     private var layoutContainer: UIView?
     
     private var _customLayout: CocoaBarLayout?
-    private var _defaultLayout: CocoaBarLayout
+    private var _defaultLayout: CocoaBarLayout = CocoaBarDefaultLayout()
     
     private var isAnimating: Bool = false
     

        if let rootWindow = self.rootWindow { // if we have a display window
            if self.superview == nil {
                
                // add bar to display view controller
                rootWindow.addSubview(self)
                let constraints = self.autoPinEdgesToSuperviewEdgesWithInsets(UIEdgeInsetsZero, excludingEdge: ALEdge.Top)
                self.heightConstraint = self.autoSetDimension(ALDimension.Height, toSize: CGFloat(0.0))
                
                self.bottomMarginConstraint = constraints[1]
            }
        }
        

        self.registerForNotifications()
    }
    
    /**
     Create a new instance of a CocoaBar that will display from a view.
     */
    public init(view: UIView?) {
        
        self.rootView = view
        
        super.init(frame: CGRectZero)
        
        self.registerForNotifications()
    }
    
    required public init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        
        _defaultLayout = CocoaBarDefaultLayout()
