diff --git a/src/css/settings.css b/src/css/settings.css
index 5f29fd8e..3f81be8a 100644
--- a/src/css/settings.css
+++ b/src/css/settings.css
@@ -211,4 +211,11 @@
   font-weight: bold;
   color: white;
   font-style: normal;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+.save-desktop-file-name {
+    word-wrap: break-word;
+    font-weight: bold;
+    color: white;
+    font-style: normal;
+}
diff --git a/src/js/app.js b/src/js/app.js
index ef316761..38d2d3a8 100644
--- a/src/js/app.js
+++ b/src/js/app.js
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@
       this.localStorageService = new pskl.service.LocalStorageService(this.piskelController);
       this.localStorageService.init();
 
+      this.desktopStorageService = new pskl.service.DesktopStorageService(this.piskelController);
+      this.desktopStorageService.init();
+
       this.imageUploadService = new pskl.service.ImageUploadService();
       this.imageUploadService.init();
 
diff --git a/src/js/controller/piskel/PublicPiskelController.js b/src/js/controller/piskel/PublicPiskelController.js
index 2778683a..4cd7bc5f 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/piskel/PublicPiskelController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/piskel/PublicPiskelController.js
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@
     });
   };
 
+  ns.PublicPiskelController.prototype.setSavePath = function (savePath) {
+    this.piskelController.piskel.savePath = savePath;
+  };
+
+  ns.PublicPiskelController.prototype.getSavePath = function () {
+    return this.piskelController.piskel.savePath;
+  };
+
   ns.PublicPiskelController.prototype.replay = function (frame, replayData) {
     replayData.fn.apply(this.piskelController, replayData.args);
   };
diff --git a/src/js/controller/settings/ImportController.js b/src/js/controller/settings/ImportController.js
index b1ded716..1a2df04f 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/settings/ImportController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/settings/ImportController.js
@@ -12,11 +12,17 @@
     this.addEventListener(this.hiddenFileInput, 'change', this.onFileUploadChange_);
 
     this.hiddenOpenPiskelInput = document.querySelector('[name="open-piskel-input"]');
-    this.addEventListener(this.hiddenOpenPiskelInput, 'change', this.onOpenPiskelChange_);
 
     this.addEventListener('.browse-local-button', 'click', this.onBrowseLocalClick_);
     this.addEventListener('.file-input-button', 'click', this.onFileInputClick_);
-    this.addEventListener('.open-piskel-button', 'click', this.onOpenPiskelClick_);
+    
+    // different handlers, depending on the Environment
+    if (pskl.utils.Environment.detectNodeWebkit()) {
+      this.addEventListener('.open-piskel-button', 'click', this.openPiskelDesktop_);
+    } else {
+      this.addEventListener(this.hiddenOpenPiskelInput, 'change', this.onOpenPiskelChange_);
+      this.addEventListener('.open-piskel-button', 'click', this.onOpenPiskelClick_);
+    }
 
     this.initRestoreSession_();
   };
@@ -55,6 +61,11 @@
     }
   };
 
+  ns.ImportController.prototype.openPiskelDesktop_ = function (evt) {
+    this.closeDrawer_();
+    pskl.app.desktopStorageService.openPiskel();
+  };
+
   ns.ImportController.prototype.onOpenPiskelClick_ = function (evt) {
     this.hiddenOpenPiskelInput.click();
   };
diff --git a/src/js/controller/settings/SaveController.js b/src/js/controller/settings/SaveController.js
index 0ca43693..e6ce11a9 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/settings/SaveController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/settings/SaveController.js
@@ -29,7 +29,18 @@
       this.isPublicCheckbox.setAttribute('checked', true);
     }
 
-    this.addEventListener('#save-file-button', 'click', this.saveFile_);
+    //Environment dependent configuration:
+    if (pskl.utils.Environment.detectNodeWebkit()) {
+      // running in Node-Webkit...
+      this.addEventListener('#save-file-button', 'click', this.saveFileDesktop);
+      // hide the "save in browser" part of the gui
+      var saveInBrowserSection = document.querySelector('#save-in-browser');
+      saveInBrowserSection.style.display = 'none';
+    } else {
+      // running in browser...
+      this.addEventListener('#save-file-button', 'click', this.saveFileBrowser_);
+    }
+
     this.addEventListener('#save-browser-button', 'click', this.saveLocal_);
 
     this.saveOnlineButton = document.querySelector('#save-online-button');
@@ -53,9 +64,18 @@
   };
 
   ns.SaveController.prototype.updateLocalStatusFilename_ = function () {
-    this.saveFileStatus.innerHTML = pskl.utils.Template.getAndReplace('save-file-status-template', {
-      name : this.getLocalFilename_()
-    });
+    if (pskl.utils.Environment.detectNodeWebkit()) {
+      var fileName = this.piskelController.getSavePath();
+      if (fileName !== null) {
+        this.saveFileStatus.innerHTML = pskl.utils.Template.getAndReplace('save-file-status-desktop-template', {
+          name : this.piskelController.getSavePath()
+        });
+      }
+    } else {
+      this.saveFileStatus.innerHTML = pskl.utils.Template.getAndReplace('save-file-status-template', {
+        name : this.getLocalFilename_()
+      });
+    }
   };
 
   ns.SaveController.prototype.getLocalFilename_ = function () {
@@ -122,7 +142,20 @@
     }
   };
 
+  /**
+   * @deprecated - renamed "saveFileBrowser_"
+   * @private
+   */
   ns.SaveController.prototype.saveFile_ = function () {
+    // detect if this is running in NodeWebkit
+    if (pskl.utils.Environment.detectNodeWebkit()) {
+      this.saveFileDesktop_();
+    } else {
+      this.saveFileBrowser_();
+    }
+  };
+
+  ns.SaveController.prototype.saveFileBrowser_ = function () {
     this.beforeSaving_();
     pskl.utils.BlobUtils.stringToBlob(pskl.app.piskelController.serialize(), function(blob) {
       pskl.utils.FileUtils.downloadAsFile(blob, this.getLocalFilename_());
@@ -131,6 +164,10 @@
     }.bind(this), "application/piskel+json");
   };
 
+  ns.SaveController.prototype.saveFileDesktop_ = function () {
+    pskl.app.desktopStorageService.save();
+  };
+
   ns.SaveController.prototype.getName = function () {
     return this.nameInput.value;
   };
diff --git a/src/js/controller/settings/resize/ResizeController.js b/src/js/controller/settings/resize/ResizeController.js
index 96bdcba7..7564b181 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/settings/resize/ResizeController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/settings/resize/ResizeController.js
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@
 
     var piskel = pskl.model.Piskel.fromLayers(resizedLayers, this.piskelController.getPiskel().getDescriptor());
 
+    // propagate savepath to new Piskel
+    piskel.savePath = pskl.app.piskelController.getSavePath();
     pskl.app.piskelController.setPiskel(piskel, true);
+    
     $.publish(Events.CLOSE_SETTINGS_DRAWER);
   };
 
diff --git a/src/js/model/Piskel.js b/src/js/model/Piskel.js
index fcc1ebdd..bbd0637b 100644
--- a/src/js/model/Piskel.js
+++ b/src/js/model/Piskel.js
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
       this.height = height;
 
       this.descriptor = descriptor;
+
+      /** @type {String} */
+      this.savePath = null;
+
     } else {
       throw 'Missing arguments in Piskel constructor : ' + Array.prototype.join.call(arguments, ",");
     }
diff --git a/src/js/rendering/CompositeRenderer.js b/src/js/rendering/CompositeRenderer.js
index 453a7638..ff8a2bdf 100644
--- a/src/js/rendering/CompositeRenderer.js
+++ b/src/js/rendering/CompositeRenderer.js
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
     return this.getSampleRenderer_().getOffset();
   };
 
-
   ns.CompositeRenderer.prototype.setGridWidth = function (b) {
     this.renderers.forEach(function (renderer) {
       renderer.setGridWidth(b);
diff --git a/src/js/service/DesktopStorageService.js b/src/js/service/DesktopStorageService.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7aef36a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/service/DesktopStorageService.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+(function () {
+  var ns = $.namespace('pskl.service');
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService = function(piskelController) {
+    this.piskelController = piskelController || pskl.app.piskelController;
+    this.hideNotificationTimeoutID = 0;
+  };
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService.prototype.init = function (){
+    // activate keyboard shortcuts if this is the desktop version
+    if (pskl.utils.Environment.detectNodeWebkit()) {
+      pskl.app.shortcutService.addShortcut('ctrl+o', this.openPiskel.bind(this));
+      pskl.app.shortcutService.addShortcut('ctrl+s', this.save.bind(this));
+      pskl.app.shortcutService.addShortcut('ctrl+shift+s', this.savePiskelAs.bind(this));
+    }
+  };
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService.prototype.save = function () {
+    var savePath = this.piskelController.getSavePath();
+    // if we already have a filename, just save the file (using nodejs 'fs' api)
+    if (savePath) {
+      this.savePiskel(savePath);
+    } else {
+      this.savePiskelAs(savePath);
+    }
+  };
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService.prototype.savePiskel = function (savePath) {
+    var serialized = this.piskelController.serialize();
+    pskl.utils.FileUtilsDesktop.saveToFile(serialized, savePath, function () {
+      this.onSaveSuccess_();
+    }.bind(this));
+  };
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService.prototype.openPiskel = function () {
+    pskl.utils.FileUtilsDesktop.chooseFileDialog(function(filename){
+      var savePath = filename;
+      pskl.utils.FileUtilsDesktop.readFile(savePath, function(content){
+        pskl.utils.PiskelFileUtils.decodePiskelFile(content, function (piskel, descriptor, fps) {
+          piskel.setDescriptor(descriptor);
+          // store save path so we can re-save without opening the save dialog
+          piskel.savePath = savePath;
+          pskl.app.piskelController.setPiskel(piskel);
+          pskl.app.animationController.setFPS(fps);
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  };
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService.prototype.savePiskelAs = function (savePath) {
+    var serialized = this.piskelController.serialize();
+    // TODO: if there is already a file path, use it for the dialog's
+    // working directory and filename
+    pskl.utils.FileUtilsDesktop.saveAs(serialized, null, 'piskel', function (selectedSavePath) {
+      this.onSaveSuccess_();
+      this.piskelController.setSavePath(selectedSavePath);
+    }.bind(this));
+  };
+
+  ns.DesktopStorageService.prototype.onSaveSuccess_ = function () {
+    var savePath = this.piskelController.getSavePath();
+    $.publish(Events.CLOSE_SETTINGS_DRAWER);
+    $.publish(Events.SHOW_NOTIFICATION, [{"content": "Successfully saved: " + savePath}]);
+    $.publish(Events.PISKEL_SAVED);
+    // clear the old time out, if any.
+    window.clearTimeout(this.hideNotificationTimeoutID);
+    this.hideNotificationTimeoutID =
+      window.setTimeout($.publish.bind($, Events.HIDE_NOTIFICATION), 3000);
+  };
+
+})();
diff --git a/src/js/service/HistoryService.js b/src/js/service/HistoryService.js
index 611e8709..b974bb0f 100644
--- a/src/js/service/HistoryService.js
+++ b/src/js/service/HistoryService.js
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 
     this.stateQueue = [];
     this.currentIndex = -1;
-
     this.lastLoadState = -1;
   };
 
@@ -124,6 +123,8 @@
   ns.HistoryService.prototype.onPiskelLoaded_ = function (index, snapshotIndex, piskel) {
     var originalSize = this.getPiskelSize_();
     piskel.setDescriptor(this.piskelController.piskel.getDescriptor());
+    // propagate save path to the new piskel instance
+    piskel.savePath = this.piskelController.piskel.savePath;
     this.piskelController.setPiskel(piskel);
 
     for (var i = snapshotIndex + 1 ; i <= index ; i++) {
diff --git a/src/js/utils/Environment.js b/src/js/utils/Environment.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6b6cfb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/utils/Environment.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/**
+ *  detection method from:
+ *  http://videlais.com/2014/08/23/lessons-learned-from-detecting-node-webkit/
+ */
+
+(function () {
+
+  var ns = $.namespace('pskl.utils');
+
+  ns.Environment = {
+    detectNodeWebkit : function () {
+      var isNode = (typeof window.process !== "undefined" && typeof window.require !== "undefined");
+      var isNodeWebkit = false;
+      if (isNode) {
+        try {
+          isNodeWebkit = (typeof window.require('nw.gui') !== "undefined");
+        } catch (e) {
+          isNodeWebkit = false;
+        }
+      }
+      return isNodeWebkit;
+    }
+  };
+
+})();
diff --git a/src/js/utils/FileUtils.js b/src/js/utils/FileUtils.js
index 4189e325..4d8a02e5 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/FileUtils.js
+++ b/src/js/utils/FileUtils.js
@@ -38,5 +38,6 @@
         document.body.removeChild(downloadLink);
       }
     }
+
   };
 })();
diff --git a/src/js/utils/FileUtilsDesktop.js b/src/js/utils/FileUtilsDesktop.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6a724e1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/utils/FileUtilsDesktop.js
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+(function () {
+  var ns = $.namespace('pskl.utils');
+
+  var stopPropagation = function (e) {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+  };
+
+  ns.FileUtilsDesktop = {
+
+    chooseFileDialog: function (callback) {
+      var tagString = '<input type="file" nwworkingdir=""/>';
+      var $chooser = $(tagString);
+      $chooser.change(function(e) {
+        var filename = $(this).val();
+        callback(filename);
+      });
+      $chooser.trigger('click');
+    },
+
+    /**
+     *
+     * @param content
+     * @param defaultFileName - file name to pre-populate the dialog
+     * @param extension - if supplied, the selected extension will guaranteed to be on the filename -
+     * NOTE: there is a possible danger here... If the extension is added to a fileName, but there
+     * is already another file of the same name *with* the extension, it will get overwritten.
+     * @param callback
+     */
+    saveAs: function (content, defaultFileName, extension, callback) {
+      // NodeWebkit has no js api for opening the save dialog.
+      // Instead, it adds two new attributes to the anchor tag: nwdirectory and nwsaveas
+      // (see: https://github.com/nwjs/nw.js/wiki/File-dialogs )
+      defaultFileName = defaultFileName || "";
+      var tagString = '<input type="file" nwsaveas="'+ defaultFileName +'" nwworkingdir=""/>';
+      var $chooser = $(tagString);
+      $chooser.change(function(e) {
+        var filename = $(this).val();
+        if (typeof extension == 'string') {
+          if (extension[0] !== '.') {
+            extension = "." + extension;
+          }
+          var hasExtension = (filename.substring(filename.length - extension.length) === extension);
+          if (!hasExtension) {
+            filename += extension;
+          }
+        }
+        pskl.utils.FileUtilsDesktop.saveToFile(content, filename, function(){
+          callback(filename);
+        });
+      });
+      $chooser.trigger('click');
+    },
+
+    /**
+     * Save data directly to disk, without showing a save dialog
+     * Requires Node-Webkit environment for file system access
+     * @param content - data to be saved
+     * @param {string} filename - fill path to the file
+     * @callback callback
+     */
+    saveToFile : function(content, filename, callback) {
+      var fs = window.require('fs');
+      fs.writeFile(filename, content, function(err){
+        if (err) {
+          //throw err;
+          console.log('FileUtilsDesktop::savetoFile() - error saving file:', filename, 'Error:', err);
+        }
+        callback();
+      });
+    },
+
+    readFile : function(filename, callback) {
+      var fs = window.require('fs');
+      // NOTE: currently loading everything as utf8, which may not be desirable in future
+      fs.readFile(filename, 'utf8', function(err, data){
+        if (err) {
+          console.log('FileUtilsDesktop::readFile() - error reading file:', filename, 'Error:', err);
+        }
+        callback(data);
+      });
+    }
+  };
+})();
diff --git a/src/js/utils/PiskelFileUtils.js b/src/js/utils/PiskelFileUtils.js
index 59d64aed..009f1355 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/PiskelFileUtils.js
+++ b/src/js/utils/PiskelFileUtils.js
@@ -13,13 +13,29 @@
     loadFromFile : function (file, onSuccess, onError) {
       pskl.utils.FileUtils.readFile(file, function (content) {
         var rawPiskel = pskl.utils.Base64.toText(content);
-        var serializedPiskel = JSON.parse(rawPiskel);
-        var fps = serializedPiskel.piskel.fps;
-        var descriptor = new pskl.model.piskel.Descriptor(serializedPiskel.piskel.name, serializedPiskel.piskel.description, true);
-        pskl.utils.serialization.Deserializer.deserialize(serializedPiskel, function (piskel) {
-          onSuccess(piskel, descriptor, fps);
-        });
+        ns.PiskelFileUtils.decodePiskelFile(
+          rawPiskel,
+          function (piskel, descriptor, fps) {
+            // if using Node-Webkit, store the savePath on load
+            // Note: the 'path' property is unique to Node-Webkit, and holds the full path
+            if (pskl.utils.Environment.detectNodeWebkit()) {
+              piskel.savePath = file.path;
+            }
+            onSuccess(piskel, descriptor, fps);
+          },
+          onError
+        );
+      });
+    },
+
+    decodePiskelFile : function (rawPiskel, onSuccess, onError) {
+      var serializedPiskel = JSON.parse(rawPiskel);
+      var fps = serializedPiskel.piskel.fps;
+      var descriptor = new pskl.model.piskel.Descriptor(serializedPiskel.piskel.name, serializedPiskel.piskel.description, true);
+      pskl.utils.serialization.Deserializer.deserialize(serializedPiskel, function (piskel) {
+        onSuccess(piskel, descriptor, fps);
       });
     }
+
   };
 })();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/piskel-script-list.js b/src/piskel-script-list.js
index cac6f3bc..02a73b0f 100644
--- a/src/piskel-script-list.js
+++ b/src/piskel-script-list.js
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
   "js/utils/DateUtils.js",
   "js/utils/Dom.js",
   "js/utils/Event.js",
+  "js/utils/Environment.js",
   "js/utils/Math.js",
   "js/utils/FileUtils.js",
+  "js/utils/FileUtilsDesktop.js",
   "js/utils/FrameTransform.js",
   "js/utils/FrameUtils.js",
   "js/utils/LayerUtils.js",
@@ -129,6 +131,7 @@
   "js/service/LocalStorageService.js",
   "js/service/GithubStorageService.js",
   "js/service/AppEngineStorageService.js",
+  "js/service/DesktopStorageService.js",
   "js/service/BackupService.js",
   "js/service/BeforeUnloadService.js",
   "js/service/HistoryService.js",
diff --git a/src/templates/settings/save.html b/src/templates/settings/save.html
index d86170c3..8a34244a 100644
--- a/src/templates/settings/save.html
+++ b/src/templates/settings/save.html
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@
       <input type="button" class="button button-primary" id="save-online-button" value="Save to your gallery" />
       <div id="save-online-status" class="save-status"></div>
     </div>
-    <div class="settings-title">Save offline in Browser</div>
-    <div class="settings-item">
-      <input type="button" class="button button-primary" id="save-browser-button" value="Save in Browser" />
-      <div id="save-browser-status" class="save-status">Your piskel will be saved locally and will only be accessible from this browser.</div>
+    <div id="save-in-browser">
+        <div class="settings-title">Save offline in Browser</div>
+        <div class="settings-item">
+          <input type="button" class="button button-primary" id="save-browser-button" value="Save in Browser" />
+          <div id="save-browser-status" class="save-status">Your piskel will be saved locally and will only be accessible from this browser.</div>
+        </div>
     </div>
     <div class="settings-title">Save offline as File</div>
     <div class="settings-item">
@@ -41,6 +43,10 @@
   </script>
 
   <script type="text/template" id="save-file-status-template">
-    <span>Your piskel will be downloaded as <span class="save-file-name">{{name}}<span></span>
+    <span>Your piskel will be downloaded as: <span class="save-file-name">{{name}}<span></span>
   </script>
-</div>
\ No newline at end of file
+
+  <script type="text/template" id="save-file-status-desktop-template">
+    <span>Saving as: <span class="save-desktop-file-name">{{name}}<span></span>
+  </script>
+</div>