diff --git a/app/globals.css b/app/globals.css
index feaea6da..8262cdff 100644
--- a/app/globals.css
+++ b/app/globals.css
@@ -208,11 +208,11 @@
 }
 
 .animate-fade-in {
-    animation: fadeIn 0.3s ease-out forwards;
+    animation: fadeIn 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1) forwards;
 }
 
 .animate-slide-in-right {
-    animation: slideInRight 0.3s ease-out forwards;
+    animation: slideInRight 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1) forwards;
 }
 
 /* Message bubble animations */
@@ -228,22 +228,33 @@
 }
 
 .animate-message-in {
-    animation: messageIn 0.25s ease-out forwards;
+    animation: messageIn 0.35s cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1) forwards;
 }
 
 /* Subtle floating shadow for cards */
 .shadow-soft {
     box-shadow:
-        0 1px 2px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.04),
-        0 4px 12px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.06),
-        0 8px 24px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.04);
+        0 2px 4px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.02),
+        0 6px 12px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.03),
+        0 12px 24px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.03);
 }
 
 .shadow-soft-lg {
     box-shadow:
-        0 2px 4px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.04),
-        0 8px 20px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.08),
-        0 16px 40px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.06);
+        0 4px 8px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.03),
+        0 12px 24px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.05),
+        0 24px 48px oklch(0.23 0.02 260 / 0.04);
+}
+
+/* Gradient borders */
+.border-gradient-primary {
+    position: relative;
+    background:
+        linear-gradient(var(--background), var(--background)) padding-box,
+        linear-gradient(135deg, oklch(0.55 0.18 265), oklch(0.6 0.2 290))
+        border-box;
+    border: 2px solid transparent;
+    border-radius: var(--radius);
 }
 
 /* Gradient text utility */
diff --git a/components/chat-input.tsx b/components/chat-input.tsx
index 95d22193..48d05e5a 100644
--- a/components/chat-input.tsx
+++ b/components/chat-input.tsx
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ export function ChatInput({
         const { validFiles, errors } = validateFiles(
             supportedFiles,
             files.length,
+            imageSupported,
         )
         showValidationErrors(errors)
         if (validFiles.length > 0) {
@@ -344,7 +345,7 @@ export function ChatInput({
                 />
 
                 {/* Action bar */}
-                <div className="flex items-center justify-between px-3 py-2 border-t border-border/50">
+                <div className="flex items-center justify-between px-3 py-2 border-t border-border/50 bg-muted/20 rounded-b-2xl">
                     {/* Left actions */}
                     <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
                         <ButtonWithTooltip
@@ -371,18 +372,18 @@ export function ChatInput({
 
                         <Tooltip>
                             <TooltipTrigger asChild>
-                                <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                                <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2 py-1 rounded-md hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors">
                                     <Switch
                                         id="minimal-style"
                                         checked={minimalStyle}
                                         onCheckedChange={onMinimalStyleChange}
-                                        className="scale-75"
+                                        className="scale-75 data-[state=checked]:bg-primary"
                                     />
                                     <label
                                         htmlFor="minimal-style"
-                                        className={`text-xs cursor-pointer select-none ${
+                                        className={`text-xs cursor-pointer select-none font-medium ${
                                             minimalStyle
-                                                ? "text-primary font-medium"
+                                                ? "text-primary"
                                                 : "text-muted-foreground"
                                         }`}
                                     >
@@ -390,7 +391,7 @@ export function ChatInput({
                                     </label>
                                 </div>
                             </TooltipTrigger>
-                            <TooltipContent side="top">
+                            <TooltipContent side="top" className="text-xs">
                                 Use minimal for faster generation (no colors)
                             </TooltipContent>
                         </Tooltip>
@@ -405,7 +406,7 @@ export function ChatInput({
                             onClick={() => onToggleHistory(true)}
                             disabled={isDisabled || diagramHistory.length === 0}
                             tooltipContent="Diagram history"
-                            className="h-8 w-8 p-0 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+                            className="h-8 w-8 p-0 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
                         >
                             <History className="h-4 w-4" />
                         </ButtonWithTooltip>
@@ -417,7 +418,7 @@ export function ChatInput({
                             onClick={() => setShowSaveDialog(true)}
                             disabled={isDisabled}
                             tooltipContent="Save diagram"
-                            className="h-8 w-8 p-0 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+                            className="h-8 w-8 p-0 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
                         >
                             <Download className="h-4 w-4" />
                         </ButtonWithTooltip>
@@ -444,7 +445,7 @@ export function ChatInput({
                                     ? "Upload file (image, PDF, text)"
                                     : "Upload file (PDF, text)"
                             }
-                            className="h-8 w-8 p-0 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+                            className="h-8 w-8 p-0 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
                         >
                             <ImageIcon className="h-4 w-4" />
                         </ButtonWithTooltip>
@@ -463,9 +464,16 @@ export function ChatInput({
 
                         <Button
                             type="submit"
-                            disabled={isDisabled || !input.trim()}
+                            disabled={
+                                isDisabled ||
+                                (!input.trim() && files.length === 0)
+                            }
                             size="sm"
-                            className="h-8 px-4 rounded-xl font-medium shadow-sm"
+                            className={`h-8 px-4 rounded-xl font-medium shadow-sm transition-all duration-300 ${
+                                input.trim() || files.length > 0
+                                    ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90 hover:scale-105"
+                                    : "bg-muted text-muted-foreground opacity-70"
+                            }`}
                             aria-label={
                                 isDisabled ? "Sending..." : "Send message"
                             }
diff --git a/components/chat-message-display.tsx b/components/chat-message-display.tsx
index b2dafadb..2b9845f3 100644
--- a/components/chat-message-display.tsx
+++ b/components/chat-message-display.tsx
@@ -1006,15 +1006,15 @@ export function ChatMessageDisplay({
                                                     return (
                                                         <div
                                                             key={`${message.id}-content-${group.startIndex}`}
-                                                            className={`px-4 py-3 text-sm leading-relaxed ${
+                                                            className={`px-5 py-3.5 text-sm leading-7 shadow-sm transition-all duration-300 ${
                                                                 message.role ===
                                                                 "user"
-                                                                    ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground rounded-2xl rounded-br-md shadow-sm"
+                                                                    ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground rounded-[20px] rounded-br-md ml-12"
                                                                     : message.role ===
                                                                         "system"
-                                                                      ? "bg-destructive/10 text-destructive border border-destructive/20 rounded-2xl rounded-bl-md"
-                                                                      : "bg-muted/60 text-foreground rounded-2xl rounded-bl-md"
-                                                            } ${message.role === "user" && isLastUserMessage && onEditMessage ? "cursor-pointer hover:opacity-90 transition-opacity" : ""} ${groupIndex > 0 ? "mt-3" : ""}`}
+                                                                      ? "bg-destructive/5 text-destructive border border-destructive/10 rounded-xl rounded-bl-md mr-12"
+                                                                      : "bg-background border border-border/50 text-foreground rounded-[20px] rounded-bl-md mr-12 shadow-soft"
+                                                            } ${message.role === "user" && isLastUserMessage && onEditMessage ? "cursor-pointer hover:brightness-110" : ""} ${groupIndex > 0 ? "mt-2" : ""}`}
                                                             role={
                                                                 message.role ===
                                                                     "user" &&
diff --git a/components/chat-panel.tsx b/components/chat-panel.tsx
index ccd0fa00..b3fb0880 100644
--- a/components/chat-panel.tsx
+++ b/components/chat-panel.tsx
@@ -1266,18 +1266,18 @@ Continue from EXACTLY where you stopped.`,
     // Collapsed view (desktop only)
     if (!isVisible && !isMobile) {
         return (
-            <div className="h-full flex flex-col items-center pt-4 bg-card border border-border/30 rounded-xl">
+            <div className="h-full flex flex-col items-center pt-4 bg-card border border-border/30 rounded-xl shadow-sm transition-all duration-300 ease-in-out">
                 <ButtonWithTooltip
                     tooltipContent="Show chat panel (Ctrl+B)"
                     variant="ghost"
                     size="icon"
                     onClick={onToggleVisibility}
-                    className="hover:bg-accent transition-colors"
+                    className="hover:bg-accent transition-colors rounded-xl"
                 >
                     <PanelRightOpen className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground" />
                 </ButtonWithTooltip>
                 <div
-                    className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground mt-8 tracking-wide"
+                    className="text-sm font-medium text-muted-foreground mt-8 tracking-wide opacity-80"
                     style={{
                         writingMode: "vertical-rl",
                         transform: "rotate(180deg)",
@@ -1291,7 +1291,8 @@ Continue from EXACTLY where you stopped.`,
 
     // Full view
     return (
-        <div className="h-full flex flex-col bg-card shadow-soft animate-slide-in-right rounded-xl border border-border/30 relative">
+        <div className="h-full flex flex-col bg-card/80 backdrop-blur-sm shadow-soft animate-slide-in-right rounded-xl border border-border/40 relative overflow-hidden transition-all duration-300">
+            <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-b from-background/50 to-transparent pointer-events-none" />
             <Toaster
                 position="bottom-center"
                 richColors