diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/InboxList.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/InboxList.tsx
index b1e186a..097a1a5 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/InboxList.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/InboxList.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import { useMemo, useState } from "react";
-import { RefreshCw } from "lucide-react";
+import { Inbox, RefreshCw } from "lucide-react";
 import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { MessageCard } from "@/components/MessageCard";
-import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 interface Agent {
   id: string;
@@ -119,11 +118,11 @@ export function InboxList({
   ];
 
   return (
-    <div className="space-y-4">
+    <div className="space-y-4 lg:border-r lg:border-border/50 lg:pr-4">
       {/* Header */}
       <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Agent Inbox</h2>
+          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold font-display tracking-tight">Agent Inbox</h2>
           <Badge variant="secondary">{joined.length}</Badge>
         </div>
         <Button variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={onRefresh}>
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ export function InboxList({
           {filterOptions.map((opt) => (
             <Button
               key={opt.value}
-              variant={filter === opt.value ? "default" : "outline"}
+              variant={filter === opt.value ? "default" : "ghost"}
               size="sm"
               className="h-7 px-2 text-xs"
               onClick={() => setFilter(opt.value)}
@@ -153,9 +152,9 @@ export function InboxList({
           {sortOptions.map((opt) => (
             <Button
               key={opt.value}
-              variant={sort === opt.value ? "default" : "outline"}
+              variant={sort === opt.value ? "default" : "ghost"}
               size="sm"
-              className={cn("h-7 px-2 text-xs")}
+              className="h-7 px-2 text-xs"
               onClick={() => setSort(opt.value)}
             >
               {opt.label}
@@ -166,13 +165,12 @@ export function InboxList({
 
       {/* Message list or empty state */}
       {sorted.length === 0 ? (
-        <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 py-16">
-          <p className="text-lg font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-            No pending messages
-          </p>
-          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-            Agents will appear here when they have questions or status updates
-          </p>
+        <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-dashed p-12 text-center">
+          <Inbox className="h-8 w-8 text-muted-foreground/40" />
+          <div className="space-y-1">
+            <p className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">No pending messages</p>
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground/70">Agents will appear here when they have questions or status updates</p>
+          </div>
         </div>
       ) : (
         <div className="space-y-2">
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/InitiativeCard.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/InitiativeCard.tsx
index 42ef07b..b2b11ee 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/InitiativeCard.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/InitiativeCard.tsx
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ export function InitiativeCard({ initiative, onClick }: InitiativeCardProps) {
 
   return (
     <Card
-      className="cursor-pointer p-4 transition-colors hover:bg-accent/50"
+      interactive
+      className="p-4"
       onClick={onClick}
     >
       {/* Row 1: Name + overflow menu */}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/PhaseAccordion.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/PhaseAccordion.tsx
index fb144ec..0b04cfb 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/PhaseAccordion.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/PhaseAccordion.tsx
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export function PhaseAccordion({
     <div className="border-b border-border">
       {/* Phase header — clickable to toggle */}
       <button
-        className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3 text-left hover:bg-accent/50"
+        className="flex w-full items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3.5 text-left hover:bg-accent/50"
         onClick={() => setExpanded((prev) => !prev)}
       >
         {/* Expand / collapse chevron */}
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export function PhaseAccordion({
         )}
 
         {/* Phase name */}
-        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate font-medium">
+        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate font-display font-medium">
           {phase.name}
         </span>
 
@@ -84,18 +84,20 @@ export function PhaseAccordion({
 
       {/* Expanded content editor + task list */}
       {expanded && (
-        <div className="pb-3 pl-10 pr-4">
+        <div className="pb-4 pl-10 pr-4">
           <PhaseContentEditor phaseId={phase.id} initiativeId={phase.initiativeId} />
-          {tasks.map((entry, idx) => (
-            <TaskRow
-              key={entry.task.id}
-              task={entry.task}
-              agentName={entry.agentName}
-              blockedBy={entry.blockedBy}
-              isLast={idx === tasks.length - 1}
-              onClick={() => onTaskClick(entry.task.id)}
-            />
-          ))}
+          <div className="mt-1 space-y-1">
+            {tasks.map((entry, idx) => (
+              <TaskRow
+                key={entry.task.id}
+                task={entry.task}
+                agentName={entry.agentName}
+                blockedBy={entry.blockedBy}
+                isLast={idx === tasks.length - 1}
+                onClick={() => onTaskClick(entry.task.id)}
+              />
+            ))}
+          </div>
         </div>
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/agents.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/agents.tsx
index cbe1468..0bbad45 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/agents.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/agents.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { createFileRoute, useNavigate, useSearch } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { motion } from "motion/react";
-import { AlertCircle, RefreshCw } from "lucide-react";
+import { AlertCircle, RefreshCw, Terminal, Users } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Card } from "@/components/ui/card";
 import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import { trpc } from "@/lib/trpc";
 import { AgentOutputViewer } from "@/components/AgentOutputViewer";
 import { AgentActions } from "@/components/AgentActions";
 import { formatRelativeTime } from "@/lib/utils";
-import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { modeLabel } from "@/lib/labels";
 import { StatusDot } from "@/components/StatusDot";
 import { useLiveUpdates } from "@/hooks";
@@ -193,7 +192,7 @@ function AgentsPage() {
       <div className="shrink-0 space-y-3">
         <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
           <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-            <h1 className="text-lg font-semibold">Agents</h1>
+            <h1 className="font-display text-lg font-semibold tracking-tight">Agents</h1>
             <Badge variant="secondary">{agents.length}</Badge>
           </div>
           <Button variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={handleRefresh}>
@@ -216,12 +215,9 @@ function AgentsPage() {
               onClick={() => navigate({ to: "/agents", search: { filter: opt.value } })}
             >
               {opt.label}
-              <Badge
-                variant="secondary"
-                className="ml-1.5 h-4 min-w-4 px-1 text-[10px]"
-              >
+              <span className="ml-1.5 text-[10px] tabular-nums opacity-70">
                 {counts[opt.value]}
-              </Badge>
+              </span>
             </Button>
           ))}
         </motion.div>
@@ -235,12 +231,14 @@ function AgentsPage() {
         className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 lg:grid-cols-[320px_1fr] min-h-0 flex-1"
       >
         {/* Left: Agent List */}
-        <div className="overflow-y-auto min-h-0 space-y-2">
+        <div className="overflow-y-auto min-h-0 space-y-2 lg:border-r lg:border-border/50 lg:pr-4">
           {filtered.length === 0 ? (
-            <div className="rounded-lg border border-dashed p-8 text-center">
-              <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                No agents match this filter
-              </p>
+            <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-dashed p-12 text-center">
+              <Users className="h-8 w-8 text-muted-foreground/40" />
+              <div className="space-y-1">
+                <p className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">No agents match this filter</p>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground/70">Try selecting a different filter above</p>
+              </div>
             </div>
           ) : (
             filtered.map((agent, i) => (
@@ -255,10 +253,9 @@ function AgentsPage() {
                 }}
               >
                 <Card
-                  className={cn(
-                    "cursor-pointer p-3 transition-colors hover:bg-muted/50",
-                    selectedAgentId === agent.id && "bg-muted"
-                  )}
+                  interactive
+                  selected={selectedAgentId === agent.id}
+                  className="p-3"
                   onClick={() => setSelectedAgentId(agent.id)}
                 >
                   <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
@@ -321,10 +318,12 @@ function AgentsPage() {
               onStop={handleStop}
             />
           ) : (
-            <div className="flex h-full items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-dashed">
-              <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                Select an agent to view output
-              </p>
+            <div className="flex h-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-dashed">
+              <Terminal className="h-10 w-10 text-muted-foreground/30" />
+              <div className="space-y-1 text-center">
+                <p className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">No agent selected</p>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground/70">Select an agent from the list to view output</p>
+              </div>
             </div>
           )}
         </div>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/inbox.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/inbox.tsx
index d7cc2cb..50e6399 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/inbox.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/inbox.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { motion } from "motion/react";
-import { AlertCircle } from "lucide-react";
+import { AlertCircle, MessageSquare } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Card } from "@/components/ui/card";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/Skeleton";
@@ -255,10 +255,12 @@ function InboxPage() {
 
         {/* Empty detail panel placeholder */}
         {!selectedAgent && (
-          <div className="hidden items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-dashed border-border p-8 lg:flex">
-            <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-              Select an agent to view details
-            </p>
+          <div className="hidden flex-col items-center justify-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-dashed border-border p-8 lg:flex">
+            <MessageSquare className="h-10 w-10 text-muted-foreground/30" />
+            <div className="space-y-1 text-center">
+              <p className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground">No message selected</p>
+              <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground/70">Select an agent from the inbox to view details</p>
+            </div>
           </div>
         )}
       </div>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/$id.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/$id.tsx
index e8944ae..350634b 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/$id.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/$id.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { AlertCircle } from "lucide-react";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Skeleton } from "@/components/Skeleton";
 import { trpc } from "@/lib/trpc";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { InitiativeHeader } from "@/components/InitiativeHeader";
 import { ContentTab } from "@/components/editor/ContentTab";
 import { ExecutionTab } from "@/components/ExecutionTab";
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ function InitiativeDetailPage() {
       />
 
       {/* Tab bar */}
-      <motion.div
+      <motion.nav
         initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 8 }}
         animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
         transition={{ duration: 0.3, delay: 0.05, ease: [0, 0, 0.2, 1] }}
@@ -129,16 +130,17 @@ function InitiativeDetailPage() {
                 replace: true,
               })
             }
-            className={`px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium capitalize border-b-2 transition-colors ${
+            className={cn(
+              "px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium border-b-2 transition-colors",
               activeTab === tab
                 ? "border-primary text-foreground"
                 : "border-transparent text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
-            }`}
+            )}
           >
-            {tab}
+            {tab.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + tab.slice(1)}
           </button>
         ))}
-      </motion.div>
+      </motion.nav>
 
       {/* Tab content */}
       <motion.div
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/index.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/index.tsx
index 41c7066..0893a8b 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/initiatives/index.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function DashboardPage() {
     >
       {/* Page header */}
       <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
-        <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Initiatives</h1>
+        <h1 className="font-display text-2xl font-bold tracking-tight">Initiatives</h1>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
           <select
             value={statusFilter}