diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 734202c..5d70de6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ Quickie is an [immediate mode gui][IMGUI] library for [LÖVE][LOVE]. Initial
 		gui.group.pop{}
 
 		if menu_open.demo then
-			gui.group{grow = "down", pos = {200, 80}, function()
+			gui.group{grow = "down", pos = {200, 80}, pad = 10, border = true, bkg = true, function()
 				love.graphics.setFont(fonts[20])
 				gui.Label{text = "Widgets"}
 				love.graphics.setFont(fonts[12])
diff --git a/core.lua b/core.lua
index 42b1ae1..2116e76 100644
--- a/core.lua
+++ b/core.lua
@@ -78,10 +78,14 @@ local function registerDraw(id, f, ...)
 	end
 	local rest = {n = select('#', ...), ...}
 	draw_items.n = draw_items.n + 1
-	draw_items[draw_items.n] = function()
+	
+	local targetindex = draw_items.n
+	if id == "group_draw" then targetindex = 1 end
+	
+	table.insert(draw_items, targetindex, function()
 		if font then love.graphics.setFont(font) end
 		f(state, unpack(rest, 1, rest.n))
-	end
+	end)
 end
 
 -- actually update-and-draw
diff --git a/group.lua b/group.lua
index 4889cd4..c7dceb4 100644
--- a/group.lua
+++ b/group.lua
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 THE SOFTWARE.
 ]]--
 
+local BASE = (...):match("(.-)[^%.]+$")
+local core = nil -- cant load here bc of circular dependencies
+
 local stack = {n = 0}
 local default = {
 	pos = {0,0},
@@ -32,6 +35,7 @@ local default = {
 	size = {100, 30},
 	upper_left  = {0,0},
 	lower_right = {0,0},
+	pad = 0
 }
 local current = default
 
@@ -43,10 +47,15 @@ local Grow = {
 	right = { 1,  0}
 }
 
--- {grow = grow, spacing = spacing, size = size, pos = pos}
+-- {grow = grow, spacing = spacing, size = size, pos = pos, draw = draw, 
+--  border = bool, bkg = bool, padding = padding}
 local function push(info)
+	
+	if not core then core = require(BASE .. 'core') end
+	
 	local grow    = info.grow    or "none"
 	local spacing = info.spacing or default.spacing
+	local pad = info.pad or default.pad
 
 	local size = {
 		info.size and info.size[1] or current.size[1],
@@ -54,20 +63,32 @@ local function push(info)
 	}
 
 	local pos = {current.pos[1], current.pos[2]}
+	
+	-- apply parent container padding (if any)
+	local parent = stack[stack.n]
+	if parent then 
+		pos[1] = pos[1] + parent.pad
+		pos[2] = pos[2] + parent.pad
+	end
+    
 	if info.pos then
 		pos[1] = pos[1] + (info.pos[1] or 0)
 		pos[2] = pos[2] + (info.pos[2] or 0)
 	end
-
+	
 	assert(size, "Size neither specified nor derivable from parent group.")
 	assert(pos, "Position neither specified nor derivable from parent group.")
 	grow = assert(Grow[grow], "Invalid grow: " .. tostring(grow))
-
+	
 	current = {
 		pos         = pos,
 		grow        = grow,
 		size        = size,
 		spacing     = spacing,
+		pad         = pad,
+		border      = info.border,
+		bkg         = info.bkg,
+		draw        = info.draw,
 		upper_left  = { math.huge,  math.huge},
 		lower_right = {-math.huge, -math.huge},
 	}
@@ -87,6 +108,7 @@ local function advance(pos, size)
 	if current.grow[2] ~= 0 then
 		current.pos[2] = pos[2] + current.grow[2] * (size[2] + current.spacing)
 	end
+	
 	return pos, size
 end
 
@@ -101,24 +123,38 @@ local function getRect(pos, size)
 	if current.grow[2] < 0 and current.size[2] ~= size[2] then
 		current.pos[2] = current.pos[2] - (current.size[2] - size[2])
 	end
-
+	
 	pos[1] = pos[1] + current.pos[1]
 	pos[2] = pos[2] + current.pos[2]
-
-	return advance(pos, size)
+	
+	pos, size = advance(pos, size)
+	pos[1] = pos[1] + current.pad
+	pos[2] = pos[2] + current.pad
+	return pos, size
 end
 
 local function pop()
 	assert(stack.n > 0, "Group stack is empty.")
+	
 	stack.n = stack.n - 1
 	local child = current
 	current = stack[stack.n] or default
+	
+	-- adjust for padding
+	child.lower_right[1] = child.lower_right[1] + child.pad * 2
+	child.lower_right[2] = child.lower_right[2] + child.pad * 2
 
 	local size = {
 		child.lower_right[1] - math.max(child.upper_left[1], current.pos[1]),
 		child.lower_right[2] - math.max(child.upper_left[2], current.pos[2])
 	}
 	advance(current.pos, size)
+    
+	-- skip the draw call if we don't need it
+	if child.bkg or child.border then
+		core.registerDraw("group_draw", child.draw or core.style.Group,
+		child.bkg, child.border, child.upper_left[1], child.upper_left[2], child.lower_right[1] - child.upper_left[1], child.lower_right[2] - child.upper_left[2])
+	end
 end
 
 local function beginFrame()
diff --git a/style-default.lua b/style-default.lua
index 71f412a..0cfaf38 100644
--- a/style-default.lua
+++ b/style-default.lua
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ local utf8 = require(BASE .. 'utf8')
 local color = {
 	normal = {bg = {78,78,78}, fg = {200,200,200}, border={20,20,20}},
 	hot    = {bg = {98,98,98}, fg = {69,201,84},   border={30,30,30}},
-	active = {bg = {88,88,88}, fg = {49,181,64},   border={10,10,10}}
+	active = {bg = {88,88,88}, fg = {49,181,64},   border={10,10,10}},
+	group = {bg = {88,88,88}, border = {255,255,255}}
 }
 
 -- box drawing
@@ -189,6 +190,16 @@ local function Checkbox(state, checked, label, align, x,y,w,h)
 	love.graphics.print(label, tx, ty)
 end
 
+local function Group(state, bkg, border, x,y,w,h)
+	if bkg then
+		love.graphics.setColor(color.group.bg)
+		love.graphics.rectangle("fill", x, y, w, h)
+	end
+	if border then
+		love.graphics.setColor(color.group.border)
+		love.graphics.rectangle("line", x, y, w, h)
+	end
+end
 
 -- the style
 return {
@@ -201,4 +212,5 @@ return {
 	Slider2D = Slider2D,
 	Input    = Input,
 	Checkbox = Checkbox,
+	Group    = Group,
 }