diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8e478f..690498b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ windows:
   - name: code
     root: blog # a relative path to root
     manual: true # you can start this window only manually, using the -w arg
+    layout: main-vertical
     commands:
       - docker-compose start
     panes:
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ windows:
 
   - name: infrastructure
     root: ~/Developer/blog/my-microservices
+    layout: tiled
     panes:
       - type: horizontal
         root: .
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ stop:
 
 windows:
   - name: code
+    layout: main-horizontal
     commands:
       - vim app/dependencies.php
     panes:
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 2ba7b89..0735ff6 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ type Window struct {
 	BeforeStart []string `yaml:"before_start"`
 	Panes       []Pane   `yaml:"panes"`
 	Commands    []string `yaml:"commands"`
-	Manual      bool
+	Layout      string   `yaml:"layout"`
+	Manual      bool     `yaml:"manual"`
 }
 
 type Config struct {
diff --git a/smug.go b/smug.go
index fab9f6e..2026926 100644
--- a/smug.go
+++ b/smug.go
@@ -119,6 +119,16 @@ func (smug Smug) Start(config Config, windows []string) error {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
+
+		layout := w.Layout
+		if layout == "" {
+			layout = EvenHorizontal
+		}
+
+		_, err = smug.tmux.SelectLayout(ses+w.Name, layout)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	if len(windows) == 0 {
diff --git a/smug_test.go b/smug_test.go
index 4a76a34..d8c65cb 100644
--- a/smug_test.go
+++ b/smug_test.go
@@ -41,10 +41,17 @@ var testTable = []struct {
 				{
 					Name:   "win1",
 					Manual: false,
+					Layout: "main-horizontal",
+					Panes: []Pane{
+						Pane{
+							Type: "horizontal",
+						},
+					},
 				},
 				{
 					Name:   "win2",
 					Manual: true,
+					Layout: "tiled",
 				},
 			},
 			Stop: []string{
@@ -56,6 +63,8 @@ var testTable = []struct {
 			"tmux has-session -t ses",
 			"tmux new -Pd -s ses",
 			"tmux neww -Pd -t ses: -n win1 -c root",
+			"tmux split-window -Pd -t ses: -c root -h",
+			"tmux select-layout -t ses:win1 main-horizontal",
 			"tmux kill-window -t ses:0",
 			"tmux move-window -r",
 			"tmux attach -t ses:0",
@@ -86,6 +95,7 @@ var testTable = []struct {
 			"tmux has-session -t ses",
 			"tmux new -Pd -s ses",
 			"tmux neww -Pd -t ses: -n win2 -c root",
+			"tmux select-layout -t ses:win2 even-horizontal",
 		},
 		[]string{
 			"tmux kill-window -t ses:win2",
diff --git a/tmux.go b/tmux.go
index a8b135c..b4e997b 100644
--- a/tmux.go
+++ b/tmux.go
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ const (
 	HSplit = "horizontal"
 )
 
+const (
+	EvenHorizontal = "even-horizontal"
+	EvenVertical   = "even-vertical"
+	MainHorizontal = "main-horizontal"
+	MainVertical   = "main-vertical"
+	Tiled          = "tiled"
+)
+
 type Tmux struct {
 	commander Commander
 }
@@ -98,6 +106,11 @@ func (tmux Tmux) SplitWindow(target string, splitType string, root string, comma
 	return pane, nil
 }
 
+func (tmux Tmux) SelectLayout(target string, layoutType string) (string, error) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("tmux", "select-layout", "-t", target, layoutType)
+	return tmux.commander.Exec(cmd)
+}
+
 func (tmux Tmux) StopSession(target string) (string, error) {
 	cmd := exec.Command("tmux", "kill-session", "-t", target)
 	return tmux.commander.Exec(cmd)