Sometimes your UI looks fine… but still feels weird. Off. Not polished.
Here’s why — and how to fix it fast 👇
1. Spacing is all over the place
If your UI feels messy, it’s usually the spacing.
Fix
Use one scale everywhere: 8 / 12 / 16 / 24 / 32.
Just doing this makes the whole design cleaner instantly.
2. No clear text hierarchy
If all text looks the same, nothing stands out.
Fix
Think simple:
- Big = important
- Medium = supportive
- Small = details
3. Colors are too strong
Bright colors everywhere make your UI feel “beginner”.
Fix
Use soft neutrals.
Save bright colors only for ONE thing: actions.
4. Things don’t align
Even a good UI looks amateur if items don’t line up.
Fix
Left-align. Use a grid.
Your entire UI looks 2× more professional immediately.
5. Shadows are heavy
Harsh shadows = cheap UI feel.
Fix
Use soft, barely-there shadows.
Or skip shadows and use spacing instead.
6. Too many borders
Borders everywhere create noise.
Fix
Use contrast instead:
- Slightly darker background
- More spacing
- Light shadows
7. Not enough breathing room
If your UI feels cramped, this is why.
Fix
Add more padding than you think you need.
Whitespace = premium.
Quick summary
If your UI looks “off”, fix these:
- Spacing
- Text hierarchy
- Color saturation
- Alignment
- Shadows
- Borders
- Whitespace
Small changes → 90% UI problems fixed✅
For 10%, wait for part II
Top comments (3)
I prefer the Windows vista/7 -like interface. Or I'm just lazy.
This is good information!
Thank you for sharing this article!
I'm looking forward to part II.