# Redesign Existing Projects: focused baseline upgrade

## Scan

Input is the exact baseline.html fixture: static HTML, vanilla CSS and two local inline button handlers. No framework, dependency or build system is required for this artifact. The fixture contains header, welcome, stats, nested panel, progress, task rows and actions.

## Diagnose

- Low-contrast pale purple text and inactive-looking actions.
- Generic welcome competes with the real project and decision.
- Three boxed metrics and nested panels repeat enclosure without meaning.
- Get started / Learn more do not name the task.
- The blocker reason is absent from the list.
- Targets are small, no authored focus/hover/pressed states, status partly relies on a colored dot.
- Small mobile row sizes weaken legibility.

## Fix, in the source's order

Swapped to an available Avenir system stack, calibrated a single muted green accent, added authored focus/hover/press states, then adjusted spacing and hierarchy. Kept the baseline DOM's header/welcome/stats/panel/inner/progress/tasks/actions structure. Flattened nested surfaces via CSS instead of rewriting the screen. Preserved all factual values (no replacement of round synthetic numbers with fabricated ones).

Named actions now open a local preparation summary or focus the real task list. The blocked task is a semantic disclosure. Existing work items, owners, statuses and 60% progress remain. See baseline.patch for the actual unified diff from the shared starting HTML.

## Limits

The source's generic legal/footer/404/loading suggestions do not apply to a standalone local fixture without a service, router or network request. No fake policies, loading delay or random data were added. The source's recommendation to randomize data was overridden by the brief's strict fact-preservation rule.

## Source-guided colour refinement — 2026-10-21

Re-read the pinned source at `717446e07a78d4e6d7918b1fde1a263378eebac9`, including **Color and Surfaces**, **Interactivity and States**, and the targeted **Fix Priority**. This follow-up replaces the first demonstration's green with a single warm rust accent. The source calls for one considered accent, a consistent neutral family, readable hierarchy and focused upgrades to the existing stack; it does not prescribe rust or this exact layout.

- Palette: warm paper `#faf7f2`, ink `#342a25`, secondary text `#6c5d55`, rust `#8a452e`, pale metric band `#f0e6dc`, blocker tint `#f3e4dc`.
- A left rule anchors the existing decision heading, and the three existing metrics share one warm horizontal band. This gives the heading and project summary distinct weight without adding a new page section.
- The blocker row now has a warm tint, a rust edge and an outlined **Blocked** label. Its text and native disclosure still carry the meaning; colour is supplementary. Review and in-progress labels remain readable and distinct from the blocker treatment.
- The primary button, active navigation and 60% progress use the same accent. The secondary action retains its quieter text treatment. Hover is limited to devices with fine pointers, and reduced motion also removes press scaling.

All task names, owners, statuses, review timing, progress and actions are unchanged. Header, welcome, stats, panel, inner, progress, task and action structures remain intact; this is a CSS refinement of the existing output. The source pin, original prompt and 2026-10-14 execution record remain unchanged. `baseline.patch` is regenerated against the exact baseline fixture to include this refinement.

Limitation: this is a source-guided local design choice, not a palette supplied or endorsed by the author. It has not established a usability improvement through measurement or participant testing. No gradients, external fonts, packages or services were added.