diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
index 6be565747..15b01cbd8 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
@@ -83,12 +83,44 @@ impl EditorView {
         surface: &mut Surface,
         is_focused: bool,
     ) {
-        let inner = view.inner_area(doc);
+        let areas = view.get_areas(doc);
+
+        // TODO: use the 'areas' struct for these!
+        let inner = areas.text;
         let area = view.area;
         let theme = &editor.theme;
         let config = editor.config();
 
-        let view_offset = doc.view_offset(view.id);
+        if config.nullspace.enable {
+            // helper:
+            fn fill_area(s: &mut Surface, r: Rect, c: char, style: Style) {
+                if r.width > 0 && r.height > 0 {
+                    s.set_style(r, style);
+                    for y in r.top()..r.bottom() {
+                        for x in r.left()..r.right() {
+                            let cell = s.get_mut(x, y).unwrap();
+                            cell.symbol.clear();
+                            cell.symbol.push(c);
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            if areas.left.width > 0 || areas.right.width > 0 {
+                let style = theme
+                    .try_get("ui.nullspace")
+                    .or_else(|| Some(theme.get("ui.linenr")))
+                    .unwrap();
+
+                // We currently on use the first
+                // char in the 'pattern'.
+                //
+                let c = config.nullspace.pattern.chars().nth(0).unwrap();
+
+                fill_area(surface, areas.left, c, style);
+                fill_area(surface, areas.right, c, style);
+            }
+        }
 
         let text_annotations = view.text_annotations(doc, Some(theme));
         let mut decorations = DecorationManager::default();
@@ -115,6 +147,8 @@ impl EditorView {
             decorations.add_decoration(line_decoration);
         }
 
+        let view_offset = doc.view_offset(view.id);
+
         let syntax_highlights =
             Self::doc_syntax_highlights(doc, view_offset.anchor, inner.height, theme);
 
@@ -163,13 +197,15 @@ impl EditorView {
             }
         }
 
-        let gutter_overflow = view.gutter_offset(doc) == 0;
-        if !gutter_overflow {
+        let gutter_width = view.gutter_offset(doc);
+        if gutter_width > 0 {
+            let gutter_area = inner.with_width(gutter_width).shift_left(gutter_width);
+
             Self::render_gutter(
                 editor,
                 doc,
                 view,
-                view.area,
+                gutter_area,
                 theme,
                 is_focused & self.terminal_focused,
                 &mut decorations,
@@ -201,6 +237,7 @@ impl EditorView {
             inline_diagnostic_config,
             config.end_of_line_diagnostics,
         ));
+
         render_document(
             surface,
             inner,
@@ -216,7 +253,7 @@ impl EditorView {
         // if we're not at the edge of the screen, draw a right border
         if viewport.right() != view.area.right() {
             let x = area.right();
-            let border_style = theme.get("ui.window");
+            let border_style = theme.try_get("ui.divide").unwrap_or(theme.get("ui.window"));
             for y in area.top()..area.bottom() {
                 surface[(x, y)]
                     .set_symbol(tui::symbols::line::VERTICAL)
@@ -228,7 +265,7 @@ impl EditorView {
         if config.inline_diagnostics.disabled()
             && config.end_of_line_diagnostics == DiagnosticFilter::Disable
         {
-            Self::render_diagnostics(doc, view, inner, surface, theme);
+            Self::render_diagnostics(doc, view, surface, theme);
         }
 
         let statusline_area = view
@@ -726,13 +763,7 @@ impl EditorView {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn render_diagnostics(
-        doc: &Document,
-        view: &View,
-        viewport: Rect,
-        surface: &mut Surface,
-        theme: &Theme,
-    ) {
+    pub fn render_diagnostics(doc: &Document, view: &View, surface: &mut Surface, theme: &Theme) {
         use helix_core::diagnostic::Severity;
         use tui::{
             layout::Alignment,
@@ -754,11 +785,56 @@ impl EditorView {
         let info = theme.get("info");
         let hint = theme.get("hint");
 
+        let areas = view.get_areas(doc);
+        let width = 50.min(areas.text.width);
+
+        let height = 15.min(areas.text.height); // .min(text.lines.len() as u16);
+
+        // decide where this diagnostic is gonna get rendered
+        //
+        let mut x = areas.text.right() - width;
+        let mut y = areas.text.top() + 1;
+        let mut align = Alignment::Right;
+        let mut background = theme.get("ui.background");
+
+        // do we have space in the nullspace to render the diagnostic?
+        //
+        const PADDING: u16 = 2;
+        let width_pad = width + PADDING;
+
+        if areas.left.width >= width_pad || areas.right.width >= width_pad {
+            if let Some(pos) = view.screen_coords_at_pos(doc, doc.text().slice(..), cursor) {
+                background = theme
+                    .try_get("ui.nullspace")
+                    .unwrap_or(theme.get("ui.background"));
+
+                // decide if we are placing the diagnositcs in the
+                // left or right nullspace?
+                //
+                y = pos.row as u16 + areas.text.top();
+
+                x = if areas.left.width >= width_pad {
+                    align = Alignment::Right;
+                    areas.left.right() - PADDING - width
+                } else {
+                    align = Alignment::Left;
+                    areas.right.left() + PADDING
+                };
+
+                // correct for overflow in y position
+                //
+                if y + height > areas.text.bottom() {
+                    y -= (y + height) - areas.text.bottom();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // build diagnostic lines
+        //
         let mut lines = Vec::new();
-        let background_style = theme.get("ui.background");
         for diagnostic in diagnostics {
             let style = Style::reset()
-                .patch(background_style)
+                .patch(background)
                 .patch(match diagnostic.severity {
                     Some(Severity::Error) => error,
                     Some(Severity::Warning) | None => warning,
@@ -778,15 +854,12 @@ impl EditorView {
         }
 
         let text = Text::from(lines);
+
         let paragraph = Paragraph::new(&text)
-            .alignment(Alignment::Right)
+            .alignment(align)
             .wrap(Wrap { trim: true });
-        let width = 100.min(viewport.width);
-        let height = 15.min(viewport.height);
-        paragraph.render(
-            Rect::new(viewport.right() - width, viewport.y + 1, width, height),
-            surface,
-        );
+
+        paragraph.render(Rect::new(x, y, width, height), surface);
     }
 
     /// Apply the highlighting on the lines where a cursor is active
@@ -809,7 +882,7 @@ impl EditorView {
 
         let primary_style = theme.get("ui.cursorline.primary");
         let secondary_style = theme.get("ui.cursorline.secondary");
-        let viewport = view.area;
+        let viewport = view.inner_area(doc);
 
         move |renderer: &mut TextRenderer, pos: LinePos| {
             let area = Rect::new(viewport.x, pos.visual_line, viewport.width, 1);
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index eab291e44..1f1d98532 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -329,6 +329,8 @@ pub struct Config {
     /// Column numbers at which to draw the rulers. Defaults to `[]`, meaning no rulers.
     pub rulers: Vec<u16>,
     #[serde(default)]
+    pub nullspace: NullspaceConfig,
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub whitespace: WhitespaceConfig,
     /// Persistently display open buffers along the top
     pub bufferline: BufferLine,
@@ -733,6 +735,22 @@ impl std::str::FromStr for GutterType {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
+pub struct NullspaceConfig {
+    pub enable: bool,
+    pub pattern: String,
+}
+
+impl Default for NullspaceConfig {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            enable: false,
+            pattern: String::from("╲"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(default)]
 pub struct WhitespaceConfig {
@@ -997,6 +1015,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             lsp: LspConfig::default(),
             terminal: get_terminal_provider(),
             rulers: Vec::new(),
+            nullspace: NullspaceConfig::default(),
             whitespace: WhitespaceConfig::default(),
             bufferline: BufferLine::default(),
             indent_guides: IndentGuidesConfig::default(),
diff --git a/helix-view/src/graphics.rs b/helix-view/src/graphics.rs
index 3cd3c8626..e633fba67 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/graphics.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/graphics.rs
@@ -153,6 +153,22 @@ impl Rect {
         }
     }
 
+    // Returns a new Rect shifted left.
+    pub fn shift_left(self, shift: u16) -> Rect {
+        Rect {
+            x: self.x - shift,
+            ..self
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Returns a new Rect shifted left.
+    pub fn shift_right(self, shift: u16) -> Rect {
+        Rect {
+            x: self.x + shift,
+            ..self
+        }
+    }
+
     // Returns a new Rect with height reduced from the bottom.
     // This does _not_ change the `y` coordinate.
     pub fn clip_bottom(self, height: u16) -> Rect {
@@ -238,6 +254,79 @@ impl Rect {
             && self.y < other.y + other.height
             && self.y + self.height > other.y
     }
+
+    pub fn split_left(self, width: u16) -> (Rect, Rect) {
+        let width = width.min(self.width);
+        (
+            Rect { width, ..self },
+            Rect {
+                x: self.x + width,
+                width: self.width - width,
+                ..self
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn split_right(self, width: u16) -> (Rect, Rect) {
+        let width = width.min(self.width);
+        (
+            Rect {
+                width: self.width - width,
+                ..self
+            },
+            Rect {
+                x: self.right() - width,
+                width,
+                ..self
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn split_top(self, height: u16) -> (Rect, Rect) {
+        let height = height.min(self.height);
+        (
+            Rect { height, ..self },
+            Rect {
+                y: self.y + height,
+                height: self.height - height,
+                ..self
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn split_bottom(self, height: u16) -> (Rect, Rect) {
+        let height = height.min(self.height);
+        (
+            Rect {
+                height: self.height - height,
+                ..self
+            },
+            Rect {
+                y: self.bottom() - height,
+                height,
+                ..self
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn split_centre_vertical(self, width: u16) -> (Rect, Rect, Rect) {
+        let width = width.min(self.width);
+        let l = (self.width - width) / 2;
+        let r = self.width - width - l;
+        (
+            Rect { width: l, ..self },
+            Rect {
+                width,
+                x: self.x + l,
+                ..self
+            },
+            Rect {
+                width: r,
+                x: self.right() - r,
+                ..self
+            },
+        )
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
diff --git a/helix-view/src/tree.rs b/helix-view/src/tree.rs
index aba947a21..d8e118903 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/tree.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/tree.rs
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ impl Tree {
             match &mut node.content {
                 Content::View(view) => {
                     // debug!!("setting view area {:?}", area);
+                    view.container_area = self.area;
                     view.area = area;
                 } // TODO: call f()
                 Content::Container(container) => {
diff --git a/helix-view/src/view.rs b/helix-view/src/view.rs
index d6f10753a..bb5dee8ff 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/view.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/view.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,22 @@ use std::{
 
 const JUMP_LIST_CAPACITY: usize = 30;
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
+pub struct ViewAreas {
+    /// left-hand nullspace area
+    pub left: Rect,
+    /// right-hand nullspace area
+    pub right: Rect,
+    pub gutter: Rect,
+    pub text: Rect,
+}
+
+impl ViewAreas {
+    pub fn has_nullspace(&self) -> bool {
+        self.left.width > 0 || self.right.width > 0
+    }
+}
+
 type Jump = (DocumentId, Selection);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
@@ -129,6 +145,7 @@ pub struct ViewPosition {
 pub struct View {
     pub id: ViewId,
     pub area: Rect,
+    pub container_area: Rect,
     pub doc: DocumentId,
     pub jumps: JumpList,
     // documents accessed from this view from the oldest one to last viewed one
@@ -173,6 +190,7 @@ impl View {
             id: ViewId::default(),
             doc,
             area: Rect::default(), // will get calculated upon inserting into tree
+            container_area: Rect::default(), // will get calculated upon inserting into tree
             jumps: JumpList::new((doc, Selection::point(0))), // TODO: use actual sel
             docs_access_history: Vec::new(),
             last_modified_docs: [None, None],
@@ -190,8 +208,68 @@ impl View {
         self.docs_access_history.push(id);
     }
 
+    pub fn get_areas(&self, doc: &Document) -> ViewAreas {
+        let config = doc.config.load();
+
+        let gutter = self.gutter_offset(doc);
+        let area = self.area.clip_bottom(1); // -1 for status line
+
+        // if we are not using nullspace, then we use the whole
+        // area (without nullspace)
+        //
+        if config.nullspace.enable == false {
+            let (gutter, text) = self.area.split_left(gutter);
+            return ViewAreas {
+                gutter,
+                text,
+                ..Default::default()
+            };
+        }
+
+        // midpoint (with tolerances)
+        //
+        let mid_lo = (self.container_area.width / 2) - 2;
+        let mid_hi = (self.container_area.width / 2) + 2;
+
+        let width = config.text_width as u16 + gutter;
+
+        if area.right() < mid_hi {
+            // align: right
+            let (left, text) = area.split_right(width);
+            let (gutter, text) = text.split_left(gutter);
+            ViewAreas {
+                left,
+                right: Rect::default(),
+                gutter,
+                text,
+            }
+        } else if area.left() > mid_lo {
+            // align: left
+            let (text, right) = area.split_left(width);
+            let (gutter, text) = text.split_left(gutter);
+            ViewAreas {
+                left: Rect::default(),
+                right,
+                gutter,
+                text,
+            }
+        } else {
+            // align: center
+            let (left, text, right) = area.split_centre_vertical(width);
+            let (gutter, text) = text.split_left(gutter);
+            ViewAreas {
+                left,
+                right,
+                gutter,
+                text,
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the 'inner area' (the text renderable area) of the view.
+    ///
     pub fn inner_area(&self, doc: &Document) -> Rect {
-        self.area.clip_left(self.gutter_offset(doc)).clip_bottom(1) // -1 for statusline
+        self.get_areas(doc).text
     }
 
     pub fn inner_height(&self) -> usize {