diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index 92a8a3ed..fecb7d3c 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -28,6 +28,14 @@ gui:
       - blue
   returnImmediately: false
   wrapMainPanel: true
+  # Side panel width as a ratio of the screen's width
+  sidePanelWidth: 0.333
+  # Determines whether we show the bottom line (the one containing keybinding
+	# info and the status of the app).
+  showBottomLine: true
+  # When true, increases vertical space used by focused side panel,
+  # creating an accordion effect
+  expandFocusedSidePanel: false
 logs:
   timestamps: false
   since: '60m'
diff --git a/pkg/config/app_config.go b/pkg/config/app_config.go
index 9094104f..78064067 100644
--- a/pkg/config/app_config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/app_config.go
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ type GuiConfig struct {
 	// info and the status of the app).
 	ShowBottomLine bool `yaml:"showBottomLine"`
 
-	// When true, ensures that the focused side panel always takes up the full vertical space
+	// When true, increases vertical space used by focused side panel,
+	// creating an accordion effect
 	ExpandFocusedSidePanel bool `yaml:"expandFocusedSidePanel"`
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/gui/app_status_manager.go b/pkg/gui/app_status_manager.go
index 20a81120..f806f72c 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/app_status_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/app_status_manager.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) WithWaitingStatus(name string, f func() error) error {
 
 		if err := f(); err != nil {
 			gui.g.Update(func(g *gocui.Gui) error {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			})
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/pkg/gui/arrangement.go b/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
index df717341..f507685b 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/arrangement.go
@@ -63,17 +63,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) getWindowDimensions(informationStr string, appStatus string) map
 	return boxlayout.ArrangeWindows(root, 0, 0, width, height)
 }
 
-func MergeMaps[K comparable, V any](maps ...map[K]V) map[K]V {
-	result := map[K]V{}
-	for _, currMap := range maps {
-		for key, value := range currMap {
-			result[key] = value
-		}
-	}
-
-	return result
-}
-
 func (gui *Gui) getMidSectionWeights() (int, int) {
 	currentWindow := gui.currentStaticWindowName()
 
@@ -203,16 +192,3 @@ func (gui *Gui) sidePanelChildren(width int, height int) []*boxlayout.Box {
 		})
 	}
 }
-
-func (gui *Gui) currentSideWindowName() string {
-	// we expect that there is a side window somewhere in the view stack, so we will search from top to bottom
-	for idx := range gui.State.ViewStack {
-		reversedIdx := len(gui.State.ViewStack) - 1 - idx
-		viewName := gui.State.ViewStack[reversedIdx]
-		if lo.Contains(gui.sideViewNames(), viewName) {
-			return viewName
-		}
-	}
-
-	return gui.initiallyFocusedViewName()
-}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/confirmation_panel.go b/pkg/gui/confirmation_panel.go
index c515fd54..f9e1ec74 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/confirmation_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/confirmation_panel.go
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@ func (gui *Gui) getConfirmationPanelDimensions(g *gocui.Gui, wrap bool, prompt s
 		height/2 + panelHeight/2
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createPromptPanel(g *gocui.Gui, currentView *gocui.View, title string, handleConfirm func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error) error {
+func (gui *Gui) createPromptPanel(title string, handleConfirm func(*gocui.Gui, *gocui.View) error) error {
 	gui.onNewPopupPanel()
 	err := gui.prepareConfirmationPanel(title, "", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	gui.Views.Confirmation.Editable = true
-	return gui.setKeyBindings(g, handleConfirm, nil)
+	return gui.setKeyBindings(gui.g, handleConfirm, nil)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) prepareConfirmationPanel(title, prompt string, hasLoader bool) error {
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) setKeyBindings(g *gocui.Gui, handleConfirm, handleClose func(*go
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) createErrorPanel(g *gocui.Gui, message string) error {
+func (gui *Gui) createErrorPanel(message string) error {
 	colorFunction := color.New(color.FgRed).SprintFunc()
 	coloredMessage := colorFunction(strings.TrimSpace(message))
 	return gui.createConfirmationPanel(gui.Tr.ErrorTitle, coloredMessage, nil, nil)
diff --git a/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go b/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go
index 3dc9bd2f..4f6bb941 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/containers_panel.go
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) renderContainerStats(container *commands.Container) error {
 
 		contents, err := container.RenderStats(width)
 		if err != nil {
-			_ = gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+			_ = gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 		}
 
 		gui.reRenderStringMain(contents)
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleContainersRemoveMenu(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 						})
 					}, nil)
 				}
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) PauseContainer(container *commands.Container) error {
 		}
 
 		if err != nil {
-			return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+			return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 		}
 
 		return gui.refreshContainersAndServices()
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleContainerStop(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	return gui.createConfirmationPanel(gui.Tr.Confirm, gui.Tr.StopContainer, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.StoppingStatus, func() error {
 			if err := container.Stop(); err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 
 			return nil
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleContainerRestart(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.RestartingStatus, func() error {
 		if err := container.Restart(); err != nil {
-			return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+			return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 		}
 
 		return nil
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleContainerAttach(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	c, err := container.Attach()
 	if err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return gui.runSubprocess(c)
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handlePruneContainers() error {
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.PruningStatus, func() error {
 			err := gui.DockerCommand.PruneContainers()
 			if err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/gui/custom_commands.go b/pkg/gui/custom_commands.go
index da03eed9..6038b6b2 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/custom_commands.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/custom_commands.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) createCommandMenu(customCommands []config.CustomCommand, command
 
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(waitingStatus, func() error {
 			if err := gui.OSCommand.RunCommand(option.command); err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/gui/gui.go b/pkg/gui/gui.go
index 94aa4c0d..69245453 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/gui.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/gui.go
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) Run() error {
 				gui.Log.Warn(err)
 				continue
 			}
-			_ = gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+			_ = gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleDonate(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 func (gui *Gui) editFile(filename string) error {
 	cmd, err := gui.OSCommand.EditFile(filename)
 	if err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return gui.runSubprocess(cmd)
@@ -415,13 +415,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) editFile(filename string) error {
 
 func (gui *Gui) openFile(filename string) error {
 	if err := gui.OSCommand.OpenFile(filename); err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleCustomCommand(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-	return gui.createPromptPanel(g, v, gui.Tr.CustomCommandTitle, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	return gui.createPromptPanel(gui.Tr.CustomCommandTitle, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		command := gui.trimmedContent(v)
 		return gui.runSubprocess(gui.OSCommand.RunCustomCommand(command))
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/gui/images_panel.go b/pkg/gui/images_panel.go
index 2f513ab5..9e2bd8cb 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/images_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/images_panel.go
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleImagesRemoveMenu(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		}
 		configOptions := options[index].configOptions
 		if cerr := Image.Remove(configOptions); cerr != nil {
-			return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, cerr.Error())
+			return gui.createErrorPanel(cerr.Error())
 		}
 
 		return nil
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handlePruneImages() error {
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.PruningStatus, func() error {
 			err := gui.DockerCommand.PruneImages()
 			if err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 			return gui.refreshImages()
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/gui/layout.go b/pkg/gui/layout.go
index 11e86758..134076ce 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/layout.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/layout.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
 		return view, err
 	}
 
-	for _, viewName := range []string{"project", "services", "containers", "images", "volumes", "options", "information", "appStatus", "main", "limit"} {
+	for _, viewName := range gui.controlledBoundsViewNames() {
 		_, err := setViewFromDimensions(viewName, viewName)
 		if err != nil && err.Error() != UNKNOWN_VIEW_ERROR_MSG {
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/gui/project_panel.go b/pkg/gui/project_panel.go
index 3dd14175..0ae98e9d 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/project_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/project_panel.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleProjectPrevContext(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 func (gui *Gui) handleViewAllLogs(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	c, err := gui.DockerCommand.ViewAllLogs()
 	if err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return gui.runSubprocess(c)
diff --git a/pkg/gui/services_panel.go b/pkg/gui/services_panel.go
index 16accf28..76d0116b 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/services_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/services_panel.go
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceStop(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	return gui.createConfirmationPanel(gui.Tr.Confirm, gui.Tr.StopService, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.StoppingStatus, func() error {
 			if err := service.Stop(); err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 
 			return nil
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceRestart(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.RestartingStatus, func() error {
 		if err := service.Restart(); err != nil {
-			return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+			return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 		}
 
 		return nil
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceStart(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.StartingStatus, func() error {
 		if err := service.Start(); err != nil {
-			return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+			return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 		}
 
 		return nil
@@ -285,12 +285,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceAttach(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	}
 
 	if service.Container == nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, gui.Tr.NoContainers)
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.Tr.NoContainers)
 	}
 
 	c, err := service.Attach()
 	if err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return gui.runSubprocess(c)
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceRenderLogsToMain(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error
 
 	c, err := service.ViewLogs()
 	if err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	return gui.runSubprocess(c)
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceRestartMenu(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 			f: func() error {
 				return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.RestartingStatus, func() error {
 					if err := service.Restart(); err != nil {
-						return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+						return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 					}
 					return nil
 				})
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServiceRestartMenu(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 			f: func() error {
 				return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.RestartingStatus, func() error {
 					if err := gui.OSCommand.RunCommand(recreateCommand); err != nil {
-						return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+						return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 					}
 					return nil
 				})
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) createServiceCommandMenu(options []*commandOption, status string
 		}
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(status, func() error {
 			if err := gui.OSCommand.RunCommand(options[index].command); err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 
 			return nil
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServicesExecShell(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	container := service.Container
 	if container == nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, gui.Tr.NoContainers)
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.Tr.NoContainers)
 	}
 
 	return gui.containerExecShell(container)
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleServicesOpenInBrowserCommand(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View)
 
 	container := service.Container
 	if container == nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, gui.Tr.NoContainers)
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.Tr.NoContainers)
 	}
 
 	return gui.openContainerInBrowser(container)
diff --git a/pkg/gui/subprocess.go b/pkg/gui/subprocess.go
index 54af269d..8366393c 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/subprocess.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/subprocess.go
@@ -17,27 +17,23 @@ func (gui *Gui) runSubprocess(cmd *exec.Cmd) error {
 	defer gui.Mutexes.SubprocessMutex.Unlock()
 
 	if err := gui.g.Suspend(); err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	gui.PauseBackgroundThreads = true
 
-	cmdErr := gui.runCommand(cmd)
+	gui.runCommand(cmd)
 
 	if err := gui.g.Resume(); err != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+		return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	gui.PauseBackgroundThreads = false
 
-	if cmdErr != nil {
-		return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, cmdErr.Error())
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) runCommand(cmd *exec.Cmd) error {
+func (gui *Gui) runCommand(cmd *exec.Cmd) {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
@@ -67,6 +63,4 @@ func (gui *Gui) runCommand(cmd *exec.Cmd) error {
 	cmd.Stderr = ioutil.Discard
 
 	gui.promptToReturn()
-
-	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gui/view_helpers.go b/pkg/gui/view_helpers.go
index 740ccbc1..000118d3 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/view_helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/view_helpers.go
@@ -153,7 +153,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) pushView(name string) {
 	})
 
 	gui.State.ViewStack = append(gui.State.ViewStack, name)
-	gui.Log.Warnf("Just pushed %s. View stack is now "+strings.Join(gui.State.ViewStack, ", "), name)
 }
 
 // excludes popups
@@ -170,6 +169,22 @@ func (gui *Gui) currentStaticViewName() string {
 	return gui.initiallyFocusedViewName()
 }
 
+func (gui *Gui) currentSideViewName() string {
+	gui.Mutexes.ViewStackMutex.Lock()
+	defer gui.Mutexes.ViewStackMutex.Unlock()
+
+	// we expect that there is a side window somewhere in the view stack, so we will search from top to bottom
+	for idx := range gui.State.ViewStack {
+		reversedIdx := len(gui.State.ViewStack) - 1 - idx
+		viewName := gui.State.ViewStack[reversedIdx]
+		if lo.Contains(gui.sideViewNames(), viewName) {
+			return viewName
+		}
+	}
+
+	return gui.initiallyFocusedViewName()
+}
+
 // if the cursor down past the last item, move it to the last line
 // nolint:unparam
 func (gui *Gui) focusPoint(selectedX int, selectedY int, lineCount int, v *gocui.View) {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/views.go b/pkg/gui/views.go
index 6a7ed3e6..4b568ed0 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/views.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/views.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package gui
 import (
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/gocui"
-	"github.com/samber/lo"
 )
 
 type Views struct {
@@ -28,12 +27,6 @@ type viewNameMapping struct {
 	name    string
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) orderedViews() []*gocui.View {
-	return lo.Map(gui.orderedViewNameMappings(), func(v viewNameMapping, _ int) *gocui.View {
-		return *v.viewPtr
-	})
-}
-
 func (gui *Gui) orderedViewNameMappings() []viewNameMapping {
 	return []viewNameMapping{
 		// first layer. Ordering within this layer does not matter because there are
@@ -131,3 +124,8 @@ func (gui *Gui) getInformationContent() string {
 func (gui *Gui) popupViewNames() []string {
 	return []string{"confirmation", "menu"}
 }
+
+// these views have their position and size determined by arrangement.go
+func (gui *Gui) controlledBoundsViewNames() []string {
+	return []string{"project", "services", "containers", "images", "volumes", "options", "information", "appStatus", "main", "limit"}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/volumes_panel.go b/pkg/gui/volumes_panel.go
index d052856d..7d2cf936 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/volumes_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/volumes_panel.go
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleVolumesRemoveMenu(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		}
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.RemovingStatus, func() error {
 			if cerr := volume.Remove(options[index].force); cerr != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, cerr.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(cerr.Error())
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handlePruneVolumes() error {
 		return gui.WithWaitingStatus(gui.Tr.PruningStatus, func() error {
 			err := gui.DockerCommand.PruneVolumes()
 			if err != nil {
-				return gui.createErrorPanel(gui.g, err.Error())
+				return gui.createErrorPanel(err.Error())
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/gui/window.go b/pkg/gui/window.go
index f596a2b2..d58d132f 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/window.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/window.go
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 package gui
 
-func (gui *Gui) currentWindow() string {
-	// at the moment, we only have one view per window in lazydocker, so we
-	// are using the view name as the window name
-	return gui.currentViewName()
-}
+// func (gui *Gui) currentWindow() string {
+// 	// at the moment, we only have one view per window in lazydocker, so we
+// 	// are using the view name as the window name
+// 	return gui.currentViewName()
+// }
 
 // excludes popups
 func (gui *Gui) currentStaticWindowName() string {
 	return gui.currentStaticViewName()
 }
+
+func (gui *Gui) currentSideWindowName() string {
+	return gui.currentSideViewName()
+}