diff --git a/src/module.d.ts b/src/module.d.ts
index facf4148..6d575f38 100644
--- a/src/module.d.ts
+++ b/src/module.d.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
+import * as Immutable from 'immutable';
 import { connect as originalConnect } from 'react-redux';
 import { ActionCreator, Middleware } from 'redux';
 
@@ -203,6 +204,18 @@ const SettingsContainer: (OriginalComponent: any) => any;
 
 const SettingsComponents: PropertyBag<GriddleComponent<any>>;
 
+export interface FilterProps {
+    setFilter?: (filter: GriddleFilter) => void;
+    placeholder?: string;
+    className?: string;
+    style?: React.CSSProperties;
+
+    [x: string]: any;
+}
+
+class Filter extends React.Component<FilterProps, any> {
+}
+
 } // namespace components
 
 export interface GriddleComponents {
@@ -216,10 +229,10 @@ export interface GriddleComponents {
     StyleContainer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<any>) => GriddleComponent<any>;
     StyleContainerEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<any>) => GriddleComponent<any>;
 
-    Filter?: GriddleComponent<any>;
-    FilterEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<any>) => GriddleComponent<any>;
-    FilterContainer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<any>) => GriddleComponent<any>;
-    FilterContainerEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<any>) => GriddleComponent<any>;
+    Filter?: GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>;
+    FilterEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>) => GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>;
+    FilterContainer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>) => GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>;
+    FilterContainerEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>) => GriddleComponent<components.FilterProps>;
 
     SettingsWrapper?: GriddleComponent<components.SettingsWrapperProps>;
     SettingsWrapperEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<components.SettingsWrapperProps>) => GriddleComponent<components.SettingsWrapperProps>;
@@ -294,12 +307,15 @@ export interface GriddleComponents {
     PreviousButtonContainerEnhancer?: (OriginalComponent: GriddleComponent<any>) => GriddleComponent<any>;
 }
 
+export type RowFilter = (row: any, index: number, data: Immutable.List<any>) => boolean;
+export type GriddleFilter = string | RowFilter | PropertyBag<string | RowFilter>;
+
 export interface GriddleActions extends PropertyBag<ActionCreator<any> | undefined> {
     onSort?: (sortProperties: any) => void;
     onNext?: () => void;
     onPrevious?: () => void;
     onGetPage?: (pageNumber: number) => void;
-    setFilter?: (filterText: string) => void;
+    setFilter?: (filter: GriddleFilter) => void;
 }
 
 export interface GriddleEvents extends GriddleActions {
diff --git a/src/plugins/local/reducers/__tests__/localReducerTests.js b/src/plugins/local/reducers/__tests__/localReducerTests.js
index 42e2080d..6a12d873 100644
--- a/src/plugins/local/reducers/__tests__/localReducerTests.js
+++ b/src/plugins/local/reducers/__tests__/localReducerTests.js
@@ -40,12 +40,46 @@ test('sets page size', test => {
   test.is(state.getIn(['pageProperties', 'pageSize']), 11);
 });
 
-test('sets filter', test => {
+test('sets filter null', test => {
   const state = reducers.GRIDDLE_SET_FILTER(new Immutable.Map(), {
-    filter: 'onetwothree',
+    filter: null,
   });
 
-  test.is(state.get('filter'), 'onetwothree');
+  test.is(state.get('filter'), null);
+  test.is(state.getIn(['pageProperties', 'currentPage']), 1)
+});
+
+test('sets filter string', test => {
+  const filter = 'onetwothree';
+  const state = reducers.GRIDDLE_SET_FILTER(new Immutable.Map(), {
+    filter
+  });
+
+  test.is(state.get('filter'), filter);
+  test.is(state.getIn(['pageProperties', 'currentPage']), 1)
+});
+
+test('sets filter function', test => {
+  const filter = (v, i) => i % 2;
+  const state = reducers.GRIDDLE_SET_FILTER(new Immutable.Map(), {
+    filter,
+  });
+
+  test.is(state.get('filter'), filter);
+  test.is(state.getIn(['pageProperties', 'currentPage']), 1)
+});
+
+test('sets filter object', test => {
+  const filter = {
+    id: (v, i) => i % 2,
+    name: 'ben',
+  };
+  const state = reducers.GRIDDLE_SET_FILTER(new Immutable.Map(), {
+    filter,
+  });
+
+  test.not(state.get('filter'), filter);
+  test.deepEqual(state.get('filter').toJS(), filter);
   test.is(state.getIn(['pageProperties', 'currentPage']), 1)
 });
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/local/reducers/index.js b/src/plugins/local/reducers/index.js
index 7b8dec64..4cc9ad85 100644
--- a/src/plugins/local/reducers/index.js
+++ b/src/plugins/local/reducers/index.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import Immutable from 'immutable';
 import { maxPageSelector, currentPageSelector } from '../selectors/localSelectors';
 
 import * as dataReducers from '../../../reducers//dataReducer';
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ export function GRIDDLE_PREVIOUS_PAGE(state, action) {
  */
 export function GRIDDLE_SET_FILTER(state, action) {
   return state
-    .set('filter', action.filter)
+    .set('filter', action.filter && Immutable.fromJS(action.filter))
     .setIn(['pageProperties', 'currentPage'], 1);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/local/selectors/__tests__/localSelectorsTest.js b/src/plugins/local/selectors/__tests__/localSelectorsTest.js
index 51978194..ba7514ac 100644
--- a/src/plugins/local/selectors/__tests__/localSelectorsTest.js
+++ b/src/plugins/local/selectors/__tests__/localSelectorsTest.js
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import Immutable from 'immutable';
 import * as selectors from '../localSelectors';
 
 test('gets data', test => {
-    const state = new Immutable.Map({ data: 'hi' });
+  const state = new Immutable.Map({ data: 'hi' });
 
-    test.deepEqual(selectors.dataSelector(state), 'hi');
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.dataSelector(state), 'hi');
 });
 
 test('gets current page', test => {
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ test('gets empty string when filter not present', test => {
 test('gets sort properties', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     sortProperties: [
-    { id: 'one', sortAscending: true },
-    { id: 'two', sortAscending: false }
+      { id: 'one', sortAscending: true },
+      { id: 'two', sortAscending: false },
     ]
   });
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ test('gets column orders', test => {
 test('gets visible columns when columns specified without order', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     data: [
-      { one: 'hi', two: 'hello', three: 'this should not show up'}
+      { one: 'hi', two: 'hello', three: 'this should not show up' },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ test('gets visible columns when columns specified without order', test => {
 test('gets visible columns in order when columns specified', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     data: [
-      { one: 'hi', two: 'hello', three: 'this should not show up'}
+      { one: 'hi', two: 'hello', three: 'this should not show up' },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ test('gets visible columns in order when columns specified', test => {
 test('gets all columns as visible columns when no columns specified', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     data: [
-      { one: 'hi', two: 'hello', three: 'this should not show up'}
+      { one: 'hi', two: 'hello', three: 'this should not show up' },
     ]
   });
 
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ test('hasNextSelector returns true when more pages', test => {
 
 test('hasNextSelector returns false when no more pages', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
-     data: [
+    data: [
       { one: 1 },
       { two: 2 },
       { three: 3 },
@@ -218,31 +218,137 @@ test('filteredDataSelector returns all data when no filter present', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     data: [
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
-      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' }
-    ]
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(),
+    state.get('data').toJSON());
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector returns all data when filter is null', test => {
+  const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: null,
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(),
+    state.get('data').toJSON());
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector returns all data when filter is empty string', test => {
+  const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: '',
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(),
+    state.get('data').toJSON());
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector filters data when filter string present', test => {
+  const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: 'luke',
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
   });
 
   test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
     { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
-    { id: '2', name: 'han solo' }
   ]);
 });
 
-test('filteredDataSelector filters data when filter string present', test => {
+test('filteredDataSelector filters data when filter function present', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
-    filter: 'luke',
+    filter: function (row, i, data) {
+      test.deepEqual(data, state.get('data'));
+      return row.get("name") === 'luke skywalker' && i % 2;
+    },
     data: [
+      { id: '0', name: 'luke skywalker' },
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
-      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' }
-    ]
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
   });
 
   test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
-    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' }
+    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector returns all data when filter object has null or empty string', test => {
+  const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: {
+      id: null,
+      name: '',
+    },
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(),
+    state.get('data').toJSON());
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector filters data when filter object present', test => {
+  const state = Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: { name: 'luke' },
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
+    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector filters data with multiple filters', test => {
+  const state = Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: { id: '1', name: 'luke' },
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '1', name: 'han solo' },
+      { id: '3', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
+    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector filters data when filter object with filter function', test => {
+  const state = Immutable.fromJS({
+    filter: {
+      name: function (rowName, i, data) {
+        test.deepEqual(data, state.get('data'));
+        return rowName.length === 14 && i % 2;
+      },
+    },
+    data: [
+      { id: '0', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo' },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
+    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker' },
   ]);
 });
 
-test('filteredDataSelector filters data respecting filterable', test => {
+test('filteredDataSelector filter by string respects filterable', test => {
   const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -251,18 +357,49 @@ test('filteredDataSelector filters data respecting filterable', test => {
         },
         weapon: {
           filterable: true,
-        }
-      }
+        },
+      },
     },
     filter: 'H',
     data: [
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', weapon: 'light saber' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', weapon: 'blaster' },
-    ]
+    ],
   });
 
   test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
-    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', weapon: 'light saber' }
+    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', weapon: 'light saber' },
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('filteredDataSelector filter by object respects filterable', test => {
+  const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
+    renderProperties: {
+      columnProperties: {
+        id: {
+          filterable: false,
+        },
+        name: {
+          filterable: false,
+        },
+        weapon: {
+          filterable: true,
+        }
+      },
+    },
+    filter: {
+      id: () => false,
+      name: 'z',
+      weapon: 'g',
+    },
+    data: [
+      { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', weapon: 'light saber' },
+      { id: '2', name: 'han solo', weapon: 'blaster' },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  test.deepEqual(selectors.filteredDataSelector(state).toJSON(), [
+    { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', weapon: 'light saber' },
   ]);
 });
 
@@ -348,7 +485,7 @@ test('sortedDataSelector works with multiple sortOptions', test => {
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana' },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple' },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple'}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple' },
     ],
     sortProperties: [
       { id: 'name', sortAscending: true },
@@ -370,7 +507,7 @@ test('current page data selector gets correct page', test => {
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana' },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple' },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple'}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple' },
     ],
     pageProperties: {
       currentPage: 3,
@@ -387,7 +524,7 @@ test('visible data selector gets only visible columns', test => {
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana' },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple' },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple'}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple' },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -414,7 +551,7 @@ test('visibleRowIdsSelector gets row ids', test => {
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange', griddleKey: 1 },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana', griddleKey: 2 },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple', griddleKey: 3 },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple', griddleKey: 4}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple', griddleKey: 4 },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -438,7 +575,7 @@ test('hidden columns selector shows all columns that are not visible', test => {
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana' },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple' },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple'}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple' },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -457,12 +594,12 @@ test('hidden columns selector shows all columns that are not visible', test => {
 });
 
 test('columnIdsSelector gets all column ids', test => {
-    const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
+  const state = new Immutable.fromJS({
     data: [
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana' },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple' },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple'}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple' },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
@@ -495,7 +632,7 @@ test('columnTitlesSelector gets all column titles', test => {
       { id: '1', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'orange' },
       { id: '2', name: 'han solo', food: 'banana' },
       { id: '3', name: 'han solo', food: 'apple' },
-      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple'}
+      { id: '4', name: 'luke skywalker', food: 'apple' },
     ],
     renderProperties: {
       columnProperties: {
diff --git a/src/plugins/local/selectors/localSelectors.js b/src/plugins/local/selectors/localSelectors.js
index 41d9e35b..33ec878d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/local/selectors/localSelectors.js
+++ b/src/plugins/local/selectors/localSelectors.js
@@ -37,6 +37,58 @@ export const metaDataColumnsSelector = dataSelectors.metaDataColumnsSelector;
 
 const columnPropertiesSelector = state => state.getIn(['renderProperties', 'columnProperties']);
 
+const substringSearch = (value, filter) => {
+  if (!filter) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  const filterToLower = filter.toLowerCase();
+  return value && value.toString().toLowerCase().indexOf(filterToLower) > -1;
+};
+
+const filterable = (columnProperties, key) => {
+  if (key === 'griddleKey') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (columnProperties) {
+    if (columnProperties.get(key) === undefined ||
+      columnProperties.getIn([key, 'filterable']) === false) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+};
+
+const textFilterRowSearch = (columnProperties, filter) => (row) => {
+  return row.keySeq()
+    .some((key) => {
+      if (!filterable(columnProperties, key)) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      return substringSearch(row.get(key), filter);
+    });
+};
+
+const objectFilterRowSearch = (columnProperties, filter) => (row, i, data) => {
+  return row.keySeq().every((key) => {
+    if (!filterable(columnProperties, key)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    const keyFilter = filter.get(key);
+    switch (typeof (keyFilter)) {
+      case 'string':
+        return substringSearch(row.get(key), keyFilter);
+        break;
+      case 'function':
+        return keyFilter(row.get(key), i, data);
+        break;
+      default:
+        return true;
+        break;
+    }
+  });
+};
+
 /** Gets the data filtered by the current filter
  */
 export const filteredDataSelector = createSelector(
@@ -48,22 +100,16 @@ export const filteredDataSelector = createSelector(
       return data;
     }
 
-    const filterToLower = filter.toLowerCase();
-    return data.filter(row =>
-      row.keySeq()
-        .some((key) => {
-          if (key === 'griddleKey') {
-            return false;
-          } else if (columnProperties) {
-            if (columnProperties.get(key) === undefined ||
-              columnProperties.getIn([key, 'filterable']) === false) {
-              return false;
-            }
-          }
-          const value = row.get(key);
-          return value &&
-            value.toString().toLowerCase().indexOf(filterToLower) > -1;
-        }));
+    switch (typeof (filter)) {
+      case 'string':
+        return data.filter(textFilterRowSearch(columnProperties, filter));
+      case 'object':
+        return data.filter(objectFilterRowSearch(columnProperties, filter));
+      case 'function':
+        return data.filter(filter);
+      default:
+        return data;
+    }
   }
 );
 
@@ -185,7 +231,7 @@ export const columnIdsSelector = createSelector(
   visibleDataSelector,
   renderPropertiesSelector,
   (visibleData, renderProperties) => {
-    if(visibleData.size > 0) {
+    if (visibleData.size > 0) {
       return Object.keys(visibleData.get(0).toJSON()).map(k =>
         renderProperties.getIn(['columnProperties', k, 'id']) || k
       )
diff --git a/stories/index.tsx b/stories/index.tsx
index 05b8b844..aff876e0 100644
--- a/stories/index.tsx
+++ b/stories/index.tsx
@@ -1210,6 +1210,37 @@ storiesOf('Filter', module)
       </Griddle>
     )
   })
+  .add('with Custom Filter for the column "name"', () => {
+    class CustomFilter extends components.Filter {
+      public setFilter = (e: any) => {
+        this.props.setFilter({
+          name: e.target.value,
+        });
+      }
+      public render() {
+        return (
+          <label>
+            {'Name: '}
+            <input
+            type='text'
+            name='filter'
+            onChange={this.setFilter}
+            style={this.props.style}
+            className={this.props.className}
+            />
+          </label>
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+    return (
+      <Griddle data={fakeData} plugins={[LocalPlugin]}
+              components={{Filter: CustomFilter}}>
+        <RowDefinition>
+        </RowDefinition>
+      </Griddle>
+    )
+  })
 
 storiesOf('Redux', module)
   .add('with custom filter connected to another Redux store', () => {