diff --git a/app/skin/legacy_skin.hpp b/app/skin/legacy_skin.hpp
index 819eeea..a58e7bb 100644
--- a/app/skin/legacy_skin.hpp
+++ b/app/skin/legacy_skin.hpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "skin/skin.hpp"
 
+// TODO: convert it to "pure factory"
 class LegacySkin : public Skin {
 public:
   bool hasAlternateSeparator() const override
@@ -17,11 +18,13 @@ class LegacySkin : public Skin {
 
   bool supportsCustomSeparator() const override { return false; }
 
-  std::shared_ptr<Glyph> glyph(char32_t c) const override
+protected:
+  std::shared_ptr<Glyph> create(char32_t c) const override
   {
     return _glyphs.value(c, nullptr);
   }
 
+public:
   void addGlyph(char32_t c, std::shared_ptr<Glyph> g)
   {
     _glyphs[c] = std::move(g);
diff --git a/skin_engine/CMakeLists.txt b/skin_engine/CMakeLists.txt
index 72e7bc9..09231f5 100644
--- a/skin_engine/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/skin_engine/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ qt_add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED
     skin/image_glyph.cpp
     skin/image_glyph.hpp
     skin/observable.hpp
+    skin/skin.cpp
     skin/skin.hpp
     skin_engine_global.hpp
 )
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/container.hpp b/skin_engine/skin/container.hpp
index f5289f3..ce777bd 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/container.hpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/container.hpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT ContainerImplBase : public Skin::Glyph {
 public:
   explicit ContainerImplBase(std::shared_ptr<Algorithm> algo);
 
-  QRectF rect() const override { return _rect; }
+  QRectF rect() const override { return _rect.marginsAdded(_mgs); }
   QPointF advance() const override { return _adv; }
 
   void draw(QPainter* p) const override;
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT ContainerImplBase : public Skin::Glyph {
 
   auto algorithm() const { return _algo; }
 
+  QMarginsF margins() const { return _mgs; }
+  // no geometry update propagation!
+  void setMargins(QMarginsF mgs) { _mgs = std::move(mgs); }
+
   void updateGeometry();
 
 private:
@@ -46,6 +50,7 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT ContainerImplBase : public Skin::Glyph {
   // cache geometry data
   QRectF _rect;
   QPointF _adv;
+  QMarginsF _mgs;
 };
 
 
@@ -140,6 +145,14 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT ContainerGlyph : public Glyph {
     return std::static_pointer_cast<AlgorithmType>(_impl->algorithm());
   }
 
+  QMarginsF margins() const { return _impl->margins(); }
+
+  void setMargins(QMarginsF mgs)
+  {
+    _impl->setMargins(std::move(mgs));
+    Glyph::updateGeometry();
+  }
+
   // no implicit geometry updates propagation
   // to allow multiple glyphs to be updated at once
   // without unnecessary intermediate updates for each of them
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/font_skin.hpp b/skin_engine/skin/font_skin.hpp
index 22667b1..a319ec5 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/font_skin.hpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/font_skin.hpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 #include <QFont>
 
-class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT FontSkin : public SkinBase {
+class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT FontSkin : public Skin {
 public:
   explicit FontSkin(QFont font);
 
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/glyph.cpp b/skin_engine/skin/glyph.cpp
index 1d35598..3312cb9 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/glyph.cpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/glyph.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ Glyph::Glyph(std::shared_ptr<Skin::Glyph> g)
     , _t(std::make_shared<Transform>())
     , _a(std::make_shared<Appearance>())
 {
+  _g->subscribe(this);
   _t->subscribe(this);
   _a->subscribe(this);
   updateGeometry();
@@ -62,12 +63,15 @@ Glyph::~Glyph()
 {
   _a->unsubscribe(this);
   _t->unsubscribe(this);
+  _g->unsubscribe(this);
 }
 
 void Glyph::setGlyph(std::shared_ptr<Skin::Glyph> g)
 {
   if (_g == g) return;
+  if (_g) _g->unsubscribe(this);
   _g = std::move(g);
+  if (_g) _g->subscribe(this);
   updateGeometry();
   dropCachedData();
 }
@@ -185,6 +189,12 @@ void Glyph::onAppearanceChanged()
   dropCachedData();
 }
 
+void Glyph::onGeometryChanged()
+{
+  updateGeometry();
+  dropCachedData();
+}
+
 void Glyph::updateGeometry()
 {
   if (!_g) return;
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/glyph.hpp b/skin_engine/skin/glyph.hpp
index 2bb9053..c7d5937 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/glyph.hpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/glyph.hpp
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Transform : public Observable<AppearanceChangeListener>
 
 
 // non-shareable, as has unique data such as position
-class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Glyph : public AppearanceChangeListener {
+class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Glyph : public AppearanceChangeListener,
+                                 public GeometryChangeListener {
 public:
   Glyph() = default;
   explicit Glyph(std::shared_ptr<Skin::Glyph> g);
@@ -124,7 +125,8 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Glyph : public AppearanceChangeListener {
   void draw(QPainter* p) const;
 
   // listeners
-  void onAppearanceChanged();
+  void onAppearanceChanged() override;
+  void onGeometryChanged() override;
 
 protected:
   void updateGeometry();
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/graphics.cpp b/skin_engine/skin/graphics.cpp
index 3fe4a15..4dc0f0a 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/graphics.cpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/graphics.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ void GraphicsBase::setLineSpacing(qreal spacing)
   _tg.updateGeometry();
 }
 
+void GraphicsBase::setMargins(QMarginsF margins)
+{
+  _tg.setMargins(std::move(margins));
+}
+
 void GraphicsBase::setAlignment(Qt::Alignment a)
 {
   _tg.algorithm()->setAlignment(a);
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/graphics.hpp b/skin_engine/skin/graphics.hpp
index 1404875..fa60122 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/graphics.hpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/graphics.hpp
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT GraphicsBase {
   qreal charSpacing() const { return _char_spacing; }
   qreal lineSpacing() const { return _line_spacing; }
 
+  QMarginsF margins() const { return _tg.margins(); }
+
   Qt::Alignment alignment() const { return _tg.algorithm()->alignment(); }
   Qt::Alignment alignment(size_t i) const
   { return _tg.algorithm()->alignment(i); }
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT GraphicsBase {
   void setCharSpacing(qreal spacing);
   void setLineSpacing(qreal spacing);
 
+  void setMargins(QMarginsF margins);
+
   void setAlignment(Qt::Alignment a);
   void setAlignment(size_t i, Qt::Alignment a);
 
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.cpp b/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.cpp
index 00c5581..fc4ec65 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.cpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ void GraphicsWidgetBase::setLineSpacing(qreal spacing)
   update();
 }
 
+void GraphicsWidgetBase::setMargins(QMarginsF margins)
+{
+  _gt->setMargins(std::move(margins));
+  updateGeometry();
+  update();
+}
+
 void GraphicsWidgetBase::setScaling(qreal sx, qreal sy)
 {
   _sx = sx;
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.hpp b/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.hpp
index c8a56a0..1632ca9 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.hpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/graphics_widgets.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT GraphicsWidgetBase : public QWidget
   qreal charSpacing() const { return _gt->charSpacing(); }
   qreal lineSpacing() const { return _gt->lineSpacing(); }
 
+  QMarginsF margins() const { return _gt->margins(); }
+
   qreal scalingX() const { return _sx; }
   qreal scalingY() const { return _sy; }
 
@@ -75,6 +77,8 @@ public slots:
   void setCharSpacing(qreal spacing);
   void setLineSpacing(qreal spacing);
 
+  void setMargins(QMarginsF margins);
+
   void setScalingX(qreal sx) { setScaling(sx, scalingY()); }
   void setScalingY(qreal sy) { setScaling(scalingX(), sy); }
   void setScaling(qreal sx, qreal sy);
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/skin.cpp b/skin_engine/skin/skin.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cba58ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/skin.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Nick Korotysh <nick.korotysh@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+#include "skin.hpp"
+
+namespace {
+
+class GlyphDecoratorBase : public Skin::Glyph {
+public:
+  explicit GlyphDecoratorBase(std::shared_ptr<Glyph> g)
+      : _g(std::move(g))
+  {
+    Q_ASSERT(_g);
+  }
+
+  std::shared_ptr<Glyph> inner() const { return _g; }
+
+  QRectF rect() const override { return _g->rect(); }
+  QPointF advance() const override { return _g->advance(); }
+
+  void draw(QPainter* p) const override { _g->draw(p); }
+
+private:
+  std::shared_ptr<Glyph> _g;
+};
+
+} // namespace
+
+class Skin::DecoratedGlyph : public GlyphDecoratorBase {
+public:
+  using GlyphDecoratorBase::GlyphDecoratorBase;
+
+  QMarginsF margins() const { return _mgs; }
+
+  void setMargins(QMarginsF mgs)
+  {
+    if (_mgs == mgs) return;
+    _mgs = std::move(mgs);
+    notify(&GeometryChangeListener::onGeometryChanged);
+  }
+
+  QRectF rect() const override { return inner()->rect().marginsAdded(_mgs); }
+
+private:
+  QMarginsF _mgs;
+};
+
+
+std::shared_ptr<Skin::Glyph> Skin::glyph(char32_t c) const
+{
+  auto& cached_glyph = _cache[c];
+  if (!cached_glyph) {
+    if (auto g = create(c)) {
+      cached_glyph = std::make_shared<DecoratedGlyph>(std::move(g));
+      cached_glyph->setMargins(_mgs);
+    }
+  }
+  return cached_glyph;
+}
+
+void Skin::setMargins(QMarginsF mgs)
+{
+  if (_mgs == mgs) return;
+  for (auto& g : std::as_const(_cache))
+    g->setMargins(mgs);
+  _mgs = std::move(mgs);
+}
diff --git a/skin_engine/skin/skin.hpp b/skin_engine/skin/skin.hpp
index 0a043f4..9a20ef3 100644
--- a/skin_engine/skin/skin.hpp
+++ b/skin_engine/skin/skin.hpp
@@ -13,9 +13,18 @@
 #include <QRect>
 
 #include "skin_engine_global.hpp"
+#include "observable.hpp"
 
 class QPainter;
 
+class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT GeometryChangeListener {
+public:
+  virtual ~GeometryChangeListener() = default;
+
+  virtual void onGeometryChanged() = 0;
+};
+
+
 class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Skin {
 public:
   virtual ~Skin() = default;
@@ -24,7 +33,7 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Skin {
   virtual bool hasAlternateSeparator() const = 0;
   virtual bool supportsCustomSeparator() const = 0;
 
-  class Glyph {
+  class Glyph : public Observable<GeometryChangeListener> {
   public:
     virtual ~Glyph() = default;
 
@@ -35,22 +44,18 @@ class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT Skin {
     virtual void draw(QPainter* p) const = 0;
   };
 
-  virtual std::shared_ptr<Glyph> glyph(char32_t c) const = 0;
-};
+  std::shared_ptr<Glyph> glyph(char32_t c) const;
 
+  QMarginsF margins() const { return _mgs; }
 
-class SKIN_ENGINE_EXPORT SkinBase : public Skin {
-public:
-  std::shared_ptr<Glyph> glyph(char32_t c) const override
-  {
-    auto& cached_glyph = _cache[c];
-    if (!cached_glyph) cached_glyph = create(c);
-    return cached_glyph;
-  }
+  void setMargins(QMarginsF mgs);
 
 protected:
   virtual std::shared_ptr<Glyph> create(char32_t c) const = 0;
 
 private:
-  mutable QHash<char32_t, std::shared_ptr<Glyph>> _cache;
+  QMarginsF _mgs;
+
+  class DecoratedGlyph;
+  mutable QHash<char32_t, std::shared_ptr<DecoratedGlyph>> _cache;
 };