diff --git a/.config/herbstluftwm/autostart b/.config/herbstluftwm/autostart
index b5ffcac..f20925c 100755
--- a/.config/herbstluftwm/autostart
+++ b/.config/herbstluftwm/autostart
@@ -35,6 +35,24 @@
 (define (dmenu-command fn nb nf)
   (string-append "dmenu_run -fn '" fn "' -nb '" nb "' -nf '" nf "'"))
 
+(define (set-layout layout)
+  (display (string-append "set_layout " layout "\n"))
+  (hc (string-append "set_layout " layout)))
+
+;; colors
+(set "frame_border_active_color"   "\\#2e3436")
+(set "frame_border_normal_color"   "\\#0c191c")
+(set "frame_bg_normal_color"       "\\#2e3436")
+(set "frame_bg_active_color"       "\\#0c191c")
+(set "frame_border_width"          "0")
+(set "window_border_width"         "2")
+(set "window_border_normal_color"  "\\#0c191c")
+(set "window_border_active_color"  "\\#800000")
+
+;; other settings
+(set "default_frame_layout"        "2")
+(set-layout "max")
+
 ;; keybindings
 (keybind modkey "Mod1-q"  "quit")
 (keybind modkey "Mod1-r" "reload")
@@ -91,16 +109,6 @@
 (keybind modkey "Shift-k"    "shift up")
 (keybind modkey "Shift-l"    "shift right")
 
-;; colors
-(set "frame_border_active_color"   "\\#2e3436")
-(set "frame_border_normal_color"   "\\#0c191c")
-(set "frame_bg_normal_color"       "\\#2e3436")
-(set "frame_bg_active_color"       "\\#0c191c")
-(set "frame_border_width"          "0")
-(set "window_border_width"         "2")
-(set "window_border_normal_color"  "\\#0c191c")
-(set "window_border_active_color"  "\\#800000")
-
 ;; rules
 (unrule)
 (rule "focus=off")                 ; normally do not focus new clients