diff --git a/blocks/form/form.css b/blocks/form/form.css
index c415e94..16b859d 100644
--- a/blocks/form/form.css
+++ b/blocks/form/form.css
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     --background-color-primary: #fff;
     --label-color: #666;
     --border-color: #818a91;
-    --form-error-color: #ff5f3f;
+    --form-error-color: var(--adobe-red);
     --button-primary-color: #5F8DDA;
     --button-secondary-color: #666;
     --button-primary-hover-color: #035fe6;
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     --form-columns: 12;
     --form-field-horz-gap: 40px;
     --form-field-vert-gap: 10px;
-    --form-invalid-border-color: #ff5f3f;
+    --form-invalid-border-color: var(--adobe-red);
     --form-input-padding: 0.75rem 0.6rem;
     --form-input-font-size: 1rem;
     --form-input-disable-color: #ebebe4;
@@ -701,9 +701,9 @@ main .form .form-message.success-message {
 }
 
 main .form .form-message.error-message {
-    color: #842029;
-    background-color: #f8d7da;
-    border-color: #f5c2c7;
+    color: var(--adobe-red);
+    background-color: rgba(237, 34, 36, 0.1);
+    border-color: var(--adobe-red);
     flex: 100%;
     grid-column: span 12;
     padding: 10px;
diff --git a/blocks/header/header.css b/blocks/header/header.css
index e71a3b2..ecdb99b 100644
--- a/blocks/header/header.css
+++ b/blocks/header/header.css
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ body.dark-mode header nav a:any-link {
 
 /* UIKit subnav styling for nav links */
 header nav .nav-sections .uk-subnav {
-  gap: 0.5rem 1.5rem;
+  gap: 0.5rem 1.2rem;
 }
 
 header nav .nav-sections .uk-subnav > li > a {
   font-size: 0.9rem;
-  font-weight: 500;
+  font-weight: 600;
   color: var(--text-color);
   padding: 0.4em 0.6em;
   border-radius: 6px;
diff --git a/blocks/hero/hero.css b/blocks/hero/hero.css
index ec05406..c200502 100644
--- a/blocks/hero/hero.css
+++ b/blocks/hero/hero.css
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 .hero-container .hero-wrapper {
   max-width: 1800px;
   padding: 0;
+  margin: 0;
 }
 
 .hero {
@@ -29,7 +30,12 @@
 .hero img {
   object-fit: contain;
   width: 100%;
-  height: 100%;
+  height: auto;
+  border-radius: 20px;
+}
+
+.hero.space-around {
+  margin: 1rem 0;
 }
 
 @media (width >= 1000px) {
diff --git a/blocks/leftnav/leftnav.css b/blocks/leftnav/leftnav.css
index 3bc52b8..c130103 100644
--- a/blocks/leftnav/leftnav.css
+++ b/blocks/leftnav/leftnav.css
@@ -1,19 +1,89 @@
+/* slide in/out - single width animation, overflow clips cleanly */
+.leftnav-wrapper {
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+  /* width: calc(20vw + 2rem); */
+  min-width: calc(350px + 2rem);
+  /* overflow: hidden; */
+  margin: 0;
+  transition: width 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1), min-width 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1);
+}
+
+body.leftnav-collapsed .leftnav-wrapper {
+  width: 0;
+  min-width: 0;
+}
 
 .leftnav-container {
   width: 20vw;
   min-width: 350px;
+  min-height: 600px;
   background-color: var(--light-color);
   color: var(--text-color);
   padding: 1rem;
-  height: calc(100vh - var(--nav-height) - 0);
+  height: auto;
   position: sticky;
   top: calc(var(--nav-height) + 1rem);
   overflow-y: auto;
   overflow-x: hidden;
-  transition: transform 0.3s ease; /* for slide toggle */
   border-radius: 20px;
   margin: 1rem;
   box-shadow: 0 0 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12), 0 0 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
+  transition: transform 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.32, 0.72, 0, 1);
+  backface-visibility: hidden;
+}
+
+body.leftnav-collapsed .leftnav-container {
+  transform: translateX(-105%);
+}
+
+.leftnav-collapse-btn {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 1rem;
+  right: 1rem;
+  z-index: 2;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: 32px;
+  height: 32px;
+  padding: 0;
+  border: none;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06);
+  color: var(--text-color);
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
+body.dark-mode .leftnav-collapse-btn {
+  background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1) !important;
+}
+
+.leftnav-expand-btn {
+  display: none;
+  position: fixed;
+  top: calc(var(--nav-height) + 3rem);
+  left: 0;
+  z-index: 100;
+  width: 36px;
+  height: 48px;
+  padding: 0;
+  border: none;
+  border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0;
+  background-color: var(--light-color);
+  color: var(--text-color);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  box-shadow: 2px 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
+body.leftnav-collapsed .leftnav-expand-btn {
+  display: flex;
+}
+
+body.dark-mode .leftnav-expand-btn {
+  background-color: #1a1a1a;
+  box-shadow: 2px 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
 }
 
 .leftnav {
@@ -24,8 +94,8 @@
 }
 
 /* title */
- .leftnav .nav-title > h3 {
-  padding: 0.75rem 1rem;
+.leftnav .nav-title > h3 {
+  padding: 0.75rem 3rem 0.75rem 1rem;
   text-align: center;
   margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
   font-weight: 600;
@@ -57,7 +127,7 @@ body.dark-mode .leftnav .nav-title > h3::after {
   vertical-align: middle;
   height: 35px;
   margin-right: calc(5px + .2em);
-  border-left: calc(3px + .1em) solid #ED2224;
+  border-left: calc(3px + .1em) solid var(--adobe-red);
 }
 
 /* search */
@@ -186,17 +256,11 @@ body.dark-mode .leftnav .aem-parent > ul > li > .uk-accordion-content > ul > li
 
 /* mobile layout < 1000px */
 @media (width < 1000px) {
-  .leftnav-container {
+  .leftnav-wrapper {
     display: none;
-    /* position: fixed;
-    top: var(--nav-height);
-    left: 0;
-    width: 100%;
-    max-height: 100%;
-    transform: translateX(-100%);
-    z-index: 9999; */
   }
-  .leftnav-container.open {
-    transform: translateX(0);
+
+  .leftnav-expand-btn {
+    display: none !important;
   }
 }
diff --git a/blocks/notebox/notebox.css b/blocks/notebox/notebox.css
index bdbade0..4841b7f 100644
--- a/blocks/notebox/notebox.css
+++ b/blocks/notebox/notebox.css
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@
 }
 
 .notebox.uk-alert-danger {
-  background-color: #ffe5e5;
-  color: #b30000;
+  background-color: rgba(237, 34, 36, 0.1);
+  color: var(--adobe-red);
 }
 
 .notebox.uk-alert-success {
diff --git a/head.html b/head.html
index 5c00e14..cc9d309 100644
--- a/head.html
+++ b/head.html
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@
   move-to-http-header="true"
 >
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/>
+<script nonce="aem">
+(function(){
+  var d=document.createElement('div');
+  d.id='page-loader';
+  d.innerHTML='<div class="loader-spinner"></div>';
+  d.style.cssText='position:fixed;inset:0;background:var(--background-color,#fff);display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;z-index:9999;transition:opacity .3s ease';
+  document.documentElement.appendChild(d);
+})();
+</script>
 <script nonce="aem" src="/scripts/aem.js" type="module"></script>
 <script nonce="aem" src="/scripts/scripts.js" type="module"></script>
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/styles/styles.css"/>
diff --git a/scripts/scripts.js b/scripts/scripts.js
index 030b9a7..41da3e2 100644
--- a/scripts/scripts.js
+++ b/scripts/scripts.js
@@ -16,13 +16,47 @@ import {
 import './uikit.min.js';
 import './uikit-icons.min.js';
 
+function toggleLeftNav() {
+  document.body.classList.toggle('leftnav-collapsed');
+  try {
+    localStorage.setItem(
+      'leftnav-collapsed',
+      document.body.classList.contains('leftnav-collapsed') ? 'true' : 'false',
+    );
+  } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
+}
+
 async function loadLeftNav(main) {
+  if (localStorage.getItem('leftnav-collapsed') === 'true') {
+    document.body.classList.add('leftnav-collapsed');
+  }
+  const wrapper = document.createElement('div');
+  wrapper.className = 'leftnav-wrapper';
+
   const aside = document.createElement('aside');
   aside.className = 'leftnav-container';
   const block = document.createElement('div');
   block.className = 'block leftnav';
   aside.append(block);
-  main.insertBefore(aside, main.querySelector('.section'));
+
+  const collapseBtn = document.createElement('button');
+  collapseBtn.type = 'button';
+  collapseBtn.className = 'leftnav-collapse-btn';
+  collapseBtn.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Collapse navigation');
+  collapseBtn.innerHTML = '<span uk-icon="icon: chevron-left; ratio: 1.2"></span>';
+  collapseBtn.addEventListener('click', toggleLeftNav);
+
+  const expandBtn = document.createElement('button');
+  expandBtn.type = 'button';
+  expandBtn.className = 'leftnav-expand-btn';
+  expandBtn.setAttribute('aria-label', 'Expand navigation');
+  expandBtn.innerHTML = '<span uk-icon="icon: chevron-right; ratio: 1.2"></span>';
+  expandBtn.addEventListener('click', toggleLeftNav);
+
+  block.prepend(collapseBtn);
+  wrapper.append(aside, expandBtn);
+  main.insertBefore(wrapper, main.querySelector('.section'));
+
   const { default: decorate } = await import('../blocks/leftnav/leftnav.js');
   loadCSS(`${window.hlx.codeBasePath}/blocks/leftnav/leftnav.css`);
   await decorate(block);
@@ -389,25 +423,29 @@ function createLightbox() {
       position: absolute;
       top: 5px;
       right: 5px;
-      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
-      border: 1px solid #000;
+      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
+      border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
+      box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
       border-radius: 6px;
-      color: #000;
+      color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85);
       font-size: 1.5rem;
       line-height: 1;
       cursor: pointer;
       padding: 0.35rem 0.65rem;
       opacity: 1;
-      transition: background 0.2s ease, opacity 0.2s ease, border-color 0.2s ease;
+      transition: background 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease, border-color 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
       margin: 0;
       padding-top: 0;
     }
     .lightbox-close:hover,
     .lightbox-close:focus {
-      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
-      border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.45);
+      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95);
+      border-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
+      box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
+      color: #000;
       opacity: 1;
       outline: none;
+      transform: scale(1.08);
     }
     .lightbox-figure {
       margin: 0;
@@ -514,15 +552,29 @@ function initLightbox() {
 // Page lifecycle
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+function hideLoader() {
+  document.body.classList.add('appear');
+  const loader = document.getElementById('page-loader');
+  if (loader) {
+    loader.classList.add('loaded');
+    loader.addEventListener('transitionend', () => loader.remove(), { once: true });
+  }
+}
+
 async function loadEager(doc) {
-  document.documentElement.lang = 'en';
-  decorateTemplateAndTheme();
-  const main = doc.querySelector('main');
-  if (main) {
-    decorateMain(main);
-    document.body.classList.add('appear');
-    if (window.self === window.top && !window.isErrorPage) await loadLeftNav(main);
-    await loadSection(main.querySelector('.section'), waitForFirstImage);
+  const showPage = () => { try { hideLoader(); } catch (e) { document.body.classList.add('appear'); } };
+  setTimeout(showPage, 8000);
+  try {
+    document.documentElement.lang = 'en';
+    decorateTemplateAndTheme();
+    const main = doc.querySelector('main');
+    if (main) {
+      decorateMain(main);
+      if (window.self === window.top && !window.isErrorPage) await loadLeftNav(main);
+      await loadSection(main.querySelector('.section'), waitForFirstImage);
+    }
+  } finally {
+    showPage();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/styles/styles.css b/styles/styles.css
index 1732afa..29f245b 100644
--- a/styles/styles.css
+++ b/styles/styles.css
@@ -87,6 +87,38 @@ body.appear {
   display: block;
 }
 
+/* page loader - hides when page is ready */
+#page-loader {
+  transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+#page-loader.loaded {
+  opacity: 0;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.loader-spinner {
+  width: 40px;
+  height: 40px;
+  border: 3px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
+  border-top-color: var(--link-color, #3b63fb);
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  animation: loader-spin 0.8s linear infinite;
+}
+
+html:has(body.dark-mode) #page-loader {
+  background: #0d0d0d;
+}
+
+html:has(body.dark-mode) #page-loader .loader-spinner {
+  border-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.1);
+  border-top-color: var(--adobe-red);
+}
+
+@keyframes loader-spin {
+  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
+}
+
 /* dark mode - override color variables and force light text */
 body.dark-mode {
   --background-color: #0d0d0d;
@@ -94,7 +126,7 @@ body.dark-mode {
   --dark-color: #b0b0b0;
   --text-color: #ffffff;
   --link-color: var(--adobe-red);
-  --link-hover-color: #f05052;
+  --link-hover-color: var(--adobe-red);
   --overlay-color: #1a1a1a;
   --button-text-color: #ffffff;
 }
@@ -236,7 +268,7 @@ a:hover {
 
 /* primary buttons */
 a.button:any-link,
-button {
+button:not(.leftnav-collapse-btn):not(.leftnav-expand-btn):not(.lightbox-close) {
   box-sizing: border-box;
   display: inline-block;
   max-width: 100%;
@@ -263,15 +295,15 @@ button {
 
 a.button:hover,
 a.button:focus,
-button:hover,
-button:focus {
+button:not(.leftnav-collapse-btn):not(.leftnav-expand-btn):not(.lightbox-close):hover,
+button:not(.leftnav-collapse-btn):not(.leftnav-expand-btn):not(.lightbox-close):focus {
   background-color: var(--link-hover-color);
   cursor: pointer;
   box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);
 }
 
 a.button:active,
-button:active {
+button:not(.leftnav-collapse-btn):not(.leftnav-expand-btn):not(.lightbox-close):active {
   transform: translateY(1px);
 }
 
@@ -369,7 +401,13 @@ main > .section > div.default-content-wrapper {
   main > .section {
     border-radius: 20px;
     padding: 0 1rem;
-    width: 80vw;
+    flex: 1;
+    min-width: 0;
+  }
+
+  body.leftnav-collapsed main > .section {
+    max-width: 1480px;
+    margin: 0 auto;
   }
 
   main > .section > div {