diff --git a/desktop/src/features/chat/ui/ChatHeader.tsx b/desktop/src/features/chat/ui/ChatHeader.tsx
index 9b0cd99cf2..7ca475bf33 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/chat/ui/ChatHeader.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/chat/ui/ChatHeader.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   FileText,
   FolderGit2,
   Hash,
-  Inbox,
+  House,
   Lock,
   Zap,
 } from "lucide-react";
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function ChannelIcon({
   mode?: "home" | "channel" | "agents" | "workflows" | "pulse" | "projects";
 }) {
   if (mode === "home") {
-    return <Inbox className={HEADER_ICON_CLASS} />;
+    return <House className={HEADER_ICON_CLASS} />;
   }
 
   if (mode === "agents") {
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx
index 57a0e16080..b9d5f22cff 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeScreen.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function HomeScreen({
         description="Personalized activity feed for mentions, reminders, channel activity, and agent work."
         mode="home"
         overlaysContent
-        title="Inbox"
+        title="Home"
       />
 
       <div className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden">
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx
index d1d5abfcd4..cadb6f2bfb 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/HomeView.tsx
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ function matchesInboxFilter(
 
 function HomeLoadingState() {
   return (
-    <div className="flex-1 overflow-hidden pt-11">
+    <div className="flex-1 overflow-hidden">
       <div className="grid h-full min-h-0 w-full lg:grid-cols-[320px_minmax(0,1fr)]">
-        <div className="overflow-hidden border-r border-border/70 bg-background">
-          <div className="border-b border-border/70 px-4 py-4">
+        <div className="overflow-hidden border-r border-border/70 bg-background/60">
+          <div className="border-b border-border/70 px-4 pb-4 pt-14">
             <Skeleton className="h-4 w-20" />
             <Skeleton className="mt-2 h-4 w-28" />
             <Skeleton className="mt-4 h-10 rounded-md" />
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ function HomeLoadingState() {
           </div>
         </div>
 
-        <div className="overflow-hidden bg-background">
-          <div className="border-b border-border/70 px-5 py-4">
+        <div className="overflow-hidden bg-background/60">
+          <div className="border-b border-border/70 px-5 pb-4 pt-14">
             <Skeleton className="h-5 w-48" />
             <Skeleton className="mt-3 h-8 w-72" />
           </div>
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ export function HomeView({
       selectedItem.item.pubkey.trim().toLowerCase();
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex-1 overflow-hidden pt-11">
+    <div className="flex-1 overflow-hidden">
       <div
         className="grid h-full min-h-0 w-full lg:grid-cols-[320px_minmax(0,1fr)]"
         data-testid="home-inbox"
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx
index b0fa94b11b..ca76f71165 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxDetailPane.tsx
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
   if (!item) {
     return (
       <section
-        className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 items-center justify-center bg-background px-6 py-10 text-center"
+        className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 items-center justify-center bg-background/60 px-6 py-10 pt-20 text-center"
         data-testid="home-inbox-detail-empty"
       >
         <div className="max-w-sm">
@@ -189,12 +189,12 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
 
   return (
     <section
-      className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-background"
+      className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-background/60"
       data-testid="home-inbox-detail"
       ref={detailPaneRef}
     >
       {!canOpenChannel ? (
-        <div className="px-6 py-4">
+        <div className="px-6 pb-4 pt-14">
           <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3">
             <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-3">
               <UserAvatar
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
       ) : null}
 
       <div className="relative min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden">
-        <div className="absolute inset-0 overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain pb-32 pt-6">
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain pb-32 pt-14">
           <div>
             {isThreadContextLoading ? (
               <div className="px-6 pb-3 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
@@ -277,15 +277,14 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
                 <div className="px-6 py-2">
                   <article
                     className={cn(
-                      "group/message flex items-start gap-2.5 border-l-2 px-2 py-1 transition-colors duration-1000",
+                      "group/message flex items-start gap-2.5 px-2 py-1 transition-colors duration-1000",
                       message.isSelected
                         ? cn(
-                            "border-primary/35",
                             isFocusHighlightVisible
                               ? "bg-primary/[0.07]"
                               : "bg-transparent",
                           )
-                        : "border-transparent hover:bg-muted/20",
+                        : "hover:bg-muted/20",
                     )}
                     data-testid={
                       message.isSelected
@@ -348,7 +347,7 @@ export function InboxDetailPane({
                           </div>
                         ) : null}
                       </div>
-                      <div className="-mt-0.5">
+                      <div className="mt-1">
                         <Markdown
                           className="max-w-full text-left text-sm text-foreground"
                           content={message.content}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx
index 1e2409908b..90fb917597 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/home/ui/InboxListPane.tsx
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ export function InboxListPane({
   selectedId,
 }: InboxListPaneProps) {
   return (
-    <section className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden border-r border-border/70 bg-background">
-      <div className="px-4 pb-3 pt-3">
+    <section className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden border-r border-border/70 bg-background/60">
+      <div className="px-4 pb-3 pt-14">
         <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
           {FILTER_OPTIONS.map((option) => (
             <Button
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ export function InboxListPane({
                   <div className="relative">
                     <UserAvatar
                       avatarUrl={item.avatarUrl}
-                      className="h-8 w-8 rounded-md"
+                      className="h-8 w-8 rounded-xl"
                       displayName={item.senderLabel}
                       size="md"
                     />
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts
index 9121412555..ebf56bb9a8 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ test("manage channel can delete an owned stream", async ({ page }) => {
   ).toBeVisible();
   await page.getByTestId("channel-delete-confirm").click();
 
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("stream-list")).not.toContainText(channelName);
 });
 
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/integration.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/integration.spec.ts
index b830054495..29c9d00ed6 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/integration.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/integration.spec.ts
@@ -294,8 +294,8 @@ test("live mentions refetch the home feed without waiting for polling", async ({
       },
     ]);
 
-    await targetPage.getByRole("button", { name: "Inbox" }).click();
-    await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+    await targetPage.getByRole("button", { name: "Home" }).click();
+    await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
     await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("sidebar-home-count")).toHaveCount(0);
     await expect
       .poll(() => getLoggedNotificationCount(targetPage), {
@@ -358,8 +358,8 @@ test("live forum mentions refetch the home feed without waiting for polling", as
       },
     ]);
 
-    await targetPage.getByRole("button", { name: "Inbox" }).click();
-    await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+    await targetPage.getByRole("button", { name: "Home" }).click();
+    await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
     await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("home-inbox-list")).toBeVisible();
     await expect(targetPage.getByTestId("home-inbox-list")).toContainText(
       message,
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/profile.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/profile.spec.ts
index 47670b06bb..59e74cedb4 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/profile.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/profile.spec.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ test("updates the relay-backed profile from settings", async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.getByTestId("profile-about")).toHaveValue(about);
 
   await page.getByTestId("settings-close").click();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("open-settings")).toBeVisible();
 
   await openSettings(page, "profile");
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ test("notification settings drive the Home badge and desktop alerts", async ({
   await expect(page.getByTestId("sidebar-home-count")).toHaveText("1");
   await expect.poll(getAppBadgeCount).toBe(1);
 
-  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Inbox" }).click();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Home" }).click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("sidebar-home-count")).toHaveCount(0);
   await expect.poll(getAppBadgeCount).toBe(0);
 });
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ test("desktop notification clicks open the matching forum thread", async ({
     "On",
   );
   await page.getByTestId("settings-close").click();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
 
   await page.evaluate(() => {
     const win = window as Window & {
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ test("opens settings with the keyboard shortcut and updates theme", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
   await page.goto("/");
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
 
   await page.keyboard.press(
     process.platform === "darwin" ? "Meta+," : "Control+,",
@@ -339,12 +339,12 @@ test("opens settings with the keyboard shortcut and updates theme", async ({
     process.platform === "darwin" ? "Meta+," : "Control+,",
   );
   await expect(page.getByTestId("settings-view")).toHaveCount(0);
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
 });
 
 test("supports webview zoom keyboard shortcuts", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto("/");
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
 
   await page.keyboard.press(
     process.platform === "darwin" ? "Meta+Shift+Equal" : "Control+Shift+Equal",
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
index 268cfdbd41..a053175d37 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ test("opens a mocked channel from the home feed", async ({ page }) => {
 
   await page.goto("/");
 
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
   await expect(inboxList).toContainText("Please review the release checklist.");
 
   await inboxList
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/stream.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/stream.spec.ts
index 914490ddd6..36c9e6a281 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/stream.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/stream.spec.ts
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ test("loads the home feed from the relay", async ({ page }) => {
   await installRelayBridge(page, "tyler");
   await page.goto("/");
 
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Inbox");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("Home");
   await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox")).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.getByTestId("home-inbox-list")).toContainText(
     "Please review the release checklist.",