diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp b/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp
index a8457684..bc052a67 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ void QskBoxNode::setBoxData( const QRectF& rect,
     {
         if ( isFillMonochrome && isBorderMonochrome )
         {
-            if ( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Left ).startColor()
-                == fillGradient.startColor() )
+            if ( borderColors.left().startColor() == fillGradient.startColor() )
             {
                 // we can draw border and background in one
                 hasBorder = false;
@@ -193,7 +192,7 @@ void QskBoxNode::setBoxData( const QRectF& rect,
         }
         else
         {
-            flatMaterial->setColor( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Left ).startColor().rgba() );
+            flatMaterial->setColor( borderColors.left().startColor().rgba() );
             renderer.renderBorder( d->rect, shape, borderMetrics, *geometry() );
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp
index a5dd34f9..837f0127 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ namespace
 
     static inline QRgb qskRgbBorder( const QskBoxBorderColors& borderColors )
     {
-        return qskRgbGradientStart( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Left ) );
+        return qskRgbGradientStart( borderColors.left() );
     }
 }
 
@@ -1015,8 +1015,10 @@ static inline void qskRenderBorder( const QskBoxRenderer::Metrics& metrics,
     {
         const int stepCount = metrics.corner[ 0 ].stepCount;
 
-        auto left = c.gradient( Qsk::Left ), top = c.gradient( Qsk::Top ),
-            right = c.gradient( Qsk::Right ), bottom = c.gradient( Qsk::Bottom );
+        const auto& left = c.left();
+        const auto& top = c.top();
+        const auto& right = c.right();
+        const auto& bottom = c.bottom();
 
         qskRenderBorderLines( metrics, orientation, line,
             BorderMapGradient( stepCount, qskRgbGradientStart( top ), qskRgbGradientEnd( left ), left ),
@@ -1052,7 +1054,7 @@ static inline void qskRenderBoxRandom(
 
     if ( bc.isMonochrome() )
     {
-        const BorderMapSolid borderMap( qskRgbBorder( bc.gradient( Qsk::Left ) ) );
+        const BorderMapSolid borderMap( qskRgbBorder( bc.left() ) );
 
         if ( gradient.isMonochrome() )
         {
@@ -1071,8 +1073,10 @@ static inline void qskRenderBoxRandom(
     {
         const int n = metrics.corner[ 0 ].stepCount;
 
-        auto left = bc.gradient( Qsk::Left ), top = bc.gradient( Qsk::Top ),
-            right = bc.gradient( Qsk::Right ), bottom = bc.gradient( Qsk::Bottom );
+        const auto& left = bc.left();
+        const auto& top = bc.top();
+        const auto& right = bc.right();
+        const auto& bottom = bc.bottom();
 
         const BorderMapGradient tl( n, qskRgbGradientStart( top.startColor() ), qskRgbGradientEnd( left.endColor() ), left );
         const BorderMapGradient tr( n, qskRgbGradientStart( right ), qskRgbGradientEnd( top ), top );
@@ -1369,10 +1373,10 @@ void QskBoxRenderer::renderRectellipse( const QRectF& rect,
         borderLineCount = 4 * ( stepCount + 1 ) + 1;
 
         const int additionalLines =
-            additionalGradientStops( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Left ) )
-            + additionalGradientStops( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Top ) )
-            + additionalGradientStops( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Right ) )
-            + additionalGradientStops( borderColors.gradient( Qsk::Bottom ) );
+            additionalGradientStops( borderColors.left() )
+            + additionalGradientStops( borderColors.top() )
+            + additionalGradientStops( borderColors.right() )
+            + additionalGradientStops( borderColors.bottom() );
 
         borderLineCount += additionalLines;
     }
diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp
index 63c82034..c7eca9b1 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp
@@ -422,10 +422,10 @@ static inline void qskCreateBorder(
     const QskBoxRenderer::Quad& out, const QskBoxRenderer::Quad& in,
     const QskBoxBorderColors& colors, Line* line )
 {
-    const auto& gradientLeft = colors.gradient( Qsk::Left );
-    const auto& gradientRight = colors.gradient( Qsk::Right );
-    const auto& gradientTop = colors.gradient( Qsk::Top );
-    const auto& gradientBottom = colors.gradient( Qsk::Bottom );
+    const auto& gradientLeft = colors.left();
+    const auto& gradientRight = colors.right();
+    const auto& gradientTop = colors.top();
+    const auto& gradientBottom = colors.bottom();
 
     // qdebug
 
@@ -571,10 +571,10 @@ void QskBoxRenderer::renderRect(
                 // ### As an optimization we could check orientation and colors
                 // to test whether colors are the same
                 const int additionalLines = -1
-                    + bc.gradient( Qsk::Left ).stops().count() - 1
-                    + bc.gradient( Qsk::Top ).stops().count() - 1
-                    + bc.gradient( Qsk::Right ).stops().count() - 1
-                    + bc.gradient( Qsk::Bottom ).stops().count() - 1;
+                    + bc.left().stops().count() - 1
+                    + bc.top().stops().count() - 1
+                    + bc.right().stops().count() - 1
+                    + bc.bottom().stops().count() - 1;
 
                 borderLineCount += qMax( additionalLines, 0 );
             }
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ void QskBoxRenderer::renderRect(
 
         if ( bc.isMonochrome() )
         {
-            const auto rgb = bc.gradient( Qsk::Left ).startColor().rgba();
+            const auto rgb = bc.left().startColor().rgba();
             qskCreateBorderMonochrome( rect, in, rgb, fillLines );
         }
         else