diff --git a/_examples/spreadsheet/bar-chart/main.go b/_examples/spreadsheet/bar-chart/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..05196e18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/spreadsheet/bar-chart/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// Copyright 2017 Baliance. All rights reserved.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+
+	"baliance.com/gooxml/spreadsheet"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	ss := spreadsheet.New()
+	sheet := ss.AddSheet()
+
+	// Create all of our data
+	row := sheet.AddRow()
+	row.AddCell().SetString("Item")
+	row.AddCell().SetString("Price")
+	row.AddCell().SetString("# Sold")
+	row.AddCell().SetString("Total")
+	for r := 0; r < 5; r++ {
+		row := sheet.AddRow()
+		row.AddCell().SetString(fmt.Sprintf("Product %d", r+1))
+		row.AddCell().SetNumber(1.23 * float64(r+1))
+		row.AddCell().SetNumber(float64(r%3 + 1))
+		row.AddCell().SetFormulaRaw(fmt.Sprintf("C%d*B%d", r+2, r+2))
+	}
+
+	// Charts need to reside in a drawing
+	dwng := ss.AddDrawing()
+	chart := dwng.AddChart()
+	// make it a bit wider than the default
+	dwng.BottomRight().SetCol(15)
+
+	lc := chart.AddBarChart()
+	priceSeries := lc.AddSeries()
+	priceSeries.SetText("Price")
+	// Set a category axis reference on the first series to pull the product names
+	priceSeries.CategoryAxis().SetReference(`'Sheet 1'!A2:A6`)
+	priceSeries.Values().SetReference(`'Sheet 1'!B2:B6`)
+
+	soldSeries := lc.AddSeries()
+	soldSeries.SetText("Sold")
+	soldSeries.Values().SetReference(`'Sheet 1'!C2:C6`)
+
+	totalSeries := lc.AddSeries()
+	totalSeries.SetText("Total")
+	totalSeries.Values().SetReference(`'Sheet 1'!D2:D6`)
+
+	// the line chart accepts up to two axes
+	ca := chart.AddCategoryAxis()
+	va := chart.AddValueAxis()
+	lc.AddAxis(ca)
+	lc.AddAxis(va)
+
+	ca.SetCrosses(va)
+	va.SetCrosses(ca)
+
+	// add a title and legend
+	title := chart.AddTitle()
+	title.SetText("Items Sold")
+	chart.AddLegend()
+
+	// and finally add the chart to the sheet
+	sheet.SetDrawing(dwng)
+
+	if err := ss.Validate(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("error validating sheet: %s", err)
+	}
+	ss.SaveToFile("bar-chart.xlsx")
+}
diff --git a/chart/barchart.go b/chart/barchart.go
index 931133b8..afd63e9b 100644
--- a/chart/barchart.go
+++ b/chart/barchart.go
@@ -7,10 +7,13 @@
 
 package chart
 
-import crt "baliance.com/gooxml/schema/schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/chart"
+import (
+	crt "baliance.com/gooxml/schema/schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/chart"
+)
 
 // BarChart is a 2D bar chart.
 type BarChart struct {
+	chartBase
 	x *crt.CT_BarChart
 }
 
@@ -18,3 +21,33 @@ type BarChart struct {
 func (c BarChart) X() *crt.CT_BarChart {
 	return c.x
 }
+
+// InitializeDefaults the bar chart to its defaults
+func (c BarChart) InitializeDefaults() {
+	c.SetDirection(crt.ST_BarDirCol)
+}
+
+// SetDirection changes the direction of the bar chart (bar or column).
+func (c BarChart) SetDirection(d crt.ST_BarDir) {
+	c.x.BarDir.ValAttr = d
+}
+
+// AddSeries adds a default series to a bar chart.
+func (c BarChart) AddSeries() BarChartSeries {
+	clr := c.nextColor(len(c.x.Ser))
+	ser := crt.NewCT_BarSer()
+	c.x.Ser = append(c.x.Ser, ser)
+	ser.Idx.ValAttr = uint32(len(c.x.Ser) - 1)
+	ser.Order.ValAttr = uint32(len(c.x.Ser) - 1)
+
+	bs := BarChartSeries{ser}
+	bs.InitializeDefaults()
+	bs.Properties().SetSolidFill(clr)
+	return bs
+}
+
+func (c BarChart) AddAxis(axis Axis) {
+	axisID := crt.NewCT_UnsignedInt()
+	axisID.ValAttr = axis.AxisID()
+	c.x.AxId = append(c.x.AxId, axisID)
+}
diff --git a/chart/barchartseries.go b/chart/barchartseries.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77ad1985
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chart/barchartseries.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Copyright 2017 Baliance. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Use of this source code is governed by the terms of the Affero GNU General
+// Public License version 3.0 as published by the Free Software Foundation and
+// appearing in the file LICENSE included in the packaging of this file. A
+// commercial license can be purchased by contacting sales@baliance.com.
+
+package chart
+
+import (
+	"baliance.com/gooxml/drawing"
+	dml "baliance.com/gooxml/schema/schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml"
+	crt "baliance.com/gooxml/schema/schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/chart"
+)
+
+type BarChartSeries struct {
+	x *crt.CT_BarSer
+}
+
+// X returns the inner wrapped XML type.
+func (c BarChartSeries) X() *crt.CT_BarSer {
+	return c.x
+}
+
+// InitializeDefaults initializes a bar chart series to the default values.
+func (c BarChartSeries) InitializeDefaults() {
+}
+
+// SetText sets the series text
+func (c BarChartSeries) SetText(s string) {
+	c.x.Tx = crt.NewCT_SerTx()
+	c.x.Tx.Choice.V = &s
+}
+
+func (c BarChartSeries) CategoryAxis() AxisDataSource {
+	if c.x.Cat == nil {
+		c.x.Cat = crt.NewCT_AxDataSource()
+	}
+	return MakeAxisDataSource(c.x.Cat)
+}
+
+func (c BarChartSeries) Values() NumberDataSource {
+	if c.x.Val == nil {
+		c.x.Val = crt.NewCT_NumDataSource()
+	}
+	return MakeNumberDataSource(c.x.Val)
+}
+
+// Properties returns the bar chart series shape properties.
+func (c BarChartSeries) Properties() drawing.ShapeProperties {
+	if c.x.SpPr == nil {
+		c.x.SpPr = dml.NewCT_ShapeProperties()
+	}
+	return drawing.MakeShapeProperties(c.x.SpPr)
+}
diff --git a/chart/chart.go b/chart/chart.go
index c74db334..2b97bdb6 100644
--- a/chart/chart.go
+++ b/chart/chart.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (c Chart) AddLineChart() LineChart {
 	// TODO: needed?
 	chc.LineChart.Marker = crt.NewCT_Boolean()
 	chc.LineChart.Marker.ValAttr = gooxml.Bool(true)
-	return LineChart{chc.LineChart}
+	return LineChart{x: chc.LineChart}
 }
 
 // AddBarChart adds a new bar chart to a chart.
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ func (c Chart) AddBarChart() BarChart {
 	chc.BarChart.Grouping = crt.NewCT_BarGrouping()
 	chc.BarChart.Grouping.ValAttr = crt.ST_BarGroupingStandard
 
-	return BarChart{chc.BarChart}
+	b := BarChart{x: chc.BarChart}
+	b.InitializeDefaults()
+	return b
 }
 
 func (c Chart) Properties() drawing.ShapeProperties {
diff --git a/chart/chartbase.go b/chart/chartbase.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b6df7cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chart/chartbase.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright 2017 Baliance. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Use of this source code is governed by the terms of the Affero GNU General
+// Public License version 3.0 as published by the Free Software Foundation and
+// appearing in the file LICENSE included in the packaging of this file. A
+// commercial license can be purchased by contacting sales@baliance.com.
+
+package chart
+
+import "baliance.com/gooxml/color"
+
+var defaultColors = []color.Color{color.RGB(0x33, 0x66, 0xcc), color.RGB(0xDC, 0x39, 0x12), color.RGB(0xFF, 0x99, 0x00),
+	color.RGB(0x10, 0x96, 0x18), color.RGB(0x99, 0x00, 0x99), color.RGB(0x3B, 0x3E, 0xAC), color.RGB(0x00, 0x99, 0xC6),
+	color.RGB(0xDD, 0x44, 0x77), color.RGB(0x66, 0xAA, 0x00), color.RGB(0xB8, 0x2E, 0x2E), color.RGB(0x31, 0x63, 0x95),
+	color.RGB(0x99, 0x44, 0x99), color.RGB(0x22, 0xAA, 0x99), color.RGB(0xAA, 0xAA, 0x11), color.RGB(0x66, 0x33, 0xCC),
+	color.RGB(0xE6, 0x73, 0x00), color.RGB(0x8B, 0x07, 0x07), color.RGB(0x32, 0x92, 0x62), color.RGB(0x55, 0x74, 0xA6),
+	color.RGB(0x3B, 0x3E, 0xAC)}
+
+type chartBase struct {
+}
+
+func (c chartBase) nextColor(idx int) color.Color {
+	return defaultColors[idx%len(defaultColors)]
+}
diff --git a/chart/linechart.go b/chart/linechart.go
index 033b90d1..b3d2b4bd 100644
--- a/chart/linechart.go
+++ b/chart/linechart.go
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
 package chart
 
 import (
-	"baliance.com/gooxml/color"
 	crt "baliance.com/gooxml/schema/schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/chart"
 )
 
 type LineChart struct {
+	chartBase
 	x *crt.CT_LineChart
 }
 
@@ -21,20 +21,9 @@ func (c LineChart) X() *crt.CT_LineChart {
 	return c.x
 }
 
-var colors = []color.Color{color.RGB(0x33, 0x66, 0xcc), color.RGB(0xDC, 0x39, 0x12), color.RGB(0xFF, 0x99, 0x00),
-	color.RGB(0x10, 0x96, 0x18), color.RGB(0x99, 0x00, 0x99), color.RGB(0x3B, 0x3E, 0xAC), color.RGB(0x00, 0x99, 0xC6),
-	color.RGB(0xDD, 0x44, 0x77), color.RGB(0x66, 0xAA, 0x00), color.RGB(0xB8, 0x2E, 0x2E), color.RGB(0x31, 0x63, 0x95),
-	color.RGB(0x99, 0x44, 0x99), color.RGB(0x22, 0xAA, 0x99), color.RGB(0xAA, 0xAA, 0x11), color.RGB(0x66, 0x33, 0xCC),
-	color.RGB(0xE6, 0x73, 0x00), color.RGB(0x8B, 0x07, 0x07), color.RGB(0x32, 0x92, 0x62), color.RGB(0x55, 0x74, 0xA6),
-	color.RGB(0x3B, 0x3E, 0xAC)}
-
-func (c LineChart) nextColor() color.Color {
-	idx := len(c.x.Ser)
-	return colors[idx%len(colors)]
-}
-
+// AddSeries adds a default series to a line chart.
 func (c LineChart) AddSeries() LineChartSeries {
-	color := c.nextColor()
+	color := c.nextColor(len(c.x.Ser))
 	ser := crt.NewCT_LineSer()
 	c.x.Ser = append(c.x.Ser, ser)
 	ser.Idx.ValAttr = uint32(len(c.x.Ser) - 1)
@@ -46,6 +35,7 @@ func (c LineChart) AddSeries() LineChartSeries {
 	return ls
 }
 
+// AddAxis adds an axis to a line chart.
 func (c LineChart) AddAxis(axis Axis) {
 	axisID := crt.NewCT_UnsignedInt()
 	axisID.ValAttr = axis.AxisID()