diff --git a/frontend/src/components/NoteCard.vue b/frontend/src/components/NoteCard.vue
index cefdc8c..eacdcf8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/NoteCard.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/NoteCard.vue
@@ -78,6 +78,19 @@ function goEdit() {
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.6rem;
   padding: 0.45rem 0.75rem;
+  background: var(--color-bg-card);
+  box-shadow: none;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  transform: none !important;
+}
+.note-card.compact:first-child {
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+}
+.note-card.compact:hover {
+  box-shadow: none;
+  background: rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.04);
+  transform: none;
 }
 .note-title-compact {
   font-size: 0.9rem;
@@ -137,6 +150,9 @@ function goEdit() {
   font-size: 0.9rem;
   max-height: 7.5em;
   overflow: hidden;
+  position: relative;
+  -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, black 60%, transparent 100%);
+  mask-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, black 60%, transparent 100%);
 }
 .note-meta {
   display: flex;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue b/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue
index 9a97798..28176ff 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ function isOverdue(): boolean {
       <PriorityBadge :priority="task.priority!" />
       <span class="task-title-compact">{{ task.title || "Untitled" }}</span>
       <span v-if="projectTitle" class="project-crumb">{{ projectTitle }}</span>
+      <div class="task-tags-compact">
+        <TagPill
+          v-for="tag in task.tags?.slice(0, 2)"
+          :key="tag"
+          :tag="tag"
+          @click.stop="emit('tag-click', tag)"
+        />
+      </div>
       <span v-if="task.due_date" :class="['due-compact', { overdue: isOverdue() }]">
         {{ task.due_date }}
       </span>
@@ -115,6 +123,18 @@ function isOverdue(): boolean {
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.5rem;
   padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem;
+  box-shadow: none;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  transform: none !important;
+}
+.task-card.compact:first-child {
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+}
+.task-card.compact:hover {
+  box-shadow: none;
+  background: rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.04);
+  transform: none;
 }
 
 /* Status dot */
@@ -164,6 +184,11 @@ function isOverdue(): boolean {
   white-space: nowrap;
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
+.task-tags-compact {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 0.25rem;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
 .due-compact {
   font-size: 0.75rem;
   color: var(--color-text-muted);
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/NotesListView.vue b/frontend/src/views/NotesListView.vue
index 33e480f..0e9a54c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/NotesListView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/NotesListView.vue
@@ -139,7 +139,14 @@ function onOffsetUpdate(offset: number) {
       <button class="clear-filters" @click="store.clearTagFilters()">Clear all</button>
     </div>
 
-    <p v-if="store.loading">Loading...</p>
+    <div v-if="store.loading" class="note-list-skeleton">
+      <div v-if="viewMode === 'grid'" class="skeleton-grid">
+        <div class="skeleton-card" v-for="i in 6" :key="i"></div>
+      </div>
+      <div v-else class="skeleton-rows">
+        <div class="skeleton-row" v-for="i in 8" :key="i"></div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
     <div v-else-if="store.notes.length === 0" class="empty-state">
       <template v-if="store.searchQuery || store.activeTagFilters.length">
         <p class="empty-title">No notes match your filters</p>
@@ -280,10 +287,43 @@ function onOffsetUpdate(offset: number) {
   padding: 0;
 }
 
+/* Skeleton loading */
+.note-list-skeleton {
+  margin-top: 1rem;
+}
+.skeleton-grid {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(260px, 1fr));
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+}
+.skeleton-card {
+  height: 140px;
+  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--color-bg-secondary) 25%, var(--color-border) 50%, var(--color-bg-secondary) 75%);
+  background-size: 200% 100%;
+  animation: skeleton-shimmer 1.4s ease infinite;
+}
+.skeleton-rows {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.3rem;
+}
+.skeleton-row {
+  height: 40px;
+  border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--color-bg-secondary) 25%, var(--color-border) 50%, var(--color-bg-secondary) 75%);
+  background-size: 200% 100%;
+  animation: skeleton-shimmer 1.4s ease infinite;
+}
+@keyframes skeleton-shimmer {
+  0% { background-position: 200% 0; }
+  100% { background-position: -200% 0; }
+}
+
 /* Grid layout */
 .cards-grid {
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(260px, 1fr));
   gap: 0.75rem;
   margin-top: 1rem;
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/TasksListView.vue b/frontend/src/views/TasksListView.vue
index 0f4a1b8..762b0eb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/TasksListView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/TasksListView.vue
@@ -345,11 +345,16 @@ function toggleGroup(key: string) {
 }
 .btn-new {
   padding: 0.45rem 1rem;
-  background: var(--color-primary);
+  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #6366f1, #4f46e5);
   color: #fff;
   border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
   text-decoration: none;
   font-size: 0.9rem;
+  box-shadow: 0 1px 6px rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.25);
+}
+.btn-new:hover {
+  box-shadow: 0 3px 12px rgba(99, 102, 241, 0.45);
+  filter: brightness(1.08);
 }
 .controls {
   display: flex;