diff --git a/example-config.toml b/example-config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..013fcb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example-config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+# Groovylight configuration base file.
+# make your edits using this, at the moment the defaults are not stored
+# in the program so every value must be specified.
+
+
+[hardware]
+# The target platform.
+# Valid options: "cxxrtl", "colorlight"
+type = "cxxrtl" 
+
+# hardware-specific options, these are gently parsed i.e extra options are ignored.
+# colorlight options
+
+# Maps the strings array onto the colorlight connectors.
+# it's fine (but will raise a warning) if the list is longer than the number of strings.
+stringmapping = [ "J1", "J2", "J3", "J4", "J5", "J6", "J7", "J8" ]
+
+# cxxrtl options
+
+
+[network]
+# Network port to listen on for UDP datagrams.
+port = 9999
+
+# IPv4 address to use for the Ethernet port.
+# This setting is ignored for CXXRTL.
+# 'dhcp' will get the IP at runtime.
+ip = "dhcp" # Can also be e.g. "192.168.0.123"
+
+[display]
+strict = true # allows some wacky configurations, like panels that overlap.
+
+[[display.strings]]
+position = { x = 31, y = 0 }
+dimensions = { width = 256, height = 64 }
+rotation = "UPDOWN"
+[[display.strings]]
+position = { x = 32, y = 0 }
+dimensions = { width = 256, height = 64 }
+rotation = "LEFTRIGHT"
+[[display.strings]]
+position = { x = 32, y = 64 }
+dimensions = { width = 256, height = 64 }
+rotation = "LEFTRIGHT"
+[[display.strings]]
+position = { x = 32, y = 128 }
+dimensions = { width = 256, height = 64 }
+rotation = "LEFTRIGHT"
+[[display.strings]]
+position = { x = 32, y = 192 }
+dimensions = { width = 256, height = 64 }
+rotation = "LEFTRIGHT"
diff --git a/src/groovylight/config.py b/src/groovylight/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f23443e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/groovylight/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import tomllib
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from groovylight.geom import (
+    Coord,
+    DisplayDimensions,
+    DisplayGeometry,
+    DisplayRotation,
+    DisplayString,
+)
+
+
+class Config:
+    def __init__(self, file: Path) -> None:
+        with file.open("rb") as f:
+            self.conf = tomllib.load(f)
+
+        self.geom = DisplayGeometry(self.conf.display.strict)
+        for string in self.conf.display.strings:
+            pos = Coord(**string.position)
+            dims = DisplayDimensions(**string.dimensions)
+            rot = DisplayRotation[string.rotation]
+            disp = DisplayString(pos, dims, rot)
+            self.geom.add_string(disp)
+        self.network = self.conf.network  # FIXME: parse this properly.
diff --git a/src/groovylight/geom.py b/src/groovylight/geom.py
index 901cab4..8dbcb7f 100644
--- a/src/groovylight/geom.py
+++ b/src/groovylight/geom.py
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ class DisplayGeometry:
         will overlap with an existing string.
         """
 
-        for e in self._strings:
-            if e.intersects(s):
-                pass
-
+        if self.strict:
+            for e in self._strings:
+                if e.intersects(s):
+                    raise RuntimeError(f"node {e} intersects with {s}")
+        self._strings.append(s)