diff --git a/graphics/core.lua b/graphics/core.lua
index adb9806..91e7915 100644
--- a/graphics/core.lua
+++ b/graphics/core.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ local events = {}
 ---@field x integer
 ---@field y integer
 
+-- create a new touch event definition
 ---@param monitor string
 ---@param x integer
 ---@param y integer
@@ -33,14 +34,18 @@ graphics.TEXT_ALIGN = {
 ---@class graphics_border
 ---@field width integer
 ---@field color color
+---@field even boolean
 
----@param width integer
----@param color color
+-- create a new border definition
+---@param width integer border width
+---@param color color border color
+---@param even boolean whether to pad width extra to account for rectangular pixels
 ---@return graphics_border
-function graphics.border(width, color)
+function graphics.border(width, color, even)
     return {
         width = width,
-        color = color
+        color = color,
+        even = even
     }
 end
 
@@ -50,6 +55,7 @@ end
 ---@field w integer
 ---@field h integer
 
+-- create a new graphics frame definition
 ---@param x integer
 ---@param y integer
 ---@param w integer
@@ -65,20 +71,31 @@ function graphics.gframe(x, y, w, h)
 end
 
 ---@class cpair
+---@field color_a color
+---@field color_b color
+---@field blit_a string
+---@field blit_b string
 ---@field fgd color
 ---@field bkg color
 ---@field blit_fgd string
 ---@field blit_bkg string
 
----@param foreground color
----@param background color
+-- create a new color pair definition
+---@param a color
+---@param b color
 ---@return cpair
-function graphics.cpair(foreground, background)
+function graphics.cpair(a, b)
     return {
-        fgd = foreground,
-        bkg = background,
-        blit_fgd = colors.toBlit(foreground),
-        blit_bkg = colors.toBlit(background)
+        -- color pairs
+        color_a = a,
+        color_b = b,
+        blit_a = a,
+        blit_b = b,
+        -- aliases
+        fgd = a,
+        bkg = b,
+        blit_fgd = colors.toBlit(a),
+        blit_bkg = colors.toBlit(b)
     }
 end
 
diff --git a/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua b/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua
index ba659b2..724eb7a 100644
--- a/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua
+++ b/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 -- Rectangle Graphics Element
 
 local element = require("graphics.element")
+local util    = require("scada-common.util")
 
 ---@class rectangle_args
 ---@field border? graphics_border
@@ -15,24 +16,25 @@ local element = require("graphics.element")
 -- new rectangle
 ---@param args rectangle_args
 local function rectangle(args)
-    -- create new graphics element rectangle object
+    -- create new graphics element base object
     local e = element.new(args)
 
     -- draw bordered box if requested
     -- element constructor will have drawn basic colored rectangle regardless
     if args.border ~= nil then
-        assert(args.border.width * 2 <= e.frame.w, "graphics.elements.rectangle: border too thick for width")
-        assert(args.border.width * 2 <= e.frame.h, "graphics.elements.rectangle: border too thick for height")
-
         e.setCursorPos(1, 1)
 
-        local border_width = args.border.width
+        local border_width_v = args.border.width
+        local border_width_h = util.trinary(args.border.even, args.border.width * 2, args.border.width)
         local border_blit = colors.toBlit(args.border.color)
         local spaces = ""
         local blit_fg = ""
         local blit_bg_top_bot = ""
         local blit_bg_sides = ""
 
+        assert(border_width_v * 2 <= e.frame.w, "graphics.elements.rectangle: border too thick for width")
+        assert(border_width_h * 2 <= e.frame.h, "graphics.elements.rectangle: border too thick for height")
+
         -- form the basic and top/bottom blit strings
         for _ = 1, e.frame.w do
             spaces = spaces .. " "
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ local function rectangle(args)
         -- form the body blit strings (sides are border, inside is normal)
         for x = 1, e.frame.w do
             -- edges get border color, center gets normal
-            if x <= border_width or x > (e.frame.w - border_width) then
+            if x <= border_width_h or x > (e.frame.w - border_width_h) then
                 blit_bg_sides = blit_bg_sides .. border_blit
             else
                 blit_bg_sides = blit_bg_sides .. e.fg_bg.blit_bkg
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ local function rectangle(args)
         -- draw rectangle with borders
         for y = 1, e.frame.h do
             e.setCursorPos(y, 1)
-            if y <= border_width or y > (e.frame.h - border_width) then
+            if y <= border_width_v or y > (e.frame.h - border_width_v) then
                 e.blit(spaces, blit_fg, blit_bg_top_bot)
             else
                 e.blit(spaces, blit_fg, blit_bg_sides)