Negative space is like the pause between beats in a song—without it the melody gets all jumbled. Think of it as a “loading” screen that lets users breathe, so the elements that do show up feel more intentional, like a bold button after a long wait. You can use it to draw attention, create hierarchy, or even give a design a calm vibe, like a minimalist UI that doesn’t feel empty but deliberately spacious. The trick is to balance it: too much, and you risk a dead zone; too little, and the layout feels crowded. Play with margins, white‑space grids, and white‑space‑aware typography—just like a well‑timed progress bar that keeps the user engaged while they wait.