;
+
+    services.displayManager.sddm.enable = isPlasma6;
+    services.displayManager.sddm.wayland.enable = isPlasma6;
+    services.desktopManager.plasma6.enable = isPlasma6;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/common/base-graphical/sound.nix b/common/base-graphical/sound.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb0c847
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/base-graphical/sound.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+let
+  cfg = config.qenya.base-graphical;
+in
+{
+  config = mkIf cfg.enable {
+    security.rtkit.enable = true;
+    services.pipewire = {
+      enable = true;
+      alsa.enable = true;
+      alsa.support32Bit = true;
+      pulse.enable = true;
+      jack.enable = true;
+    };
+    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = false; # this theoretically defaults to false but something else seems to be flipping it
+    environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [ helvum ]; # patchbay
+  };
+}
diff --git a/common/sysadmin/default.nix b/common/base-server/default.nix
similarity index 68%
rename from common/sysadmin/default.nix
rename to common/base-server/default.nix
index 3709583..47a82fa 100644
--- a/common/sysadmin/default.nix
+++ b/common/base-server/default.nix
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 with lib;
 let
-  cfg = config.qenya.sysadmin;
+  cfg = config.qenya.base-server;
 in
 {
-  options.qenya.sysadmin.enable = mkEnableOption "Base configuration for headless servers";
+  options.qenya.base-server.enable = mkEnableOption "Base configuration for headless servers";
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
     time.timeZone = "Etc/UTC";
diff --git a/common/default.nix b/common/default.nix
index 849dc3d..fd0791c 100644
--- a/common/default.nix
+++ b/common/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 {
   imports = [
-    ./sysadmin
+    ./base-graphical
+    ./base-server
     ./users
     ./environment.nix
     ./home-manager.nix
diff --git a/hosts/kalessin/configuration.nix b/hosts/kalessin/configuration.nix
index 4e2ddea..3250f27 100644
--- a/hosts/kalessin/configuration.nix
+++ b/hosts/kalessin/configuration.nix
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
 
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];
-  qenya.sysadmin.enable = true;
+  qenya.base-server.enable = true;
 
   system.stateVersion = "23.11";
 }
diff --git a/hosts/kilgharrah/default.nix b/hosts/kilgharrah/default.nix
index 3a834fb..b4e969f 100644
--- a/hosts/kilgharrah/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/kilgharrah/default.nix
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
     ./filesystems.nix
     ./hardware.nix
     ./networking.nix
-    ./sound.nix
   ];
 
   nixpkgs.hostPlatform = "x86_64-linux";
@@ -17,15 +16,12 @@
     targetHost = null; # disallow remote deployment
   };
 
-  time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
+  qenya.base-graphical.enable = true;
+  qenya.base-graphical.desktop = "plasma6";
 
+  time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
   i18n.defaultLocale = "en_GB.UTF-8";
   console.keyMap = "uk";
-
-  services.xserver.enable = true;
-  services.displayManager.sddm.enable = true;
-  services.displayManager.sddm.wayland.enable = true;
-  services.desktopManager.plasma6.enable = true;
   services.xserver.xkb.layout = "gb";
 
   services.printing.enable = true;
diff --git a/hosts/kilgharrah/sound.nix b/hosts/kilgharrah/sound.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index cb97bd4..0000000
--- a/hosts/kilgharrah/sound.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
-
-{
-  security.rtkit.enable = true;
-  services.pipewire = {
-    enable = true;
-    alsa.enable = true;
-    alsa.support32Bit = true;
-    pulse.enable = true;
-    jack.enable = true;
-  };
-  environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [ helvum ]; # patchbay
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hosts/orm/configuration.nix b/hosts/orm/configuration.nix
index e0cbe89..c31dc6a 100644
--- a/hosts/orm/configuration.nix
+++ b/hosts/orm/configuration.nix
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
   
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];
-  qenya.sysadmin.enable = true;
+  qenya.base-server.enable = true;
 
   age.secrets.wireguard-peer-orm.file = ../../secrets/wireguard-peer-orm.age;
 
diff --git a/hosts/tohru/default.nix b/hosts/tohru/default.nix
index c8d2ec3..eab9a11 100644
--- a/hosts/tohru/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/tohru/default.nix
@@ -18,25 +18,15 @@
     targetHost = null; # disallow remote deployment
   };
 
-  time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
+  qenya.base-graphical.enable = true;
 
+  time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
   i18n.defaultLocale = "en_GB.UTF-8";
   console.keyMap = "uk";
-
-  services.xserver.enable = true;
-  services.xserver.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;
-  services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome.enable = true;
   services.xserver.xkb.layout = "gb";
 
   services.printing.enable = true;
 
-  sound.enable = true;
-  hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
-  # services.pipewire = {
-  #   enable = true;
-  #   pulse.enable = true;
-  # };
-
   age.secrets.user-password-tohru-qenya.file = ../../secrets/user-password-tohru-qenya.age;
   users.users.qenya.hashedPasswordFile = config.age.secrets.user-password-tohru-qenya.path;
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [
diff --git a/hosts/yevaud/configuration.nix b/hosts/yevaud/configuration.nix
index 13b70b3..2fbd757 100644
--- a/hosts/yevaud/configuration.nix
+++ b/hosts/yevaud/configuration.nix
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];
 
-  qenya.sysadmin.enable = true;
+  qenya.base-server.enable = true;
 
   age.secrets.wireguard-peer-yevaud.file = ../../secrets/wireguard-peer-yevaud.age;