diff --git a/src/components/structures/BottomLeftMenu.js b/src/components/structures/BottomLeftMenu.js
index f378cac628..63dfac60d8 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/BottomLeftMenu.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/BottomLeftMenu.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -14,13 +15,8 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-'use strict';
-
-var React = require('react');
-var ReactDOM = require('react-dom');
-var sdk = require('matrix-react-sdk')
-var dis = require('matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher');
-var AccessibleButton = require('matrix-react-sdk/lib/components/views/elements/AccessibleButton');
+import React from 'react';
+import sdk from 'matrix-react-sdk';
 
 module.exports = React.createClass({
     displayName: 'BottomLeftMenu',
@@ -30,121 +26,28 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         teamToken: React.PropTypes.string,
     },
 
-    getInitialState: function() {
-        return({
-            directoryHover : false,
-            roomsHover : false,
-            homeHover: false,
-            peopleHover : false,
-            settingsHover : false,
-        });
-    },
-
-    // Room events
-    onDirectoryClick: function() {
-        dis.dispatch({ action: 'view_room_directory' });
-    },
-
-    onDirectoryMouseEnter: function() {
-        this.setState({ directoryHover: true });
-    },
-
-    onDirectoryMouseLeave: function() {
-        this.setState({ directoryHover: false });
-    },
-
-    onRoomsClick: function() {
-        dis.dispatch({ action: 'view_create_room' });
-    },
-
-    onRoomsMouseEnter: function() {
-        this.setState({ roomsHover: true });
-    },
-
-    onRoomsMouseLeave: function() {
-        this.setState({ roomsHover: false });
-    },
-
-    // Home button events
-    onHomeClick: function() {
-        dis.dispatch({ action: 'view_home_page' });
-    },
-
-    onHomeMouseEnter: function() {
-        this.setState({ homeHover: true });
-    },
-
-    onHomeMouseLeave: function() {
-        this.setState({ homeHover: false });
-    },
-
-    // People events
-    onPeopleClick: function() {
-        dis.dispatch({ action: 'view_create_chat' });
-    },
-
-    onPeopleMouseEnter: function() {
-        this.setState({ peopleHover: true });
-    },
-
-    onPeopleMouseLeave: function() {
-        this.setState({ peopleHover: false });
-    },
-
-    // Settings events
-    onSettingsClick: function() {
-        dis.dispatch({ action: 'view_user_settings' });
-    },
-
-    onSettingsMouseEnter: function() {
-        this.setState({ settingsHover: true });
-    },
-
-    onSettingsMouseLeave: function() {
-        this.setState({ settingsHover: false });
-    },
-
-    // Get the label/tooltip to show
-    getLabel: function(label, show) {
-        if (show) {
-            var RoomTooltip = sdk.getComponent("rooms.RoomTooltip");
-            return <RoomTooltip className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_tooltip" label={label} />;
-        }
-    },
-
     render: function() {
-        var TintableSvg = sdk.getComponent('elements.TintableSvg');
+        const HomeButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.HomeButton');
+        const StartChatButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.StartChatButton');
+        const RoomDirectoryButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.RoomDirectoryButton');
+        const CreateRoomButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.CreateRoomButton');
+        const SettingsButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.SettingsButton');
 
         var homeButton;
         if (this.props.teamToken) {
-            homeButton = (
-                <AccessibleButton className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_homePage" onClick={ this.onHomeClick } onMouseEnter={ this.onHomeMouseEnter } onMouseLeave={ this.onHomeMouseLeave } >
-                    <TintableSvg src="img/icons-home.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                    { this.getLabel("Welcome page", this.state.homeHover) }
-                </AccessibleButton>
-            );
+            homeButton = <HomeButton tooltip={true} />;
         }
 
         return (
             <div className="mx_BottomLeftMenu">
                 <div className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_options">
                     { homeButton }
-                    <AccessibleButton className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_people" onClick={ this.onPeopleClick } onMouseEnter={ this.onPeopleMouseEnter } onMouseLeave={ this.onPeopleMouseLeave } >
-                        <TintableSvg src="img/icons-people.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                        { this.getLabel("Start chat", this.state.peopleHover) }
-                    </AccessibleButton>
-                    <AccessibleButton className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_directory" onClick={ this.onDirectoryClick } onMouseEnter={ this.onDirectoryMouseEnter } onMouseLeave={ this.onDirectoryMouseLeave } >
-                        <TintableSvg src="img/icons-directory.svg" width="25" height="25"/>
-                        { this.getLabel("Room directory", this.state.directoryHover) }
-                    </AccessibleButton>
-                    <AccessibleButton className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_createRoom" onClick={ this.onRoomsClick } onMouseEnter={ this.onRoomsMouseEnter } onMouseLeave={ this.onRoomsMouseLeave } >
-                        <TintableSvg src="img/icons-create-room.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                        { this.getLabel("Create new room", this.state.roomsHover) }
-                    </AccessibleButton>
-                    <AccessibleButton className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings" onClick={ this.onSettingsClick } onMouseEnter={ this.onSettingsMouseEnter } onMouseLeave={ this.onSettingsMouseLeave } >
-                        <TintableSvg src="img/icons-settings.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                        { this.getLabel("Settings", this.state.settingsHover) }
-                    </AccessibleButton>
+                    <StartChatButton tooltip={true} />
+                    <RoomDirectoryButton tooltip={true} />
+                    <CreateRoomButton tooltip={true} />
+                    <span className="mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings">
+                        <SettingsButton tooltip={true} />
+                    </span>
                 </div>
             </div>
         );
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js b/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js
index c315ae46e9..ab6c4422d1 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 /*
+Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
@@ -83,6 +84,8 @@ var RoomSubList = React.createClass({
         incomingCall: React.PropTypes.object,
         onShowMoreRooms: React.PropTypes.func,
         searchFilter: React.PropTypes.string,
+        emptyContent: React.PropTypes.node, // content shown if the list is empty
+        headerItems: React.PropTypes.node, // content shown in the sublist header
     },
 
     getInitialState: function() {
@@ -469,16 +472,15 @@ var RoomSubList = React.createClass({
 
     render: function() {
         var connectDropTarget = this.props.connectDropTarget;
-        var RoomDropTarget = sdk.getComponent('rooms.RoomDropTarget');
         var TruncatedList = sdk.getComponent('elements.TruncatedList');
 
         var label = this.props.collapsed ? null : this.props.label;
 
-        //console.log("render: " + JSON.stringify(this.state.sortedList));
-
-        var target;
-        if (this.state.sortedList.length == 0 && this.props.editable) {
-            target = <RoomDropTarget label={ 'Drop here to ' + this.props.verb }/>;
+        let content;
+        if (this.state.sortedList.length == 0) {
+            content = this.props.emptyContent;
+        } else {
+            content = this.makeRoomTiles();
         }
 
         var roomCount = this.props.list.length > 0 ? this.props.list.length : '';
@@ -498,8 +500,7 @@ var RoomSubList = React.createClass({
             if (!this.state.hidden) {
                 subList = <TruncatedList className={ classes } truncateAt={this.state.truncateAt}
                                          createOverflowElement={this._createOverflowTile} >
-                                { target }
-                                { this.makeRoomTiles() }
+                                { content }
                           </TruncatedList>;
             }
             else {
@@ -521,6 +522,7 @@ var RoomSubList = React.createClass({
                         roomNotificationCount={ this.roomNotificationCount() }
                         onClick={ this.onClick }
                         onHeaderClick={ this.props.onHeaderClick }
+                        headerItems={this.props.headerItems}
                     />
                     { subList }
                 </div>
@@ -542,6 +544,7 @@ var RoomSubList = React.createClass({
                             roomNotificationCount={ this.roomNotificationCount() }
                             onClick={ this.onClick }
                             onHeaderClick={ this.props.onHeaderClick }
+                            headerItems={this.props.headerItems}
                         />
                      : undefined }
                     { (this.props.showSpinner && !this.state.hidden) ? <Loader /> : undefined }
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomSubListHeader.js b/src/components/structures/RoomSubListHeader.js
index ad9aff5f70..74094ae0ba 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomSubListHeader.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomSubListHeader.js
@@ -14,16 +14,11 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-'use strict';
-
-var React = require('react');
-var ReactDOM = require('react-dom');
-var classNames = require('classnames');
-var sdk = require('matrix-react-sdk')
-var FormattingUtils = require('matrix-react-sdk/lib/utils/FormattingUtils');
-var RoomNotifs = require('matrix-react-sdk/lib/RoomNotifs');
-var AccessibleButton = require('matrix-react-sdk/lib/components/views/elements/AccessibleButton');
-var ConstantTimeDispatcher = require('matrix-react-sdk/lib/ConstantTimeDispatcher');
+import React from 'react';
+import classNames from 'classnames';
+import sdk from 'matrix-react-sdk';
+import { formatCount } from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/utils/FormattingUtils';
+import AccessibleButton from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/components/views/elements/AccessibleButton';
 
 module.exports = React.createClass({
     displayName: 'RoomSubListHeader',
@@ -42,6 +37,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         hidden: React.PropTypes.bool,
         onClick: React.PropTypes.func,
         onHeaderClick: React.PropTypes.func,
+        headerItems: React.PropTypes.node, // content shown in the sublist header
     },
 
     getDefaultProps: function() {
@@ -63,35 +59,34 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     // },
 
     render: function() {
-        var TintableSvg = sdk.getComponent("elements.TintableSvg");
+        const TintableSvg = sdk.getComponent("elements.TintableSvg");
 
-        var subListNotifications = this.props.roomNotificationCount;
-        var subListNotifCount = subListNotifications[0];
-        var subListNotifHighlight = subListNotifications[1];
+        const subListNotifications = this.props.roomNotificationCount;
+        const subListNotifCount = subListNotifications[0];
+        const subListNotifHighlight = subListNotifications[1];
 
-        var chevronClasses = classNames({
+        const chevronClasses = classNames({
             'mx_RoomSubList_chevron': true,
             'mx_RoomSubList_chevronRight': this.props.hidden,
             'mx_RoomSubList_chevronDown': !this.props.hidden,
         });
 
-        var badgeClasses = classNames({
+        const badgeClasses = classNames({
             'mx_RoomSubList_badge': true,
             'mx_RoomSubList_badgeHighlight': subListNotifHighlight,
         });
 
-        var badge;
+        let badge;
         if (subListNotifCount > 0) {
-            badge = <div className={badgeClasses}>{ FormattingUtils.formatCount(subListNotifCount) }</div>;
-        }
-        else if (subListNotifHighlight) {
+            badge = <div className={badgeClasses}>{ formatCount(subListNotifCount) }</div>;
+        } else if (subListNotifHighlight) {
             badge = <div className={badgeClasses}>!</div>;   
         }
 
         // When collapsed, allow a long hover on the header to show user
         // the full tag name and room count
-        var title;
-        var roomCount = this.props.roomCount;
+        let title;
+        const roomCount = this.props.roomCount;
         if (this.props.collapsed) {
             title = this.props.label;
             if (roomCount !== '') {
@@ -99,9 +94,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             }
         }
 
-        var incomingCall;
+        let incomingCall;
         if (this.props.isIncomingCallRoom) {
-            var IncomingCallBox = sdk.getComponent("voip.IncomingCallBox");
+            const IncomingCallBox = sdk.getComponent("voip.IncomingCallBox");
             incomingCall = <IncomingCallBox className="mx_RoomSubList_incomingCall" incomingCall={ this.props.incomingCall }/>;
         }
 
@@ -109,6 +104,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             <div className="mx_RoomSubList_labelContainer" title={ title } ref="header">
                 <AccessibleButton onClick={ this.props.onClick } className="mx_RoomSubList_label" tabIndex="0">
                     { this.props.collapsed ? '' : this.props.label }
+                    {this.props.headerItems}
                     <div className="mx_RoomSubList_roomCount">{ roomCount }</div>
                     <div className={chevronClasses}></div>
                     { badge }
diff --git a/src/skins/vector/css/_components.scss b/src/skins/vector/css/_components.scss
index df3c4600eb..5b23bb82f8 100644
--- a/src/skins/vector/css/_components.scss
+++ b/src/skins/vector/css/_components.scss
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 @import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_MemberEventListSummary.scss";
 @import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_ProgressBar.scss";
 @import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_RichText.scss";
+@import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_RoleButton.scss";
 @import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/login/_InteractiveAuthEntryComponents.scss";
 @import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/login/_ServerConfig.scss";
 @import "./matrix-react-sdk/views/messages/_MEmoteBody.scss";
diff --git a/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_RoleButton.scss b/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_RoleButton.scss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..094e0b9b1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/elements/_RoleButton.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2107 Vector Creations Ltd
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+.mx_RoleButton {
+    margin-left: 4px;
+    margin-right: 4px;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    display: inline-block;
+}
+
+.mx_RoleButton object {
+    pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.mx_RoleButton_tooltip {
+    display: inline-block;
+    position: relative;
+    top: -25px;
+    left: 6px;
+}
diff --git a/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/rooms/_RoomList.scss b/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/rooms/_RoomList.scss
index 110dcd5b6b..35787ca0c4 100644
--- a/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/rooms/_RoomList.scss
+++ b/src/skins/vector/css/matrix-react-sdk/views/rooms/_RoomList.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+Copyright 2107 Vector Creations Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -37,3 +38,25 @@ limitations under the License.
 .mx_RoomList_scrollbar .gm-scrollbar.-vertical {
     z-index: 6;
 }
+
+.mx_RoomList_emptySubListTip {
+    font-size: 13px;
+    margin-left: 18px;
+    margin-right: 18px;
+    margin-top: 8px;
+    margin-bottom: 7px;
+    padding: 5px;
+    border: 1px dashed $accent-color;
+    color: $primary-fg-color;
+    background-color: $droptarget-bg-color;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+}
+
+.mx_RoomList_emptySubListTip .mx_RoleButton {
+    vertical-align: -3px;
+}
+
+.mx_RoomList_headerButtons {
+    position: absolute;
+    right: 60px;
+}
diff --git a/src/skins/vector/css/vector-web/structures/_LeftPanel.scss b/src/skins/vector/css/vector-web/structures/_LeftPanel.scss
index d3bbce1b19..f171591cd6 100644
--- a/src/skins/vector/css/vector-web/structures/_LeftPanel.scss
+++ b/src/skins/vector/css/vector-web/structures/_LeftPanel.scss
@@ -64,43 +64,25 @@ limitations under the License.
     pointer-events: none;
 }
 
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_homePage,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_directory,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_createRoom,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_people,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings {
-    display: inline-block;
-    cursor: pointer;
-}
-
-.collapsed .mx_BottomLeftMenu_homePage,
-.collapsed .mx_BottomLeftMenu_directory,
-.collapsed .mx_BottomLeftMenu_createRoom,
-.collapsed .mx_BottomLeftMenu_people,
-.collapsed .mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings {
+.collapsed .mx_RoleButton {
     margin-right: 0px ! important;
     padding-top: 3px ! important;
     padding-bottom: 3px ! important;
 }
 
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_homePage,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_directory,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_createRoom,
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_people {
+.mx_BottomLeftMenu_options .mx_RoleButton {
+    margin-left: 0px;
     margin-right: 10px;
 }
 
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings {
+.mx_BottomLeftMenu_options .mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings {
     float: right;
 }
 
+.mx_BottomLeftMenu_options .mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings .mx_RoleButton {
+    margin-right: 0px;
+}
+
 .mx_LeftPanel.collapsed .mx_BottomLeftMenu_settings {
     float: none;
 }
-
-.mx_LeftPanel .mx_BottomLeftMenu_tooltip {
-    display: inline-block;
-    position: relative;
-    top: -25px;
-    left: 6px;
-}