# LEGO-Themed Visual Refresh

**Date:** 2026-01-05
**Project:** lego-instructions-manager
**Status:** resolved
**Tags:** ui, bootstrap, design, templates, css

## Context
The app was functionally complete but looked like a stock Bootstrap admin panel. Jess wanted it to feel like a LEGO product — brand colours and playful styling — while staying clean and usable.

## Key Decisions
- **Keep Bootstrap 5, restyle on top** rather than switching frameworks — lowest risk to working pages.
- **LEGO brand identity + modern patterns** — brand colours with gradients, card-based layout, subtle animations; avoided novelty that hurts readability.
- **Base template first** so every page inherits the new fonts, icons and alert behaviour, then dashboard and home page.
- **Auto-hiding flash messages and loading states** — small UX wins bundled with the visual work.

## Technical Details
- `base.html` — fonts, alert icons, auto-hide messages, loading states.
- Dashboard — redesigned stat cards, layout, getting-started guide.
- Home page — hero section, feature cards, benefits, call to action.

## Code Changes
- Global stylesheet — LEGO-themed colours, gradients, card styles, animations.
- `app/templates/base.html` — enhanced base template.
- Dashboard template — improved stat cards and layout.
- Home template — new hero, feature cards and CTA.

## Open Questions / Next Steps
- PostgreSQL is planned for production (currently SQLite).

## Artifacts
- `689147d` — Visual enhancement: Modern LEGO-themed design
- `9de38df` — Enhanced base template
- `7f583f1` — Enhanced dashboard
- `62acef9` — Enhanced home page