diff --git a/backend.go b/backend.go
index 956b906..b6d9e83 100644
--- a/backend.go
+++ b/backend.go
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package tomo
 
+import "image"
 import "errors"
 
 // Backend represents a connection to a display server, or something similar.
@@ -7,7 +8,7 @@ import "errors"
 type Backend interface {
 	// Run runs the backend's event loop. It must block until the backend
 	// experiences a fatal error, or Stop() is called.
-	Run () (err error)
+	Run () error
 
 	// Stop stops the backend's event loop.
 	Stop ()
@@ -16,10 +17,10 @@ type Backend interface {
 	// possible. This method must be safe to call from other threads.
 	Do (callback func ())
 
-	// NewWindow creates a new window with the specified width and height,
-	// and returns a struct representing it that fulfills the MainWindow
-	// interface.
-	NewWindow (width, height int) (window MainWindow, err error)
+	// NewWindow creates a new window within the specified bounding
+	// rectangle. The position on screen may be overridden by the backend or
+	// operating system.
+	NewWindow (bounds image.Rectangle) (MainWindow, error)
 	
 	// SetTheme sets the theme of all open windows.
 	SetTheme (Theme)
diff --git a/backends/x/event.go b/backends/x/event.go
index 2f96794..7da9b1a 100644
--- a/backends/x/event.go
+++ b/backends/x/event.go
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ func (window *window) handleExpose (
 	window.pushRegion(region)
 }
 
+func (window *window) updateBounds (x, y int16, width, height uint16) {
+	window.metrics.bounds =
+		image.Rect(0, 0, int(width), int(height)).
+		Add(image.Pt(int(x), int(y)))
+}
+
 func (window *window) handleConfigureNotify (
 	connection *xgbutil.XUtil,
 	event xevent.ConfigureNotifyEvent,
@@ -63,15 +69,18 @@ func (window *window) handleConfigureNotify (
 	newWidth  := int(configureEvent.Width)
 	newHeight := int(configureEvent.Height)
 	sizeChanged :=
-		window.metrics.width  != newWidth ||
-		window.metrics.height != newHeight
-	window.metrics.width  = newWidth
-	window.metrics.height = newHeight
+		window.metrics.bounds.Dx() != newWidth ||
+		window.metrics.bounds.Dy() != newHeight
+	window.updateBounds (
+		configureEvent.X, configureEvent.Y,
+		configureEvent.Width, configureEvent.Height)
+	
 
 	if sizeChanged {
 		configureEvent = window.compressConfigureNotify(configureEvent)
-		window.metrics.width  = int(configureEvent.Width)
-		window.metrics.height = int(configureEvent.Height)
+		window.updateBounds (
+			configureEvent.X, configureEvent.Y,
+			configureEvent.Width, configureEvent.Height)
 		window.reallocateCanvas()
 		window.resizeChildToFit()
 
diff --git a/backends/x/window.go b/backends/x/window.go
index 10f26e8..315d33f 100644
--- a/backends/x/window.go
+++ b/backends/x/window.go
@@ -37,36 +37,37 @@ type window struct {
 	selectionClaim   *selectionClaim
 
 	metrics struct {
-		width  int
-		height int
+		bounds image.Rectangle
 	}
 }
 
 func (backend *Backend) NewWindow (
-	width, height int,
+	bounds image.Rectangle,
 ) (
 	output tomo.MainWindow,
 	err error,
 ) {
 	if backend == nil { panic("nil backend") }
-	window, err := backend.newWindow(width, height)
+	window, err := backend.newWindow(bounds)
 	output = mainWindow { window }
 	return output, err
 }
 
 func (backend *Backend) newWindow (
-	width, height int,
+	bounds image.Rectangle,
 ) (
 	output *window,
 	err error,
 ) {
+	// TODO: take position flag into account
+	
 	window := &window { backend: backend }
 
 	window.xWindow, err = xwindow.Generate(backend.connection)
 	if err != nil { return }
 	window.xWindow.Create (
 		backend.connection.RootWin(),
-		0, 0, width, height, 0)
+		bounds.Min.X, bounds.Min.Y, bounds.Dx(), bounds.Dy(), 0)
 	err = window.xWindow.Listen (
 		xproto.EventMaskExposure,
 		xproto.EventMaskStructureNotify,
@@ -108,8 +109,7 @@ func (backend *Backend) newWindow (
 	window.SetTheme(backend.theme)
 	window.SetConfig(backend.config)
 	
-	window.metrics.width  = width
-	window.metrics.height = height
+	window.metrics.bounds = bounds
 	window.childMinimumSizeChangeCallback(8, 8)
 
 	window.reallocateCanvas()
@@ -249,8 +249,8 @@ func (window *window) SetIcon (sizes []image.Image) {
 		wmIcons)
 }
 
-func (window *window) NewModal (width, height int) (tomo.Window, error) {
-	modal, err := window.backend.newWindow(width, height)
+func (window *window) NewModal (bounds image.Rectangle) (tomo.Window, error) {
+	modal, err := window.backend.newWindow(bounds.Add(window.metrics.bounds.Min))
 	icccm.WmTransientForSet (
 		window.backend.connection,
 		modal.xWindow.Id,
@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ func (window *window) NewModal (width, height int) (tomo.Window, error) {
 	return modal, err
 }
 
-func (window mainWindow) NewPanel (width, height int) (tomo.Window, error) {
-	panel, err := window.backend.newWindow(width, height)
+func (window mainWindow) NewPanel (bounds image.Rectangle) (tomo.Window, error) {
+	panel, err := window.backend.newWindow(bounds.Add(window.metrics.bounds.Min))
 	if err != nil { return nil, err }
 	panel.setClientLeader(window.window)
 	window.setClientLeader(window.window)
@@ -379,7 +379,9 @@ func (window *window) SetConfig (config tomo.Config) {
 }
 
 func (window *window) reallocateCanvas () {
-	window.canvas.Reallocate(window.metrics.width, window.metrics.height)
+	window.canvas.Reallocate (
+		window.metrics.bounds.Dx(),
+		window.metrics.bounds.Dy())
 
 	previousWidth, previousHeight := 0, 0
 	if window.xCanvas != nil {
@@ -387,8 +389,8 @@ func (window *window) reallocateCanvas () {
 		previousHeight = window.xCanvas.Bounds().Dy()
 	}
 	
-	newWidth  := window.metrics.width
-	newHeight := window.metrics.height
+	newWidth  := window.metrics.bounds.Dx()
+	newHeight := window.metrics.bounds.Dy()
 	larger    := newWidth > previousWidth || newHeight > previousHeight
 	smaller   := newWidth < previousWidth / 2 || newHeight < previousHeight / 2
 
@@ -461,12 +463,12 @@ func (window *window) childMinimumSizeChangeCallback (width, height int) (resize
 			MinWidth:  uint(width),
 			MinHeight: uint(height),
 		})
-	newWidth  := window.metrics.width
-	newHeight := window.metrics.height
+	newWidth  := window.metrics.bounds.Dx()
+	newHeight := window.metrics.bounds.Dy()
 	if newWidth  < width  { newWidth  = width  }
 	if newHeight < height { newHeight = height }
-	if newWidth != window.metrics.width ||
-		newHeight != window.metrics.height {
+	if newWidth != window.metrics.bounds.Dx() ||
+		newHeight != window.metrics.bounds.Dy() {
 		window.xWindow.Resize(newWidth, newHeight)
 		return true
 	}
diff --git a/tomo.go b/tomo.go
index 15e8632..7273c5c 100644
--- a/tomo.go
+++ b/tomo.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package tomo
 
+import "image"
+
 var backend Backend
 
 // Run initializes a backend, calls the callback function, and begins the event
@@ -30,9 +32,9 @@ func Do (callback func ()) {
 // NewWindow creates a new window using the current backend, and returns it as a
 // MainWindow. If the window could not be created, an error is returned
 // explaining why.
-func NewWindow (width, height int) (window MainWindow, err error) {
+func NewWindow (bounds image.Rectangle) (window MainWindow, err error) {
 	assertBackend()
-	return backend.NewWindow(width, height)
+	return backend.NewWindow(bounds)
 }
 
 // SetTheme sets the theme of all open windows.
diff --git a/window.go b/window.go
index 2400c3f..012fe74 100644
--- a/window.go
+++ b/window.go
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ package tomo
 import "image"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/data"
 
+// TODO: add support for the icon window because imagine if we allowed
+// applications to display live updating information readouts on their icons.
+// that would be baller
+
 // Window represents a top-level container generated by the currently running
 // backend. It can contain a single element. It is hidden by default, and must
 // be explicitly shown with the Show() method.
@@ -30,8 +34,10 @@ type Window interface {
 
 	// NewModal creates a new modal dialog window. The resulting window will
 	// inherit this window's application name and icon, but these can be
-	// manually overridden.
-	NewModal (width, height int) (window Window, err error)
+	// manually overridden. The modal will be placed relative to the parent
+	// window, but this position may be overridden by the backend or
+	// operating system.
+	NewModal (bounds image.Rectangle) (Window, error)
 	
 	// Copy puts data into the clipboard.
 	Copy (data.Data)
@@ -61,8 +67,9 @@ type MainWindow interface {
 	Window
 
 	// NewPanel creates a panel window that is semantically tied to this
-	// window. This is intended to be used for utility windows, tool bars,
-	// torn-off menus, etc. The resulting window will inherit this window's
-	// application name and icon, but these can be manually overridden.
-	NewPanel (width, height int) (window Window, err error)
+	// window, positioned relative to it. This is intended to be used for
+	// utility windows, tool bars, torn-off menus, etc. The resulting window
+	// will inherit this window's application name and icon, but these can
+	// be manually overridden.
+	NewPanel (bounds image.Rectangle) (Window, error)
 }