diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index e543e5c..d8dc91c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ required-features = ["crossterm"]
 name = "ratatui_minimal"
 required-features = ["ratatui-crossterm"]
 
+[[example]]
+name = "ratatui_placepop"
+required-features = ["ratatui-crossterm"]
+
+[[example]]
+name = "placepop"
+required-features = ["crossterm"]
+
 [[example]]
 name = "ratatui_editor"
 required-features = ["ratatui-crossterm", "search"]
diff --git a/examples/placepop.rs b/examples/placepop.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39414a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/placepop.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+use crossterm::event::{DisableMouseCapture, EnableMouseCapture};
+use crossterm::terminal::{
+    disable_raw_mode, enable_raw_mode, EnterAlternateScreen, LeaveAlternateScreen,
+};
+use std::io;
+use tui::backend::CrosstermBackend;
+use tui::layout::Rect;
+use tui::style::{Color, Style};
+use tui::widgets::{Block, Borders};
+use tui::Terminal;
+use tui_textarea::{Input, Key, TextArea};
+
+fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
+    let stdout = io::stdout();
+    let mut stdout = stdout.lock();
+
+    enable_raw_mode()?;
+    crossterm::execute!(stdout, EnterAlternateScreen, EnableMouseCapture)?;
+    let backend = CrosstermBackend::new(stdout);
+    let mut term = Terminal::new(backend)?;
+
+    let mut textarea = TextArea::default();
+    textarea.set_block(
+        Block::default()
+            .borders(Borders::ALL)
+            .border_style(Style::default().fg(Color::LightBlue))
+            .title("Crossterm Popup Example"),
+    );
+
+    let area = Rect {
+        width: 40,
+        height: 5,
+        x: 5,
+        y: 5,
+    };
+    textarea.set_style(Style::default().fg(Color::Yellow));
+
+    // set placeholder
+
+    textarea.set_placeholder_style(Style::default());
+    textarea.set_placeholder("prompt message".to_string());
+    loop {
+        term.draw(|f| {
+            f.render_widget(textarea.widget(), area);
+        })?;
+        match crossterm::event::read()?.into() {
+            Input { key: Key::Esc, .. } => break,
+            input => {
+                textarea.input(input);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    disable_raw_mode()?;
+    crossterm::execute!(
+        term.backend_mut(),
+        LeaveAlternateScreen,
+        DisableMouseCapture
+    )?;
+    term.show_cursor()?;
+
+    println!("Lines: {:?}", textarea.lines());
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/examples/ratatui_placepop.rs b/examples/ratatui_placepop.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e29fca0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/ratatui_placepop.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+use crossterm::event::{DisableMouseCapture, EnableMouseCapture};
+use crossterm::terminal::{
+    disable_raw_mode, enable_raw_mode, EnterAlternateScreen, LeaveAlternateScreen,
+};
+use crossterm_026 as crossterm;
+use ratatui::backend::CrosstermBackend;
+use ratatui::layout::Rect;
+use ratatui::style::{Color, Style};
+use ratatui::widgets::{Block, Borders};
+use ratatui::Terminal;
+use std::io;
+use tui_textarea::{Input, Key, TextArea};
+
+fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
+    let stdout = io::stdout();
+    let mut stdout = stdout.lock();
+
+    enable_raw_mode()?;
+    crossterm::execute!(stdout, EnterAlternateScreen, EnableMouseCapture)?;
+    let backend = CrosstermBackend::new(stdout);
+    let mut term = Terminal::new(backend)?;
+
+    let mut textarea = TextArea::default();
+    textarea.set_block(
+        Block::default()
+            .borders(Borders::ALL)
+            .border_style(Style::default().fg(Color::LightBlue))
+            .title("Crossterm Popup Example"),
+    );
+
+    let area = Rect {
+        width: 40,
+        height: 5,
+        x: 5,
+        y: 5,
+    };
+    textarea.set_style(Style::default().fg(Color::Yellow));
+    textarea.set_placeholder_style(Style::default());
+    textarea.set_placeholder("prompt message".to_string());
+    loop {
+        term.draw(|f| {
+            f.render_widget(textarea.widget(), area);
+        })?;
+        match crossterm::event::read()?.into() {
+            Input { key: Key::Esc, .. } => break,
+            input => {
+                textarea.input(input);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    disable_raw_mode()?;
+    crossterm::execute!(
+        term.backend_mut(),
+        LeaveAlternateScreen,
+        DisableMouseCapture
+    )?;
+    term.show_cursor()?;
+
+    println!("Lines: {:?}", textarea.lines());
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/examples/single_line.rs b/examples/single_line.rs
index 4e7a374..d61899d 100644
--- a/examples/single_line.rs
+++ b/examples/single_line.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
 
     let mut textarea = TextArea::default();
     textarea.set_cursor_line_style(Style::default());
+    textarea.set_placeholder("enter a valid float, eg 1.56".to_string());
     let layout =
         Layout::default().constraints([Constraint::Length(3), Constraint::Min(1)].as_slice());
     let mut is_valid = validate(&mut textarea);
diff --git a/src/textarea.rs b/src/textarea.rs
index 5e14415..bec0296 100644
--- a/src/textarea.rs
+++ b/src/textarea.rs
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ pub struct TextArea<'a> {
     #[cfg(feature = "search")]
     search: Search,
     alignment: Alignment,
+    pub(crate) placeholder: Option<String>,
+    pub(crate) placeholder_style: Option<Style>,
 }
 
 /// Convert any iterator whose elements can be converted into [`String`] into [`TextArea`]. Each [`String`] element is
@@ -147,6 +149,8 @@ impl<'a> TextArea<'a> {
             #[cfg(feature = "search")]
             search: Search::default(),
             alignment: Alignment::Left,
+            placeholder: None,
+            placeholder_style: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -1223,6 +1227,14 @@ impl<'a> TextArea<'a> {
         self.line_number_style
     }
 
+    /// sets the placeholder text
+    pub fn set_placeholder(&mut self, placeholder: String) {
+        self.placeholder = Some(placeholder);
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_placeholder_style(&mut self, style: Style) {
+        self.placeholder_style = Some(style);
+    }
     /// Set the style of cursor. By default, a cursor is rendered in the reversed color. Setting the same style as
     /// cursor line hides a cursor.
     /// ```
diff --git a/src/widget.rs b/src/widget.rs
index a0cdc58..390d0e4 100644
--- a/src/widget.rs
+++ b/src/widget.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use crate::textarea::TextArea;
 use crate::tui::buffer::Buffer;
 use crate::tui::layout::Rect;
+use crate::tui::style::{Color, Style};
 use crate::tui::text::Text;
 use crate::tui::widgets::{Paragraph, Widget};
 use crate::util::num_digits;
@@ -120,11 +121,35 @@ impl<'a> Widget for Renderer<'a> {
         let top_col = next_scroll_top(top_col, cursor.1 as u16, width);
 
         let text = self.text(top_row as usize, height as usize);
+
+        // check for placeholder text and style
+        let mut style = self.0.style();
+        let text = match &self.0.placeholder {
+            Some(ph) => {
+                if self.0.is_empty() {
+                    // placeholder is defined and the box is empty
+                    style = self
+                        .0
+                        .placeholder_style
+                        // default to dark grey if the caller didnt specify
+                        .unwrap_or(Style::default().fg(Color::DarkGray));
+                    Text::from(ph.as_str())
+                } else {
+                    text
+                }
+            }
+            None => text,
+        };
+
+        // to get fine control over the text color and the surrrounding block they have to be rendered separately
+        // see https://github.com/tui-rs-revival/ratatui/issues/144
+        let mut text_area = area;
         let mut inner = Paragraph::new(text)
-            .style(self.0.style())
+            .style(style)
             .alignment(self.0.alignment());
         if let Some(b) = self.0.block() {
-            inner = inner.block(b.clone());
+            text_area = b.inner(area);
+            b.clone().render(area, buf)
         }
         if top_col != 0 {
             inner = inner.scroll((0, top_col));
@@ -133,6 +158,6 @@ impl<'a> Widget for Renderer<'a> {
         // Store scroll top position for rendering on the next tick
         self.0.viewport.store(top_row, top_col, width, height);
 
-        inner.render(area, buf);
+        inner.render(text_area, buf);
     }
 }