diff --git a/abletk-common/src/lib.rs b/abletk-common/src/lib.rs
index a144b8c..d2ee630 100755
--- a/abletk-common/src/lib.rs
+++ b/abletk-common/src/lib.rs
@@ -45,19 +45,28 @@ impl Renderer {
     pub fn clear(&self, color: Color) {
         self.renderer.clear(color)
     }
+    
+    pub fn draw_rect(&self, width: u32, height: u32) {
+        self.renderer.draw_rect(Rect::new(
+            self.x as f32,
+            self.y as f32,
+            (self.x + width) as f32,
+            (self.y + height) as f32,
+        ))
+    }
 
     pub fn draw_text<S: AsRef<str>>(&self, text: S) {
         eprintln!("drawing text at ({}, {})", self.x, self.y);
         self.renderer.draw_text(
             text.as_ref(),
-            Rect {
-                left: self.x as f32,
-                top: self.y as f32,
+            Rect::new(
+                self.x as f32,
+                self.y as f32,
                 // these two need to be as big as possible to make sure that
                 // text is not cut off or wrapped
-                right: f32::INFINITY,
-                bottom: f32::INFINITY,
-            }
+                f32::INFINITY,
+                f32::INFINITY,
+            )
         )
     }
 
@@ -65,8 +74,13 @@ impl Renderer {
         self.renderer.end_draw()
     }
 
-    pub fn fill_rect(&self, rect: Rect) {
-        self.renderer.fill_rect(rect)
+    pub fn fill_rect(&self, width: u32, height: u32) {
+        self.renderer.fill_rect(Rect::new(
+            self.x as f32,
+            self.y as f32,
+            (self.x + width) as f32,
+            (self.y + height) as f32,
+        ))
     }
 
     pub fn get_text_size(&self, text: &str) -> (u32, u32) {
diff --git a/abletk-common/src/rect.rs b/abletk-common/src/rect.rs
index 58450cb..1af8c21 100755
--- a/abletk-common/src/rect.rs
+++ b/abletk-common/src/rect.rs
@@ -12,23 +12,33 @@ use windows::Win32::{
     Graphics::Direct2D::Common::{D2D_RECT_F, D2D_RECT_U},
 };
 
-// fixme: consider splitting this into two types (f32 and u32) or make this generic
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct Rect {
-    pub left: f32,
-    pub right: f32,
-    pub top: f32,
-    pub bottom: f32,
+    x: f32,
+    y: f32,
+    width: f32,
+    height: f32,
+}
+
+impl Rect {
+    pub fn new(x: f32, y: f32, width: f32, height: f32) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            x,
+            y,
+            width,
+            height,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
 impl From<Rect> for RECT {
     fn from(rect: Rect) -> Self {
         Self {
-            left: rect.left as i32,
-            right: rect.right as i32,
-            top: rect.top as i32,
-            bottom: rect.bottom as i32,
+            left: rect.x as i32,
+            top: rect.y as i32,
+            right: rect.width as i32,
+            bottom: rect.height as i32,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -37,10 +47,10 @@ impl From<Rect> for RECT {
 impl From<Rect> for D2D_RECT_U {
     fn from(rect: Rect) -> Self {
         Self {
-            left: rect.left as u32,
-            right: rect.right as u32,
-            top: rect.top as u32,
-            bottom: rect.bottom as u32,
+            left: rect.x as u32,
+            top: rect.y as u32,
+            right: rect.width as u32,
+            bottom: rect.height as u32,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -49,10 +59,10 @@ impl From<Rect> for D2D_RECT_U {
 impl From<Rect> for D2D_RECT_F {
     fn from(rect: Rect) -> Self {
         Self {
-            left: rect.left,
-            right: rect.right,
-            top: rect.top,
-            bottom: rect.bottom,
+            left: rect.x,
+            top: rect.y,
+            right: rect.width,
+            bottom: rect.height,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/abletk-direct2d/src/lib.rs b/abletk-direct2d/src/lib.rs
index 8006340..6743621 100755
--- a/abletk-direct2d/src/lib.rs
+++ b/abletk-direct2d/src/lib.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,17 @@ impl Renderer {
         unsafe { self.target.as_ref().unwrap().Clear(&color.into()) }
     }
 
+    pub fn draw_rect<R: Into<D2D_RECT_F>>(&self, rect: R) {
+        unsafe {
+            self.target.as_ref().unwrap()
+                .DrawRectangle(
+                    &rect.into(),
+                    self.brush.as_ref().unwrap(),
+                    1.0,
+                    &self.stroke_style)
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn draw_text<R: Into<D2D_RECT_F>>(&self, text: &str, layoutrect: R) {
         unsafe {
             self.target.as_ref().unwrap().DrawText(