diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/_variables.scss.tmpl.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/_variables.scss.tmpl.ts
index 0ce4fac8182..065ffb685d6 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/_variables.scss.tmpl.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/_variables.scss.tmpl.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ $enable-hover-media-query: false !default;
 // Control the default styling of most Bootstrap elements by modifying these
 // variables. Mostly focused on spacing.
 
-$spacer: ${theme.spacing.m} !default;
+$space-xs: ${theme.spacing.xs} !default;
+$space-s: ${theme.spacing.s} !default;
+$space-m: ${theme.spacing.m} !default;
+$space-xl: ${theme.spacing.xl} !default;
+$spacer: ${theme.spacing.d} !default;
 $spacer-x: $spacer !default;
 $spacer-y: $spacer !default;
 $spacers: (
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/default.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/default.ts
index 60ebcfa7aa0..6559f6a8fe8 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/default.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/default.ts
@@ -43,10 +43,12 @@ const theme: GrafanaThemeCommons = {
     xl: '1200px',
   },
   spacing: {
-    xs: '0',
-    s: '3px',
-    m: '14px',
-    l: '21px',
+    d: '14px',
+    xs: '4px',
+    s: '8px',
+    m: '16px',
+    l: '24px',
+    xl: '32px',
     gutter: '30px',
   },
   border: {
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/types/theme.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/src/types/theme.ts
index 1226b841836..469408942d7 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/types/theme.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/types/theme.ts
@@ -48,10 +48,12 @@ export interface GrafanaThemeCommons {
     };
   };
   spacing: {
+    d: string;
     xs: string;
     s: string;
     m: string;
     l: string;
+    xl: string;
     gutter: string;
   };
   border: {
diff --git a/public/sass/_variables.generated.scss b/public/sass/_variables.generated.scss
index 9a29f9beba9..64b19871b0a 100644
--- a/public/sass/_variables.generated.scss
+++ b/public/sass/_variables.generated.scss
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ $enable-hover-media-query: false !default;
 // Control the default styling of most Bootstrap elements by modifying these
 // variables. Mostly focused on spacing.
 
+$space-xs: 4px !default;
+$space-s: 8px !default;
+$space-m: 16px !default;
+$space-xl: 32px !default;
 $spacer: 14px !default;
 $spacer-x: $spacer !default;
 $spacer-y: $spacer !default;
diff --git a/public/sass/components/_cards.scss b/public/sass/components/_cards.scss
index 80a4cd7c32a..ff694d607c8 100644
--- a/public/sass/components/_cards.scss
+++ b/public/sass/components/_cards.scss
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 .layout-selector {
   @include clearfix();
 
-  margin-left: $spacer;
+  margin-left: $space-m;
   text-align: right;
 
   button {
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     color: $text-color-weak;
     box-shadow: $card-shadow;
     border: none;
-    padding: 0.5rem;
+    padding: $space-s;
     line-height: 1;
     font-size: 130%;
     float: right;
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 }
 
 .card-section {
-  margin-bottom: $spacer * 2;
+  margin-bottom: $space-xl;
 }
 
 .card-list {
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   height: 100%;
   background: $card-background;
   box-shadow: $card-shadow;
-  padding: 1rem;
+  padding: $space-m;
   border-radius: 4px;
 
   &:hover {
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
   }
 
   .label-tag {
-    margin-left: 6px;
+    margin-left: $space-s;
     font-size: 11px;
     padding: 2px 6px;
   }
@@ -80,15 +80,8 @@
   overflow: hidden;
 }
 
-.card-item-cog {
-  font-size: 130%;
-  position: relative;
-  top: 1rem;
-  color: $text-muted;
-}
-
 .card-item-header {
-  margin-bottom: $spacer;
+  margin-bottom: $space-m;
 }
 
 .card-item-type {
@@ -110,7 +103,7 @@
 }
 
 .card-item-label {
-  margin-left: 8px;
+  margin-left: $space-s;
 }
 
 .card-item-sub-name {
@@ -123,7 +116,7 @@
 .card-item-sub-name--header {
   color: $text-color-weak;
   text-transform: uppercase;
-  margin-bottom: $spacer;
+  margin-bottom: $space-m;
   font-size: $font-size-sm;
   font-weight: bold;
 }
@@ -136,7 +129,7 @@
   .card-item-notice {
     font-size: $font-size-sm;
     display: inline-block;
-    margin-left: $spacer;
+    margin-left: $space-m;
   }
 
   .card-item-header-action {
@@ -145,7 +138,7 @@
 
   .card-item-wrapper {
     width: 100%;
-    padding: 0 1rem 1rem 0rem;
+    padding: 0 $space-m $space-m 0;
   }
 
   .card-item-wrapper--clickable {
@@ -153,7 +146,7 @@
   }
 
   .card-item-figure {
-    margin: 0 $spacer $spacer 0;
+    margin: 0 $space-m $space-m 0;
     height: 6rem;
 
     img {
@@ -195,7 +188,7 @@
   .card-item-wrapper {
     padding: 0;
     width: 100%;
-    margin-bottom: 3px;
+    margin-bottom: $space-xs;
   }
 
   .card-item-wrapper--clickable {
@@ -212,9 +205,9 @@
   }
 
   .card-item-figure {
-    margin: 0 $spacer 0 0;
+    margin: 0 $space-m 0 0;
     img {
-      width: 3.5rem;
+      width: 48px;
     }
   }