diff --git a/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp b/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp
index f0335a0..21a4fb6 100644
--- a/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp
+++ b/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     chartView->setTitle("Custom color line chart example");
     chartView->addSeries(series0);
     chartView->addSeries(series1);
-    chartView->setBackground(Qt::blue,Qt::yellow,QChart::HorizonatlGradientOrientation);
+
+    QLinearGradient backgroundGradient;
+    backgroundGradient.setColorAt(0.0, Qt::blue);
+    backgroundGradient.setColorAt(1.0, Qt::yellow);
+    backgroundGradient.setCoordinateMode(QGradient::ObjectBoundingMode);
+    chartView->setChartBackgroundBrush(backgroundGradient);
 
     window.setCentralWidget(chartView);
     window.resize(400, 300);
diff --git a/src/qchart.cpp b/src/qchart.cpp
index 492afc1..58c0739 100644
--- a/src/qchart.cpp
+++ b/src/qchart.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void QChart::addSeries(QChartSeries* series)
             domain.m_maxY = qMax(domain.m_maxY,y);
         }
 
-        XYLineChartItem* item = new XYLineChartItem(xyseries,this);
+        XYLineChartItem* item = new XYLineChartItem(xyseries,0,this);
 
         m_chartItems << item;
         // TODO:
@@ -240,12 +240,12 @@ void QChart::setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor, Gra
     m_bacgroundOrinetation = orientation;
     m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt(0.0, startColor);
     m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt(1.0, endColor);
-    m_backgroundGradient.setStart(0,0);
+    m_backgroundGradient.setCoordinateMode(QGradient::ObjectBoundingMode);
 
     if(orientation == VerticalGradientOrientation){
-        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(0,m_rect.height());
+        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(0,1);
     }else{
-        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(m_rect.width(),0);
+        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(1,0);
     }
 
     m_backgroundItem->setBrush(m_backgroundGradient);
@@ -253,6 +253,30 @@ void QChart::setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor, Gra
     m_backgroundItem->update();
 }
 
+void QChart::setChartBackgroundBrush(const QBrush& brush)
+{
+
+    if(!m_backgroundItem){
+        m_backgroundItem = new QGraphicsRectItem(this);
+        m_backgroundItem->setZValue(-1);
+    }
+
+    m_backgroundItem->setBrush(brush);
+    m_backgroundItem->update();
+}
+
+void QChart::setChartBackgroundPen(const QPen& pen)
+{
+
+    if(!m_backgroundItem){
+        m_backgroundItem = new QGraphicsRectItem(this);
+        m_backgroundItem->setZValue(-1);
+    }
+
+    m_backgroundItem->setPen(pen);
+    m_backgroundItem->update();
+}
+
 void QChart::setTitle(const QString& title,const QFont& font)
 {
     if(!m_titleItem) m_titleItem = new QGraphicsTextItem(this);
@@ -390,11 +414,6 @@ void QChart::resizeEvent(QGraphicsSceneResizeEvent *event)
     //recalculate background gradient
     if (m_backgroundItem) {
         m_backgroundItem->setRect(rect);
-        if (m_bacgroundOrinetation == HorizonatlGradientOrientation)
-        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(m_backgroundItem->rect().width(), 0);
-        else
-        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(0, m_backgroundItem->rect().height());
-        m_backgroundItem->setBrush(m_backgroundGradient);
     }
 
     // resize and reposition childs
diff --git a/src/qchart.h b/src/qchart.h
index 3e2ee69..5a1daee 100644
--- a/src/qchart.h
+++ b/src/qchart.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ public:
     void setTitle(const QString& title,const QFont& font = QFont());
     void setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor = Qt::white, GradientOrientation orientation = VerticalGradientOrientation);
 
+    void setChartBackgroundBrush(const QBrush& brush);
+    void setChartBackgroundPen(const QPen& pen);
+
     void zoomInToRect(const QRectF& rectangle);
     void zoomIn();
     void zoomOut();
diff --git a/src/qchartview.cpp b/src/qchartview.cpp
index 426eb7f..753c4b3 100644
--- a/src/qchartview.cpp
+++ b/src/qchartview.cpp
@@ -74,4 +74,12 @@ void QChartView::setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor,
     m_chart->setBackground(startColor,endColor,orientation);
 }
 
+void QChartView::setChartBackgroundBrush(const QBrush& brush)
+{
+	 m_chart->setChartBackgroundBrush(brush);
+}
+void QChartView::setChartBackgroundPen(const QPen& pen)
+{
+	 m_chart->setChartBackgroundPen(pen);
+}
 QTCOMMERCIALCHART_END_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/src/qchartview.h b/src/qchartview.h
index 0d0d8d2..1a6d6fc 100644
--- a/src/qchartview.h
+++ b/src/qchartview.h
@@ -27,7 +27,14 @@ public:
 
     int margin() const;
     void setTitle(const QString& title);
+
+    //Obsolete
     void setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor = Qt::white, QChart::GradientOrientation orientation = QChart::VerticalGradientOrientation);
+
+
+    void setChartBackgroundBrush(const QBrush& brush);
+    void setChartBackgroundPen(const QPen& pen);
+
     void zoomInToRect(const QRect& rectangle);
     void zoomIn();
     void zoomOut();