diff --git a/src/lib/components/SiteChrome.svelte b/src/lib/components/SiteChrome.svelte
index d873d0d..d68c030 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/SiteChrome.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/SiteChrome.svelte
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@
 									class={[
 										'absolute top-full z-50 max-h-[75vh] overflow-y-auto rounded-md border border-border bg-popover p-1 text-popover-foreground shadow-md',
 										item.href === '/trackers'
-											? 'left-1/2 grid w-[min(36rem,calc(100vw-2rem))] -translate-x-1/2 grid-cols-2 gap-x-1'
+											? 'left-1/2 grid w-[min(36rem,calc(100vw-2rem))] -translate-x-1/2 grid-cols-2 gap-1.5 p-2'
 											: 'left-0 w-72'
 									]}
 									aria-label={menu.label}
@@ -266,10 +266,12 @@
 										<a
 											href={project.external ? project.href : resolve(project.href)}
 											rel={project.external ? 'external' : undefined}
-											class="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-sm px-2 py-1.5 text-sm outline-none hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground focus-visible:bg-accent"
+											class={item.href === '/trackers'
+												? 'tile flex items-center gap-2.5 p-2 text-sm'
+												: 'flex items-center gap-2 rounded-sm px-2 py-1.5 text-sm outline-none hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground focus-visible:bg-accent'}
 										>
 											{#if item.href === '/trackers'}
-												<TrackerIcon name={project.name} class="size-9" />
+												<TrackerIcon name={project.name} class="tile-icon size-9" />
 											{:else}
 												<span
 													class="flex size-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded border border-border bg-[var(--site-surface)] text-[var(--site-muted)]"
@@ -301,22 +303,25 @@
 			</nav>
 			<div class="hidden items-center gap-1 md:flex">
 				{#if data.isOwner}
-					<Button
+					<a
 						href={resolve('/start')}
-						variant={current('/start') ? 'secondary' : 'ghost'}
-						size="sm"
-						class="gap-1.5"
+						class="tile flex h-8 items-center gap-1.5 px-2.5 text-sm"
+						aria-current={current('/start') ? 'page' : undefined}
 						title="Dashboard (g then d)"
 						aria-keyshortcuts="g d"
-						><LayoutDashboard size={16} aria-hidden="true" />dashboard</Button
+						><span class="tile-icon accent-dashboard size-5"
+							><LayoutDashboard size={13} aria-hidden="true" /></span
+						>dashboard</a
 					>
-					<Button
-						variant="ghost"
-						size="icon"
+					<button
+						type="button"
+						class="tile flex size-8 items-center justify-center"
 						onclick={openQuickAdd}
 						aria-label="Quick add task"
 						title="Quick add task (g then t)"
-						aria-keyshortcuts="g t"><Plus size={18} aria-hidden="true" /></Button
+						aria-keyshortcuts="g t"
+						><span class="tile-icon accent-add size-5"><Plus size={14} aria-hidden="true" /></span
+						></button
 					>
 				{/if}
 				<Button
@@ -352,16 +357,25 @@
 					>
 					<nav class="flex flex-col gap-1" aria-label="Mobile navigation">
 						{#if data.isOwner}
-							<Button
-								href={resolve('/start')}
-								variant="outline"
-								class="mb-2 justify-start gap-2"
-								onclick={() => (menuOpen = false)}
-								><LayoutDashboard size={16} aria-hidden="true" />dashboard</Button
-							>
-							<Button variant="outline" class="mb-2 justify-start gap-2" onclick={openQuickAdd}
-								><Plus size={16} aria-hidden="true" />quick add task</Button
-							>
+							<div class="mb-2 grid grid-cols-2 gap-1.5">
+								<a
+									href={resolve('/start')}
+									class="tile flex items-center gap-2 p-2 text-sm"
+									aria-current={current('/start') ? 'page' : undefined}
+									onclick={() => (menuOpen = false)}
+									><span class="tile-icon accent-dashboard size-7"
+										><LayoutDashboard size={15} aria-hidden="true" /></span
+									>dashboard</a
+								>
+								<button
+									type="button"
+									class="tile flex items-center gap-2 p-2 text-left text-sm"
+									onclick={openQuickAdd}
+									><span class="tile-icon accent-add size-7"
+										><Plus size={16} aria-hidden="true" /></span
+									>add task</button
+								>
+							</div>
 						{/if}
 						{#each navigation as item (item.href)}
 							<Button
@@ -372,15 +386,15 @@
 							>
 							{#if menus[item.href]}
 								{#if item.href === '/trackers'}
-									<div class="ml-3 grid grid-cols-2 gap-1 border-l border-border pl-3">
+									<div class="ml-3 grid grid-cols-2 gap-1.5 border-l border-border py-1 pl-3">
 										{#each menus[item.href].items as project (project.name)}
 											<!-- eslint-disable svelte/no-navigation-without-resolve -->
 											<a
 												href={project.external ? project.href : resolve(project.href)}
-												class="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-1.5 py-1.5 text-sm hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground"
+												class="tile flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2 p-1.5 text-sm"
 												onclick={() => (menuOpen = false)}
-												><TrackerIcon name={project.name} class="size-7" /><span class="truncate"
-													>{project.name}</span
+												><TrackerIcon name={project.name} class="tile-icon size-7" /><span
+													class="truncate">{project.name}</span
 												></a
 											>
 											<!-- eslint-enable svelte/no-navigation-without-resolve -->
@@ -485,6 +499,73 @@
 {/if}
 
 <style>
+	/* Header tiles: monochrome surface (border, hover tint, lift), colourful content.
+	   Used by the Trackers dropdown, the dashboard and quick add buttons. */
+	.tile {
+		position: relative;
+		border: 1px solid color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 9%, transparent);
+		border-radius: 0.6rem;
+		background: color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 2%, transparent);
+		color: var(--foreground);
+		cursor: pointer;
+		outline: none;
+		transition:
+			transform 160ms cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 1),
+			background-color 160ms ease,
+			border-color 160ms ease,
+			box-shadow 160ms ease;
+	}
+	.tile:hover {
+		background: color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 6%, transparent);
+		border-color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 22%, transparent);
+		transform: translateY(-1px);
+		box-shadow: 0 6px 16px -10px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.45);
+	}
+	.tile:active {
+		transform: translateY(0);
+		box-shadow: none;
+	}
+	.tile:focus-visible {
+		outline: 2px solid var(--foreground);
+		outline-offset: 2px;
+	}
+	.tile[aria-current='page'] {
+		background: color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 9%, transparent);
+		border-color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 35%, transparent);
+	}
+	.tile :global(.tile-icon) {
+		transition: transform 160ms cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 1);
+	}
+	.tile:hover :global(.tile-icon) {
+		transform: scale(1.06);
+	}
+	.accent-dashboard,
+	.accent-add {
+		display: inline-flex;
+		flex-shrink: 0;
+		align-items: center;
+		justify-content: center;
+		border-radius: 0.35rem;
+		color: #fff;
+	}
+	.accent-dashboard {
+		background-image: linear-gradient(135deg, #6366f1, #8b5cf6);
+	}
+	.accent-add {
+		background-image: linear-gradient(135deg, #10b981, #0d9488);
+	}
+	@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+		.tile,
+		.tile :global(.tile-icon) {
+			transition:
+				background-color 160ms ease,
+				border-color 160ms ease;
+		}
+		.tile:hover,
+		.tile:hover :global(.tile-icon) {
+			transform: none;
+		}
+	}
 	@media (min-width: 1100px) and (min-height: 700px) {
 		.cod-footer {
 			display: none;