diff --git a/media/css/reader.css b/media/css/reader.css
index 86728e9c7..1565150d3 100644
--- a/media/css/reader.css
+++ b/media/css/reader.css
@@ -38,17 +38,10 @@ a img {
 /* ============= */
 
 #feed_list {
-    position: fixed;
-    left: 0px;
-    top: 0px;
-    width: 220px;
     background-color: #D7DDE6;
-    border-right: 1px solid #808080;
-    z-index: 20;
-    font-size: 11px;
     overflow-y: auto;
+    font-size: 11px;
 }
-
 #feed_list .folder {
     margin: 6px 0px 4px;
     background: transparent url(../img/icons/silk/folder.png) no-repeat 3px 1px;
@@ -551,4 +544,23 @@ form.opml_import_form input {
     border: 0;
     margin: 0;
     padding: 0;
+}
+
+/* =============== */
+/* = Splash Pane = */
+/* =============== */
+
+#NB-splash {
+    width: 100%;   
+    height: 100%;
+    z-index: 100;
+    position: relative;
+    background-color: white;
+}
+
+#NB-splash .NB-splash-title {
+    margin: 0 auto;
+    height: 376px;
+    width: 600px;
+    background: transparent url(../img/reader/newsblur_splash_logo.png) no-repeat 0 0;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/media/img/reader/frontpage_background_1.jpg b/media/img/reader/frontpage_background_1.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..850f11ae2
Binary files /dev/null and b/media/img/reader/frontpage_background_1.jpg differ
diff --git a/media/img/reader/newsblur_splash_logo.png b/media/img/reader/newsblur_splash_logo.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4be52fd54
Binary files /dev/null and b/media/img/reader/newsblur_splash_logo.png differ
diff --git a/media/js/newsblur/reader.js b/media/js/newsblur/reader.js
index 2624beaef..cbfc30552 100644
--- a/media/js/newsblur/reader.js
+++ b/media/js/newsblur/reader.js
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 (function($) {
     
-    var middleLayout, outerLayout;
-
     NEWSBLUR.reader = function() {
         var self = this;
         this.$feed_list = $('#feed_list');
@@ -57,16 +55,12 @@
         },
         
         apply_resizable_layout: function() {
-            var outerLayout, middleLayout;
+            var outerLayout, middleLayout, leftLayout;
             
         	outerLayout = $('body').layout({ 
         	    closable: false,
     			center__paneSelector:	".center-pane",
-    			south__paneSelector:	"#taskbar",
-    			south__size:            29,
-    			south__resizable:       false,
-    			south__spacing_open:    0,
-    			west__paneSelector:		"#feed_list",
+    			west__paneSelector:		".left-pane",
     			west__size:				300,
     			spacing_open:			4,
     			center__onresize:		"middleLayout.resizeAll",
@@ -81,6 +75,15 @@
     			center__onresize:		"middleLayout.resizeAll",
     			resizerDragOpacity:     0.6
     		}); 
+    		
+    		leftLayout = $('.left-pane').layout({
+        	    closable: false,
+    		    center__paneSelector:   ".left-center",
+    			south__paneSelector:	".left-south",
+    			south__size:            29,
+    			south__resizable:       false,
+    			south__spacing_open:    0
+    		});
         },
         
         resize_story_content_pane: function() {
@@ -147,6 +150,10 @@
             });
         },
         
+        hide_splash_page: function() {
+            $('#NB-splash').hide();
+        },
+        
         // ==============
         // = Navigation =
         // ==============
@@ -268,6 +275,7 @@
             var self = this;
             var $story_titles = this.$story_titles;
             $story_titles.empty().scrollTop('0px');
+            this.hide_splash_page();
             this.$story_titles.data('page', 0);
             this.$story_titles.data('feed_id', feed_id);
             
diff --git a/templates/reader/feeds.xhtml b/templates/reader/feeds.xhtml
index b2b5d7839..3b59e1ac1 100644
--- a/templates/reader/feeds.xhtml
+++ b/templates/reader/feeds.xhtml
@@ -2,9 +2,37 @@
 
 {% block content %}
 
-<div id="feed_list"></div>
+<div class="left-pane">
+    <div class="left-center" id="feed_list"></div>
+    
+    <div id="taskbar" class="left-south">
+    	<ul class="taskbar_leftnav">
+    		<li class="task_button task_add">
+    			<ul class="taskbar_menu">
+    				<li>Import</li>
+    				<li><span class="NB-task-import-upload-opml">Upload an OPML file</span></li>
+    				<li><span>From NetNewsWire (NewsGator)</span></li>
+    				<li><span>From Google Reader</span></li>
+    			</ul>
+    		</li>
+    	</ul>
+    	<ul class="taskbar_leftnav">
+    		<li class="task_button task_profile">
+    			<ul class="taskbar_menu">
+    				<li>{{ user_info.username }}</li>
+    				<li><span>View my feed preferences</span></li>
+    				<li><span>Change NewsBlur options</span></li>
+    			</ul>
+    		</li>
+    	</ul>
+    </div>
+
+</div>
 
 <div class="center-pane">
+    <div id="NB-splash">
+        <div class="NB-splash-title"></div>
+    </div>
     <div id="story_titles" class="middle-north">
     </div>
 
@@ -24,27 +52,6 @@
 
 {# {% url apps.opml_import.views.opml_import %} #}
 
-<div id="taskbar">
-	<ul class="taskbar_leftnav">
-		<li class="task_button task_add">
-			<ul class="taskbar_menu">
-				<li>Import</li>
-				<li><span class="NB-task-import-upload-opml">Upload an OPML file</span></li>
-				<li><span>From NetNewsWire (NewsGator)</span></li>
-				<li><span>From Google Reader</span></li>
-			</ul>
-		</li>
-	</ul>
-	<ul class="taskbar_leftnav">
-		<li class="task_button task_profile">
-			<ul class="taskbar_menu">
-				<li>{{ user_info.username }}</li>
-				<li><span>View my feed preferences</span></li>
-				<li><span>Change NewsBlur options</span></li>
-			</ul>
-		</li>
-	</ul>
-</div>
 
 
 {% endblock %}
\ No newline at end of file