diff --git a/src/domain/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelViewModel.js
index 59b68ca1..ff27ad9b 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelViewModel.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {InviteTileViewModel} from "./InviteTileViewModel.js";
 import {RoomFilter} from "./RoomFilter.js";
 import {ApplyMap} from "../../../observable/map/ApplyMap.js";
 import {addPanelIfNeeded} from "../../navigation/index.js";
+import { PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel } from "./PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel.js";
 
 export class LeftPanelViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ export class LeftPanelViewModel extends ViewModel {
             let vm;
             if (roomOrInvite.isInvite) {
                 vm = new InviteTileViewModel(this.childOptions({invite: roomOrInvite, emitChange}));
+            } else if (roomOrInvite.isPlaceholder) {
+                vm = new PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel(this.childOptions({emitChange}));
             } else {
                 vm = new RoomTileViewModel(this.childOptions({room: roomOrInvite, emitChange}));
             }
diff --git a/src/domain/session/leftpanel/PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/leftpanel/PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0acad483
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/domain/session/leftpanel/PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel.js
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2021 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import {getIdentifierColorNumber} from "../../avatar.js";
+import {BaseTileViewModel} from "./BaseTileViewModel.js";
+
+export class PlaceholderRoomTileViewModel extends BaseTileViewModel {
+    constructor(options) {
+        super(options);
+    }
+
+    get busy() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    get kind() {
+        return "placeholder";
+    }
+
+    compare(other) {
+        return super.compare(other);
+    }
+
+    get name() {
+        return "Placeholder";
+    }
+
+    get avatarLetter() {
+        return " ";
+    }
+
+    get avatarColorNumber() {
+        return getIdentifierColorNumber("placeholder"); // TODO: randomise
+    }
+
+    avatarUrl(size) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    get avatarTitle() {
+        return "Placeholder";
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/matrix/Session.js b/src/matrix/Session.js
index 37fd90ad..50b83f23 100644
--- a/src/matrix/Session.js
+++ b/src/matrix/Session.js
@@ -401,6 +401,9 @@ export class Session {
                 room.setInvite(invite);
             }
         }
+        const room = this.createRoom("!temp:localhost");
+        room.isPlaceholder = true;
+        this._rooms.add(room.id, room);
     }
 
     dispose() {
diff --git a/src/platform/web/ui/css/left-panel.css b/src/platform/web/ui/css/left-panel.css
index f00c1572..8e900ea5 100644
--- a/src/platform/web/ui/css/left-panel.css
+++ b/src/platform/web/ui/css/left-panel.css
@@ -45,6 +45,19 @@ limitations under the License.
     align-items: center;
 }
 
+.RoomList > .placeholder {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+}
+
+.RoomList > .placeholder > .phdescription {
+    /* the avatar icon doesn't pad right because the placeholder lacks an <a> tag, so pad left to get the equiv layout */
+    margin-left: 8px;
+    /* make grey rectangles where the description should be */
+    background: rgb(236,237,238);
+    color: rgb(236,237,238);
+}
+
 .RoomList .description {
     margin: 0;
     flex: 1 1 0;
diff --git a/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelView.js b/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelView.js
index 481c5362..b6f7a8db 100644
--- a/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelView.js
+++ b/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/LeftPanelView.js
@@ -14,10 +14,11 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import {ListView} from "../../general/ListView";
+import {LazyListView} from "../../general/LazyListView";
 import {TemplateView} from "../../general/TemplateView";
 import {RoomTileView} from "./RoomTileView.js";
 import {InviteTileView} from "./InviteTileView.js";
+import { PlaceholderRoomTileView } from "./PlaceholderRoomTileView";
 
 class FilterField extends TemplateView {
     render(t, options) {
@@ -58,14 +59,17 @@ export class LeftPanelView extends TemplateView {
                 vm.i18n`Show single room` :
                 vm.i18n`Enable grid layout`;
         };
-        const roomList = t.view(new ListView(
+        const roomList = t.view(new LazyListView(
             {
                 className: "RoomList",
+                itemHeight: 44,
                 list: vm.tileViewModels,
             },
             tileVM => {
                 if (tileVM.kind === "invite") {
                     return new InviteTileView(tileVM);
+                } if (tileVM.kind === "placeholder") {
+                    return new PlaceholderRoomTileView(tileVM);
                 } else {
                     return new RoomTileView(tileVM);
                 }
diff --git a/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/PlaceholderRoomTileView.js b/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/PlaceholderRoomTileView.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..344b7006
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/platform/web/ui/session/leftpanel/PlaceholderRoomTileView.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2021 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import {TemplateView} from "../../general/TemplateView";
+import {renderStaticAvatar} from "../../avatar.js";
+
+export class PlaceholderRoomTileView extends TemplateView {
+    render(t, vm) {
+        const classes = {
+            "active": vm => vm.isOpen,
+            "hidden": vm => vm.hidden,
+            "placeholder": true,
+        };
+        return t.li({"className": classes}, [
+            renderStaticAvatar(vm, 32),
+            t.div({className: "phdescription"}, [
+                t.div({className: "name"}, vm.name),
+            ])
+        ]);
+    }
+}