diff --git a/frontend/app/app.css b/frontend/app/app.css
index ba71dcb..e4d1dd9 100644
--- a/frontend/app/app.css
+++ b/frontend/app/app.css
@@ -1,59 +1,8 @@
-@import 'tailwindcss';
-
-@theme {
-  --font-sans:
-    'Inter', ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji',
-    'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';
-
-  /* Captain's Log Design Tokens */
-  --color-primary-50: #eff6ff;
-  --color-primary-100: #dbeafe;
-  --color-primary-500: #3b82f6;
-  --color-primary-950: #172554;
-
-  --color-task-todo: #3b82f6;
-  --color-task-done: #22c55e;
-  --color-task-backlog: #6b7280;
-}
+/* Captain's Log - Global Styles */
 
+/* Base font family is handled by Material-UI theme */
 html,
 body {
-  @apply bg-gray-50 dark:bg-gray-950 text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-100;
-
-  @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
-    color-scheme: dark;
-  }
-}
-
-/* Captain's Log Component Styles */
-.task-card {
-  @apply bg-white dark:bg-gray-800 rounded-xl shadow-sm border border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700 p-4 transition-all duration-200;
-}
-
-.task-card:hover {
-  @apply shadow-md border-gray-300 dark:border-gray-600;
-}
-
-.quick-capture {
-  @apply bg-white dark:bg-gray-800 border-2 border-dashed border-gray-300 dark:border-gray-600 rounded-xl p-4 transition-colors duration-200;
-}
-
-.quick-capture:focus-within {
-  @apply border-blue-500 bg-blue-50 dark:bg-blue-950;
-}
-
-.status-badge {
-  @apply inline-flex items-center px-2.5 py-0.5 rounded-full text-xs font-medium;
-}
-
-.status-todo {
-  @apply bg-blue-100 text-blue-800 dark:bg-blue-900 dark:text-blue-200;
-}
-
-.status-done {
-  @apply bg-green-100 text-green-800 dark:bg-green-900 dark:text-green-200;
-}
-
-.status-backlog {
-  @apply bg-gray-100 text-gray-800 dark:bg-gray-700 dark:text-gray-200;
+  margin: 0;
+  padding: 0;
 }
diff --git a/frontend/app/components/Layout.tsx b/frontend/app/components/Layout.tsx
index de7c05f..169e9f5 100644
--- a/frontend/app/components/Layout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/components/Layout.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
 import {
   AppBar,
   Box,
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ import {
   Dashboard as DashboardIcon,
   Add as AddIcon,
   Settings as SettingsIcon,
-  DarkMode as DarkModeIcon,
-  LightMode as LightModeIcon,
 } from '@mui/icons-material'
 
 const drawerWidth = 240
@@ -35,28 +33,11 @@ interface LayoutProps {
 export default function Layout({ children, loading = false }: LayoutProps) {
   const theme = useTheme()
   const [mobileOpen, setMobileOpen] = useState(false)
-  const [darkMode, setDarkMode] = useState(false)
-
-  // Check system preference and localStorage on mount
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const savedTheme = localStorage.getItem('theme')
-    const prefersDark = window.matchMedia(
-      '(prefers-color-scheme: dark)'
-    ).matches
-    setDarkMode(savedTheme === 'dark' || (!savedTheme && prefersDark))
-  }, [])
 
   const handleDrawerToggle = () => {
     setMobileOpen(!mobileOpen)
   }
 
-  const handleThemeToggle = () => {
-    const newTheme = !darkMode
-    setDarkMode(newTheme)
-    localStorage.setItem('theme', newTheme ? 'dark' : 'light')
-    document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', newTheme)
-  }
-
   const menuItems = [
     {
       text: 'Tasks',
@@ -72,17 +53,7 @@ export default function Layout({ children, loading = false }: LayoutProps) {
 
   const drawer = (
     <div>
-      <Toolbar>
-        <Typography
-          variant="h6"
-          noWrap
-          component="div"
-          sx={{ fontWeight: 700 }}
-        >
-          Captain's Log
-        </Typography>
-      </Toolbar>
-      <List>
+      <List sx={{ pt: 2 }}>
         {menuItems.map(item => (
           <ListItem key={item.text} disablePadding>
             <ListItemButton
@@ -134,8 +105,10 @@ export default function Layout({ children, loading = false }: LayoutProps) {
       <AppBar
         position="fixed"
         sx={{
-          width: { md: `calc(100% - ${drawerWidth}px)` },
-          ml: { md: `${drawerWidth}px` },
+          width: '100%',
+          backgroundColor: theme.palette.primary.main,
+          color: theme.palette.primary.contrastText,
+          zIndex: theme.zIndex.drawer + 1,
         }}
       >
         <Toolbar>
@@ -149,17 +122,21 @@ export default function Layout({ children, loading = false }: LayoutProps) {
             <MenuIcon />
           </IconButton>
 
-          <Typography variant="h6" noWrap component="div" sx={{ flexGrow: 1 }}>
-            Captain's Log
-          </Typography>
-
-          <IconButton
-            color="inherit"
-            onClick={handleThemeToggle}
-            aria-label="toggle dark mode"
+          <Typography
+            variant="h6"
+            noWrap
+            component="div"
+            sx={{
+              flexGrow: 1,
+              color: '#ffffff',
+              fontWeight: 700,
+              display: 'flex',
+              alignItems: 'center',
+              gap: 1,
+            }}
           >
-            {darkMode ? <LightModeIcon /> : <DarkModeIcon />}
-          </IconButton>
+            ⚓ Captain's Log
+          </Typography>
         </Toolbar>
       </AppBar>
 
@@ -196,6 +173,8 @@ export default function Layout({ children, loading = false }: LayoutProps) {
             '& .MuiDrawer-paper': {
               boxSizing: 'border-box',
               width: drawerWidth,
+              top: '64px', // Position below AppBar
+              height: 'calc(100% - 64px)', // Adjust height to account for AppBar
             },
           }}
           open
diff --git a/frontend/app/root.tsx b/frontend/app/root.tsx
index ffb6f0b..c7b440f 100644
--- a/frontend/app/root.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/root.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { ThemeProvider } from '@mui/material/styles'
 import { CssBaseline } from '@mui/material'
 
 import type { Route } from './+types/root'
-import { theme, darkTheme } from './theme'
+import { theme } from './theme'
 import AppLayout from './components/Layout'
 import './app.css'
 
@@ -46,14 +46,8 @@ export function Layout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 }
 
 export default function App() {
-  const isDarkMode =
-    typeof window !== 'undefined' &&
-    (localStorage.getItem('theme') === 'dark' ||
-      (!localStorage.getItem('theme') &&
-        window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches))
-
   return (
-    <ThemeProvider theme={isDarkMode ? darkTheme : theme}>
+    <ThemeProvider theme={theme}>
       <CssBaseline />
       <AppLayout>
         <Outlet />
@@ -78,14 +72,8 @@ export function ErrorBoundary({ error }: Route.ErrorBoundaryProps) {
     stack = error.stack
   }
 
-  const isDarkMode =
-    typeof window !== 'undefined' &&
-    (localStorage.getItem('theme') === 'dark' ||
-      (!localStorage.getItem('theme') &&
-        window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches))
-
   return (
-    <ThemeProvider theme={isDarkMode ? darkTheme : theme}>
+    <ThemeProvider theme={theme}>
       <CssBaseline />
       <AppLayout>
         <main className="pt-16 p-4 container mx-auto">
diff --git a/frontend/app/theme.ts b/frontend/app/theme.ts
index c138103..d89fee5 100644
--- a/frontend/app/theme.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/theme.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,24 @@
 import { createTheme } from '@mui/material/styles'
 
+// Color palette constants
+const colors = {
+  // Primary Colors
+  deepNavy: '#1e3a5f', // Main brand color for headers and primary actions
+  oceanBlue: '#2c5282', // Secondary blue for links and active states
+  compassGold: '#d69e2e', // Accent color for highlights and call-to-actions
+
+  // Status Colors
+  chartGreen: '#48bb78', // Completed tasks and success states
+  sunsetCoral: '#f56565', // Urgent tasks and error states
+  seaFoam: '#4fd1c7', // Information and notification states
+
+  // Neutrals
+  parchment: '#f7fafc', // Clean background color
+  fogGray: '#e2e8f0', // Subtle borders and dividers
+  stormGray: '#718096', // Secondary text
+  anchorDark: '#2d3748', // Primary text and headings
+}
+
 declare module '@mui/material/styles' {
   interface Theme {
     custom: {
@@ -26,29 +45,37 @@ export const theme = createTheme({
   palette: {
     mode: 'light',
     primary: {
-      50: '#eff6ff',
-      100: '#dbeafe',
-      500: '#3b82f6',
-      main: '#3b82f6',
+      main: colors.deepNavy,
+      light: colors.oceanBlue,
       contrastText: '#ffffff',
     },
+    secondary: {
+      main: colors.compassGold,
+      contrastText: '#ffffff',
+    },
+    success: {
+      main: colors.chartGreen,
+    },
+    error: {
+      main: colors.sunsetCoral,
+    },
+    info: {
+      main: colors.seaFoam,
+    },
     background: {
-      default: '#f9fafb',
+      default: colors.parchment,
       paper: '#ffffff',
     },
     text: {
-      primary: '#111827',
-      secondary: '#6b7280',
+      primary: colors.anchorDark,
+      secondary: colors.stormGray,
     },
     grey: {
-      50: '#f9fafb',
-      100: '#f3f4f6',
-      200: '#e5e7eb',
-      300: '#d1d5db',
-      600: '#4b5563',
-      700: '#374151',
-      800: '#1f2937',
-      900: '#111827',
+      100: '#edf2f7',
+      200: colors.fogGray,
+      300: '#cbd5e0',
+      500: colors.stormGray,
+      700: colors.anchorDark,
     },
   },
   typography: {
@@ -84,11 +111,11 @@ export const theme = createTheme({
     MuiAppBar: {
       styleOverrides: {
         root: {
-          backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
-          color: '#111827',
+          backgroundColor: colors.deepNavy,
+          color: '#ffffff',
           boxShadow:
             '0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-          borderBottom: '1px solid #e5e7eb',
+          borderBottom: 'none',
         },
       },
     },
@@ -96,7 +123,7 @@ export const theme = createTheme({
       styleOverrides: {
         paper: {
           backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
-          borderRight: '1px solid #e5e7eb',
+          borderRight: `1px solid ${colors.fogGray}`,
         },
       },
     },
@@ -122,11 +149,11 @@ export const theme = createTheme({
           borderRadius: '0.75rem',
           boxShadow:
             '0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-          border: '1px solid #e5e7eb',
+          border: `1px solid ${colors.fogGray}`,
           '&:hover': {
             boxShadow:
               '0 4px 6px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 2px 4px -2px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-            borderColor: '#d1d5db',
+            borderColor: '#cbd5e0',
           },
         },
       },
@@ -143,138 +170,9 @@ export const theme = createTheme({
   },
   custom: {
     task: {
-      todo: '#3b82f6',
-      done: '#22c55e',
-      backlog: '#6b7280',
-    },
-  },
-})
-
-export const darkTheme = createTheme({
-  palette: {
-    mode: 'dark',
-    primary: {
-      50: '#eff6ff',
-      100: '#dbeafe',
-      500: '#3b82f6',
-      main: '#3b82f6',
-      contrastText: '#ffffff',
-    },
-    background: {
-      default: '#030712',
-      paper: '#1f2937',
-    },
-    text: {
-      primary: '#f9fafb',
-      secondary: '#9ca3af',
-    },
-    grey: {
-      50: '#f9fafb',
-      100: '#f3f4f6',
-      200: '#e5e7eb',
-      300: '#d1d5db',
-      600: '#4b5563',
-      700: '#374151',
-      800: '#1f2937',
-      900: '#111827',
-    },
-  },
-  typography: {
-    fontFamily: '"Inter", ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif',
-    h1: {
-      fontSize: '2rem',
-      fontWeight: 700,
-      lineHeight: 1.2,
-    },
-    h2: {
-      fontSize: '1.5rem',
-      fontWeight: 600,
-      lineHeight: 1.3,
-    },
-    h3: {
-      fontSize: '1.25rem',
-      fontWeight: 600,
-      lineHeight: 1.4,
-    },
-    body1: {
-      fontSize: '1rem',
-      lineHeight: 1.6,
-    },
-    body2: {
-      fontSize: '0.875rem',
-      lineHeight: 1.5,
-    },
-  },
-  shape: {
-    borderRadius: 12,
-  },
-  components: {
-    MuiAppBar: {
-      styleOverrides: {
-        root: {
-          backgroundColor: '#1f2937',
-          color: '#f9fafb',
-          boxShadow:
-            '0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-          borderBottom: '1px solid #374151',
-        },
-      },
-    },
-    MuiDrawer: {
-      styleOverrides: {
-        paper: {
-          backgroundColor: '#1f2937',
-          borderRight: '1px solid #374151',
-        },
-      },
-    },
-    MuiButton: {
-      styleOverrides: {
-        root: {
-          textTransform: 'none',
-          borderRadius: '0.75rem',
-          fontWeight: 500,
-        },
-        contained: {
-          boxShadow: '0 1px 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.05)',
-          '&:hover': {
-            boxShadow:
-              '0 4px 6px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 2px 4px -2px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    },
-    MuiCard: {
-      styleOverrides: {
-        root: {
-          backgroundColor: '#1f2937',
-          borderRadius: '0.75rem',
-          boxShadow:
-            '0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-          border: '1px solid #374151',
-          '&:hover': {
-            boxShadow:
-              '0 4px 6px -1px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 2px 4px -2px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1)',
-            borderColor: '#4b5563',
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    },
-    MuiTextField: {
-      styleOverrides: {
-        root: {
-          '& .MuiOutlinedInput-root': {
-            borderRadius: '0.75rem',
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    },
-  },
-  custom: {
-    task: {
-      todo: '#3b82f6',
-      done: '#22c55e',
-      backlog: '#6b7280',
+      todo: colors.oceanBlue,
+      done: colors.chartGreen,
+      backlog: colors.stormGray,
     },
   },
 })
diff --git a/frontend/package-lock.json b/frontend/package-lock.json
index 981e3aa..3eeffb4 100644
--- a/frontend/package-lock.json
+++ b/frontend/package-lock.json
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
         "eslint-plugin-react-refresh": "^0.4.20",
         "jsdom": "^27.0.0",
         "prettier": "^3.6.2",
-        "tailwindcss": "^4.1.4",
         "typescript": "^5.8.3",
         "typescript-eslint": "^8.44.0",
         "vite": "^6.3.3",
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index d8d7315..95643b1 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
     "eslint-plugin-react-refresh": "^0.4.20",
     "jsdom": "^27.0.0",
     "prettier": "^3.6.2",
-    "tailwindcss": "^4.1.4",
     "typescript": "^5.8.3",
     "typescript-eslint": "^8.44.0",
     "vite": "^6.3.3",
diff --git a/frontend/tailwind.config.js b/frontend/tailwind.config.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 7a4c415..0000000
--- a/frontend/tailwind.config.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,76 +0,0 @@
-/** @type {import('tailwindcss').Config} */
-export default {
-  content: [
-    "./app/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}",
-  ],
-  theme: {
-    extend: {
-      fontFamily: {
-        sans: ["Inter", "ui-sans-serif", "system-ui", "sans-serif"],
-      },
-      colors: {
-        primary: {
-          50: '#eff6ff',
-          100: '#dbeafe',
-          200: '#bfdbfe',
-          300: '#93c5fd',
-          400: '#60a5fa',
-          500: '#3b82f6',
-          600: '#2563eb',
-          700: '#1d4ed8',
-          800: '#1e40af',
-          900: '#1e3a8a',
-        },
-        success: {
-          50: '#f0fdf4',
-          100: '#dcfce7',
-          200: '#bbf7d0',
-          300: '#86efac',
-          400: '#4ade80',
-          500: '#22c55e',
-          600: '#16a34a',
-          700: '#15803d',
-          800: '#166534',
-          900: '#14532d',
-        },
-        warning: {
-          50: '#fffbeb',
-          100: '#fef3c7',
-          200: '#fde68a',
-          300: '#fcd34d',
-          400: '#fbbf24',
-          500: '#f59e0b',
-          600: '#d97706',
-          700: '#b45309',
-          800: '#92400e',
-          900: '#78350f',
-        },
-        danger: {
-          50: '#fef2f2',
-          100: '#fee2e2',
-          200: '#fecaca',
-          300: '#fca5a5',
-          400: '#f87171',
-          500: '#ef4444',
-          600: '#dc2626',
-          700: '#b91c1c',
-          800: '#991b1b',
-          900: '#7f1d1d',
-        },
-      },
-      spacing: {
-        '18': '4.5rem',
-        '88': '22rem',
-      },
-      borderRadius: {
-        'xl': '0.75rem',
-        '2xl': '1rem',
-      },
-      boxShadow: {
-        'card': '0 1px 3px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), 0 1px 2px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)',
-        'card-hover': '0 4px 6px -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), 0 2px 4px -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)',
-      },
-    },
-  },
-  plugins: [],
-}
\ No newline at end of file