diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 094ec58..2ee5fd8 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@
         rel="stylesheet">
     <style>
         body {
-            background-color: #050505;
-            color: #ffffff;
+            background-color: #f5f5f0;
+            color: #1a1a1a;
             font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif;
             overflow-x: hidden;
         }
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index dafb53d..f732581 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-H3mcG6ZDLTlYfaSNi0iOKkigqMFvkTKlGUYlD8GW7nNOYRrevuA46iTypPyv+06V3fEmvvazfntkBU34L0azAw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "@babel/code-frame": "^7.28.6",
         "@babel/generator": "^7.28.6",
@@ -949,6 +950,7 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@firebase/app/-/app-0.14.7.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-o3ZfnOx0AWBD5n/36p2zPoB0rDDxQP8H/A60zDLvvfRLtW8b3LfCyV97GKpJaAVV1JMMl/BC89EDzMyzxFZxTw==",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "@firebase/component": "0.7.0",
         "@firebase/logger": "0.5.0",
@@ -1015,6 +1017,7 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@firebase/app-compat/-/app-compat-0.5.7.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-MO+jfap8IBZQ+K8L2QCiHObyMgpYHrxo4Hc7iJgfb9hjGRW/z1y6LWVdT9wBBK+VJ7cRP2DjAiWQP+thu53hHA==",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "@firebase/app": "0.14.7",
         "@firebase/component": "0.7.0",
@@ -1030,7 +1033,8 @@
       "version": "0.9.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@firebase/app-types/-/app-types-0.9.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-kRVpIl4vVGJ4baogMDINbyrIOtOxqhkZQg4jTq3l8Lw6WSk0xfpEYzezFu+Kl4ve4fbPl79dvwRtaFqAC/ucCw==",
-      "license": "Apache-2.0"
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "peer": true
     },
     "node_modules/@firebase/auth": {
       "version": "1.12.0",
@@ -1481,6 +1485,7 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-0AZUyYUfpMNcztR5l09izHwXkZpghLgCUaAGjtMwXnCg3bj4ml5VgiwqOMOxJ+Nw4qN/zJAaOQBcJ7KGkWStqQ==",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "tslib": "^2.1.0"
       },
@@ -2929,6 +2934,7 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-22.19.7.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-MciR4AKGHWl7xwxkBa6xUGxQJ4VBOmPTF7sL+iGzuahOFaO0jHCsuEfS80pan1ef4gWId1oWOweIhrDEYLuaOw==",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "undici-types": "~6.21.0"
       }
@@ -3130,6 +3136,7 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-NZyJarBfL7nWwIq+FDL6Zp/yHEhePMNnnJ0y3qfieCrmNvYct8uvtiV41UvlSe6apAfk0fY1FbWx+NwfmpvtTg==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "bin": {
         "acorn": "bin/acorn"
       },
@@ -3402,6 +3409,7 @@
         }
       ],
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "baseline-browser-mapping": "^2.9.0",
         "caniuse-lite": "^1.0.30001759",
@@ -3625,7 +3633,8 @@
       "version": "3.2.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/csstype/-/csstype-3.2.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-z1HGKcYy2xA8AGQfwrn0PAy+PB7X/GSj3UVJW9qKyn43xWa+gl5nXmU4qqLMRzWVLFC8KusUX8T/0kCiOYpAIQ==",
-      "license": "MIT"
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true
     },
     "node_modules/d3-array": {
       "version": "3.2.4",
@@ -6404,6 +6413,7 @@
         }
       ],
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "nanoid": "^3.3.11",
         "picocolors": "^1.1.1",
@@ -6550,6 +6560,7 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react/-/react-19.2.4.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-9nfp2hYpCwOjAN+8TZFGhtWEwgvWHXqESH8qT89AT/lWklpLON22Lc8pEtnpsZz7VmawabSU0gCjnj8aC0euHQ==",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=0.10.0"
       }
@@ -6559,6 +6570,7 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-dom/-/react-dom-19.2.4.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-AXJdLo8kgMbimY95O2aKQqsz2iWi9jMgKJhRBAxECE4IFxfcazB2LmzloIoibJI3C12IlY20+KFaLv+71bUJeQ==",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "scheduler": "^0.27.0"
       },
@@ -6888,6 +6900,7 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-oQL6lgK3e2QZeQ7gcgIkS2YZPg5slw37hYufJ3edKlfQSGGm8ICoxswK15ntSzF/a8+h7ekRy7k7oWc3BQ7y8A==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "@types/estree": "1.0.8"
       },
@@ -7466,6 +7479,7 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-p1diW6TqL9L07nNxvRMM7hMMw4c5XOo/1ibL4aAIGmSAt9slTE1Xgw5KWuof2uTOvCg9BY7ZRi+GaF+7sfgPeQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "peer": true,
       "bin": {
         "tsc": "bin/tsc",
         "tsserver": "bin/tsserver"
@@ -7629,6 +7643,7 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-+Oxm7q9hDoLMyJOYfUYBuHQo+dkAloi33apOPP56pzj+vsdJDzr+j1NISE5pyaAuKL4A3UD34qd0lx5+kfKp2g==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
+      "peer": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "esbuild": "^0.25.0",
         "fdir": "^6.4.4",
diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index e213444..65e30e8 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 }
 
 body {
-  background-color: #050505; /* Deep Void */
-  color: #e5e5e5;
+  background-color: #f5f5f0; /* Vellum/Parchment tone */
+  color: #1a1a1a;
   font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;
   font-size: var(--font-body);
   display: flex;
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ body {
   width: 100%;
   max-width: var(--app-max-width);
   min-height: 100vh;
-  border-left: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
-  border-right: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
-  background-color: #0a0a0a;
+  border-left: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
+  border-right: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
+  background-color: #fafaf8;
   position: relative;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pages/Start.tsx b/src/pages/Start.tsx
index bbbb180..b99edb3 100644
--- a/src/pages/Start.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Start.tsx
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ const Start = () => {
   };
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-col min-h-screen p-8 justify-center bg-[#050505]">
+    <div className="flex flex-col min-h-screen p-8 justify-center bg-[#fafaf8]">
 
       {/* Header: Plain English, High Impact */}
       <div className="text-center mb-10">
-        <h1 className="text-4xl font-serif italic text-white mb-4 leading-tight">
+        <h1 className="text-4xl font-serif italic text-black mb-4 leading-tight">
           The Missing Manual.
         </h1>
-        <p className="text-gray-400 text-sm leading-relaxed max-w-[280px] mx-auto">
+        <p className="text-gray-600 text-sm leading-relaxed max-w-[280px] mx-auto">
           Most relationship friction comes from running on different operating systems.
           <br /><br />
           Enter your details to unlock your guide.
@@ -51,33 +51,33 @@ const Start = () => {
 
         {/* Date */}
         <div className="space-y-2">
-          <label className="block text-xs uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-500">Birth Date</label>
+          <label className="block text-xs uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-600">Birth Date</label>
           <input
             type="date"
             name="birthDate"
             value={formData.birthDate}
             onChange={handleChange}
             required
-            className="w-full bg-[#111] border border-white/10 p-4 text-white focus:border-white/40 outline-none rounded-sm transition-colors"
+            className="w-full bg-white border border-black/10 p-4 text-black focus:border-black/30 outline-none rounded-sm transition-colors"
           />
         </div>
 
         {/* Time */}
         <div className="space-y-2">
-          <label className="block text-xs uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-500">Birth Time</label>
+          <label className="block text-xs uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-600">Birth Time</label>
           <input
             type="time"
             name="birthTime"
             value={formData.birthTime}
             onChange={handleChange}
             required
-            className="w-full bg-[#111] border border-white/10 p-4 text-white focus:border-white/40 outline-none rounded-sm transition-colors"
+            className="w-full bg-white border border-black/10 p-4 text-black focus:border-black/30 outline-none rounded-sm transition-colors"
           />
         </div>
 
         {/* Location */}
         <div className="space-y-2">
-          <label className="block text-xs uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-500">Location</label>
+          <label className="block text-xs uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-600">Location</label>
           <input
             type="text"
             name="location"
@@ -85,14 +85,14 @@ const Start = () => {
             onChange={handleChange}
             required
             placeholder="e.g. London, UK"
-            className="w-full bg-[#111] border border-white/10 p-4 text-white focus:border-white/40 outline-none rounded-sm transition-colors placeholder:text-gray-700"
+            className="w-full bg-white border border-black/10 p-4 text-black focus:border-black/30 outline-none rounded-sm transition-colors placeholder:text-gray-400"
           />
         </div>
 
         {/* Action Button: 'Alive' Animation applied */}
         <button
           type="submit"
-          className="btn-alive w-full bg-white text-black py-4 font-bold tracking-widest uppercase hover:bg-gray-200 transition-colors mt-4"
+          className="btn-alive w-full bg-black text-white py-4 font-bold tracking-widest uppercase hover:bg-gray-800 transition-colors mt-4"
         >
           View Manual
         </button>