diff --git a/src/sidepanel/App.tsx b/src/sidepanel/App.tsx
index bac2b0c..ce26bca 100644
--- a/src/sidepanel/App.tsx
+++ b/src/sidepanel/App.tsx
@@ -91,14 +91,33 @@ export function App() {
   // Active Space ambient tint — applied to <body> via the --space-tint
   // CSS variable so the gradient persists across live-create/edit
   // sub-views and outlives the side-panel React tree.
-  const activeColor =
-    store && windowId !== undefined
-      ? store.spaces[store.activeSpaceByWindow[windowId] ?? '']?.color
-      : undefined
+  //
+  // We mirror the same activeId-or-spaces[0] fallback the render uses
+  // (see `active` below). Otherwise a freshly created Space — which
+  // doesn't call switchTo and so leaves activeSpaceByWindow untouched
+  // — would render its content but skip the tint until the user
+  // clicks its pill.
+  const activeColor = (() => {
+    if (!store || windowId === undefined) return undefined
+    const windowSpaces = Object.values(store.spaces)
+      .filter((s) => s.windowId === windowId)
+      .sort((a, b) => a.order - b.order)
+    const activeId = store.activeSpaceByWindow[windowId]
+    const active = windowSpaces.find((s) => s.id === activeId) ?? windowSpaces[0]
+    return active?.color
+  })()
   useEffect(() => {
     const tint = activeColor ? COLOR_GRADIENT[activeColor] : ''
     if (tint) document.body.style.setProperty('--space-tint', tint)
     else document.body.style.removeProperty('--space-tint')
+
+    // The CSS rule in globalStyles keyed off html[data-space-tint] flips
+    // the palette to light-mode values when a colored tint is active, so
+    // dark text reads against the bright pastel body. grey is excluded
+    // by the selector; the no-tint state removes the attribute entirely.
+    const root = document.documentElement
+    if (activeColor) root.setAttribute('data-space-tint', activeColor)
+    else root.removeAttribute('data-space-tint')
   }, [activeColor])
 
   const { openMenu, setOpenMenu } = menu
diff --git a/src/sidepanel/SpaceTint.stories.tsx b/src/sidepanel/SpaceTint.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..624b475
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sidepanel/SpaceTint.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react-vite'
+import { useEffect } from 'react'
+import type { SpaceColor } from '../shared/types'
+import { COLOR_GRADIENT, COLOR_HEX, COLORS } from './theme'
+
+// Mirrors what App.tsx does in the real side panel: writes the active
+// Space's gradient into --space-tint on <body> and the color name into
+// data-space-tint on <html>. globalStyles.tsx then paints the gradient
+// and (for non-grey colors) flips the palette to light-mode values so
+// dark text reads against the pastel body.
+function applyTint(color: SpaceColor | 'none') {
+  const root = document.documentElement
+  if (color === 'none') {
+    document.body.style.removeProperty('--space-tint')
+    root.removeAttribute('data-space-tint')
+  } else {
+    document.body.style.setProperty('--space-tint', COLOR_GRADIENT[color])
+    root.setAttribute('data-space-tint', color)
+  }
+}
+
+function Single({ color }: { color: SpaceColor }) {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    applyTint(color)
+    return () => applyTint('none')
+  }, [color])
+  return (
+    <div style={{ padding: 16, minHeight: 'calc(100vh - 24px)' }}>
+      <h2 style={{ margin: 0, color: 'var(--fg)', fontSize: 14 }}>
+        Space tint preview
+      </h2>
+      <p style={{ marginTop: 8, color: 'var(--muted)', fontSize: 12 }}>
+        Active color: <code>{color}</code>. <code>--space-tint</code> is
+        written onto <code>&lt;body&gt;</code>; the Storybook canvas body
+        renders the same way the side panel body does.
+      </p>
+      <div
+        style={{
+          marginTop: 16,
+          display: 'inline-flex',
+          alignItems: 'center',
+          gap: 8,
+          padding: '6px 10px',
+          borderRadius: 999,
+          background: 'var(--bg-soft)',
+          color: 'var(--fg)',
+          fontSize: 12,
+          border: '1px solid var(--border)',
+        }}
+      >
+        <span
+          style={{
+            display: 'inline-block',
+            width: 10,
+            height: 10,
+            borderRadius: '50%',
+            background: COLOR_HEX[color],
+          }}
+        />
+        {color}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+const meta: Meta<typeof Single> = {
+  title: 'Theme/SpaceTint',
+  component: Single,
+  // The default `panel` background paints the canvas body white and
+  // hides the tint — disable so the tint is the only body paint.
+  parameters: {
+    layout: 'fullscreen',
+    backgrounds: { disable: true },
+  },
+  argTypes: {
+    color: { control: { type: 'select' }, options: COLORS },
+  },
+}
+export default meta
+
+type Story = StoryObj<typeof Single>
+
+export const Pink: Story = { args: { color: 'pink' } }
+export const Blue: Story = { args: { color: 'blue' } }
+export const Red: Story = { args: { color: 'red' } }
+export const Green: Story = { args: { color: 'green' } }
+export const Yellow: Story = { args: { color: 'yellow' } }
+export const Cyan: Story = { args: { color: 'cyan' } }
+export const Purple: Story = { args: { color: 'purple' } }
+export const Orange: Story = { args: { color: 'orange' } }
+export const Grey: Story = { args: { color: 'grey' } }
+
+// Side-by-side swatches — useful for comparing relative tint strength
+// without flipping stories. Each swatch paints the gradient locally
+// (not on body) so all 9 colors are visible at once.
+export const AllColors: StoryObj = {
+  parameters: {
+    layout: 'fullscreen',
+    backgrounds: { disable: true },
+  },
+  render: () => (
+    <div
+      style={{
+        padding: 12,
+        display: 'grid',
+        gridTemplateColumns: 'repeat(3, 1fr)',
+        gap: 10,
+      }}
+    >
+      {COLORS.map((c) => (
+        <div
+          key={c}
+          style={{
+            padding: 14,
+            minHeight: 120,
+            borderRadius: 8,
+            backgroundColor: 'var(--bg)',
+            backgroundImage: COLOR_GRADIENT[c],
+            border: '1px solid var(--border)',
+            color: 'var(--fg)',
+            fontSize: 12,
+            display: 'flex',
+            alignItems: 'flex-end',
+            justifyContent: 'space-between',
+          }}
+        >
+          <span>{c}</span>
+          <span
+            style={{
+              width: 12,
+              height: 12,
+              borderRadius: '50%',
+              background: COLOR_HEX[c],
+            }}
+          />
+        </div>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  ),
+}
diff --git a/src/sidepanel/globalStyles.tsx b/src/sidepanel/globalStyles.tsx
index 902fe69..ac88743 100644
--- a/src/sidepanel/globalStyles.tsx
+++ b/src/sidepanel/globalStyles.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,30 @@ const styles = css`
     }
   }
 
+  /* When the active Space has a non-grey tint, the body is painted with
+     an opaque saturated gradient (theme.ts COLOR_GRADIENT). This block
+     gives surfaces an Arc-style frosted look: white text, translucent
+     white buttons/pills that let the body color show through, and a
+     near-black opaque --bg for menus/popovers so they stay readable
+     when they float over the saturated body. grey (and the no-tint
+     state) keeps the user's prefers-color-scheme. App.tsx writes
+     data-space-tint on <html>; the attribute selector outranks the
+     :root @media block on specificity. */
+  html[data-space-tint]:not([data-space-tint='grey']) {
+    --fg: #ffffff;
+    --muted: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.78);
+    --subtle: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.58);
+    --border: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.20);
+    --bg: #15171c;
+    --bg-soft: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.12);
+    --bg-hover: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.22);
+    --bg-active: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.32);
+    --accent: #ffffff;
+    --accent-soft: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.20);
+    --danger: #ffd2cc;
+    --shadow: 0 8px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.32), 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.22);
+  }
+
   *, *::before, *::after {
     box-sizing: border-box;
   }
diff --git a/src/sidepanel/theme.ts b/src/sidepanel/theme.ts
index 349cd8a..b6b4d98 100644
--- a/src/sidepanel/theme.ts
+++ b/src/sidepanel/theme.ts
@@ -53,24 +53,23 @@ export const COLOR_HEX: Record<SpaceColor, string> = {
   orange: '#fa7b17',
 }
 
-// Arc-style ambient gradient applied to the side panel root for the
-// active Space. The translucent stops let the underlying --bg show
-// through, so the same gradient stays readable in both light and dark
-// modes without re-keying per scheme.
+// Arc-style ambient body fill for the active Space. The non-grey
+// entries are saturated, opaque gradients (lighter top-left → darker
+// bottom-right) so the whole panel reads as that color, the way Arc's
+// sidebar does. White text on these passes contrast at all hues.
+// grey stays translucent — the palette isn't swapped for it, so it
+// rides on the user's prefers-color-scheme rather than forcing a
+// colored fill.
 export const COLOR_GRADIENT: Record<SpaceColor, string> = {
-  grey: 'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(154, 160, 166, 0.32) 0%, rgba(154, 160, 166, 0) 60%)',
-  blue: 'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(106, 183, 255, 0.40) 0%, rgba(26, 115, 232, 0.10) 70%)',
-  red: 'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(255, 138, 128, 0.40) 0%, rgba(217, 48, 37, 0.10) 70%)',
-  yellow:
-    'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(255, 213, 79, 0.45) 0%, rgba(249, 171, 0, 0.10) 70%)',
-  green:
-    'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(102, 187, 106, 0.40) 0%, rgba(24, 128, 56, 0.10) 70%)',
-  pink: 'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(255, 128, 171, 0.40) 0%, rgba(208, 24, 132, 0.10) 70%)',
-  purple:
-    'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(179, 136, 255, 0.40) 0%, rgba(147, 52, 230, 0.10) 70%)',
-  cyan: 'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(77, 208, 225, 0.40) 0%, rgba(0, 123, 131, 0.10) 70%)',
-  orange:
-    'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(255, 183, 77, 0.45) 0%, rgba(250, 123, 23, 0.10) 70%)',
+  grey: 'linear-gradient(155deg, rgba(154, 160, 166, 0.45) 0%, rgba(154, 160, 166, 0.22) 100%)',
+  blue: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #6886c1 0%, #4f6aa3 100%)',
+  red: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #c07676 0%, #9d5454 100%)',
+  yellow: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #c09150 0%, #9b6f28 100%)',
+  green: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #6ca072 0%, #4d7d54 100%)',
+  pink: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #c789a8 0%, #a36684 100%)',
+  purple: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #9078bf 0%, #6f57a0 100%)',
+  cyan: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #5e8c95 0%, #406f78 100%)',
+  orange: 'linear-gradient(155deg, #c08562 0%, #9a663a 100%)',
 }
 
 export const FONT_SCALE: Record<UIFontSize, number> = {