Just one thing I've just thought about:
Won't it be a new CL in aMSN 2 ? So if u make a skin now, will it works with aMSN 2 ?
But, if you want it to be released for aMSN 0.9X, don't matter about it :roll:
And one suggestion (but I don't know if it is possible

) :
I would find nice if we can see (in a way I let up to you to decide) the status of each contact in the CL by a clearly shown color.
I explain: for "Away", color would be blue, "offline" black, and "Occupied" red. And we'll see clearly this color linked to the contact using this status (for example, text coloured, or name included in a coloured shape, or I don't know how else

)
I don't know if I make it clear, if not sorry (a)