diff --git a/i3pystatus/core/util.py b/i3pystatus/core/util.py
index 55d3364..54d3cea 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/core/util.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/core/util.py
@@ -389,6 +389,26 @@ def make_graph(values, upper_limit=100.0):
                         for n in values[:len(values)-1])  # Don't show the upper limit value.
     return graph
 
+
+def make_vertical_bar(percentage, width=1):
+    """
+    Draws a vertical bar made of unicode characters.
+
+    :param value: A value between 0 and 100
+    :param width: How many characters wide the bar should be.
+    :returns: Bar as a String
+    """
+    bar = u' _▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█'
+    percentage //= 10
+    if percentage < 0:
+        output = bar[0]
+    elif percentage >= len(bar):
+        output = bar[-1]
+    else:
+        output = bar[percentage]
+    return output * width
+
+
 def make_bar(percentage):
     """
     Draws a bar made of unicode box characters.
diff --git a/i3pystatus/cpu_usage.py b/i3pystatus/cpu_usage.py
index a1f8e82..57e2083 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/cpu_usage.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/cpu_usage.py
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ class CpuUsage(IntervalModule):
         self.prev_total[cpu] = total
         self.prev_busy[cpu] = busy
 
-        return int(diff_busy / diff_total * 100)
+        if diff_total == 0:
+            return 0
+        else:
+            return int(diff_busy / diff_total * 100)
 
     def gen_format_all(self, usage):
         """
diff --git a/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py b/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py
index 640b367..e9f400e 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 # -*- coding:utf-8 -*-
-
+from i3pystatus.core.color import ColorRangeModule
 from i3pystatus.cpu_usage import CpuUsage
-from i3pystatus.core.util import make_bar
+from i3pystatus.core.util import make_bar, make_vertical_bar
 
-class CpuUsageBar(CpuUsage):
+
+class CpuUsageBar(CpuUsage, ColorRangeModule):
     """
     Shows CPU usage as a bar (made with unicode box characters).
     The first output will be inacurate.
 
     Linux only
 
+    Requires the PyPI package `colour`.
+
     Available formatters:
 
     * {usage_bar}       usage average of all cores
@@ -19,10 +22,23 @@ class CpuUsageBar(CpuUsage):
     """
 
     format = "{usage_bar}"
+    bar_type = 'horizontal'
+    cpu = 'usage_bar'
+
     settings = (
         ("format", "format string"),
+        ("bar_type", "whether the bar should be vertical or horizontal. "
+                     "Allowed values: `vertical` or `horizontal`"),
+        ("cpu", "cpu to base the colors on. Choices are 'usage_cpu' for all or 'usage_cpu*'."
+                " Replace '*' by core number starting at 0."),
+        ("start_color", "Hex or English name for start of color range, eg '#00FF00' or 'green'"),
+        ("end_color", "Hex or English name for end of color range, eg '#FF0000' or 'red'")
     )
 
+    def init(self):
+        super().init()
+        self.colors = self.get_hex_color_range(self.start_color, self.end_color, 100)
+
     def run(self):
         cpu_usage = self.get_usage()
 
@@ -30,7 +46,12 @@ class CpuUsageBar(CpuUsage):
 
         for core, usage in cpu_usage.items():
             core = core.replace('usage', 'usage_bar')
-            cpu_usage_bar[core] = make_bar(usage)
+            if self.bar_type == 'horizontal':
+                cpu_usage_bar[core] = make_bar(usage)
+            elif self.bar_type == 'vertical':
+                cpu_usage_bar[core] = make_vertical_bar(usage)
+            else:
+                raise Exception("bar_type must be 'horizontal' or 'vertical'!")
 
         cpu_usage.update(cpu_usage_bar)
 
@@ -38,6 +59,6 @@ class CpuUsageBar(CpuUsage):
         cpu_usage['usage_bar'] = cpu_usage['usage_bar_cpu']
 
         self.output = {
-            "full_text": self.format.format_map(cpu_usage)
+            "full_text": self.format.format_map(cpu_usage),
+            'color': self.get_gradient(cpu_usage[self.cpu], self.colors, 100)
         }
-
diff --git a/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py b/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py
index cd3689b..61989fa 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 from i3pystatus import IntervalModule
 from psutil import virtual_memory
+from i3pystatus.core.color import ColorRangeModule
 from i3pystatus.core.util import make_bar
 
 
-class MemBar(IntervalModule):
+class MemBar(IntervalModule, ColorRangeModule):
     """
     Shows memory load as a bar.
 
     Available formatters:
     * {used_mem_bar}
 
-    Requires psutil (from PyPI)
+    Requires psutil and colour (from PyPI)
     """
 
     format = "{used_mem_bar}"
@@ -19,6 +20,10 @@ class MemBar(IntervalModule):
     alert_color = "#FF0000"
     warn_percentage = 50
     alert_percentage = 80
+    multi_colors = False
+
+    def init(self):
+        self.colors = self.get_hex_color_range(self.color, self.alert_color, 100)
 
     settings = (
         ("format", "format string used for output."),
@@ -29,14 +34,16 @@ class MemBar(IntervalModule):
          "defines the color used wann warn percentage ist exceeded"),
         ("alert_color",
          "defines the color used when alert percentage is exceeded"),
+        ("multi_colors", "whether to use range of colors from 'color' to 'alert_color' based on memory usage."),
     )
 
     def run(self):
         memory_usage = virtual_memory()
 
-        if memory_usage.percent >= self.alert_percentage:
+        if self.multi_colors:
+            color = self.get_gradient(memory_usage.percent, self.colors)
+        elif memory_usage.percent >= self.alert_percentage:
             color = self.alert_color
-
         elif memory_usage.percent >= self.warn_percentage:
             color = self.warn_color
         else: