diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2561ea1..376988e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ the close button replaces on hover.
 - `verticalTabs.pinnedFirst` — list pinned tabs above the rest (default `true`)
 - `verticalTabs.colorByProject` — colour each row's left border by project (default `true`)
 - `verticalTabs.borderWidth` — width of that border in pixels (default `3`)
-- `verticalTabs.rowSpacing` — pixels between rows (default `2`)
-- `verticalTabs.showProject` — also show the project name as text (default `true`); turn it off and the file
-  name gets the whole row, with the border still telling you the project
+- `verticalTabs.rowSpacing` — pixels between rows (default `3`)
+- `verticalTabs.showProject` — also show the project name as text (default `false`, so the file name gets
+  the whole row and the border alone tells you the project); turn it on for the name in text too
 - `verticalTabs.showDirectory` — when to show the directory: `never`, `duplicates` (default — only when two
   open tabs share a file name), or `always`
 - `verticalTabs.allGroups` — list every editor group, not just the active one (default `true`)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 93c0a25..a1f529c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@
         },
         "verticalTabs.showProject": {
           "type": "boolean",
-          "default": true,
-          "description": "Show the project name beside the file. The row's left border already encodes the project, so turning this off gives the file name the whole row."
+          "default": false,
+          "description": "Show the project name beside the file. Off by default: the row's left border already encodes the project, so the file name gets the whole row."
         },
         "verticalTabs.showDirectory": {
           "type": "string",
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
         },
         "verticalTabs.rowSpacing": {
           "type": "number",
-          "default": 2,
+          "default": 3,
           "minimum": 0,
           "maximum": 10,
           "description": "Pixels of vertical space between rows."
diff --git a/src/view.ts b/src/view.ts
index ea08b04..e5a8924 100644
--- a/src/view.ts
+++ b/src/view.ts
@@ -142,13 +142,13 @@ export class TabsView implements vscode.WebviewViewProvider {
         void this.view.webview.postMessage({
             type: 'rows',
             followActive,
-            rowSpacing: cfg.get<number>('rowSpacing', 2),
+            rowSpacing: cfg.get<number>('rowSpacing', 3),
             borderWidth: cfg.get<number>('borderWidth', 3),
             rows: this.entries.map((entry): Row => ({
                 id: entry.id,
                 label: entry.label,
                 detail: describeEntry(entry, {
-                    showProject: cfg.get<boolean>('showProject', true),
+                    showProject: cfg.get<boolean>('showProject', false),
                     showDirectory: showDirectory(entry),
                     showColumn,
                 }),