diff --git a/src/app/page.tsx b/src/app/page.tsx
index 4d4bca2..7675302 100644
--- a/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { listProjects } from "@/lib/projects";
 import { templates } from "@/lib/templates";
-import { NewProjectButton } from "@/components/dashboard/NewProjectButton";
+import { Sidebar } from "@/components/dashboard/Sidebar";
 import { TemplateGrid } from "@/components/dashboard/TemplateGrid";
 import { ProjectsGallery } from "@/components/dashboard/ProjectsGallery";
 
@@ -18,26 +18,17 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
   }));
 
   return (
-    <div className="min-h-screen">
-      <header className="sticky top-0 z-10 glass border-b border-border">
-        <div className="mx-auto flex h-14 max-w-5xl items-center px-6">
-          <span className="text-base font-semibold tracking-tight">TexSet</span>
-        </div>
-      </header>
+    <div className="flex min-h-screen">
+      <Sidebar />
 
-      <main className="mx-auto max-w-5xl animate-fade-in space-y-10 px-6 py-10">
-        <section className="space-y-3">
-          <h2 className="text-sm font-medium text-text-muted">New document</h2>
-          <NewProjectButton />
-        </section>
-
-        <section className="space-y-3">
-          <h2 className="text-sm font-medium text-text-muted">Templates</h2>
+      <main className="min-w-0 flex-1 animate-fade-in space-y-10 px-8 py-10">
+        <section id="templates" className="space-y-4">
+          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Templates</h2>
           <TemplateGrid templates={templateCards} />
         </section>
 
-        <section className="space-y-3">
-          <h2 className="text-sm font-medium text-text-muted">My projects</h2>
+        <section id="projects" className="space-y-4">
+          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">My Projects</h2>
           <ProjectsGallery initialProjects={projects} />
         </section>
       </main>
diff --git a/src/components/dashboard/NewProjectButton.tsx b/src/components/dashboard/NewProjectButton.tsx
index cdb4873..03f4db8 100644
--- a/src/components/dashboard/NewProjectButton.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dashboard/NewProjectButton.tsx
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ export function NewProjectButton() {
       icon={Plus}
       loading={pending === "blank"}
       onClick={() => create({}, "blank")}
+      className="w-full"
     >
-      Blank document
+      New document
     </Button>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/dashboard/ProjectCard.tsx b/src/components/dashboard/ProjectCard.tsx
index 052090b..7e0f722 100644
--- a/src/components/dashboard/ProjectCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dashboard/ProjectCard.tsx
@@ -19,21 +19,22 @@ export function ProjectCard({
   onTogglePin,
   onDelete,
 }: ProjectCardProps) {
+  // data-engine sets the accent (green for LaTeX, blue for Typst) for everything
+  // tinted in this card: the top stripe, the badge, and the pinned ring
   return (
-    <div className="group relative">
+    <div className="group relative" data-engine={project.engine}>
       <Link
         href={`/editor/${project.id}`}
-        className="block overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface shadow-soft transition hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-lift"
+        className={clsx(
+          "block overflow-hidden rounded-xl border bg-surface shadow-soft transition hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-lift",
+          project.pinned ? "border-accent ring-1 ring-accent" : "border-border",
+        )}
       >
+        <div className="h-1 bg-accent" />
         <ProjectThumbnail projectId={project.id} />
 
         <div className="space-y-1 p-3">
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
-            {project.pinned && (
-              <Pin className="h-3 w-3 shrink-0 fill-accent text-accent" />
-            )}
-            <span className="truncate font-medium">{project.name}</span>
-          </div>
+          <span className="block truncate font-medium">{project.name}</span>
           <p className="text-xs text-text-muted" suppressHydrationWarning>
             Edited {formatRelativeTime(project.updatedAt)}
           </p>
@@ -41,10 +42,7 @@ export function ProjectCard({
             <span className="text-xs text-text-muted/70">
               Created {formatDate(project.createdAt)}
             </span>
-            <span
-              data-engine={project.engine}
-              className="rounded bg-accent/12 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-medium text-accent"
-            >
+            <span className="rounded-md bg-accent/15 px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-semibold text-accent">
               {engines[project.engine].name}
             </span>
           </div>
@@ -52,27 +50,29 @@ export function ProjectCard({
       </Link>
 
       {/* actions sit over the card; preventDefault keeps the link from firing */}
-      <div className="absolute right-2 top-2 flex gap-1 opacity-0 transition group-hover:opacity-100">
+      <div className="absolute right-2 top-3 flex gap-1">
         <button
           onClick={(event) => {
             event.preventDefault();
             onTogglePin(project);
           }}
           className={clsx(
-            "flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-surface/90 shadow-soft backdrop-blur transition hover:bg-surface",
-            project.pinned ? "text-accent" : "text-text-muted hover:text-text",
+            "flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-md shadow-soft backdrop-blur transition",
+            project.pinned
+              ? "bg-accent text-accent-fg"
+              : "bg-surface/90 text-text-muted opacity-0 hover:text-text group-hover:opacity-100",
           )}
           aria-label={project.pinned ? "Unpin" : "Pin to top"}
           title={project.pinned ? "Unpin" : "Pin to top"}
         >
-          <Pin className={clsx("h-3.5 w-3.5", project.pinned && "fill-accent")} />
+          <Pin className={clsx("h-3.5 w-3.5", project.pinned && "fill-current")} />
         </button>
         <button
           onClick={(event) => {
             event.preventDefault();
             onDelete(project);
           }}
-          className="flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-surface/90 text-text-muted shadow-soft backdrop-blur transition hover:bg-surface hover:text-danger"
+          className="flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-surface/90 text-text-muted opacity-0 shadow-soft backdrop-blur transition hover:text-danger group-hover:opacity-100"
           aria-label="Delete"
           title="Delete"
         >
diff --git a/src/components/dashboard/ProjectsGallery.tsx b/src/components/dashboard/ProjectsGallery.tsx
index 233681e..b0177b6 100644
--- a/src/components/dashboard/ProjectsGallery.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dashboard/ProjectsGallery.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { Pin } from "lucide-react";
 import { ConfirmDialog } from "@/components/ui/ConfirmDialog";
 import type { Project } from "@/lib/projects";
 import { ProjectCard } from "./ProjectCard";
@@ -11,9 +12,7 @@ const PAGE_SIZE = 8;
 function sortProjects(list: Project[]): Project[] {
   return [...list].sort((a, b) => {
     if (a.pinned !== b.pinned) return a.pinned ? -1 : 1;
-    return (
-      (b.lastOpenedAt ?? b.updatedAt) - (a.lastOpenedAt ?? a.updatedAt)
-    );
+    return (b.lastOpenedAt ?? b.updatedAt) - (a.lastOpenedAt ?? a.updatedAt);
   });
 }
 
@@ -26,8 +25,7 @@ export function ProjectsGallery({
   const [showAll, setShowAll] = useState(false);
   const [pendingDelete, setPendingDelete] = useState<Project | null>(null);
 
-  // when the server sends a fresh list (e.g. after navigating back from a
-  // project), adopt it so deleted or newly created projects are reflected
+  // adopt a fresh server list (e.g. after navigating back from a project)
   useEffect(() => {
     setProjects(initialProjects);
   }, [initialProjects]);
@@ -35,9 +33,7 @@ export function ProjectsGallery({
   async function togglePin(project: Project) {
     const pinned = !project.pinned;
     setProjects((prev) =>
-      sortProjects(
-        prev.map((p) => (p.id === project.id ? { ...p, pinned } : p)),
-      ),
+      sortProjects(prev.map((p) => (p.id === project.id ? { ...p, pinned } : p))),
     );
     await fetch(`/api/projects/${project.id}`, {
       method: "PATCH",
@@ -58,36 +54,56 @@ export function ProjectsGallery({
     return (
       <div className="rounded-xl border border-dashed border-border bg-surface/50 p-10 text-center">
         <p className="text-text-muted">
-          No documents yet. Start with a blank document or pick a template above.
+          No documents yet. Create one with New document or pick a template above.
         </p>
       </div>
     );
   }
 
-  const visible = showAll ? projects : projects.slice(0, PAGE_SIZE);
+  const pinned = projects.filter((p) => p.pinned);
+  const rest = projects.filter((p) => !p.pinned);
+  const visibleRest = showAll ? rest : rest.slice(0, PAGE_SIZE);
 
-  return (
-    <>
-      <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-3 lg:grid-cols-4">
-        {visible.map((project) => (
-          <ProjectCard
-            key={project.id}
-            project={project}
-            onTogglePin={togglePin}
-            onDelete={setPendingDelete}
-          />
-        ))}
-      </div>
+  const card = (project: Project) => (
+    <ProjectCard
+      key={project.id}
+      project={project}
+      onTogglePin={togglePin}
+      onDelete={setPendingDelete}
+    />
+  );
 
-      {projects.length > PAGE_SIZE && (
-        <button
-          onClick={() => setShowAll((open) => !open)}
-          className="mt-4 text-sm font-medium text-accent transition hover:brightness-110"
-        >
-          {showAll ? "Show less" : `Show all ${projects.length}`}
-        </button>
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-6">
+      {pinned.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="space-y-3">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-medium text-text-muted">
+            <Pin className="h-3.5 w-3.5 fill-current" />
+            Pinned
+          </div>
+          <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-3 lg:grid-cols-4">
+            {pinned.map(card)}
+          </div>
+        </div>
       )}
 
+      <div className="space-y-3">
+        {pinned.length > 0 && rest.length > 0 && (
+          <div className="text-sm font-medium text-text-muted">Recent</div>
+        )}
+        <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-3 lg:grid-cols-4">
+          {visibleRest.map(card)}
+        </div>
+        {rest.length > PAGE_SIZE && (
+          <button
+            onClick={() => setShowAll((open) => !open)}
+            className="text-sm font-medium text-accent transition hover:brightness-110"
+          >
+            {showAll ? "Show less" : `Show all ${rest.length}`}
+          </button>
+        )}
+      </div>
+
       {pendingDelete && (
         <ConfirmDialog
           title="Delete document"
@@ -97,6 +113,6 @@ export function ProjectsGallery({
           onCancel={() => setPendingDelete(null)}
         />
       )}
-    </>
+    </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/dashboard/Sidebar.tsx b/src/components/dashboard/Sidebar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..394d5c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/dashboard/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { NewProjectButton } from "./NewProjectButton";
+
+// Left navigation for the dashboard. Holds the brand, the primary action, and
+// jumps to the page sections. Roomy enough to grow an engine filter and a theme
+// toggle later.
+export function Sidebar() {
+  return (
+    <aside className="sticky top-0 flex h-screen w-56 shrink-0 flex-col gap-6 border-r border-border bg-surface px-4 py-5">
+      <span className="px-1 text-xl font-bold tracking-tight">
+        Tex<span className="text-accent">Set</span>
+      </span>
+
+      <NewProjectButton />
+
+      <nav className="flex flex-col gap-0.5 text-sm">
+        <a
+          href="#templates"
+          className="rounded-md px-2 py-1.5 text-text-muted transition hover:bg-surface-2 hover:text-text"
+        >
+          Templates
+        </a>
+        <a
+          href="#projects"
+          className="rounded-md px-2 py-1.5 text-text-muted transition hover:bg-surface-2 hover:text-text"
+        >
+          My Projects
+        </a>
+      </nav>
+    </aside>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/dashboard/TemplateGrid.tsx b/src/components/dashboard/TemplateGrid.tsx
index be7ab88..d8bc022 100644
--- a/src/components/dashboard/TemplateGrid.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dashboard/TemplateGrid.tsx
@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@ export function TemplateGrid({ templates }: { templates: TemplateCard[] }) {
             data-engine={template.engine}
             onClick={() => create({ templateId: template.id }, template.id)}
             disabled={isPending}
-            className="group flex flex-col items-start gap-3 rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface p-4 text-left shadow-soft transition hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-lift disabled:opacity-60"
+            className="group relative flex flex-col items-start gap-3 overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface p-4 pt-5 text-left shadow-soft transition hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-lift disabled:opacity-60"
           >
-            <span className="flex h-10 w-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-accent/12 text-accent">
+            <span className="absolute inset-x-0 top-0 h-1 bg-accent" />
+            <span className="flex h-10 w-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-accent/15 text-accent">
               {isPending ? (
                 <span className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin rounded-full border-2 border-current border-t-transparent" />
               ) : (