diff --git a/assets/style/css/base/theme.css b/assets/style/css/base/theme.css
index 69178e4..a312a90 100644
--- a/assets/style/css/base/theme.css
+++ b/assets/style/css/base/theme.css
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ html[data-theme="default"] {
   --border-color: 228, 228, 231;
   --bg-1: 243, 244, 246;
   --bg-2: 255, 255, 255;
+  --bg-disabled: 250, 250, 250;
   --scroll-color: 170, 170, 170;
   --scroll-hover-color: 155, 155, 155;
   --fk-border-color: 228, 228, 231;
diff --git a/assets/style/css/form/global.css b/assets/style/css/form/global.css
index 73416b1..c118bee 100644
--- a/assets/style/css/form/global.css
+++ b/assets/style/css/form/global.css
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 }
 
 .formkit-outer-global {
-  @apply mb-4 text-[rgb(var(--text-color))] formkit-disabled:opacity-50;
+  @apply mb-4 text-[rgb(var(--text-color))];
 }
 
 .formkit-help-global {
diff --git a/assets/style/css/form/text.css b/assets/style/css/form/text.css
index 16ac948..25e40b7 100644
--- a/assets/style/css/form/text.css
+++ b/assets/style/css/form/text.css
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
     bg-[rgb(var(--bg-2))]
     placeholder-[rgb(var(--fk-placeholder-color))]
     focus:outline-none
-    disabled:bg-[rgb(var(--bg-1))]
-    disabled:border-[rgb(var(--bg-1))]
-    disabled:placeholder-[rgb(var(--bg-1))];
+    disabled:bg-[rgb(var(--bg-disabled))]
+    disabled:border-[rgb(var(--bg-disabled))]
+    disabled:placeholder-[rgb(var(--bg-disabled))];
 }
 
 .formkit-prefix-text {
diff --git a/components/FormBuilderCanvas.vue b/components/FormBuilderCanvas.vue
index 0076bf9..23ce394 100644
--- a/components/FormBuilderCanvas.vue
+++ b/components/FormBuilderCanvas.vue
@@ -29,13 +29,14 @@
         item-key="id"
         handle=".drag-handle"
         ghost-class="ghost"
-        animation="300"
+        animation="0"
         class="draggable-container"
         @end="onDragEnd"
+        @start="onDragStart"
       >
         <template #item="{ element, index }">
           <div 
-            class="form-component relative border rounded-md overflow-hidden transition-all duration-200 cursor-pointer"
+            class="form-component relative border rounded-md overflow-hidden cursor-pointer"
             :class="{ 
               'ring-2 ring-blue-500 bg-blue-50 border-blue-300 shadow-lg': selectedComponentId === element.id,
               'bg-white border-gray-200 hover:border-blue-300 hover:shadow-md hover:bg-blue-25': selectedComponentId !== element.id
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ const props = defineProps({
   }
 });
 
-const emit = defineEmits(['select-component', 'move-component', 'delete-component', 'update-component', 'optimize-layout', 'select-nested-component']);
+const emit = defineEmits(['select-component', 'move-component', 'delete-component', 'update-component', 'optimize-layout', 'select-nested-component', 'insert-component-at-index']);
 
 const selectedComponentId = ref(null);
 const resizeMode = ref(false);
@@ -273,6 +274,11 @@ const stopResize = () => {
   document.removeEventListener('mouseup', stopResize);
 };
 
+// Handle drag start from internal reordering
+const onDragStart = (event) => {
+  // Internal reordering
+};
+
 // Handle drag end event for reordering
 const onDragEnd = (event) => {
   if (event.oldIndex !== event.newIndex) {
@@ -294,7 +300,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 .grid-container {
   display: grid;
   grid-template-columns: repeat(12, 1fr);
-  grid-auto-flow: row dense; /* This enables automatic filling of gaps */
+  grid-auto-flow: row; /* Changed: Remove 'dense' to preserve intentional spacing */
   column-gap: 16px;
   row-gap: 16px;
   width: 100%;
@@ -307,20 +313,23 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 }
 
 .ghost {
-  opacity: 0.5;
-  background: #e0f2fe;
-  border: 1px dashed #60a5fa;
+  opacity: 0.3;
+  background: #dbeafe;
+  border: 2px dashed #3b82f6;
   width: 100% !important;
   grid-column: span 12 !important;
+  transform: scale(0.95);
 }
 
 .form-component {
-  transition: all 0.2s ease;
+  /* Removed transition for immediate snapping */
   grid-column: span 12; /* Default to full width */
   width: 100% !important; /* Force the width within the grid cell */
   margin-bottom: 16px;
 }
 
+
+
 .form-component:hover .component-actions {
   opacity: 1;
 }
diff --git a/pages/form-builder/index.vue b/pages/form-builder/index.vue
index 3f89b76..320b1ec 100644
--- a/pages/form-builder/index.vue
+++ b/pages/form-builder/index.vue
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@
                 @delete-component="handleDeleteComponent"
                 @update-component="handleUpdateComponent"
                 @optimize-layout="handleOptimizeLayout"
+                @insert-component-at-index="handleInsertComponentAtIndex"
               />
               
               <!-- Instruction Overlay when no component is selected -->
@@ -2727,6 +2728,11 @@ const handleOptimizeLayout = () => {
   formStore.optimizeGridLayout();
 };
 
+// Handle inserting component at specific index (for drop zones)
+const handleInsertComponentAtIndex = ({ component, index }) => {
+  formStore.insertComponentAtIndex(component, index);
+};
+
 // Add the new handler function
 const handleDragEnter = (event) => {
   // Prevent default to allow drop
diff --git a/stores/formBuilder.js b/stores/formBuilder.js
index 12e5ef7..7a3dc4c 100644
--- a/stores/formBuilder.js
+++ b/stores/formBuilder.js
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ export const useFormBuilderStore = defineStore('formBuilder', {
     },
     
     // Find optimal placement for a new component in the grid
-    findOptimalGridPlacement() {
+    findOptimalGridPlacement(respectDesignSpacing = true) {
       if (this.formComponents.length === 0) {
         // First component - full width
         return { 
@@ -435,6 +435,16 @@ export const useFormBuilderStore = defineStore('formBuilder', {
         };
       }
       
+      // If respecting design spacing, always create a new row (don't auto-fill gaps)
+      if (respectDesignSpacing) {
+        return { 
+          gridColumn: 'span 12', 
+          rowIndex: this.formComponents.length,
+          width: '100%' 
+        };
+      }
+      
+      // Legacy auto-fill behavior (kept for compatibility)
       // Group components by their implicit row
       const rows = [];
       let currentRowY = 0;
@@ -505,6 +515,62 @@ export const useFormBuilderStore = defineStore('formBuilder', {
       }
     },
     
+    // Insert component at a specific index (for drop zones)
+    insertComponentAtIndex(component, index) {
+      console.log('FormStore: Inserting component at index', index, component.type);
+      
+      // Store the state before the change for history
+      const beforeComponents = [...this.formComponents];
+      
+      const newComponentId = uuidv4();
+      
+      try {
+        // Create a deep copy of the default props to avoid reference issues
+        const defaultProps = component.defaultProps ? JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(component.defaultProps)) : {};
+        
+        // Set default grid properties - respect design spacing by using full width
+        defaultProps.width = defaultProps.width || '100%';
+        defaultProps.gridColumn = defaultProps.gridColumn || 'span 12';
+        
+        // Generate a default name based on component type if not provided
+        if (!defaultProps.name) {
+          defaultProps.name = `${component.type}_${this.formComponents.length + 1}`;
+        }
+        
+        // Generate a default label based on component name if not provided
+        if (!defaultProps.label && !['heading', 'paragraph', 'divider'].includes(component.type)) {
+          defaultProps.label = `${component.name} ${this.formComponents.length + 1}`;
+        }
+        
+        // Create the new component object
+        const newComponent = {
+          id: newComponentId,
+          type: component.type,
+          name: component.name,
+          icon: component.icon,
+          category: component.category,
+          props: defaultProps
+        };
+        
+        // Insert the component at the specified index
+        this.formComponents.splice(index, 0, newComponent);
+        
+        // Select the new component
+        this.selectedComponentId = newComponentId;
+        
+        // Mark as having unsaved changes
+        this.hasUnsavedChanges = true;
+        
+        // Record history
+        this.recordAction('Add component', beforeComponents, [...this.formComponents]);
+        
+        console.log('FormStore: Component inserted at index', index, 'Total components:', this.formComponents.length);
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Error inserting component at index:', error);
+        console.error('Problematic component:', component);
+      }
+    },
+    
     selectComponent(id) {
       // Don't record history for selection changes
       this.selectedComponentId = id;