diff --git a/applet.cpp b/applet.cpp
index 178483e20..951d4f7f1 100644
--- a/applet.cpp
+++ b/applet.cpp
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@
 #include <KService>
 #include <KServiceTypeTrader>
 
-#include "corona.h"
-#include "dataenginemanager.h"
-#include "plasma.h"
+#include "plasma/corona.h"
+#include "plasma/dataenginemanager.h"
+#include "plasma/plasma.h"
+#include "plasma/svg.h"
 
 namespace Plasma
 {
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ class Applet::Private
               globalConfig( 0 ),
               appletConfig( 0 ),
               appletDescription(new KPluginInfo(appletDescription)),
-              immutable(false)
+              immutable(false),
+              background(0)
         {
             if (appletId > s_maxAppletId) {
                 s_maxAppletId = appletId;
@@ -56,6 +58,7 @@ class Applet::Private
                DataEngineManager::self()->unloadDataEngine( engine );
             }
             delete appletDescription;
+            delete background;
         }
 
         static uint nextId()
@@ -72,6 +75,7 @@ class Applet::Private
         QStringList loadedEngines;
         static uint s_maxAppletId;
         bool immutable;
+        Plasma::Svg *background;
 };
 
 uint Applet::Private::s_maxAppletId = 0;
@@ -166,7 +170,37 @@ void Applet::setImmutable(bool immutable)
     d->immutable = immutable;
 }
 
+bool Applet::drawStandardBackground()
+{
+    return d->background != 0;
+}
+
+void Applet::setDrawStandardBackground(bool drawBackground)
+{
+    if (drawBackground) {
+        if (!d->background) {
+            d->background = new Plasma::Svg("widgets/background");
+        }
+    } else {
+        delete d->background;
+        d->background = 0;
+    }
+}
+
+
 void Applet::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QWidget *widget)
+{
+    if (d->background) {
+        d->background->resize(boundingRect().size());
+        d->background->paint(painter, boundingRect());
+    }
+
+    paintInterface(painter, option, widget);
+
+    //TODO: interface overlays on hover?
+}
+
+void Applet::paintInterface(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QWidget *widget)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(painter)
     Q_UNUSED(option)
diff --git a/applet.h b/applet.h
index 3097e3d64..f06e19c51 100644
--- a/applet.h
+++ b/applet.h
@@ -169,6 +169,14 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
         static Applet* loadApplet(const KPluginInfo* info, uint appletId = 0,
                                   const QStringList& args = QStringList());
 
+        /**
+         * This method is called when the interface should be painted.
+         * @see QGraphicsItem::paint
+         **/
+        virtual void paintInterface(QPainter *painter,
+                                    const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option,
+                                    QWidget *widget = 0);
+
         /**
          * Returns the user-visible name for the applet, as specified in the
          * .desktop file.
@@ -189,9 +197,16 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
         void setImmutable(bool immutable);
 
         /**
-         * Reimplemented from QGraphicsItem
+         * @return returns whether or not the applet is using the standard
+         *         background
          **/
-        void paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QWidget *widget = 0);
+        bool drawStandardBackground();
+
+        /**
+         * Sets whether or not the applet should automatically draw the standard 
+         * background or not. Defaults to false
+         **/
+        void setDrawStandardBackground(bool drawBackground);
 
         /**
          * Reimplented from QGraphicsItem
@@ -250,6 +265,11 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
         bool eventFilter( QObject *o, QEvent *e );
 
     private:
+        /**
+         * Reimplemented from QGraphicsItem
+         **/
+        void paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QWidget *widget = 0);
+
         void init();
 
         class Private;