diff --git a/channels.go b/channels.go
index 8f8a524..f03cc27 100644
--- a/channels.go
+++ b/channels.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"strconv"
+	"time"
 
 	"fyne.io/fyne"
 	"fyne.io/fyne/canvas"
@@ -9,18 +9,45 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (client *GUI) renderChannelList() fyne.CanvasObject {
-	right := widget.NewVBox()
+	var hideEmptyChannels = true
+
+	client.channelPane = widget.NewVBox()
 	for _, channel := range client.db.Channels {
-		row := widget.NewHBox()
-		numOfMessages := strconv.Itoa(len(client.db.chanList[channel.IdentHash]))
-		test := canvas.NewImageFromImage(client.db.getAvatar(channel.IdentHash))
-		test.SetMinSize(fyne.NewSize(32, 32))
-		test.FillMode = canvas.ImageFillContain
-		row.Append(test)
-		row.Append(widget.NewLabel(channel.Name + " " + shortIdent(channel.IdentHash) + " " + numOfMessages + "/" + numOfMessages))
-		right.Append(row)
+		if hideEmptyChannels {
+			if len(client.db.chanList[channel.IdentHash]) == 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+		rw := new(ChannelWidget)
+		rw.Name = channel.Name
+		rw.Text = widget.NewLabel(channel.IdentHash)
+		rw.Icon = canvas.NewImageFromImage(client.db.getAvatar(channel.IdentHash))
+
+		rw.SelectedChannel = make(chan string)
+		go func() {
+			for contact := range rw.SelectedChannel {
+				client.selectedChannel = contact
+				close(rw.SelectedChannel)
+				client.repaint()
+			}
+		}()
+		client.channelPane.Append(rw)
 	}
-	return right
+	return client.channelPane
+}
+
+func (client *GUI) renderThreadList() fyne.CanvasObject {
+	client.threadPane = widget.NewVBox()
+	if client.selectedChannel == "" {
+		client.threadPane.Append(widget.NewLabel("Select a channel from the menu to the left to get started"))
+	} else {
+		for _, msg := range client.db.chanList[client.selectedChannel] {
+			client.threadPane.Append(widget.NewLabel(msg.Subject))
+			date := time.Unix(0, int64(msg.ID)*int64(time.Millisecond))
+			client.threadPane.Append(widget.NewLabel("by " + client.db.nameFromChanIdentHash(msg.Author) + " " + shortIdent(msg.Author) + " on " + date.Format("2006-01-02")))
+		}
+	}
+	return client.threadPane
 }
 
 func shortIdent(i string) string {
diff --git a/database.go b/database.go
index 4a062c9..4dd6b9f 100644
--- a/database.go
+++ b/database.go
@@ -85,3 +85,15 @@ func (db *database) getAvatar(identhash string) image.Image {
 	}
 	return *db.avatars["empty"]
 }
+
+func (db *database) nameFromChanIdentHash(s string) string {
+	for _, channel := range db.Channels {
+		if channel.IdentHash == s {
+			if s == "" {
+				return "Anonymous"
+			}
+			return channel.Name
+		}
+	}
+	return "Unknown"
+}
diff --git a/gui.go b/gui.go
index 41956a8..b13d124 100644
--- a/gui.go
+++ b/gui.go
@@ -1,12 +1,23 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fyne.io/fyne"
 	"fyne.io/fyne/app"
+	"fyne.io/fyne/layout"
 	"fyne.io/fyne/widget"
 )
 
 type GUI struct {
-	db *database
+	db     *database
+	window fyne.Window
+
+	channelPane     *widget.Box
+	threadPane      *widget.Box
+	channelList     *widget.ScrollContainer
+	messageList     *widget.ScrollContainer
+	contentArea     *widget.Label
+	selectedChannel string
+	selectedMessage string
 }
 
 func NewGUI() *GUI {
@@ -22,8 +33,15 @@ func (client *GUI) Start(path string) {
 
 	a := app.New()
 
-	w := a.NewWindow("Syndie GUI")
-	rightSideBar := widget.NewVScrollContainer(client.renderChannelList())
-	w.SetContent(rightSideBar)
-	w.ShowAndRun()
+	client.window = a.NewWindow("Syndie GUI")
+	client.contentArea = widget.NewLabel("This is where the message content goes")
+
+	client.repaint()
+	client.window.ShowAndRun()
+}
+
+func (client *GUI) repaint() {
+	client.channelList = widget.NewVScrollContainer(client.renderChannelList())
+	client.messageList = widget.NewVScrollContainer(client.renderThreadList())
+	client.window.SetContent(fyne.NewContainerWithLayout(layout.NewGridLayout(2), widget.NewHSplitContainer(client.channelList, client.messageList), client.contentArea))
 }
diff --git a/widgets.go b/widgets.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7302cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/widgets.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"image/color"
+
+	"fyne.io/fyne"
+	"fyne.io/fyne/canvas"
+	"fyne.io/fyne/theme"
+	"fyne.io/fyne/widget"
+)
+
+type ChannelWidget struct {
+	widget.BaseWidget
+	Name            string
+	Icon            *canvas.Image
+	Text            *widget.Label
+	SelectedChannel chan string
+	Highlight       bool
+}
+
+type ChannelWidgetRenderer struct {
+	icon      *canvas.Image
+	text      *widget.Label
+	name      *widget.Label
+	highlight bool
+	objects   []fyne.CanvasObject
+}
+
+func (rw *ChannelWidget) Tapped(_ *fyne.PointEvent) {
+	rw.SelectedChannel <- rw.Text.Text
+}
+
+func (rw *ChannelWidget) TappedSecondary(_ *fyne.PointEvent) {
+}
+
+func (rw *ChannelWidget) CreateRenderer() fyne.WidgetRenderer {
+	rw.ExtendBaseWidget(rw)
+	n := widget.NewLabelWithStyle(rw.Name, fyne.TextAlignLeading, fyne.TextStyle{Bold: true})
+
+	rwr := &ChannelWidgetRenderer{}
+	rwr.icon = rw.Icon
+	rwr.name = n
+	rwr.text = rw.Text
+	rwr.highlight = rw.Highlight
+	rwr.objects = []fyne.CanvasObject{rw.Icon, n, rw.Text}
+	return rwr
+}
+
+func (rwr *ChannelWidgetRenderer) Layout(size fyne.Size) {
+	rwr.name.Move(fyne.NewPos(0, 0))
+	rwr.text.Move(fyne.NewPos(0, 25))
+	// Move everything over 50 for the icon
+	rwr.name.Move(fyne.NewPos(50+rwr.name.Position().X, rwr.name.Position().Y))
+	rwr.text.Move(fyne.NewPos(50+rwr.text.Position().X, rwr.text.Position().Y))
+	// Display the icon
+	rwr.icon.Move(fyne.NewPos(0, 0))
+	rwr.icon.Resize(fyne.NewSize(50, 50))
+}
+
+func (rwr *ChannelWidgetRenderer) Objects() []fyne.CanvasObject {
+	return rwr.objects
+}
+
+func (rw *ChannelWidgetRenderer) MinSize() fyne.Size {
+	return fyne.NewSize(100, 50)
+}
+
+func (rwr *ChannelWidgetRenderer) BackgroundColor() color.Color {
+	if rwr.highlight {
+		return theme.HoverColor()
+	}
+	return theme.BackgroundColor()
+}
+
+func (rw *ChannelWidgetRenderer) Destroy() {
+}
+
+func (rwr *ChannelWidgetRenderer) Refresh() {
+	rwr.objects = append(rwr.objects, rwr.icon)
+	rwr.objects = append(rwr.objects, rwr.name)
+	rwr.objects = append(rwr.objects, rwr.text)
+}