diff --git a/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp b/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp
index 2a9e30c..c5d44d1 100644
--- a/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp
+++ b/example/colorlinechart/main.cpp
@@ -32,9 +32,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     QChartView* chartView =  new QChartView(&window);
+    chartView->setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing);
     chartView->addSeries(series0);
     chartView->addSeries(series1);
-    //chartView->setBackgroundColor(Qt::yellow);
+    chartView->setBackground(Qt::blue,Qt::yellow,QChart::HorizonatlGradientOrientation);
 
     window.setCentralWidget(chartView);
     window.resize(400, 300);
diff --git a/src/axisitem.cpp b/src/axisitem.cpp
index 3aea090..8de869c 100644
--- a/src/axisitem.cpp
+++ b/src/axisitem.cpp
@@ -120,13 +120,9 @@ void AxisItem::createItems()
 
              int x = i * deltaX + m_rect.left();
 
-             //last grid outside chart rect
-             if(i==0) x--;
-             if(i==m_ticks) x++;
-
              qreal label = m_plotDomain.m_minX + (i * m_plotDomain.spanX()/ m_ticks);
 
-             m_grid<<new QGraphicsLineItem(x, m_rect.top()-1, x, m_rect.bottom()+1+LABEL_PADDING,this);
+             m_grid<<new QGraphicsLineItem(x, m_rect.top(), x, m_rect.bottom(),this);
 
              QGraphicsSimpleTextItem* text = new QGraphicsSimpleTextItem(QString::number(label),this);
              QPointF center = text->boundingRect().center();
@@ -144,14 +140,10 @@ void AxisItem::createItems()
 
              int y = j * -deltaY + m_rect.bottom();
 
-             //last grid outside chart rect
-             if(j==0) y++;
-             if(j==m_ticks) y--;
-
              qreal label = m_plotDomain.m_minY + (j * m_plotDomain.spanY()
                  / m_ticks);
 
-             m_grid<<new QGraphicsLineItem(m_rect.left()- 1 - LABEL_PADDING , y, m_rect.right()+1, y,this);
+             m_grid<<new QGraphicsLineItem(m_rect.left()  , y, m_rect.right(), y,this);
              QGraphicsSimpleTextItem* text = new QGraphicsSimpleTextItem(QString::number(label),this);
              QPointF center = text->boundingRect().center();
 
diff --git a/src/qchart.cpp b/src/qchart.cpp
index 0a731dc..ba4310c 100644
--- a/src/qchart.cpp
+++ b/src/qchart.cpp
@@ -17,15 +17,14 @@
 QTCOMMERCIALCHART_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 QChart::QChart(QGraphicsObject* parent) : QGraphicsObject(parent),
-    m_background(new QGraphicsRectItem()),
-    m_title(new QGraphicsTextItem(this)),
+    m_background(0),
+    m_title(0),
     m_axisX(new AxisItem(AxisItem::X_AXIS,this)),
     m_plotDataIndex(0),
     m_marginSize(0)
 {
     // TODO: the default theme?
     //setTheme(QChart::ChartThemeVanilla);
-    m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt(0.0, Qt::white);
 
     PlotDomain domain;
     m_plotDomainList<<domain;
@@ -164,12 +163,21 @@ void QChart::setSize(const QSize& size)
     m_rect = QRect(QPoint(0,0),size);
     QRect rect = m_rect.adjusted(margin(),margin(), -margin(), -margin());
 
+    //recaculate title
+    if(m_title){
+
+    }
 
     //recalculate background gradient
-    m_background->setRect(rect);
-    m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(0,m_background->rect().height());
-    m_background->setBrush(m_backgroundGradient);
-    m_background->setPen(Qt::NoPen);
+    if(m_background){
+        m_background->setRect(rect);
+        if(m_bacgroundOrinetation==HorizonatlGradientOrientation)
+        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(m_background->rect().width(),0);
+        else
+        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(0,m_background->rect().height());
+
+        m_background->setBrush(m_backgroundGradient);
+    }
 
     //resize elements
     foreach (ChartItem* item ,m_chartItems) {
@@ -186,10 +194,25 @@ void QChart::setSize(const QSize& size)
     update();
 }
 
-void QChart::setBackgroundColor(const QColor& color)
+void QChart::setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor, GradientOrientation orientation)
 {
-    m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt( 0.0, Qt::white);
-    m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt( 1.0, color);
+
+    if(!m_background){
+        m_background = new QGraphicsRectItem(this);
+        m_background->setZValue(-1);
+    }
+
+    m_bacgroundOrinetation = orientation;
+    m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt( 0.0, startColor);
+    m_backgroundGradient.setColorAt( 1.0, endColor);
+    m_backgroundGradient.setStart(0,0);
+
+    if(orientation == VerticalGradientOrientation){
+        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(0,m_rect.height());
+    }else{
+        m_backgroundGradient.setFinalStop(m_rect.width(),0);
+    }
+
     m_background->setBrush(m_backgroundGradient);
     m_background->setPen(Qt::NoPen);
     m_background->update();
@@ -197,6 +220,7 @@ void QChart::setBackgroundColor(const QColor& color)
 
 void QChart::setTitle(const QString& title)
 {
+    if(!m_title) m_title = new QGraphicsTextItem(this);
     m_title->setPlainText(title);
 }
 
@@ -266,8 +290,10 @@ void QChart::setTheme(QChart::ChartThemeId theme)
         break;
     }
 
+    if(m_background){
     m_background->setBrush(m_backgroundGradient);
     m_background->setPen(Qt::NoPen);
+    }
 
     foreach(QChartSeries* series, m_chartSeries) {
         // TODO: other series interested on themes?
diff --git a/src/qchart.h b/src/qchart.h
index 4708336..0adf5f6 100644
--- a/src/qchart.h
+++ b/src/qchart.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ class QTCOMMERCIALCHART_EXPORT QChart : public QGraphicsObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
+    enum GradientOrientation {
+        HorizonatlGradientOrientation,
+        VerticalGradientOrientation
+    };
     enum ChartThemeId {
         /*! The default theme follows the GUI style of the Operating System */
         ChartThemeDefault = 0,
@@ -56,7 +60,7 @@ public:
     void setTheme(QChart::ChartThemeId theme);
 
     void setTitle(const QString& title);
-    void setBackgroundColor(const QColor& color);
+    void setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor = Qt::white, GradientOrientation orientation = VerticalGradientOrientation);
 
     void zoomInToRect(const QRect& rectangle);
     void zoomIn();
@@ -80,6 +84,7 @@ private:
     Q_DISABLE_COPY(QChart)
     QGraphicsRectItem* m_background;
     QLinearGradient m_backgroundGradient;
+    GradientOrientation m_bacgroundOrinetation;
     QGraphicsTextItem* m_title;
     AxisItem* m_axisX;
     QList<AxisItem*> m_axisY;
diff --git a/src/qchartview.cpp b/src/qchartview.cpp
index 5ec3e58..0c2dbaf 100644
--- a/src/qchartview.cpp
+++ b/src/qchartview.cpp
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ void QChartView::setTitle(const QString& title)
     m_chart->setTitle(title);
 }
 
-void QChartView::setBackgroundColor(const QColor& color)
+void QChartView::setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor, QChart::GradientOrientation orientation)
 {
-    m_chart->setBackgroundColor(color);
+    m_chart->setBackground(startColor,endColor,orientation);
 }
 
 QTCOMMERCIALCHART_END_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/src/qchartview.h b/src/qchartview.h
index 68cde12..0d0d8d2 100644
--- a/src/qchartview.h
+++ b/src/qchartview.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "qchartglobal.h"
 #include "qchartseries.h"
+#include "qchart.h"
 #include <QGraphicsView>
 
 class QGraphicsScene;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ public:
 
     int margin() const;
     void setTitle(const QString& title);
-    void setBackgroundColor(const QColor& color);
+    void setBackground(const QColor& startColor, const QColor& endColor = Qt::white, QChart::GradientOrientation orientation = QChart::VerticalGradientOrientation);
     void zoomInToRect(const QRect& rectangle);
     void zoomIn();
     void zoomOut();
diff --git a/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.cpp b/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.cpp
index 02ad4f6..564ba07 100644
--- a/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.cpp
+++ b/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.cpp
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ void QXYChartSeries::setPen(const QPen& pen)
     m_pen=pen;
 }
 
-void QXYChartSeries::setBrush(const QBrush& brush)
-{
-    m_brush=brush;
-}
 
 QDebug operator<< (QDebug debug, const QXYChartSeries series)
 {
diff --git a/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.h b/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.h
index b8e9343..6a154c3 100644
--- a/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.h
+++ b/src/xylinechart/qxychartseries.h
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ public:
 
     void setPen(const QPen& pen);
     const QPen& pen() const { return m_pen;}
-    void setBrush(const QBrush& brush);
-    const QBrush& brush() const { return m_brush;}
 
     int count() const;
     qreal x(int pos) const;
@@ -38,7 +36,6 @@ public:
 private:
     QList<qreal> m_x;
     QList<qreal> m_y;
-    QBrush m_brush;
     QPen m_pen;
 
 };
diff --git a/src/xylinechart/xylinechartitem.cpp b/src/xylinechart/xylinechartitem.cpp
index 5aa9010..e307fa7 100644
--- a/src/xylinechart/xylinechartitem.cpp
+++ b/src/xylinechart/xylinechartitem.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void XYLineChartItem::updateGeometry()
 
    m_pathItem->setPath(path);
    m_pathItem->setPen(m_series->pen());
-   m_pathItem->setBrush(m_series->brush());
+   m_pathItem->setBrush(Qt::NoBrush);
 }