diff --git a/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-variables.less b/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-variables.less
--- a/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-variables.less
+++ b/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-variables.less
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /* basic variables */
 @kallithea-theme-main-color:        #577632;
 @kallithea-theme-inverse-color:     #FFF;
+@kallithea-panel-margin:            10px;
 
 /* logo */
 @kallithea-logo-url:                "../images/kallithea-logo.svg";
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@
 @btn-default-bg:                    #E7E7E7;
 @font-family-monospace:             Lucida Console, Consolas, Monaco, Inconsolata, Liberation Mono, monospace;
 @navbar-height:                     36px;
+@navbar-margin-bottom:              @kallithea-panel-margin;
 @navbar-inverse-color:              @kallithea-theme-inverse-color;
 @navbar-inverse-bg:                 @kallithea-theme-main-color;
 @navbar-inverse-border:             @kallithea-theme-main-color;
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@
 @nav-link-padding:                  8px 10px; /* default: 10px 15px */
 @dropdown-link-color:               @navbar-inverse-color;
 @dropdown-bg:                       @navbar-inverse-bg;
+@grid-gutter-width:                 2 * @kallithea-panel-margin; /* default: 30px */
 @panel-heading-padding:             5px 15px; /* default: 10px 15px */
 @headings-font-weight:              700;
 @table-cell-padding:                2px 4px;
diff --git a/kallithea/public/less/style.less b/kallithea/public/less/style.less
--- a/kallithea/public/less/style.less
+++ b/kallithea/public/less/style.less
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ nav.navbar.mainmenu > .navbar-header > .
   overflow-x: visible;
 }
 
+/* margin below top level panels */
+#main > .panel {
+  margin-bottom: @kallithea-panel-margin;
+}
+
 /* search highlighting */
 div.search-code-body pre .match {
   background-color: @highlight-color;