diff --git a/headers/libs/alm/ALMLayout.h b/headers/libs/alm/ALMLayout.h
index 0de7c01501..b8931c7c6e 100644
--- a/headers/libs/alm/ALMLayout.h
+++ b/headers/libs/alm/ALMLayout.h
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ class RowColumnManager;
  */
 class BALMLayout : public BAbstractLayout {
 public:
-								BALMLayout(float spacing = 0.0f,
+								BALMLayout(float hSpacing = 0.0f,
+									float vSpacing = 0.0f,
 									BALMLayout* friendLayout = NULL);
 	virtual						~BALMLayout();
 
@@ -56,11 +57,16 @@ public:
 
 			LinearSpec*			Solver() const;
 
-			void				SetInset(float inset);
-			float				Inset() const;
+			void				SetInsets(float insets);
+			void				SetInsets(float x, float y);
+			void				SetInsets(float left, float top, float right,
+									float bottom);
+			void				GetInsets(float* left, float* top, float* right,
+									float* bottom) const;
 
-			void				SetSpacing(float spacing);
-			float				Spacing() const;
+			void				SetSpacing(float hSpacing, float vSpacing);
+			void				GetSpacing(float* _hSpacing,
+									float* _vSpacing) const;
 
 			Area*				AreaFor(int32 id) const;
 			Area*				AreaFor(const BView* view) const;
@@ -139,6 +145,10 @@ protected:
 private:
 	friend class XTab;
 	friend class YTab;
+	friend class Area;
+
+			float				InsetForTab(XTab* tab);
+			float				InsetForTab(YTab* tab);
 
 			/*! Add a view without initialize the Area. */
 			BLayoutItem*		_CreateLayoutItem(BView* view);
@@ -165,8 +175,13 @@ private:
 			BSize				fMaxSize;
 			BSize				fPreferredSize;
 
-			float				fInset;
-			float				fSpacing;
+			float				fLeftInset;
+			float				fRightInset;
+			float				fTopInset;
+			float				fBottomInset;
+
+			float				fHSpacing;
+			float				fVSpacing;
 
 			Area*				fCurrentArea;
 
diff --git a/src/libs/alm/ALMLayout.cpp b/src/libs/alm/ALMLayout.cpp
index d571136163..31381dd194 100644
--- a/src/libs/alm/ALMLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/alm/ALMLayout.cpp
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
  * Copyright 2010, Clemens Zeidler <haiku@clemens-zeidler.de>
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT License.
  */
-
-
 #include "ALMLayout.h"
 
 #include <math.h>		// for floor
@@ -13,6 +11,8 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <ControlLook.h>
+
 #include "RowColumnManager.h"
 #include "ViewLayoutItem.h"
 
@@ -29,10 +29,14 @@ const BSize kUnsetSize(B_SIZE_UNSET, B_SIZE_UNSET);
  *
  * If friendLayout is not NULL the solver of the friend layout is used.
  */
-BALMLayout::BALMLayout(float spacing, BALMLayout* friendLayout)
+BALMLayout::BALMLayout(float hSpacing, float vSpacing, BALMLayout* friendLayout)
 	:
-	fInset(0.0f),
-	fSpacing(spacing / 2),
+	fLeftInset(0),
+	fRightInset(0),
+	fTopInset(0),
+	fBottomInset(0),
+	fHSpacing(hSpacing),
+	fVSpacing(vSpacing),
 	fCurrentArea(NULL)
 {
 	fSolver = friendLayout ? friendLayout->Solver() : &fOwnSolver;
@@ -977,30 +981,95 @@ BALMLayout::Solver() const
 
 
 void
-BALMLayout::SetInset(float inset)
+BALMLayout::SetInsets(float left, float top, float right,
+	float bottom)
 {
-	fInset = inset;
-}
+	fLeftInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(left);
+	fTopInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(top);
+	fRightInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(right);
+	fBottomInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(bottom);
 
-
-float
-BALMLayout::Inset() const
-{
-	return fInset;
+	InvalidateLayout();
 }
 
 
 void
-BALMLayout::SetSpacing(float spacing)
+BALMLayout::SetInsets(float horizontal, float vertical)
 {
-	fSpacing = spacing / 2;
+	fLeftInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(horizontal);
+	fRightInset = fLeftInset;
+
+	fTopInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(vertical);
+	fBottomInset = fTopInset;
+
+	InvalidateLayout();
+}
+
+
+void
+BALMLayout::SetInsets(float insets)
+{
+	fLeftInset = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(insets);
+	fRightInset = fLeftInset;
+	fTopInset = fLeftInset;
+	fBottomInset = fLeftInset;
+
+	InvalidateLayout();
+}
+
+
+void
+BALMLayout::GetInsets(float* left, float* top, float* right,
+	float* bottom) const
+{
+	if (left)
+		*left = fLeftInset;
+	if (top)
+		*top = fTopInset;
+	if (right)
+		*right = fRightInset;
+	if (bottom)
+		*bottom = fBottomInset;
+}
+
+
+void
+BALMLayout::SetSpacing(float hSpacing, float vSpacing)
+{
+	fHSpacing = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(hSpacing);
+	fVSpacing = BControlLook::ComposeSpacing(vSpacing);
+}
+
+
+void
+BALMLayout::GetSpacing(float *_hSpacing, float *_vSpacing) const
+{
+	if (_hSpacing)
+		*_hSpacing = fHSpacing;
+	if (_vSpacing)
+		*_vSpacing = fVSpacing;
 }
 
 
 float
-BALMLayout::Spacing() const
+BALMLayout::InsetForTab(XTab* tab)
 {
-	return fSpacing * 2;
+	if (tab == fLeft.Get())
+		return fLeftInset;
+	if (tab == fRight.Get())
+		return fRightInset;
+	return fHSpacing / 2;
+}
+
+
+float
+BALMLayout::InsetForTab(YTab* tab)
+{
+	if (tab == fTop.Get())
+		return fTopInset;
+	if (tab == fBottom.Get())
+		return fBottomInset;
+	return fVSpacing / 2;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/libs/alm/Area.cpp b/src/libs/alm/Area.cpp
index 65c0040e88..664ddfe4be 100644
--- a/src/libs/alm/Area.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/alm/Area.cpp
@@ -337,9 +337,7 @@ Area::LeftInset() const
 		return fTopLeftInset.Width();
 
 	BALMLayout* layout = static_cast<BALMLayout*>(fLayoutItem->Layout());
-	if (fLeft.Get() == layout->Left())
-		return layout->Inset();
-	return layout->Spacing() / 2;
+	return layout->InsetForTab(fLeft.Get());
 }
 
 
@@ -353,9 +351,7 @@ Area::TopInset() const
 		return fTopLeftInset.Height();
 
 	BALMLayout* layout = static_cast<BALMLayout*>(fLayoutItem->Layout());
-	if (fTop.Get() == layout->Top())
-		return layout->Inset();
-	return layout->Spacing() / 2;
+	return layout->InsetForTab(fTop.Get());
 }
 
 
@@ -369,9 +365,7 @@ Area::RightInset() const
 		return fRightBottomInset.Width();
 
 	BALMLayout* layout = static_cast<BALMLayout*>(fLayoutItem->Layout());
-	if (fRight.Get() == layout->Right())
-		return layout->Inset();
-	return layout->Spacing() / 2;
+	return layout->InsetForTab(fRight.Get());
 }
 
 
@@ -385,9 +379,7 @@ Area::BottomInset() const
 		return fRightBottomInset.Height();
 
 	BALMLayout* layout = static_cast<BALMLayout*>(fLayoutItem->Layout());
-	if (fBottom.Get() == layout->Bottom())
-		return layout->Inset();
-	return layout->Spacing() / 2;
+	return layout->InsetForTab(fBottom.Get());
 }