More than one column for favorites

Hi Niagara Team!

David from your support team kindly directed me to this thread after reviewing my previous email and mockups.

I really appreciate Niagara's minimalist design. It's exactly why I use it. However, I believe simplicity and personalization don't have to conflict.

I'd love to see Niagara give users a little more freedom to shape their home screen around their own preferences, without changing the experience for those who love the current design.

I've attached three mockups to illustrate my ideas.

1. Optional two-column favorites

When app labels are hidden, a significant amount of horizontal space remains unused.

An optional second vertical column could make better use of that space while preserving Niagara's distinctive vertical layout.

The existing single-column layout should remain the default.

2. Notification dots with on-demand previews

I understand the team's previous concern that notification previews could interfere with a two-column layout.

My suggestion is to address the notification behavior rather than abandon the layout.

Instead of automatically expanding notification text:

- Display a small red notification dot on the app icon.

- Let users swipe right on the app to reveal its notifications.

- Show the preview as a floating overlay that temporarily covers the second column.

- Keep all app icons in their original positions. No third column, no shifting or rearranging.

Once the preview is dismissed, the original two-column layout remains unchanged.

This would give users more control over when they see notifications, instead of allowing automatic previews to occupy valuable screen space.

Both automatic previews and notification dots could be available as user preferences.

3. More official wallpapers designed for Niagara

I'd also love to see more official wallpapers or themes that complement Niagara's unique layout.

For example, wallpapers with a subtly blurred area on the left third of the screen could create a dedicated visual space for favorite apps, while keeping the rest of the wallpaper beautifully detailed.

This could make Niagara feel more cohesive and immersive.

Perhaps the team could introduce a new collection of layout-aware wallpapers and gradually refresh some existing themes in a similar direction.

The bigger idea: More freedom, without sacrificing simplicity.

I'm not asking Niagara to become a conventional grid launcher or to replace its existing design.

I simply hope users can have more choices in how they arrange apps, handle notifications, and personalize their home screen.

Niagara could remain beautifully minimal by default, while offering greater flexibility to those who want it.

I believe that balance could make Niagara even more distinctive.

Thank you for taking the time to consider these ideas. I'd love to hear what the team and other users think!