src/app/(app)/layout.tsx

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export default function RootLayout({
       <body
         className={`${geistSans.variable} ${geistMono.variable} antialiased px-4`}
       >
+        <div className="aurora" />
         {children}
       </body>
     </html>

src/app/(app)/page.tsx

@@ -10,31 +10,39 @@ const IndexPage = async () => {
   const home = await getHome();
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 justify-center items-center h-screen">
+    <div className="flex flex-col gap-5 justify-center items-center h-screen">
-      <Image className="rounded-full max-w-[200px]" src={ProfileImage} alt="Liam Pietralla" />
+      <div className="glow-ring animate-fade-in" style={{ animationDelay: "0ms" }}>
-      <h1 className="text-5xl font-bold">Liam Pietralla</h1>
+        <Image className="rounded-full max-w-[200px]" src={ProfileImage} alt="Liam Pietralla" />
-      <div className="flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-0 md:gap-[7px]">
+      </div>
+      <h1 className="text-5xl font-bold animate-fade-in-up" style={{ animationDelay: "120ms" }}>
+        Liam Pietralla
+      </h1>
+      <div className="flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-0 md:gap-[7px] animate-fade-in-up" style={{ animationDelay: "240ms" }}>
         <h2 className="text-xl text-center">Enthusiastic Software Developer</h2>
         <h2 className="text-xl text-center mt-[-5px] md:mt-0">& DevOps Engineer</h2>
       </div>
-      <Rule className="w-[300px]" />
+      <Rule className="w-[300px] animate-fade-in" style={{ animationDelay: "320ms" }} />
-      <div className="flex flex-row gap-4">
+      <div className="flex flex-row gap-4 animate-fade-in-up" style={{ animationDelay: "400ms" }}>
         {home.mainLinks.map(link => (
           <IndexLink key={link.id} {...link} />
         ))}
       </div>
-      <div className="flex flex-row gap-4">
+      <div className="flex flex-row gap-4 animate-fade-in-up relative z-20" style={{ animationDelay: "480ms" }}>
         {home.popoverLinks.map(link => (
           <IndexLink key={link.id} {...link} isPopover={true} />
         ))}
       </div>
-      <Rule className="w-[300px]" />
+      <Rule className="w-[300px] animate-fade-in" style={{ animationDelay: "560ms" }} />
-      <a href="mailto:me@liampietralla.com" className="group leading-relaxed">
+      <a
+        href="mailto:me@liampietralla.com"
+        className="group leading-relaxed animate-fade-in-up"
+        style={{ animationDelay: "640ms" }}
+      >
         <span className="flex flex-row gap-2">
           <Mail />
           me@liampietralla.com
         </span>
-        <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-white"></span>
+        <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-accent"></span>
       </a>
     </div>
   );

src/app/(app)/projects/page.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 import ProjectCard from "@/components/project-card";
-import Rule from "@/components/horizontal-rule";
 import { getProjects } from "@/services/projects-service";
 import Image from "next/image";
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { Fragment } from "react";
 
 import ProfileImage from "../../../../public/images/liam_pietralla.jpg";
 
@@ -11,21 +9,22 @@ const ProjectsPage = async () => {
   const projects = await getProjects();
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 justify-center items-center my-15">
-      <div className="flex flex-row items-center gap-2 my-2">
+      <div className="flex flex-row items-center gap-2 my-2 animate-fade-in-up">
         <Image src={ProfileImage} alt="Liam Pietralla" className="rounded-full max-w-[50px]" />
         <Link href="/" className="group leading-relaxed font-semi-bold">
           Liam Pietralla
-          <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-white"></span>
+          <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-accent"></span>
         </Link>
       </div>
-      <h1 className="text-5xl font-bold">Projects</h1>
+      <h1 className="text-5xl font-bold animate-fade-in-up" style={{ animationDelay: "120ms" }}>Projects</h1>
-      <h2>A collection of interesting projects that I am working on currently or have worked on in the past.</h2>
+      <h2 className="animate-fade-in-up text-center max-w-2xl" style={{ animationDelay: "240ms" }}>
-      <div className="flex flex-col gap-4">
+        A collection of interesting projects that I am working on currently or have worked on in the past.
+      </h2>
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 w-full">
         {projects.docs.map((project, index) => (
-          <Fragment key={index}>
+          <div key={index} className="animate-fade-in-up" style={{ animationDelay: `${320 + index * 120}ms` }}>
             <ProjectCard {...project} />
-            {index < projects.docs.length - 1 && <Rule />}
+          </div>
-          </Fragment>
         ))}
       </div>
     </div>

src/app/globals.css

@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 :root {
   --background: #0a0a0a;
   --foreground: #ededed;
+  --accent: #7c9cff;
 }
 
 @theme inline {
   --color-background: var(--background);
   --color-foreground: var(--foreground);
+  --color-accent: var(--accent);
   --font-sans: var(--font-geist-sans);
   --font-mono: var(--font-geist-mono);
 }
@@ -15,5 +17,120 @@
 body {
   background: var(--background);
   color: var(--foreground);
-  font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
+  font-family: var(--font-geist-sans), Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
+  overflow-x: hidden;
+}
+
+.aurora {
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: -1;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.aurora::before,
+.aurora::after {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  width: 60vw;
+  height: 60vw;
+  border-radius: 9999px;
+  filter: blur(120px);
+  opacity: 0.22;
+  will-change: transform;
+}
+
+.aurora::before {
+  top: -15%;
+  left: -10%;
+  background: radial-gradient(circle at center, var(--accent), transparent 70%);
+  animation: drift-1 18s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
+}
+
+.aurora::after {
+  bottom: -20%;
+  right: -10%;
+  background: radial-gradient(circle at center, #b07cff, transparent 70%);
+  animation: drift-2 22s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
+}
+
+@keyframes drift-1 {
+  0%   { transform: translate(0, 0) scale(1); }
+  100% { transform: translate(15vw, 10vh) scale(1.15); }
+}
+
+@keyframes drift-2 {
+  0%   { transform: translate(0, 0) scale(1); }
+  100% { transform: translate(-12vw, -8vh) scale(1.2); }
+}
+
+@keyframes fade-in-up {
+  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(16px); }
+  to   { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
+}
+
+.animate-fade-in-up {
+  opacity: 0;
+  animation: fade-in-up 0.7s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1) forwards;
+}
+
+@keyframes fade-in {
+  from { opacity: 0; }
+  to   { opacity: 1; }
+}
+
+.animate-fade-in {
+  opacity: 0;
+  animation: fade-in 1.2s ease forwards;
+}
+
+.glow-ring {
+  position: relative;
+}
+
+.glow-ring::before {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: -6px;
+  border-radius: 9999px;
+  background: conic-gradient(from 0deg, var(--accent), #b07cff, var(--accent));
+  filter: blur(8px);
+  opacity: 0.55;
+  z-index: -1;
+  animation: spin-slow 8s linear infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes spin-slow {
+  from { transform: rotate(0deg); }
+  to   { transform: rotate(360deg); }
+}
+
+.glass {
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
+  border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
+  transition: background 0.3s ease, border-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.3s ease, box-shadow 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+.glass-hover:hover {
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
+  border-color: rgba(124, 156, 255, 0.4);
+  transform: translateY(-2px);
+  box-shadow: 0 8px 30px -10px rgba(124, 156, 255, 0.35);
+}
+
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  *,
+  .aurora::before,
+  .aurora::after,
+  .glow-ring::before {
+    animation: none !important;
+  }
+  .animate-fade-in-up,
+  .animate-fade-in {
+    opacity: 1;
+    animation: none !important;
+  }
 }

src/components/home-page-link.tsx

@@ -15,42 +15,53 @@ const HomePageLink = ({ title, icon, url, isPopover }: HomePageLinkProps) => {
   const IconComponent = lucidIconMap[icon as IconName];
 
   if (isPopover) {
+    const LinkContent = (
+      <span className="flex items-center space-x-2 glass glass-hover rounded-lg px-3 py-2 transition-all duration-300">
+        {icon && <IconComponent className="size-4" />}
+      </span>
+    );
+
+    const Popover = (
+      <div className="absolute left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 top-full mt-2 z-10 hidden p-2 px-4 text-sm text-black bg-white rounded-md shadow-lg group-hover:block text-center whitespace-nowrap">
+        {title}
+      </div>
+    );
+
     if (isRelative) {
       return (
         <div className="relative group">
-          <Link href={url} className="flex items-center space-x-2">
+          <Link href={url}>{LinkContent}</Link>
-            {icon && <IconComponent />}
+          {Popover}
-          </Link>
-          <div className="absolute left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 z-10 hidden p-2 px-4 text-sm text-black bg-white rounded-md group-hover:block text-center">
-            {title}
-          </div>
         </div>
       )
     } else {
       return (
         <div className="relative group">
-          <a href={url} className="flex items-center space-x-2">
+          <a href={url}>{LinkContent}</a>
-            {icon && <IconComponent />}
+          {Popover}
-          </a>
-          <div className="absolute left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 z-10 hidden p-2 px-4 text-sm text-black bg-white rounded-md group-hover:block text-center">
-            {title}
-          </div>
         </div>
       )
     }
   } else {
+    const Content = (
+      <>
+        <span className="flex flex-row gap-2 group-hover:text-accent transition-colors duration-300">
+          {icon && <IconComponent className="size-4" />} {title}
+        </span>
+        <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-accent"></span>
+      </>
+    );
+
     if (isRelative) {
       return (
         <Link href={url} className="group leading-relaxed">
-          <span className="flex flex-row gap-2">{icon && <IconComponent />} {title}</span>
+          {Content}
-          <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-white"></span>
         </Link>
       )
     } else {
       return (
         <a href={url} className="group leading-relaxed">
-          <span className="flex flex-row gap-2">{icon && <IconComponent />} {title}</span>
+          {Content}
-          <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-white"></span>
         </a>
       )
     }

src/components/horizontal-rule.tsx

@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { CSSProperties } from "react";
 
 interface RuleProps {
   className?: string;
+  style?: CSSProperties;
 }
 
-const HorizontalRule = ({ className }: RuleProps) => {
+const HorizontalRule = ({ className, style }: RuleProps) => {
   return (
-    <div className={cn("border-t-1 border-accent", className)} />
+    <div style={style} className={cn("border-t-1 border-accent", className)} />
   )
 }
 

src/components/project-card.tsx

@@ -5,16 +5,16 @@ import { Project } from "@/payload-types";
 
 const ProjectCard = (project: Project) => {
   return (
-    <div className="border border-white rounded-md p-4 flex flex-col gap-2 max-w-[700px] mx-auto">
+    <div className="glass glass-hover rounded-lg p-5 flex flex-col gap-3 max-w-[700px] mx-auto">
       <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold">{project.title}</h2>
       <div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
         {project.featuredImage && typeof project.featuredImage === "object" && (
-          <Image src={project.featuredImage.url!} alt={project.title} width={project.featuredImage.width!} height={project.featuredImage.height!} className="rounded-md border border-gray-600" />
+          <Image src={project.featuredImage.url!} alt={project.title} width={project.featuredImage.width!} height={project.featuredImage.height!} className="rounded-md border border-white/10" />
         )}
         <p className="whitespace-pre-wrap">{project.description}</p>
-        <div className="flex flex-row gap-2 my-2">
+        <div className="flex flex-row flex-wrap gap-2 my-2">
           {(project?.tags || []).map((tag) => (
-            <span key={tag.id} className="bg-white text-black rounded-md px-1 py-0.5 text-sm hover:bg-gray-200">
+            <span key={tag.id} className="bg-white/10 text-foreground rounded-md px-2 py-0.5 text-sm border border-white/10 transition-colors hover:bg-white/20">
               {tag.tag}
             </span>
           ))}
@@ -24,20 +24,20 @@ const ProjectCard = (project: Project) => {
       <div className="flex flex-row gap-4">
         {project.viewLink && (
           <a href={project.viewLink} target="_blank" className="group">
-            <span className="flex flex-row gap-2">
+            <span className="flex flex-row gap-2 group-hover:text-accent transition-colors duration-300">
-              <ExternalLink />
+              <ExternalLink className="size-4" />
               View Project
             </span>
-            <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-white"></span>
+            <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-accent"></span>
           </a>
         )}
         {project.repositoryLink && (
           <a href={project.repositoryLink} target="_blank" className="group">
-            <span className="flex flex-row gap-2">
+            <span className="flex flex-row gap-2 group-hover:text-accent transition-colors duration-300">
-              <Code />
+              <Code className="size-4" />
               View Source
             </span>
-            <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-white"></span>
+            <span className="block max-w-0 group-hover:max-w-full transition-all duration-500 h-0.5 bg-accent"></span>
           </a>
         )}
       </div>