diff --git a/src/assets/themes/lines.css b/src/assets/themes/lines.css
index e7468020fb..398bb8742c 100644
--- a/src/assets/themes/lines.css
+++ b/src/assets/themes/lines.css
@@ -16,10 +16,15 @@ body task:last-of-type {
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--separator-color);
 }
 
-/* No separators on sub-tasks — they form a connected indented block under the parent */
-body .sub-tasks task,
-body .sub-tasks task:last-of-type {
+/* Subtasks get separator lines between them.
+   Suppress only the boundaries so the indented block reads as part of its parent:
+   no top line on the first subtask (header → block flows together), no bottom line
+   on the last subtask (parent's bottom border or next parent's top closes it). */
+body .sub-tasks task:first-of-type {
   border-top: none;
+}
+
+body .sub-tasks task:last-of-type {
   border-bottom: none;
 }
 
@@ -44,16 +49,19 @@ body task.isSelected .sub-tasks .box {
   background: transparent !important;
 }
 
-/* === Planner: tight list with horizontal separator lines === */
+/* === Planner & Boards: tight list with horizontal separator lines === */
 
-/* Remove the per-row gap so lines act as the only separator */
+/* Remove the per-row gap so lines act as the only separator.
+   `.task-items` is the board column list — same treatment. */
 body .normal-tasks-items > *,
 body .deadline-items > *,
-body .scheduled-items > * {
+body .scheduled-items > *,
+body .task-items > planner-task {
   margin-bottom: 0 !important;
+  margin-right: 0 !important;
 }
 
-/* Strip box-style chrome from every planner item host */
+/* Strip box-style chrome from every planner/board item host */
 body planner-task,
 body planner-deadline-task,
 body planner-repeat-projection,
@@ -71,14 +79,16 @@ body planner-repeat-projection > div {
   border-radius: 0 !important;
 }
 
-/* Top separator on every direct child of the normal/deadline lists */
+/* Top separator on every direct child of the normal/deadline/board lists */
 body .normal-tasks-items > *,
-body .deadline-items > * {
+body .deadline-items > *,
+body .task-items > planner-task {
   border-top: 1px solid var(--separator-color) !important;
 }
 
 body .normal-tasks-items > *:last-child,
-body .deadline-items > *:last-child {
+body .deadline-items > *:last-child,
+body .task-items > planner-task:last-child {
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--separator-color) !important;
 }
 
@@ -91,3 +101,102 @@ body .scheduled-items > .scheduled-item {
 body .scheduled-items > .scheduled-item:last-child {
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--separator-color);
 }
+
+/* === Row hover: subtle tint so the list feels responsive === */
+
+/* Wrap in @media (hover: hover) — on touch, :hover sticks on the last-tapped row. */
+@media (hover: hover) {
+  /* Use :has() so hovering a subtask doesn't also highlight its parent row.
+     The .box is the absolute-positioned background layer of a task. */
+  body task:hover:not(:has(task:hover)) > swipe-block > .inner-wrapper > .box {
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04) !important;
+  }
+
+  body.isDarkTheme
+    task:hover:not(:has(task:hover))
+    > swipe-block
+    > .inner-wrapper
+    > .box {
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03) !important;
+  }
+
+  body planner-task:hover {
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04) !important;
+  }
+
+  body.isDarkTheme planner-task:hover {
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03) !important;
+  }
+
+  /* Selection wins over hover */
+  body task.isSelected:hover > swipe-block > .inner-wrapper > .box {
+    background: var(--c-dark-10) !important;
+  }
+
+  body.isDarkTheme task.isSelected:hover > swipe-block > .inner-wrapper > .box {
+    background: var(--c-light-05) !important;
+  }
+}
+
+/* === Current task: suppress inherited border === */
+
+/* The base theme paints a dashed accent border around the current task's box —
+   too noisy for a hairline-only list. The task component already renders a
+   progress bar below the title, which is enough indication. */
+body task.isCurrent .box,
+body task.isCurrent.isCurrent.isCurrent.isCurrent.isCurrent .box {
+  border-color: transparent !important;
+  box-shadow: none !important;
+}
+
+/* Planner/board tasks don't render a progress bar — without an indicator the
+   running task disappears. Use a faint accent tint instead of a border. */
+body planner-task.isCurrent {
+  border: none !important;
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c-accent) 10%, transparent) !important;
+}
+
+/* === Drop indicator: ghost slot with an accent top line === */
+
+/* Default opacity is 0.1 — too faint between hairlines. Bump to 0.3 so the
+   ghost is visible and add a 2px accent top line marking the drop position. */
+body task.cdk-drag-placeholder,
+body planner-task.cdk-drag-placeholder {
+  opacity: 0.3 !important;
+  border-top: 2px solid var(--c-accent) !important;
+}
+
+/* === Keyboard focus: explicit outline so focus is never invisible === */
+
+body task:focus-visible {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--palette-primary-400) !important;
+  outline-offset: -2px;
+}
+
+body planner-task:focus-visible {
+  outline: 2px solid var(--palette-primary-400) !important;
+  outline-offset: -2px;
+}
+
+/* === Worklog: switch dashed dividers to solid for visual consistency === */
+body worklog .year,
+body worklog .month {
+  border-top-style: solid;
+}
+
+/* === Issue panel suggestions: hairline-separated list === */
+
+body issue-provider-tab .item-list {
+  gap: 0 !important;
+}
+
+body issue-preview-item {
+  background: transparent !important;
+  box-shadow: none !important;
+  border-radius: 0 !important;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--separator-color);
+}
+
+body issue-preview-item:last-of-type {
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--separator-color);
+}
diff --git a/src/assets/themes/zen.css b/src/assets/themes/zen.css
index 6cc6ab15da..ae768746b2 100644
--- a/src/assets/themes/zen.css
+++ b/src/assets/themes/zen.css
@@ -255,3 +255,14 @@ body .week-month-btn:not(.active) {
 app-root.isWorkViewScrolled task.isCurrent .box {
   background: var(--bg) !important;
 }
+
+/* Banner: zen normally hides chrome; give it a neutral elevated bg so it
+   reads as distinct from the page without re-introducing primary color. */
+body banner .content-wrapper {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06) !important;
+  box-shadow: none !important;
+}
+
+body.isDarkTheme banner .content-wrapper {
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05) !important;
+}
diff --git a/src/styles/page.scss b/src/styles/page.scss
index 676457fe64..dc232bc8e9 100644
--- a/src/styles/page.scss
+++ b/src/styles/page.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-@use 'angular-material-css-vars' as mat-css-vars;
 @use '../_common';
 @use './mixins/media-queries';
 
@@ -139,16 +138,17 @@ body {
     opacity: 0;
   }
 
-  &.isLightTheme {
+  // Soft primary-tinted gradient backdrop. Light and dark want different
+  // recipes — the same single corner-glow that reads as warm on dark looks
+  // smudgy on white, so light gets two larger diffuse glows (primary +
+  // accent) for subtle depth without flat-tint feel.
+  // Themes that want a different/no backdrop hide body:before (dark-base,
+  // arc, nord-snow-storm, dracula, velvet do this).
+  &.isLightTheme,
+  &.isDarkTheme {
     color: var(--text-color);
     background: var(--bg);
 
-    &:before {
-      display: block;
-      opacity: 1;
-      filter: saturate(0.8);
-      background: mat-css-vars.mat-css-color(50, 1);
-    }
     &.isDisableBackgroundTint {
       background: var(--bg);
       &:before {
@@ -158,23 +158,39 @@ body {
     }
   }
 
-  &.isDarkTheme {
-    color: var(--text-color);
-    background: var(--bg);
+  &.isLightTheme:before {
+    display: block;
+    opacity: 1;
+    // Two glows in different primary shades — primary-200 (soft pastel)
+    // for the top-left highlight, primary-400 (deeper) for bottom-right
+    // depth. Single-hue keeps the light-mode wash calm.
+    background:
+      radial-gradient(
+        ellipse 120% 80% at 0% -10%,
+        color-mix(in srgb, var(--palette-primary-200) 40%, transparent) 0%,
+        transparent 65%
+      ),
+      radial-gradient(
+        ellipse 80% 60% at 100% 100%,
+        color-mix(in srgb, var(--palette-primary-400) 15%, transparent) 0%,
+        transparent 60%
+      );
+  }
 
-    &:before {
-      display: block;
-      opacity: 1;
-      filter: brightness(0.1);
-      background: mat-css-vars.mat-css-color(900, 1);
-    }
-    &.isDisableBackgroundTint {
-      background: var(--bg);
-      &:before {
-        display: none;
-        opacity: 0;
-      }
-    }
+  &.isDarkTheme:before {
+    display: block;
+    opacity: 1;
+    background:
+      radial-gradient(
+        ellipse 80% 60% at 10% -10%,
+        color-mix(in srgb, var(--c-primary) 10%, transparent) 0%,
+        transparent 55%
+      ),
+      linear-gradient(
+        180deg,
+        color-mix(in srgb, var(--c-primary) 4%, transparent) 0%,
+        transparent 100%
+      );
   }
 
   // also hide material dialogs while import is in progress