diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index ae4330bf5..8006f2290 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ version 0.6.0 [future]
 
 - Add a command line switch to set the window title.
 
+- Add more options to customize the tab-bar's appearance (font styles and
+  separator)
+
+
 version 0.5.1 [2017-12-01]
 ---------------------------
 
diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index f12f968c8..80157bbdb 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -231,6 +231,20 @@ def box_drawing_scale(x):
     return ans
 
 
+def tab_separator(x):
+    for q in '\'"':
+        if x.startswith(q) and x.endswith(q):
+            x = x[1:-1]
+            break
+    if not x.strip():
+        x = defaults.tab_separator
+    return x
+
+
+def tab_font_style(x):
+    return {'bold-italic': (True, True), 'bold': (True, False), 'italic': (False, True)}.get(x.lower().replace('_', '-'), (False, False))
+
+
 type_map = {
     'adjust_line_height': adjust_line_height,
     'scrollback_lines': positive_int,
@@ -263,6 +277,9 @@ type_map = {
     'box_drawing_scale': box_drawing_scale,
     'x11_bell_volume': int,
     'background_opacity': unit_float,
+    'tab_separator': tab_separator,
+    'active_tab_font_style': tab_font_style,
+    'inactive_tab_font_style': tab_font_style,
 }
 
 for name in (
diff --git a/kitty/kitty.conf b/kitty/kitty.conf
index 2b61e517f..267f09291 100644
--- a/kitty/kitty.conf
+++ b/kitty/kitty.conf
@@ -175,11 +175,14 @@ active_border_color #00ff00
 # The color for the border of inactive windows
 inactive_border_color #cccccc
 
-# Tab-bar colors
+# Tab-bar customization
 active_tab_foreground #000
 active_tab_background #eee
+active_tab_font_style bold-italic
 inactive_tab_foreground #444
 inactive_tab_background #999
+inactive_tab_font_style normal
+tab_separator " ┇"
 
 
 # The 16 terminal colors. There are 8 basic colors, each color has a dull and
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 49efd56b0..b977a3348 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -228,6 +228,17 @@ class TabBar:  # {{{
             color_as_int(opts.inactive_tab_background)
         )
         self.blank_rects = ()
+        sep = opts.tab_separator
+        self.trailing_spaces = self.leading_spaces = 0
+        while sep and sep[0] == ' ':
+            sep = sep[1:]
+            self.trailing_spaces += 1
+        while sep and sep[-1] == ' ':
+            self.leading_spaces += 1
+            sep = sep[:-1]
+        self.sep = sep
+        self.active_font_style = opts.active_tab_font_style
+        self.inactive_font_style = opts.inactive_tab_font_style
 
         def as_rgb(x):
             return (x << 8) | 2
@@ -264,9 +275,9 @@ class TabBar:  # {{{
         for t in data:
             s.cursor.bg = self.active_bg if t.is_active else 0
             s.cursor.fg = self.active_fg if t.is_active else 0
-            s.cursor.bold = s.cursor.italic = t.is_active
+            s.cursor.bold, s.cursor.italic = self.active_font_style if t.is_active else self.inactive_font_style
             before = s.cursor.x
-            s.draw(t.title)
+            s.draw(' ' * self.leading_spaces + t.title + ' ' * self.trailing_spaces)
             extra = s.cursor.x - before - max_title_length
             if extra > 0:
                 s.cursor.x -= extra + 1
@@ -274,7 +285,7 @@ class TabBar:  # {{{
             cr.append((before, s.cursor.x))
             s.cursor.bold = s.cursor.italic = False
             s.cursor.fg = s.cursor.bg = 0
-            s.draw('┇')
+            s.draw(self.sep)
             if s.cursor.x > s.columns - max_title_length and not t.is_last:
                 s.draw('…')
                 break
@@ -405,7 +416,7 @@ class TabManager:  # {{{
         at = self.active_tab
         ans = []
         for t in self.tabs:
-            title = (t.name or t.title or appname) + ' '
+            title = (t.name or t.title or appname).strip()
             ans.append(TabbarData(title, t is at, t is self.tabs[-1]))
         return ans