diff --git a/ui/types/message.go b/ui/types/message.go
index b69eab2..8899a7d 100644
--- a/ui/types/message.go
+++ b/ui/types/message.go
@@ -83,3 +83,27 @@ func (message *Message) CalculateBuffer(width int) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func (message *Message) GetSender() string {
+	return message.Sender
+}
+
+func (message *Message) GetSenderColor() tcell.Color {
+	return message.SenderColor
+}
+
+func (message *Message) GetTimestamp() string {
+	return message.Timestamp
+}
+
+func (message *Message) GetDate() string {
+	return message.Date
+}
+
+func (message *Message) GetTextColor() tcell.Color {
+	return tcell.ColorDefault
+}
+
+func (message *Message) GetTimestampColor() tcell.Color {
+	return tcell.ColorDefault
+}
diff --git a/ui/types/meta.go b/ui/types/meta.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c1817d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/types/meta.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// gomuks - A terminal Matrix client written in Go.
+// Copyright (C) 2018 Tulir Asokan
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package types
+
+import (
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell"
+)
+
+type MessageMeta interface {
+	GetSender() string
+	GetSenderColor() tcell.Color
+	GetTextColor() tcell.Color
+	GetTimestampColor() tcell.Color
+	GetTimestamp() string
+	GetDate() string
+}
+
+type BasicMeta struct {
+	Sender, Timestamp, Date                string
+	SenderColor, TextColor, TimestampColor tcell.Color
+}
+
+func (meta *BasicMeta) GetSender() string {
+	return meta.Sender
+}
+
+func (meta *BasicMeta) GetSenderColor() tcell.Color {
+	return meta.SenderColor
+}
+
+func (meta *BasicMeta) GetTimestamp() string {
+	return meta.Timestamp
+}
+
+func (meta *BasicMeta) GetDate() string {
+	return meta.Date
+}
+
+func (meta *BasicMeta) GetTextColor() tcell.Color {
+	return meta.TextColor
+}
+
+func (meta *BasicMeta) GetTimestampColor() tcell.Color {
+	return meta.TimestampColor
+}
diff --git a/ui/widget/message-view.go b/ui/widget/message-view.go
index 953dd7d..070d982 100644
--- a/ui/widget/message-view.go
+++ b/ui/widget/message-view.go
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ type MessageView struct {
 	messageIDs map[string]bool
 	messages   []*types.Message
 
-	metaBuffer []*types.Message
 	textBuffer []string
+	metaBuffer []types.MessageMeta
 }
 
 func NewMessageView() *MessageView {
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func NewMessageView() *MessageView {
 		messages:   make([]*types.Message, 0),
 		messageIDs: make(map[string]bool),
 		textBuffer: make([]string, 0),
-		metaBuffer: make([]*types.Message, 0),
+		metaBuffer: make([]types.MessageMeta, 0),
 
 		widestSender: 5,
 		prevWidth:    -1,
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@ func (view *MessageView) recalculateMessageBuffers() {
 func (view *MessageView) appendBuffer(message *types.Message) {
 	if len(view.metaBuffer) > 0 {
 		prevMeta := view.metaBuffer[len(view.metaBuffer)-1]
-		if prevMeta != nil && prevMeta.Date != message.Date {
+		if prevMeta != nil && prevMeta.GetDate() != message.Date {
 			view.textBuffer = append(view.textBuffer, fmt.Sprintf("Date changed to %s", message.Date))
-			view.metaBuffer = append(view.metaBuffer, nil)
+			view.metaBuffer = append(view.metaBuffer, &types.BasicMeta{TextColor: tcell.ColorGreen})
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (view *MessageView) appendBuffer(message *types.Message) {
 func (view *MessageView) recalculateBuffer() {
 	_, _, width, height := view.GetInnerRect()
 	view.textBuffer = make([]string, 0)
-	view.metaBuffer = make([]*types.Message, 0)
+	view.metaBuffer = make([]types.MessageMeta, 0)
 
 	if height != view.prevHeight || width != view.prevWidth {
 		for _, message := range view.messages {
@@ -259,8 +259,7 @@ func (view *MessageView) Draw(screen tcell.Screen) {
 		screen.SetContent(separatorX, separatorY, view.Separator, nil, tcell.StyleDefault)
 	}
 
-	var prevMeta *types.Message
-	var prevSender string
+	var prevMeta types.MessageMeta
 	indexOffset := len(view.textBuffer) - view.ScrollOffset - height
 	if indexOffset <= -PaddingAtTop {
 		message := "Scroll up to load more messages."
@@ -278,18 +277,17 @@ func (view *MessageView) Draw(screen tcell.Screen) {
 		}
 		text, meta := view.textBuffer[index], view.metaBuffer[index]
 		if meta != prevMeta {
-			if meta != nil {
-				view.writeLine(screen, meta.Timestamp, x, y+line, tcell.ColorDefault)
-				if meta.Sender != prevSender {
-					view.writeLineRight(
-						screen, meta.Sender,
-						x+usernameOffsetX, y+line,
-						view.widestSender, meta.SenderColor)
-					prevSender = meta.Sender
-				}
+			if len(meta.GetTimestamp()) > 0 {
+				view.writeLine(screen, meta.GetTimestamp(), x, y+line, meta.GetTimestampColor())
+			}
+			if len(meta.GetSender()) > 0 && (prevMeta == nil || meta.GetSender() != prevMeta.GetSender()) {
+				view.writeLineRight(
+					screen, meta.GetSender(),
+					x+usernameOffsetX, y+line,
+					view.widestSender, meta.GetSenderColor())
 			}
 			prevMeta = meta
 		}
-		view.writeLine(screen, text, x+messageOffsetX, y+line, tcell.ColorDefault)
+		view.writeLine(screen, text, x+messageOffsetX, y+line, meta.GetTextColor())
 	}
 }