I don't understand what "the themes all look alike" means. If you mean that when you apply a Nextstart/Workshelf theme, you still have the same menu content, well that's a good thing.
One of the great things about NextStart and Workshelf is that the theme is separated from configuration and content. Unlike some other apps where if you switch to a new theme, you have to spend time redoing your preferred customization to that theme. With Nextstart and Workshelf, you apply a new theme, and you're off and running with your previous setup.
I use Nextstart and Workshelf in a diffrent fashion than Werewolf. I have many Nextstart menus for the various application and utitlies I used, each organized into approparite sub menus.
I use Workshelf as a mechanism to get at the various folders of the computer: a shelves for the desktop, control panel, my documents and so on. I also have a Workshelf shelves for various projects: a shelf that holds shortcuts to a project's files, folders, an application link to the program I use for that project, and some internet shortcuts to online documentation that I reference for that particular project.