diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index b41d035f..ac33fae6 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1041,7 +1041,11 @@ class AuthMiddleware(BaseHTTPMiddleware):
             return await call_next(request)
 
         # Allow login page static assets
-        if path == "/login.html" or path == "/login-style.css":
+        if (
+            path == "/login.html"
+            or path == "/login-style.css"
+            or path.startswith("/icons/")
+        ):
             return await call_next(request)
 
         # WebSocket upgrade for /ws/live — allow (browser WS, read-only)
diff --git a/static/login.html b/static/login.html
index c39e9ade..5369830a 100644
--- a/static/login.html
+++ b/static/login.html
@@ -11,26 +11,23 @@
       flex-direction: column;
       align-items: center;
       justify-content: center;
-      background: #0a0a0a;
-      background-image:
-        radial-gradient(ellipse at 50% 35%, rgba(30, 20, 10, 0.9) 0%, transparent 60%),
-        linear-gradient(180deg, #0a0806 0%, #12100a 50%, #0a0806 100%);
+      background: #000;
       font-family: "Palatino Linotype", "Book Antiqua", Palatino, serif;
-      color: #d4c9a8;
+      color: #b0aaa0;
     }
 
     .logo-container {
-      margin-bottom: 28px;
+      margin-bottom: 24px;
     }
     .logo-container img {
       display: block;
-      width: 380px;
+      width: 400px;
       height: auto;
     }
 
     .quote-container {
       height: 44px;
-      margin-bottom: 24px;
+      margin-bottom: 22px;
       text-align: center;
       width: 500px;
       display: flex;
@@ -38,9 +35,9 @@
       justify-content: center;
     }
     .quote-text {
-      font-size: 0.8rem;
+      font-size: 0.78rem;
       font-style: italic;
-      color: #8a7a5a;
+      color: #706858;
       line-height: 1.4;
       opacity: 0;
       transition: opacity 0.8s ease;
@@ -48,30 +45,27 @@
     .quote-text.visible { opacity: 1; }
     .quote-attribution {
       display: block;
-      font-size: 0.6rem;
+      font-size: 0.58rem;
       font-style: normal;
-      color: #5a4a34;
+      color: #484034;
       margin-top: 4px;
       letter-spacing: 1px;
     }
 
     .login-card {
       width: 440px;
-      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #1a1610 0%, #0e0c08 100%);
-      border: 1px solid #5a4a28;
+      background: #0c0c0c;
+      border: 1px solid #2a2520;
       border-radius: 4px;
       padding: 24px 28px 20px;
-      box-shadow:
-        inset 0 1px 0 rgba(212, 175, 55, 0.08),
-        0 8px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8),
-        0 0 60px rgba(138, 122, 68, 0.06);
+      box-shadow: 0 8px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
     }
 
     .login-title {
       text-align: center;
       margin-bottom: 20px;
       font-size: 0.75rem;
-      color: #8a7a5a;
+      color: #706050;
       text-transform: uppercase;
       letter-spacing: 3px;
     }
@@ -87,7 +81,7 @@
     .form-field label {
       display: block;
       font-size: 0.7rem;
-      color: #7a6a4a;
+      color: #585048;
       margin-bottom: 5px;
       text-transform: uppercase;
       letter-spacing: 1px;
@@ -97,19 +91,19 @@
       padding: 9px 11px;
       font-size: 0.9rem;
       font-family: inherit;
-      background: #080704;
-      color: #d4c9a8;
-      border: 1px solid #3a3018;
+      background: #060606;
+      color: #c0b8a8;
+      border: 1px solid #2a2520;
       border-radius: 3px;
       outline: none;
       transition: border-color 0.2s;
     }
     .form-field input:focus {
-      border-color: #d4af37;
-      box-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(212, 175, 55, 0.12);
+      border-color: #8a7a50;
+      box-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(138, 122, 80, 0.15);
     }
     .form-field input::placeholder {
-      color: #3a3220;
+      color: #2a2520;
     }
 
     .login-btn {
@@ -118,9 +112,9 @@
       font-family: inherit;
       font-size: 0.85rem;
       font-weight: bold;
-      color: #1a1610;
-      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #d4af37 0%, #a08520 100%);
-      border: 1px solid #8a7a44;
+      color: #0c0c0c;
+      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #9a8a60 0%, #706040 100%);
+      border: 1px solid #5a5038;
       border-radius: 3px;
       cursor: pointer;
       text-transform: uppercase;
@@ -128,11 +122,11 @@
       transition: background 0.2s, box-shadow 0.2s;
     }
     .login-btn:hover {
-      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #e0c050 0%, #b89a30 100%);
-      box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(212, 175, 55, 0.3);
+      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #b0a070 0%, #8a7a50 100%);
+      box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(138, 122, 80, 0.25);
     }
     .login-btn:active {
-      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #a08520 0%, #8a7a44 100%);
+      background: linear-gradient(180deg, #706040 0%, #5a5038 100%);
     }
 
     .login-error {
@@ -140,9 +134,9 @@
       padding: 8px;
       text-align: center;
       font-size: 0.8rem;
-      color: #ff6b6b;
-      background: rgba(255, 50, 50, 0.08);
-      border: 1px solid rgba(255, 50, 50, 0.2);
+      color: #cc5555;
+      background: rgba(200, 50, 50, 0.06);
+      border: 1px solid rgba(200, 50, 50, 0.15);
       border-radius: 3px;
       display: none;
     }
@@ -151,7 +145,7 @@
       margin-top: 16px;
       text-align: center;
       font-size: 0.6rem;
-      color: #3a3220;
+      color: #2a2520;
       letter-spacing: 1px;
     }
   </style>