diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue b/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
index 6d242605..2db3cf9a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
@@ -68,17 +68,19 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
       <!-- Left: brand -->
       <router-link to="/" class="nav-brand">
         <AppLogo :size="34" />
-        Fabled Assistant
+        <span class="brand-text">Fabled</span>
       </router-link>
 
       <!-- Center: primary navigation (desktop) -->
       <div class="nav-center">
-        <router-link to="/" class="nav-link" :class="{ 'router-link-active': isKnowledgeActive }">Knowledge</router-link>
-        <router-link to="/chat" :class="['nav-link', { 'router-link-active': isChatActive }]">Chat</router-link>
-        <router-link to="/briefing" class="nav-link">Briefing</router-link>
-        <router-link to="/calendar" class="nav-link">Calendar</router-link>
-        <router-link to="/news" class="nav-link">News</router-link>
-        <router-link to="/projects" class="nav-link">Projects</router-link>
+        <div class="nav-pill-bar">
+          <router-link to="/" class="nav-link" :class="{ 'router-link-active': isKnowledgeActive }">Knowledge</router-link>
+          <router-link to="/chat" :class="['nav-link', { 'router-link-active': isChatActive }]">Chat</router-link>
+          <router-link to="/briefing" class="nav-link">Briefing</router-link>
+          <router-link to="/calendar" class="nav-link">Calendar</router-link>
+          <router-link to="/news" class="nav-link">News</router-link>
+          <router-link to="/projects" class="nav-link">Projects</router-link>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       <!-- Right: status + utilities + gear + user -->
@@ -150,40 +152,51 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
 
 <style scoped>
 .app-header {
-  background: var(--color-bg-secondary);
+  background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--color-surface), var(--color-bg));
+  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(124, 58, 237, 0.08);
   position: relative;
 }
 .nav {
-  padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+  padding: 0.6rem 1.5rem;
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: space-between;
   position: relative;
 }
 
-/* Left */
+/* Left — brand */
 .nav-brand {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.4rem;
-  font-family: 'Fraunces', Georgia, serif;
-  font-optical-sizing: auto;
-  font-weight: 600;
-  font-size: 1.15rem;
-  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
-  color: var(--color-primary);
+  gap: 0.45rem;
   text-decoration: none;
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
+.brand-text {
+  font-family: 'Fraunces', Georgia, serif;
+  font-style: italic;
+  font-optical-sizing: auto;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-size: 1rem;
+  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
+  color: #c4b0f0;
+}
 
-/* Center — absolutely positioned so it's truly centered regardless of side widths */
+/* Center — pill bar */
 .nav-center {
   position: absolute;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translateX(-50%);
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.1rem;
+}
+.nav-pill-bar {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 2px;
+  background: rgba(124, 58, 237, 0.06);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  padding: 3px;
 }
 
 /* Right */
@@ -195,22 +208,22 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
 }
 
 .nav-link {
-  color: var(--color-text-secondary);
+  color: var(--color-text-muted);
   text-decoration: none;
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
-  padding: 0.3rem 0.6rem;
-  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+  padding: 0.3rem 0.75rem;
+  border-radius: 8px;
   transition: background 0.15s, color 0.15s;
 }
 .nav-link:hover {
-  color: var(--color-primary);
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-primary) 8%, transparent);
+  color: var(--color-text-secondary);
+  background: rgba(124, 58, 237, 0.08);
 }
 .nav-link.router-link-active {
-  color: var(--color-primary);
+  color: #c4b5fd;
   font-weight: 600;
-  box-shadow: inset 0 -2px 0 var(--color-primary);
-  border-radius: 0;
+  background: rgba(124, 58, 237, 0.2);
+  box-shadow: 0 0 12px rgba(124, 58, 237, 0.2);
 }
 
 /* Status indicator */
@@ -232,7 +245,7 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
   font-weight: 500;
   color: var(--color-text-muted);
 }
-.status-green .status-dot  { background: var(--color-success, #2ecc71); }
+.status-green .status-dot  { background: var(--color-success, #2ecc71); animation: status-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite; }
 .status-yellow .status-dot { background: var(--color-warning, #f59e0b); animation: pulse-dot 2s infinite; }
 .status-orange .status-dot { background: #f97316; }
 .status-red .status-dot    { background: var(--color-danger, #e74c3c); }
@@ -241,6 +254,10 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
   0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
   50% { opacity: 0.3; }
 }
+@keyframes status-pulse {
+  0%, 100% { box-shadow: 0 0 4px rgba(74, 222, 128, 0.4); }
+  50% { box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(74, 222, 128, 0.6); }
+}
 
 /* Icon buttons (?, theme, gear) */
 .btn-icon {
@@ -367,6 +384,11 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
     min-height: 44px;
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+  }
+  .mobile-menu .nav-link.router-link-active {
+    background: rgba(124, 58, 237, 0.15);
+    box-shadow: none;
   }
   .mobile-user .btn-logout {
     min-height: 36px;