diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4b206c4..6fb3512 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ qt_add_executable(llink
         main.cpp
         src/MainWindow.cpp
         src/MainWindow.h
+        src/VerticalLabel.cpp
+        src/VerticalLabel.h
 )
 
 qt_add_resources(llink
         PREFIX_PATH "/"
         FILES
-        assets/icons/mono/basic/menu-rec.svg
+        assets/icons/mono/basic/menu.svg
         assets/icons/mono/basic/plus.svg
         assets/logo.png
 )
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.cpp b/src/MainWindow.cpp
index 2312401..b041b73 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -8,19 +8,20 @@
 #include <QMouseEvent>
 #include <QPushButton>
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
-#include <QLabel>
 #include <QListWidget>
 #include <QScreen>
 #include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <QMenu>
 #include <QApplication>
+#include "VerticalLabel.h"
 
-MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) : QMainWindow(parent)
+
+MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) : QMainWindow(parent), m_trayIcon(nullptr)
 {
     this->setAttribute(Qt::WA_TranslucentBackground, true);
     this->setAttribute(Qt::WA_AcceptTouchEvents, true);
     this->setWindowFlags(Qt::FramelessWindowHint | Qt::WindowStaysOnTopHint | Qt::Tool);
-    this->resize(QSize(150, 150));
+    this->resize(QSize(150, 200));
 
     QWidget *centralWidget = new QWidget(this);
     centralWidget->setObjectName("glass");
@@ -49,29 +50,54 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) : QMainWindow(parent)
         }
     )");
 
-    QVBoxLayout *layout = new QVBoxLayout(centralWidget);
-    layout->setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0);
-    layout->setSpacing(0);
+    QHBoxLayout *mainLayout = new QHBoxLayout(centralWidget);
+    mainLayout->setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0);
+    mainLayout->setSpacing(0);
 
-    QHBoxLayout *headerLayout = new QHBoxLayout();
-    m_handleBar = new QSvgWidget(QStringLiteral(":/assets/icons/mono/basic/menu-rec.svg"), centralWidget);
-    m_handleBar->setFixedSize(QSize(20, 20));
+    // Left sidebar - slim vertical strip
+    QVBoxLayout *sidebarLayout = new QVBoxLayout();
+    sidebarLayout->setContentsMargins(2, 4, 2, 4);
+    sidebarLayout->setSpacing(4);
+
+    m_handleBar = new QSvgWidget(QStringLiteral(":/assets/icons/mono/basic/menu.svg"), centralWidget);
+    m_handleBar->setFixedSize(QSize(16, 16));
     m_handleBar->setCursor(Qt::OpenHandCursor);
-    QLabel *label = new QLabel("STREAMS", centralWidget);
-    label->setStyleSheet("font-weight: bold;");
+
+    // Rotated 90° "STREAMS" label
+    VerticalLabel *label = new VerticalLabel("STREAMS", centralWidget);
+    label->setStyleSheet("font-weight: bold; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9);");
+
     QToolButton *addButton = new QToolButton(centralWidget);
     connect(addButton, &QToolButton::clicked, this, []() {
         qDebug() << "addButtonClicked";
     });
     addButton->setIcon(QIcon(QStringLiteral(":/assets/icons/mono/basic/plus.svg")));
+    addButton->setFixedSize(16, 16);
+    addButton->setIconSize(QSize(12, 12));
 
-    headerLayout->addWidget(m_handleBar);
-    headerLayout->addWidget(label);
-    headerLayout->addStretch();
-    headerLayout->addWidget(addButton);
+    sidebarLayout->addWidget(m_handleBar, 0, Qt::AlignHCenter);
+    sidebarLayout->addWidget(label, 1, Qt::AlignHCenter);
+    sidebarLayout->addWidget(addButton, 0, Qt::AlignHCenter);
+
+    // Vertical separator
+    QFrame *separator = new QFrame(centralWidget);
+    separator->setStyleSheet("background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);");
+    separator->setFrameShape(QFrame::VLine);
+    separator->setFixedWidth(1);
+
+    // Right side with list
+    QVBoxLayout *contentLayout = new QVBoxLayout();
+    contentLayout->setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0);
+    contentLayout->setSpacing(0);
 
     QListWidget *listWidget = new QListWidget(centralWidget);
-    listWidget->addItems(QStringList{"justin, axio", "peter", "peter, faber", "daniel, justin, kim"});
+    listWidget->addItems(QStringList{
+        "[j,a] what are we going to...",
+        "[p] going to it",
+        "[p, f] change the ui",
+        "[d,j,k] drop off the money",
+    });
+    listWidget->setHorizontalScrollBarPolicy(Qt::ScrollBarAlwaysOff);
     QListWidgetItem *item = new QListWidgetItem(listWidget);
     item->setCheckState(Qt::Checked);
     item->setText("do this");
@@ -97,22 +123,23 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) : QMainWindow(parent)
     )");
     listWidget->viewport()->setStyleSheet("background: transparent;");
 
-    layout->addLayout(headerLayout);
+    QLabel *actionLabel = new QLabel("Hold space");
+    actionLabel->setStyleSheet("color: lightgrey;");
+    actionLabel->setAlignment(Qt::AlignHCenter);
 
-    QFrame *separator = new QFrame(centralWidget);
-    separator->setStyleSheet("background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);");
-    separator->setFrameShape(QFrame::HLine);
-    separator->setFixedHeight(1);
-    layout->addWidget(separator);
+    contentLayout->addWidget(listWidget);
+    contentLayout->addWidget(actionLabel);
 
-    layout->addWidget(listWidget);
+    mainLayout->addLayout(sidebarLayout);
+    mainLayout->addWidget(separator);
+    mainLayout->addLayout(contentLayout, 1);
 
     const QScreen *screen = QGuiApplication::primaryScreen();
     const QRect screenSize = screen->geometry();
     qDebug() << "Width of window: " << this->width();
     qDebug() << "Height of window: " << this->height();
 
-    int x = screenSize.right() - this->width();
+    int x = screenSize.left();
     int y = (screenSize.bottom() / 2) - (this->height() / 2);
     this->move(x, y);
 
diff --git a/src/VerticalLabel.cpp b/src/VerticalLabel.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..798726c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/VerticalLabel.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+//
+// Created by arjun-flowylabs on 1/13/2026.
+//
+
+#include "VerticalLabel.h"
+VerticalLabel::VerticalLabel(const QString &text, QWidget *parent) : QLabel(text, parent)
+{
+
+}
+
+QSize VerticalLabel::sizeHint() const
+{
+    QSize s = QLabel::sizeHint();
+    return QSize(s.height(), s.width());
+}
+
+QSize VerticalLabel::minimumSizeHint() const
+{
+    QSize s = QLabel::minimumSizeHint();
+    return QSize(s.height(), s.width());
+}
+
+void VerticalLabel::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *)
+{
+    QPainter painter(this);
+    painter.setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing);
+    painter.setPen(palette().color(QPalette::WindowText));
+    painter.setFont(font());
+    painter.translate(0, height());
+    painter.rotate(-90);
+    painter.drawText(QRect(0, 0, height(), width()), Qt::AlignCenter, text());
+}
diff --git a/src/VerticalLabel.h b/src/VerticalLabel.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2100d94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/VerticalLabel.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+//
+// Created by arjun-flowylabs on 1/13/2026.
+//
+
+#ifndef LLINK_VERTICALLABEL_H
+#define LLINK_VERTICALLABEL_H
+
+#include <QLabel>
+#include <QPainter>
+
+class VerticalLabel : public QLabel
+{
+  public:
+    explicit VerticalLabel(const QString &text, QWidget *parent = nullptr);
+
+    QSize sizeHint() const override;
+
+    QSize minimumSizeHint() const override;
+
+  protected:
+    void paintEvent(QPaintEvent *) override;
+};
+
+#endif // LLINK_VERTICALLABEL_H