diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a41c857..e26c54c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
     "typescript": "^2.6.1"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@types/lodash-es": "^4.17.0",
+    "lodash-es": "^4.17.4",
     "mobx": "^3.3.2"
   },
   "jest": {
diff --git a/src/utils/buildMessage.ts b/src/utils/buildMessage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a37ae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/buildMessage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../utils/types';
+import messages from '../utils/messages';
+import {createMessageDescriptor} from '../utils/createMessageDescriptors'
+
+export function buildMessage(failedValidation: FailedValidation): MessageDescriptors {
+  let {type, key, message, context} = failedValidation;
+
+  const descriptor: MessageDescriptors = message ? formatMessage(message, type) : messages[type]
+  return {...descriptor, values: {...context, key, type}}
+}
+
+function formatMessage(message: string | MessageDescriptors, type: string) {
+  if(typeof message === 'string') {
+    return createMessageDescriptor(message, type)
+  }
+
+  return message;
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/createMessageDescriptors.ts b/src/utils/createMessageDescriptors.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90f15d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/createMessageDescriptors.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import {Dict, Descriptors} from './types'
+
+export function createMessageDescriptors<T extends Dict<string>>(prefix: string, messages: T): Descriptors<T> {
+  let descriptors = {} as Descriptors<T>;
+  Object.keys(messages).forEach((id) => {
+    descriptors[id] = createMessageDescriptor(messages[id], id, prefix);
+  });
+
+  return descriptors;
+}
+
+export function createMessageDescriptor(message: string, type: string, prefix: string = 'Validation') {
+  return {id: `${prefix}.${type}`, defaultMessage: message}
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/messages.ts b/src/utils/messages.ts
index 5281d03..380dfb3 100644
--- a/src/utils/messages.ts
+++ b/src/utils/messages.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
-export default {
-  email: 'A valid email address is required'
-};
+import {createMessageDescriptors} from './createMessageDescriptors';
+import {MessageDescriptors} from './types';
+
+export default createMessageDescriptors('Validation', {
+  required: '{key} is a required field',
+  format: '{key} is not formatted correctly',
+  confirmation: '{key} needs to match {on}',
+  email: 'A valid email address is required',
+  tooShort: '{key} is too short (minimum is {min})',
+  tooLong: '{key} is too long (maximum is {max})',
+  wrongLength: '{key} is the wrong length (should be {is})',
+  between: '{key} is the wrong length (should be between {min} and {max})',
+  equals: '{key} must exactly match {desiredValue}'
+});
diff --git a/src/utils/types.ts b/src/utils/types.ts
index 7c69819..a7955d7 100644
--- a/src/utils/types.ts
+++ b/src/utils/types.ts
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ export interface Dict<T> {
 export interface FailedValidation {
   type: string;
   key: string;
-  message: Dict<string>;
+  message?: MessageDescriptors | string;
   context?: Dict<any>; // string | RegExp | number
+  values?: Dict<string>;
 }
 
-export type ValidatorResult = true | FailedValidation;
+export type ValidatorResult = true | MessageDescriptors;
 
 // Todo -> Add the correct type here to message
 export interface ValidationOptions {
@@ -21,3 +22,15 @@ export interface LengthPredicates {
   max?: number;
   is?: number;
 }
+
+export interface MessageDescriptors {
+  id: string;
+  description?: string;
+  defaultMessage: string;
+  values?: {[key: string]: string | number | boolean }
+}
+
+export type Descriptors<T> = {
+  [K in keyof T]: MessageDescriptors;
+};
+
diff --git a/src/validators/confirmation.ts b/src/validators/confirmation.ts
index 2f9ef8e..696d41c 100644
--- a/src/validators/confirmation.ts
+++ b/src/validators/confirmation.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import {ValidationOptions, ValidatorResult} from '../utils/types';
+import {buildMessage} from '../utils/buildMessage';
 
 /**
  * Require that one property on the model is the same as the other. For password confirmation inputs, etc.
  */
 export default function confirmation<V = any>(on: string, opts: ValidationOptions = {}) {
   return (key: string, value: V, model: any): ValidatorResult => {
-    return value === model[on] ? true : {type: 'confirmation', key, context: {on}, message: opts.message};
+    return value === model[on] ? true : buildMessage({type: 'confirmation', key, context: {on}, message: opts.message});
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/validators/email.ts b/src/validators/email.ts
index eaa1b0a..cc41df4 100644
--- a/src/validators/email.ts
+++ b/src/validators/email.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import messages from '../utils/messages';
  */
 export default function email(opts: ValidationOptions = {}) {
   // Todo: Update copy of default emailmessage
-  const defaultMessage = 'Hello There';
   opts.message  = opts.message ? opts.message : messages.email;
   return format(/^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,}$/ig, opts);
 }
diff --git a/src/validators/equals.ts b/src/validators/equals.ts
index 26c428a..36c47af 100644
--- a/src/validators/equals.ts
+++ b/src/validators/equals.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import {ValidationOptions, ValidatorResult} from '../utils/types';
+import {buildMessage} from '../utils/buildMessage';
+import messages from '../utils/messages';
 
 /**
  * Require that a value exactly match a given desired value.
  */
 export default function equals(desiredValue: any, opts: ValidationOptions = {}) {
   return (key: string, value: any): ValidatorResult => {
-    return value === desiredValue ? true : {type: 'equals', key, context: {desiredValue}, message: opts.message};
+    opts.message  = opts.message ? opts.message : messages.equals;
+    return value === desiredValue ? true : buildMessage({type: 'equals', key, context: {desiredValue}, message: opts.message});
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/validators/format.ts b/src/validators/format.ts
index 9d80a8a..df97ba5 100644
--- a/src/validators/format.ts
+++ b/src/validators/format.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import {ValidationOptions, ValidatorResult} from '../utils/types';
+import {buildMessage} from '../utils/buildMessage';
+import messages from '../utils/messages';
 
 /**
  * Validate a value against a regular expression.
  */
 export default function format(matchFormat: RegExp, opts: ValidationOptions = {}) {
   return (key: string, value: string): ValidatorResult => {
-    return value.toString().match(matchFormat) ?  true : {type: 'format', key, context: {matchFormat}, message: opts.message};
+    opts.message  = opts.message ? opts.message : messages.format;
+    return value.toString().match(matchFormat) ?  true : buildMessage({type: 'format', key, context: {matchFormat}, message: opts.message});
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/validators/length.ts b/src/validators/length.ts
index cd921a1..1f2fe61 100644
--- a/src/validators/length.ts
+++ b/src/validators/length.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import {isPlainObject} from '../utils/isPlainObject';
 import {isObservableMap} from 'mobx';
 import {ValidationOptions, ValidatorResult, LengthPredicates} from '../utils/types';
+import messages from '../utils/messages';
+import {buildMessage} from '../utils/buildMessage';
 
 /**
  * Validate that a value is a certain length. Options are `min`, `max`, and `is` for an exact length.
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ export default function length(lengthCheck: LengthPredicates, opts: ValidationOp
       throw new Error(`no length predicate given`);
     }
 
-    return valid ? true : {type: validation, key, message: opts.message, context: {...lengthCheck}};
+    opts.message  = opts.message ? opts.message : messages[validation];
+    return valid ? true : buildMessage({type: validation, key, message: opts.message, context: {...lengthCheck}});
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/validators/propertyRequired.ts b/src/validators/propertyRequired.ts
index 041e505..bf8a5f5 100644
--- a/src/validators/propertyRequired.ts
+++ b/src/validators/propertyRequired.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {ValidationOptions, ValidatorResult} from '../utils/types';
  */
 export default function propertyRequired<V extends object>(prop: string, opts: ValidationOptions = {}) {
   // add correct type to value V
-  return function (_key: string, value: any): ValidatorResult {
+  return function (_key: string, value: V): ValidatorResult {
     // note that the error message is for the specific property, not the container object
     return required(opts)(prop, value[prop]);
   };
diff --git a/src/validators/required.ts b/src/validators/required.ts
index 031a8f0..b462dfb 100644
--- a/src/validators/required.ts
+++ b/src/validators/required.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { isObservableMap, isObservableArray } from 'mobx';
 import {ValidationOptions, ValidatorResult} from '../utils/types';
+import messages from '../utils/messages';
+import {buildMessage} from '../utils/buildMessage';
 
 /**
  * Require a value. Empty strings, empty arrays, or "empty" primitives will fail.
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ export default function required<V = any>(opts: ValidationOptions = {}) {
       present = value !== null && value !== undefined && value.toString() !== '';
     }
 
-    return present ? true : {type: 'required', key, message: opts.message};
+    opts.message  = opts.message ? opts.message : messages.required;
+    return present ? true : buildMessage({type: 'required', key, message: opts.message});
   };
 }
diff --git a/test/utils/buildMessage.test.ts b/test/utils/buildMessage.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf21c03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/utils/buildMessage.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import {buildMessage} from '../../src/utils/buildMessage';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
+
+describe('buildMessage', () => {
+  test('default message', () => {
+    let failedValidation = {key: 'name', type: 'required'};
+    let result = buildMessage(failedValidation);
+
+    expect(result.values).toEqual(failedValidation);
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages['required'].defaultMessage);
+  });
+
+  test('with message as string', () => {
+    let message = 'Name is not valid';
+    let failedValidation = {key: 'name', type: 'required', message };
+    let result = buildMessage(failedValidation);
+
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(message)
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('required')
+    expect(result.values.key).toEqual('name')
+  });
+
+  test('with message as MessageDescriptor', () => {
+    let message = {defaultMessage: 'Name is not valid', id: 'Validation.required'};
+    let failedValidation = {key: 'name', type: 'required', message };
+    let result = buildMessage(failedValidation);
+
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(message.defaultMessage)
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('required')
+    expect(result.values.key).toEqual('name')
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/validators/confirmation.test.ts b/test/validators/confirmation.test.ts
index 1615f94..a2f1e97 100644
--- a/test/validators/confirmation.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/confirmation.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 import confirmation from '../../src/validators/confirmation';
 import '../../src/utils/types'
@@ -24,9 +25,10 @@ describe('confirmation', () => {
 
     const validator = confirmation('bar');
 
-    const result = validator('foo', 'one hundred', model) as FailedValidation;
+    const result = validator('foo', 'one hundred', model) as MessageDescriptors;
 
     expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-    expect(result.type).toEqual('confirmation');
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('confirmation');
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages['confirmation'].defaultMessage);
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/validators/email.test.ts b/test/validators/email.test.ts
index c360036..79bfa15 100644
--- a/test/validators/email.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/email.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import email from '../../src/validators/email';
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 
-describe('email', () => {
+describe.only('email', () => {
   it('accepts a value that matches a regex', () => {
     const validator = email();
 
@@ -14,10 +15,10 @@ describe('email', () => {
   it('rejects a value that does not match a regex', () => {
     const validator = email();
 
-    const result = validator('email', 'test@example') as FailedValidation;
-
+    const result = validator('email', 'test@example') as MessageDescriptors;
+    
     expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-    expect(result.type).toEqual('format');
-    expect(result.message).toEqual('A valid email address is required');
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('format');
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages.email.defaultMessage);
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/validators/equals.test.ts b/test/validators/equals.test.ts
index e657dbb..41a3073 100644
--- a/test/validators/equals.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/equals.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import equals from '../../src/validators/equals';
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 
 describe('equals', () => {
@@ -14,9 +15,10 @@ describe('equals', () => {
   it('rejects a value that does not match a value', () => {
     const validator = equals(false);
 
-    const result = validator('foo', true) as FailedValidation;
+    const result = validator('foo', true) as MessageDescriptors;
 
     expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-    expect(result.type).toEqual('equals');
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('equals');
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages.equals.defaultMessage);
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/validators/format.test.ts b/test/validators/format.test.ts
index 4326246..c185e44 100644
--- a/test/validators/format.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/format.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import format from '../../src/validators/format';
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 
 describe('format', () => {
@@ -14,9 +15,10 @@ describe('format', () => {
   it('rejects a value that does not match a regex', () => {
     const validator = format(/[a-z]{2}/);
 
-    const result = validator('foo', 'a') as FailedValidation;
+    const result = validator('foo', 'a') as MessageDescriptors;
 
     expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-    expect(result.type).toEqual('format');
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('format');
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages.format.defaultMessage);
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/validators/length.test.ts b/test/validators/length.test.ts
index 3cccbab..5368863 100644
--- a/test/validators/length.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/length.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import length from '../../src/validators/length';
 import {observable} from 'mobx'
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 
 describe('length', () => {
@@ -60,9 +61,10 @@ describe('length', () => {
       it(`rejects "${value.toString()}" as ${Object.keys(options)}`, () => {
         const validator = length(options as any);
 
-        const result = validator('key', value) as FailedValidation;
+        const result = validator('key', value) as MessageDescriptors;
         expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-        expect(result.type).toEqual(failure);
+        expect(result.values.type).toEqual(failure);
+        expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages[failure].defaultMessage)
       });
     });
 
@@ -79,12 +81,12 @@ describe('length', () => {
   it('errors if no length predicate is given', () => {
     const validator = length({});
 
-    // expect(() => validator('key', [])).toThrowError();
+    expect(() => validator('key', [])).toThrowError();
   });
 
   it('errors if an property with no length is given', () => {
     const validator = length({min: 0});
 
-    // expect(() => validator('key', false)).toThrowError();
+    expect(() => validator('key', false)).toThrowError();
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/validators/propertyRequired.test.ts b/test/validators/propertyRequired.test.ts
index 6d4d302..262a7d3 100644
--- a/test/validators/propertyRequired.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/propertyRequired.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import propertyRequired from '../../src/validators/propertyRequired';
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 describe('propertyRequired', () => {
   it('works with required values', () => {
@@ -19,8 +20,9 @@ describe('propertyRequired', () => {
 
     const validator = propertyRequired('foo');
 
-    const result = validator('key', value) as FailedValidation;
+    const result = validator('key', value) as MessageDescriptors;
     expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-    expect(result.type).toEqual('required'); // the error message is for the specific property, not the container object
+    expect(result.values.type).toEqual('required'); // the error message is for the specific property, not the container object
+    expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages.required.defaultMessage);
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/validators/required.test.ts b/test/validators/required.test.ts
index 1f85fd6..3477f0d 100644
--- a/test/validators/required.test.ts
+++ b/test/validators/required.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import {observable} from 'mobx';
-import {FailedValidation} from '../../src/utils/types';
+import {FailedValidation, MessageDescriptors} from '../../src/utils/types';
 
 import required from '../../src/validators/required';
 import '../../src/utils/types';
+import messages from '../../src/utils/messages';
 
 describe('required', () => {
   [
@@ -32,9 +33,10 @@ describe('required', () => {
   ].forEach((value) => {
     it(`rejects "${value}" as required`, () => {
       const validator = required();
-      const result = validator('key', value) as FailedValidation;
+      const result = validator('key', value) as MessageDescriptors;
       expect(result).not.toEqual(true);
-      expect(result.type).toEqual('required');
+      expect(result.values.type).toEqual('required');
+      expect(result.defaultMessage).toEqual(messages.required.defaultMessage)
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index ec45d5a..f30d667 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@
   version "22.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/jest/-/jest-22.0.1.tgz#6370a6d60cce3845e4cd5d00bf65f654264685bc"
 
+"@types/lodash-es@^4.17.0":
+  version "4.17.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/lodash-es/-/lodash-es-4.17.0.tgz#ed9044d62ee36a93e0650b112701986b1c74c766"
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/lodash" "*"
+
+"@types/lodash@*":
+  version "4.14.93"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/lodash/-/lodash-4.14.93.tgz#a6d2a1e1601a3c29196f38ef1990b68a9afa1e1c"
+
 "@types/node@*":
   version "9.3.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-9.3.0.tgz#3a129cda7c4e5df2409702626892cb4b96546dd5"
@@ -1820,6 +1830,10 @@ locate-path@^2.0.0:
     p-locate "^2.0.0"
     path-exists "^3.0.0"
 
+lodash-es@^4.17.4:
+  version "4.17.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/lodash-es/-/lodash-es-4.17.4.tgz#dcc1d7552e150a0640073ba9cb31d70f032950e7"
+
 lodash.sortby@^4.7.0:
   version "4.7.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/lodash.sortby/-/lodash.sortby-4.7.0.tgz#edd14c824e2cc9c1e0b0a1b42bb5210516a42438"