diff --git a/src/components/structures/FilePanel.js b/src/components/structures/FilePanel.js
index 6c4a63c24b..0dd16a7e99 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/FilePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/FilePanel.js
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ var FilePanel = React.createClass({
                     manageReadMarkers={false}
                     timelineSet={this.state.timelineSet}
                     showUrlPreview = { false }
+                    tileShape="file_grid"
                     opacity={ this.props.opacity }
                 />
             );
diff --git a/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js b/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
index 4dd4a488f9..6f2d8f038b 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
         // className for the panel
         className: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+
+        // shape parameter to be passed to EventTiles
+        tileShape: React.PropTypes.string,
     },
 
     componentWillMount: function() {
@@ -392,6 +395,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                         showUrlPreview={this.props.showUrlPreview}
                         checkUnmounting={this._isUnmounting}
                         eventSendStatus={mxEv.status}
+                        tileShape={this.props.tileShape}
                         last={last} isSelectedEvent={highlight}/>
                 </li>
         );
diff --git a/src/components/structures/NotificationPanel.js b/src/components/structures/NotificationPanel.js
index e1b7d72002..7d9e752657 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/NotificationPanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/NotificationPanel.js
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ var NotificationPanel = React.createClass({
                     timelineSet={timelineSet}
                     showUrlPreview = { false }
                     opacity={ this.props.opacity }
+                    tileShape="notif"
                 />
             );
         }
diff --git a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
index 8fbe4334c8..be35e9cbdd 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.js
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ var TimelinePanel = React.createClass({
 
         // classname to use for the messagepanel
         className: React.PropTypes.string,
+
+        // shape property to be passed to EventTiles
+        tileShape: React.PropTypes.string,
     },
 
     statics: {
@@ -979,6 +982,7 @@ var TimelinePanel = React.createClass({
                     onFillRequest={ this.onMessageListFillRequest }
                     opacity={ this.props.opacity }
                     className={ this.props.className }
+                    tileShape={ this.props.tileShape }
             />
         );
     },
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MFileBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/MFileBody.js
index dbad084024..c37cd32c4e 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MFileBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MFileBody.js
@@ -57,18 +57,34 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         var TintableSvg = sdk.getComponent("elements.TintableSvg");
 
         if (httpUrl) {
-            return (
-                <span className="mx_MFileBody">
-                    <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
-                        <a href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
-                            <TintableSvg src="img/download.svg" width="12" height="14"/>
-                            Download {text}
-                        </a>
-                    </div>
-                </span>
-            );
+            if (this.props.tileShape === "file_grid") {
+                return (
+                    <span className="mx_MFileBody">
+                        <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
+                            <a className="mx_ImageBody_downloadLink" href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
+                                { content.body && content.body.length > 0 ? content.body : "Attachment" }
+                            </a>
+                            <div className="mx_MImageBody_size">
+                                { content.info && content.info.size ? filesize(content.info.size) : "" }
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    </span>
+                );
+            }
+            else {
+                return (
+                    <span className="mx_MFileBody">
+                        <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
+                            <a href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
+                                <TintableSvg src="img/download.svg" width="12" height="14"/>
+                                Download {text}
+                            </a>
+                        </div>
+                    </span>
+                );
+            }
         } else {
-            var extra = text ? ': '+text : '';
+            var extra = text ? (': ' + text) : '';
             return <span className="mx_MFileBody">
                 Invalid file{extra}
             </span>
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js
index ec594af2ce..526fc6a3a5 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MImageBody.js
@@ -123,6 +123,30 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         var content = this.props.mxEvent.getContent();
         var cli = MatrixClientPeg.get();
 
+        var download;
+        if (this.props.tileShape === "file_grid") {
+            download = (
+                <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
+                    <a className="mx_MImageBody_downloadLink" href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
+                        {content.body}
+                    </a>
+                    <div className="mx_MImageBody_size">
+                        { content.info && content.info.size ? filesize(content.info.size) : "" }
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            );
+        }
+        else {
+            download = (
+                <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
+                    <a href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
+                        <TintableSvg src="img/download.svg" width="12" height="14"/>
+                        Download {content.body} ({ content.info && content.info.size ? filesize(content.info.size) : "Unknown size" })
+                    </a>
+                </div>
+            );
+        }
+
         var thumbUrl = this._getThumbUrl();
         if (thumbUrl) {
             return (
@@ -133,12 +157,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                             onMouseEnter={this.onImageEnter}
                             onMouseLeave={this.onImageLeave} />
                     </a>
-                    <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
-                        <a href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
-                            <TintableSvg src="img/download.svg" width="12" height="14"/>
-                            Download {content.body} ({ content.info && content.info.size ? filesize(content.info.size) : "Unknown size" })
-                        </a>
-                    </div>
+                    { download }
                 </span>
             );
         } else if (content.body) {
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MVideoBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/MVideoBody.js
index c8327a71ae..2494ab9499 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MVideoBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MVideoBody.js
@@ -69,12 +69,37 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             }
         }
 
+        var download;
+        if (this.props.tileShape === "file_grid") {
+            download = (
+                <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
+                    <a className="mx_MImageBody_downloadLink" href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
+                        {content.body}
+                    </a>
+                    <div className="mx_MImageBody_size">
+                        { content.info && content.info.size ? filesize(content.info.size) : "" }
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            );
+        }
+        else {
+            download = (
+                <div className="mx_MImageBody_download">
+                    <a href={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} target="_blank" rel="noopener">
+                        <TintableSvg src="img/download.svg" width="12" height="14"/>
+                        Download {content.body} ({ content.info && content.info.size ? filesize(content.info.size) : "Unknown size" })
+                    </a>
+                </div>
+            );
+        }
+
         return (
             <span className="mx_MVideoBody">
                 <video className="mx_MVideoBody" src={cli.mxcUrlToHttp(content.url)} alt={content.body}
                     controls preload={preload} autoPlay={false}
                     height={height} width={width} poster={poster}>
                 </video>
+                { download }
             </span>
         );
     },
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MessageEvent.js b/src/components/views/messages/MessageEvent.js
index 26658c3005..4ac0c0dabb 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MessageEvent.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MessageEvent.js
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
         /* callback called when dynamic content in events are loaded */
         onWidgetLoad: React.PropTypes.func,
+
+        /* the shsape of the tile, used */
+        tileShape: React.PropTypes.string,
     },
 
     getEventTileOps: function() {
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         return <BodyType ref="body" mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent} highlights={this.props.highlights}
                     highlightLink={this.props.highlightLink}
                     showUrlPreview={this.props.showUrlPreview}
+                    tileShape={this.props.tileShape}
                     onWidgetLoad={this.props.onWidgetLoad} />;
     },
 });
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index b1df3f3267..f3ae3dff7f 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         /* the status of this event - ie, mxEvent.status. Denormalised to here so
          * that we can tell when it changes. */
         eventSendStatus: React.PropTypes.string,
+
+        /* the shape of the tile. by default, the layout is intended for the
+         * normal room timeline.  alternative values are: "file_list", "file_grid"
+         * and "notif".  This could be done by CSS, but it'd be horribly inefficient.
+         * It could also be done by subclassing EventTile, but that'd be quite
+         * boiilerplatey.  So just make the necessary render decisions conditional
+         * for now.
+         */
+        tileShape: React.PropTypes.string,
     },
 
     getInitialState: function() {
@@ -382,18 +391,16 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 this.props.eventSendStatus
             ) !== -1,
             mx_EventTile_notSent: this.props.eventSendStatus == 'not_sent',
-            mx_EventTile_highlight: this.shouldHighlight(),
+            mx_EventTile_highlight: this.props.tileShape === 'notif' ? false : this.shouldHighlight(),
             mx_EventTile_selected: this.props.isSelectedEvent,
-            mx_EventTile_continuation: this.props.continuation,
+            mx_EventTile_continuation: this.props.tileShape ? '' : this.props.continuation,
             mx_EventTile_last: this.props.last,
             mx_EventTile_contextual: this.props.contextual,
             menu: this.state.menu,
             mx_EventTile_verified: this.state.verified == true,
             mx_EventTile_unverified: this.state.verified == false,
         });
-        var timestamp = <a href={ "#/room/" + this.props.mxEvent.getRoomId() +"/"+ this.props.mxEvent.getId() }>
-                            <MessageTimestamp ts={this.props.mxEvent.getTs()} />
-                        </a>
+        var permalink = "#/room/" + this.props.mxEvent.getRoomId() +"/"+ this.props.mxEvent.getId();
 
         var readAvatars = this.getReadAvatars();
 
@@ -401,7 +408,10 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         let avatarSize;
         let needsSenderProfile;
 
-        if (isInfoMessage) {
+        if (this.props.tileShape === "notif") {
+            avatarSize = 24;
+            needsSenderProfile = true;
+        } else if (isInfoMessage) {
             // a small avatar, with no sender profile, for emotes and
             // joins/parts/etc
             avatarSize = 14;
@@ -428,35 +438,93 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
         if (needsSenderProfile) {
             let aux = null;
-            if (msgtype === 'm.image') aux = "sent an image";
-            else if (msgtype === 'm.video') aux = "sent a video";
-            else if (msgtype === 'm.file') aux = "uploaded a file";
+            if (!this.props.tileShape) {
+                if (msgtype === 'm.image') aux = "sent an image";
+                else if (msgtype === 'm.video') aux = "sent a video";
+                else if (msgtype === 'm.file') aux = "uploaded a file";
+                sender = <SenderProfile onClick={ this.onSenderProfileClick } mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent} aux={aux} />;
+            }
+            else {
+                sender = <SenderProfile mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent} />;
+            }
 
-            sender = <SenderProfile onClick={ this.onSenderProfileClick } mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent} aux={aux} />;
         }
 
         var editButton = (
             <img className="mx_EventTile_editButton" src="img/icon_context_message.svg" width="19" height="19" alt="Options" title="Options" onClick={this.onEditClicked} />
         );
 
-        return (
-            <div className={classes}>
-                <div className="mx_EventTile_msgOption">
-                    { readAvatars }
+        if (this.props.tileShape === "notif") {
+            var room = MatrixClientPeg.get().getRoom(this.props.mxEvent.getRoomId());
+
+            return (
+                <div className={classes}>
+                    <div className="mx_EventTile_roomName">
+                        <a href={ permalink }>
+                            { room.name }
+                        </a>
+                    </div>
+                    <div className="mx_EventTile_senderDetails">
+                        { avatar }
+                        <a href={ permalink }>
+                            { sender }
+                            <MessageTimestamp ts={this.props.mxEvent.getTs()} />
+                        </a>
+                    </div>
+                    <div className="mx_EventTile_line" >
+                        <EventTileType ref="tile"
+                            mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent}
+                            highlights={this.props.highlights}
+                            highlightLink={this.props.highlightLink}
+                            showUrlPreview={this.props.showUrlPreview}
+                            onWidgetLoad={this.props.onWidgetLoad} />
+                    </div>
                 </div>
-                { avatar }
-                { sender }
-                <div className="mx_EventTile_line">
-                    { timestamp }
-                    <EventTileType ref="tile"
-                        mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent}
-                        highlights={this.props.highlights}
-                        highlightLink={this.props.highlightLink}
-                        showUrlPreview={this.props.showUrlPreview}
-                        onWidgetLoad={this.props.onWidgetLoad} />
-                    { editButton }
+            );
+        }
+        else if (this.props.tileShape === "file_grid") {
+            return (
+                <div className={classes}>
+                    <div className="mx_EventTile_line" >
+                        <EventTileType ref="tile"
+                            mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent}
+                            highlights={this.props.highlights}
+                            highlightLink={this.props.highlightLink}
+                            showUrlPreview={this.props.showUrlPreview}
+                            tileShape={this.props.tileShape}
+                            onWidgetLoad={this.props.onWidgetLoad} />
+                    </div>
+                    <a className="mx_EventTile_senderDetailsLink" href={ permalink }>
+                        <div className="mx_EventTile_senderDetails">
+                                { sender }
+                                <MessageTimestamp ts={this.props.mxEvent.getTs()} />
+                        </div>
+                    </a>
                 </div>
-            </div>
-        );
+            );
+        }
+        else {
+            return (
+                <div className={classes}>
+                    <div className="mx_EventTile_msgOption">
+                        { readAvatars }
+                    </div>
+                    { avatar }
+                    { sender }
+                    <div className="mx_EventTile_line">
+                        <a href={ permalink }>
+                            <MessageTimestamp ts={this.props.mxEvent.getTs()} />
+                        </a>
+                        <EventTileType ref="tile"
+                            mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent}
+                            highlights={this.props.highlights}
+                            highlightLink={this.props.highlightLink}
+                            showUrlPreview={this.props.showUrlPreview}
+                            onWidgetLoad={this.props.onWidgetLoad} />
+                        { editButton }
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            );
+        }
     },
 });