How to change the format of an individual facet_wrap panel?

Question

Is it possible to alter the format of an individual facet plot? For example, using the sample code below, can one change the color of the title or background for the cyl=8 plot?

library(ggplot2)
ggplot(mtcars, aes(x=gear)) + 
  geom_bar(aes(y=gear), stat="identity", position="dodge") +
  facet_wrap(~cyl)

Answer 1

You can modify the ggplot2 grobs, for instance:

library("ggplot2")
d <- ggplot(mtcars, aes(x=gear)) + 
       geom_bar(aes(y=gear), stat="identity", position="dodge") +
       facet_wrap(~cyl)

grob <- ggplotGrob(d)
strip_bg <- grid.ls(getGrob(grob, "strip.background.rect",
                            grep=TRUE, global=TRUE))$name
panel_bg <- grid.ls(getGrob(grob, "panel.background.rect",
                            grep=TRUE, global=TRUE))$name
strip_text <- grid.ls(getGrob(grob, "strip.text.x",
                              grep=TRUE, global=TRUE))$name
grob <- geditGrob(grob, strip_bg[2], gp=gpar(fill="gray60"))
grob <- geditGrob(grob, panel_bg[2], gp=gpar(fill="darkolivegreen2"))
grob <- geditGrob(grob, strip_text[2], gp=gpar(col="white"))
grid.draw(grob)

Update: This should work with ggplot2 0.9.3

grob <- ggplotGrob(d)

elem <- grob$grobs$panel2
panel_bg <- grid.ls(getGrob(elem, "panel.background.rect", grep=TRUE))$name
grob$grobs$panel2 <- editGrob(elem, panel_bg, gp=gpar(fill="darkolivegreen"), grep=TRUE)

elem <- grob$grobs$strip_t.1
strip_bg <- grid.ls(getGrob(elem, "strip.background.rect", grep=TRUE))$name
grob$grobs$strip_t.1 <- editGrob(elem, strip_bg, gp=gpar(fill="gray60"), grep=TRUE)

elem <- grob$grobs$strip_t.1
strip_text <- grid.ls(getGrob(elem, "strip.text.x.text", grep=TRUE))$name
grob$grobs$strip_t.1 <- editGrob(elem, strip_text, gp=gpar(col="white"), grep=TRUE)

grid.draw(grob)