diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 8f0f992..37a37ef 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@ What's new in version 0.9
 - Fixes a bug where ``show_percentages`` used the incorrect denominator if
   filtering (e.g. ``min_subset_size``) was applied. This bug was a regression
   introduced in version 0.7. (:issue:`248`)
+- Add a ``style_categories`` method to customize category plot styles, including
+  shading of rows in the intersection matrix, and bars in the totals plot.
+  (:issue:`261` with thanks to :user:`Marcel Albus <maralbus>`).
 - Ability to disable totals plot with `totals_plot_elements=0`. (:issue:`246`)
 - Ability to set totals y axis label (:issue:`243`)
-- Added ``max_subset_rank`` to get only n most populous subsets.
+- Added ``max_subset_rank`` to get only n most populous subsets. (:issue:`253`)
 - Added support for ``min_subset_size`` and ``max_subset_size`` specified as
   percentage. (:issue:`264`)
 
diff --git a/examples/plot_customize_after_plot.py b/examples/plot_customize_after_plot.py
index b763bcd..45a06d5 100644
--- a/examples/plot_customize_after_plot.py
+++ b/examples/plot_customize_after_plot.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 =======================
 
 This example illustrates how the return value of the plot method can be used
-to customize aspects of the plot, such as axis labels.
+to customize aspects of the plot, such as axis labels, legend position, etc.
 """
 
 from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
@@ -18,14 +18,5 @@
 
 plot_result = plot(example)
 plot_result["intersections"].set_ylabel("Subset size")
-plot_result["totals"].set_ylabel("Category size")
-plot_result["matrix"].set_xlabel("Subsets between categories")
-plt.show()
-
-
-##########################################################################
-# Or we can place the totals label on the x axis
-
-plot_result = plot(example)
 plot_result["totals"].set_xlabel("Category size")
 plt.show()
diff --git a/examples/plot_highlight.py b/examples/plot_highlight.py
index 1cffbc6..bccc332 100644
--- a/examples/plot_highlight.py
+++ b/examples/plot_highlight.py
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@
 
 upset = UpSet(example, facecolor="gray")
 upset.style_subsets(present="cat0", label="Contains cat0", facecolor="blue")
-upset.style_subsets(present="cat1", label="Contains cat1", hatch="xx")
+upset.style_subsets(
+    present="cat1", label="Contains cat1", hatch="xx", edgecolor="black"
+)
 upset.style_subsets(present="cat2", label="Contains cat2", edgecolor="red")
 
 # reduce legend size:
diff --git a/examples/plot_highlight_categories.py b/examples/plot_highlight_categories.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eae84d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/plot_highlight_categories.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"""
+================================
+Highlighting selected categories
+================================
+
+Demonstrates use of the `style_categories` method to mark some
+categories differently.
+"""
+
+from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
+
+from upsetplot import UpSet, generate_counts
+
+example = generate_counts()
+
+
+##########################################################################
+# Categories can be shaded by name with the ``shading_`` parameters.
+
+upset = UpSet(example)
+upset.style_categories("cat2", shading_edgecolor="darkgreen", shading_linewidth=1)
+upset.style_categories(
+    "cat1",
+    shading_facecolor="lavender",
+)
+upset.plot()
+plt.suptitle("Shade or edge a category with color")
+plt.show()
+
+
+##########################################################################
+# Category total bars can be styled with the ``bar_`` parameters.
+# You can also specify categories using a list of names.
+
+upset = UpSet(example)
+upset.style_categories(
+    ["cat2", "cat1"], bar_facecolor="aqua", bar_hatch="xx", bar_edgecolor="black"
+)
+upset.plot()
+plt.suptitle("")
+plt.show()
diff --git a/upsetplot/plotting.py b/upsetplot/plotting.py
index ce2eb9e..3d5630f 100644
--- a/upsetplot/plotting.py
+++ b/upsetplot/plotting.py
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ class UpSet:
     """
 
     _default_figsize = (10, 6)
+    DPI = 100  # standard matplotlib value
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@ def __init__(
             reverse=not self._horizontal,
             include_empty_subsets=include_empty_subsets,
         )
+        self.category_styles = {}
         self.subset_styles = [
             {"facecolor": facecolor} for i in range(len(self.intersections))
         ]
@@ -838,7 +840,7 @@ def plot_matrix(self, ax):
         tick_axis.set_ticklabels(
             data.index.names, rotation=0 if self._horizontal else -90
         )
-        ax.xaxis.set_ticks([])
+        ax.xaxis.set_visible(False)
         ax.tick_params(axis="both", which="both", length=0)
         if not self._horizontal:
             ax.yaxis.set_ticks_position("top")
@@ -942,28 +944,55 @@ def plot_totals(self, ax):
         )
         self._label_sizes(ax, rects, "left" if self._horizontal else "top")
 
+        for category, rect in zip(self.totals.index.values, rects):
+            style = {
+                k[len("bar_") :]: v
+                for k, v in self.category_styles.get(category, {}).items()
+                if k.startswith("bar_")
+            }
+            style.setdefault("edgecolor", style.get("facecolor", self._facecolor))
+            for attr, val in style.items():
+                getattr(rect, "set_" + attr)(val)
+
         max_total = self.totals.max()
         if self._horizontal:
             orig_ax.set_xlim(max_total, 0)
         for x in ["top", "left", "right"]:
             ax.spines[self._reorient(x)].set_visible(False)
-        ax.yaxis.set_visible(True)
-        ax.yaxis.set_ticklabels([])
-        ax.yaxis.set_ticks([])
+        ax.yaxis.set_visible(False)
         ax.xaxis.grid(True)
         ax.yaxis.grid(False)
         ax.patch.set_visible(False)
 
     def plot_shading(self, ax):
-        # alternating row shading (XXX: use add_patch(Rectangle)?)
-        for i in range(0, len(self.totals), 2):
+        # shade all rows, set every second row to zero visibility
+        for i, category in enumerate(self.totals.index):
+            default_shading = (
+                self._shading_color if i % 2 == 0 else (0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+            )
+            shading_style = {
+                k[len("shading_") :]: v
+                for k, v in self.category_styles.get(category, {}).items()
+                if k.startswith("shading_")
+            }
+
+            lw = shading_style.get(
+                "linewidth", 1 if shading_style.get("edgecolor") else 0
+            )
+            lw_padding = lw / (self._default_figsize[0] * self.DPI)
+            start_x = lw_padding
+            end_x = 1 - lw_padding * 3
+
             rect = plt.Rectangle(
-                self._swapaxes(0, i - 0.4),
-                *self._swapaxes(*(1, 0.8)),
-                facecolor=self._shading_color,
-                lw=0,
+                self._swapaxes(start_x, i - 0.4),
+                *self._swapaxes(end_x, 0.8),
+                facecolor=shading_style.get("facecolor", default_shading),
+                edgecolor=shading_style.get("edgecolor", None),
+                ls=shading_style.get("linestyle", "-"),
+                lw=lw,
                 zorder=0,
             )
+
             ax.add_patch(rect)
         ax.set_frame_on(False)
         ax.tick_params(
@@ -982,6 +1011,66 @@ def plot_shading(self, ax):
         ax.set_xticklabels([])
         ax.set_yticklabels([])
 
+    def style_categories(
+        self,
+        categories,
+        *,
+        bar_facecolor=None,
+        bar_hatch=None,
+        bar_edgecolor=None,
+        bar_linewidth=None,
+        bar_linestyle=None,
+        shading_facecolor=None,
+        shading_edgecolor=None,
+        shading_linewidth=None,
+        shading_linestyle=None,
+    ):
+        """Updates the style of the categories.
+
+        Select a category by name, and style either its total bar or its shading.
+
+        .. versionadded:: 0.9
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        categories : str or list[str]
+            Category names where the changed style applies.
+        bar_facecolor : str or RGBA matplotlib color tuple, optional.
+            Override the default facecolor in the totals plot.
+        bar_hatch : str, optional
+            Set a hatch for the totals plot.
+        bar_edgecolor : str or matplotlib color, optional
+            Set the edgecolor for total bars.
+        bar_linewidth : int, optional
+            Line width in points for total bar edges.
+        bar_linestyle : str, optional
+            Line style for edges.
+        shading_facecolor : str or RGBA matplotlib color tuple, optional.
+            Override the default alternating shading for specified categories.
+        shading_edgecolor : str or matplotlib color, optional
+            Set the edgecolor for bars, dots, and the line between dots.
+        shading_linewidth : int, optional
+            Line width in points for edges.
+        shading_linestyle : str, optional
+            Line style for edges.
+        """
+        if isinstance(categories, str):
+            categories = [categories]
+        style = {
+            "bar_facecolor": bar_facecolor,
+            "bar_hatch": bar_hatch,
+            "bar_edgecolor": bar_edgecolor,
+            "bar_linewidth": bar_linewidth,
+            "bar_linestyle": bar_linestyle,
+            "shading_facecolor": shading_facecolor,
+            "shading_edgecolor": shading_edgecolor,
+            "shading_linewidth": shading_linewidth,
+            "shading_linestyle": shading_linestyle,
+        }
+        style = {k: v for k, v in style.items() if v is not None}
+        for category_name in categories:
+            self.category_styles.setdefault(category_name, {}).update(style)
+
     def plot(self, fig=None):
         """Draw all parts of the plot onto fig or a new figure
 
diff --git a/upsetplot/tests/test_upsetplot.py b/upsetplot/tests/test_upsetplot.py
index 8d10f35..3c33dea 100644
--- a/upsetplot/tests/test_upsetplot.py
+++ b/upsetplot/tests/test_upsetplot.py
@@ -1177,6 +1177,51 @@ def test_style_subsets_artists(orientation):
     # matrix_line_collection = upset_axes["matrix"].collections[1]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    (
+        "kwarg_list",
+        "expected_category_styles",
+    ),
+    [
+        # Different forms of including two categories
+        (
+            [{"categories": ["cat1", "cat2"], "shading_facecolor": "red"}],
+            {
+                "cat1": {"shading_facecolor": "red"},
+                "cat2": {"shading_facecolor": "red"},
+            },
+        ),
+        (
+            [
+                {"categories": ["cat1", "cat2"], "shading_facecolor": "red"},
+                {"categories": "cat1", "shading_facecolor": "green"},
+            ],
+            {
+                "cat1": {"shading_facecolor": "green"},
+                "cat2": {"shading_facecolor": "red"},
+            },
+        ),
+        (
+            [
+                {"categories": ["cat1", "cat2"], "shading_facecolor": "red"},
+                {"categories": "cat1", "shading_edgecolor": "green"},
+            ],
+            {
+                "cat1": {"shading_facecolor": "red", "shading_edgecolor": "green"},
+                "cat2": {"shading_facecolor": "red"},
+            },
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_categories(kwarg_list, expected_category_styles):
+    data = generate_counts()
+    upset = UpSet(data, facecolor="blue")
+    for kw in kwarg_list:
+        upset.style_categories(**kw)
+    actual_category_styles = upset.category_styles
+    assert actual_category_styles == expected_category_styles
+
+
 def test_many_categories():
     # Tests regressions against GH#193
     n_cats = 250