diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7ecf70c3d..0bb63192d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -182,6 +182,29 @@ $ tic ~/pc_settings/tmux-256color-italic
 ```
 
 
+### Powerline
+
+Install Powerline...
+
+```bash
+$ pip install powerline-status
+```
+
+Install the Powerline fonts...
+
+```bash
+$ hub clone 'powerline/fonts'
+$ cd fonts && ./install.sh && cd ../ && rm -rf fonts
+```
+
+Lastly, ensure that the line in `.tmux.conf` that sources the `powerline.conf` is uncommented:
+
+```
+run-shell "powerline-daemon -q"
+source "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf"
+```
+
+
 ## Commonly used applications (Mac)
 * Emacs OS X - text editor
 * dash - provides quick access to offline documentation (use with Alfred)
diff --git a/configs/shared/.tmux.conf b/configs/shared/.tmux.conf
index 251e5ddb7..f56c6b503 100644
--- a/configs/shared/.tmux.conf
+++ b/configs/shared/.tmux.conf
@@ -40,96 +40,6 @@ set -s escape-time 0
 set -g base-index 1
 
 
-######################
-### DESIGN CHANGES ###
-######################
-
-# panes
-set -g pane-border-fg black
-set -g pane-active-border-fg brightred
-
-## Status bar design
-# status line
-set -g status-justify left
-set -g status-bg default
-set -g status-fg colour12
-set -g status-interval 2
-
-# messaging
-set -g message-fg black
-set -g message-bg yellow
-set -g message-command-fg blue
-set -g message-command-bg black
-
-#window mode
-setw -g mode-bg colour6
-setw -g mode-fg colour0
-
-# window status
-setw -g window-status-format " #F#I:#W#F "
-setw -g window-status-current-format " #F#I:#W#F "
-setw -g window-status-format "#[fg=magenta]#[bg=black] #I #[bg=cyan]#[fg=colour8] #W "
-setw -g window-status-current-format "#[bg=brightmagenta]#[fg=colour8] #I #[fg=colour8]#[bg=colour14] #W "
-setw -g window-status-current-bg colour0
-setw -g window-status-current-fg colour11
-setw -g window-status-current-attr dim
-setw -g window-status-bg green
-setw -g window-status-fg black
-setw -g window-status-attr reverse
-
-# Info on left (I don't have a session display for now)
-set -g status-left ''
-
-# The modes {
-setw -g clock-mode-colour colour135
-setw -g mode-attr bold
-setw -g mode-fg colour196
-setw -g mode-bg colour238
-
-# }
-# The panes {
-
-set -g pane-border-bg colour235
-set -g pane-border-fg colour238
-set -g pane-active-border-bg colour236
-set -g pane-active-border-fg colour51
-
-# }
-# The statusbar {
-
-set -g status-position bottom
-set -g status-bg colour234
-set -g status-fg colour137
-set -g status-attr dim
-set -g status-left ''
-set -g status-right '#[fg=colour233,bg=colour241,bold] %d/%m #[fg=colour233,bg=colour245,bold] %H:%M:%S '
-set -g status-right-length 50
-set -g status-left-length 20
-
-setw -g window-status-current-fg colour81
-setw -g window-status-current-bg colour238
-setw -g window-status-current-attr bold
-setw -g window-status-current-format ' #I#[fg=colour250]:#[fg=colour255]#W#[fg=colour50]#F '
-
-setw -g window-status-fg colour138
-setw -g window-status-bg colour235
-setw -g window-status-attr none
-setw -g window-status-format ' #I#[fg=colour237]:#[fg=colour250]#W#[fg=colour244]#F '
-
-setw -g window-status-bell-attr bold
-setw -g window-status-bell-fg colour255
-setw -g window-status-bell-bg colour1
-
-# }
-# The messages {
-
-set -g message-attr bold
-set -g message-fg colour232
-set -g message-bg colour166
-
-# }
-
-
 # window naming nonsense
 set-window-option -g automatic-rename on
 set-window-option -g allow-rename off
@@ -192,7 +102,9 @@ bind '"' split-window -c "#{pane_current_path}"
 bind % split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}"
 bind c new-window -c "#{pane_current_path}"
 
-# source '/usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf'
+# powerline for tmux
+run-shell "powerline-daemon -q"
+source "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf"
 
 bind-key h set -g status