Minimize Border Usage
When seeking to establish visual separation between interface elements, resist the instinctive tendency to immediately implement borders.
While borders effectively differentiate adjacent elements, they represent merely one approach among several alternatives. Excessive border implementation can result in visually congested and cluttered interfaces.
Employ Shadow Effects
Box shadows excel at delineating element boundaries similar to borders, yet can achieve this with greater subtlety and reduced visual prominence.
This technique proves most effective when the element receiving the shadow differs chromatically from its surrounding background.