diff --git a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/helper.py b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/helper.py
index 6b11944f87..75fa6de74d 100644
--- a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/helper.py
+++ b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/helper.py
@@ -118,6 +118,17 @@ def prop_with_search(layout, data, prop_name, **kwargs):
     op.prop_name = prop_name
 
 
+def col_with_margins(layout, margin_left=0.025, margin_right=None):
+    margin_right = margin_left if margin_right is None else margin_right
+    split = layout.split(factor=margin_left, align=True)
+    cols = [split.column() for _ in range(2)]
+    cols[0].label(text="")
+    subsplit = cols[-1].split(factor=(1. - margin_right), align=True)
+    subcol = subsplit.column()
+    subsplit.column().label(text="")
+    return subcol
+
+
 class IfcHeaderExtractor:
     def __init__(self, filepath: str):
         self.filepath = filepath