diff --git a/docs/empty-state-guidelines.md b/docs/empty-state-guidelines.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb69e2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/empty-state-guidelines.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Empty State Illustration Style + Copy Guidelines
+
+## Design goals
+
+- Help users understand slot availability, wallet readiness, and booking progress at a glance.
+- Keep the primary action obvious without crowding the state with competing buttons.
+- Use calm, trust-building language before asking for sensitive actions like wallet connection.
+
+## Illustration rules
+
+- Use abstract product-shaped panels instead of decorative mascots so the empty state still feels product-specific.
+- Reserve the strongest accent for the most important action area.
+- Keep illustrations non-essential for meaning; screen-reader users should get the same guidance from headings and body copy.
+
+## Copy rules
+
+- Headline: say what is missing in plain language.
+- Body copy: explain why the state matters or what remains private.
+- Guidance: use short supporting lines to reduce uncertainty.
+- Action labels: start with a verb and match the next obvious step.
+
+## Reusable implementation notes
+
+- Shared shell: `src/app/components/dashboard-shell.tsx`
+- Empty state card: `src/app/components/empty-state-card.tsx`
+- Status chip: `src/app/components/ui/status-chip.tsx`
+- Route-level states: `src/app/dashboard/loading.tsx`, `src/app/dashboard/error.tsx`
diff --git a/src/app/components/dashboard-shell.tsx b/src/app/components/dashboard-shell.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a57d4ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/components/dashboard-shell.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import Link from "next/link";
+
+type DashboardShellProps = {
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+};
+
+export function DashboardShell({ children }: DashboardShellProps) {
+  return (
+    <div className="app-shell min-h-screen text-slate-50">
+      <header className="border-b border-white/8 bg-slate-950/40 backdrop-blur-xl">
+        <nav className="mx-auto flex max-w-6xl items-center justify-between px-5 py-4 sm:px-6">
+          <div>
+            <Link href="/" className="text-lg font-semibold tracking-tight text-white">
+              ChronoPay
+            </Link>
+            <p className="text-xs uppercase tracking-[0.2em] text-slate-500">
+              Time economy dashboard
+            </p>
+          </div>
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-3 text-sm text-slate-300">
+            <Link href="/" className="rounded-full px-3 py-2 hover:bg-white/6 hover:text-white">
+              Home
+            </Link>
+            <a
+              href="https://stellar.org"
+              target="_blank"
+              rel="noopener noreferrer"
+              className="rounded-full border border-white/10 px-3 py-2 hover:border-cyan-200/30 hover:bg-white/6 hover:text-white"
+            >
+              Stellar
+            </a>
+          </div>
+        </nav>
+      </header>
+      <main className="mx-auto max-w-6xl px-5 py-10 sm:px-6 sm:py-14">{children}</main>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/components/empty-state-card.tsx b/src/app/components/empty-state-card.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8200999
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/components/empty-state-card.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { EmptyStateIllustration } from "./empty-state-illustration";
+import { StatusChip } from "./ui/status-chip";
+
+type EmptyStateCardProps = {
+  eyebrow: string;
+  title: string;
+  description: string;
+  accentLabel: string;
+  status: {
+    label: string;
+    tone?: "info" | "warning" | "success" | "danger" | "neutral";
+  };
+  guidance: string[];
+  actions?: ReactNode;
+};
+
+export function EmptyStateCard({
+  eyebrow,
+  title,
+  description,
+  accentLabel,
+  status,
+  guidance,
+  actions,
+}: EmptyStateCardProps) {
+  return (
+    <section className="glass-panel rounded-[2rem] p-5 sm:p-6">
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3">
+        <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.24em] text-slate-400">
+          {eyebrow}
+        </p>
+        <StatusChip tone={status.tone}>{status.label}</StatusChip>
+      </div>
+      <div className="mt-4">
+        <EmptyStateIllustration accentLabel={accentLabel} />
+      </div>
+      <div className="mt-5 space-y-3">
+        <h2 className="text-xl font-semibold text-white">{title}</h2>
+        <p className="max-w-xl text-sm leading-6 text-slate-300">{description}</p>
+        <ul className="space-y-2 text-sm text-slate-300" aria-label={`${title} guidance`}>
+          {guidance.map((item) => (
+            <li
+              key={item}
+              className="rounded-2xl border border-white/8 bg-white/4 px-4 py-3"
+            >
+              {item}
+            </li>
+          ))}
+        </ul>
+      </div>
+      {actions ? <div className="mt-5 flex flex-wrap gap-3">{actions}</div> : null}
+    </section>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/components/empty-state-illustration.tsx b/src/app/components/empty-state-illustration.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2151c41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/components/empty-state-illustration.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+type EmptyStateIllustrationProps = {
+  accentLabel: string;
+};
+
+export function EmptyStateIllustration({
+  accentLabel,
+}: EmptyStateIllustrationProps) {
+  return (
+    <div
+      aria-hidden="true"
+      className="relative h-36 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[1.75rem] border border-white/10 bg-[radial-gradient(circle_at_top,rgba(110,231,249,0.18),transparent_45%),linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(15,23,42,0.98),rgba(6,12,23,0.98))]"
+    >
+      <div className="absolute left-5 top-5 rounded-full border border-cyan-200/20 bg-cyan-300/12 px-3 py-1 text-[0.65rem] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.22em] text-cyan-100">
+        {accentLabel}
+      </div>
+      <div className="absolute inset-x-6 bottom-6 top-14 rounded-[1.5rem] border border-white/10 bg-white/4 p-4">
+        <div className="grid h-full grid-cols-[1.35fr,0.8fr] gap-3">
+          <div className="rounded-[1.25rem] border border-dashed border-cyan-200/20 bg-slate-950/40 p-3">
+            <div className="flex h-full flex-col justify-between rounded-[1rem] border border-white/6 bg-white/4 p-3">
+              <div className="h-2.5 w-20 rounded-full bg-cyan-200/25" />
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <div className="h-2 rounded-full bg-white/10" />
+                <div className="h-2 w-4/5 rounded-full bg-white/8" />
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
+            <div className="rounded-[1.1rem] border border-amber-200/15 bg-amber-300/8 p-3">
+              <div className="h-10 rounded-full border border-dashed border-amber-200/20" />
+            </div>
+            <div className="flex-1 rounded-[1.1rem] border border-white/8 bg-slate-900/70 p-3">
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <div className="h-2 w-14 rounded-full bg-white/12" />
+                <div className="h-2 rounded-full bg-cyan-200/18" />
+                <div className="h-2 w-3/4 rounded-full bg-white/8" />
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/components/ui/button-link.tsx b/src/app/components/ui/button-link.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d84395e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/components/ui/button-link.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import Link from "next/link";
+import type { LinkProps } from "next/link";
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+
+type ButtonLinkProps = LinkProps & {
+  children: ReactNode;
+  className?: string;
+  variant?: "primary" | "secondary" | "ghost";
+};
+
+const variantClasses = {
+  primary:
+    "bg-cyan-300 text-slate-950 hover:bg-cyan-200 shadow-[0_16px_34px_rgba(34,211,238,0.22)]",
+  secondary:
+    "border border-white/12 bg-white/6 text-slate-100 hover:border-cyan-200/30 hover:bg-white/10",
+  ghost:
+    "text-cyan-200 hover:bg-cyan-300/10 hover:text-cyan-100",
+};
+
+export function ButtonLink({
+  children,
+  className = "",
+  variant = "primary",
+  ...props
+}: ButtonLinkProps) {
+  return (
+    <Link
+      {...props}
+      className={`inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-full px-4 py-2.5 text-sm font-medium ${variantClasses[variant]} ${className}`}
+    >
+      {children}
+    </Link>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/components/ui/status-chip.tsx b/src/app/components/ui/status-chip.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33ec1bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/components/ui/status-chip.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+type StatusChipProps = {
+  tone?: "info" | "warning" | "success" | "danger" | "neutral";
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+};
+
+const toneClasses = {
+  info: "border-cyan-300/25 bg-cyan-300/12 text-cyan-100",
+  warning: "border-amber-300/25 bg-amber-300/12 text-amber-100",
+  success: "border-emerald-300/25 bg-emerald-300/12 text-emerald-100",
+  danger: "border-rose-300/25 bg-rose-300/12 text-rose-100",
+  neutral: "border-white/10 bg-white/6 text-slate-200",
+};
+
+export function StatusChip({ tone = "neutral", children }: StatusChipProps) {
+  return (
+    <span
+      className={`inline-flex items-center rounded-full border px-3 py-1 text-xs font-medium tracking-[0.14em] uppercase ${toneClasses[tone]}`}
+    >
+      {children}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/dashboard/error.tsx b/src/app/dashboard/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9259cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/dashboard/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"use client";
+
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { DashboardShell } from "../components/dashboard-shell";
+
+export default function DashboardError({
+  error,
+  reset,
+}: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    console.error(error);
+  }, [error]);
+
+  return (
+    <DashboardShell>
+      <section
+        role="alert"
+        className="glass-panel mx-auto max-w-2xl rounded-[2rem] p-6 sm:p-8"
+      >
+        <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.24em] text-rose-300">
+          Error state
+        </p>
+        <h1 className="mt-4 text-3xl font-semibold tracking-tight text-white">
+          We could not load your booking workspace
+        </h1>
+        <p className="mt-4 text-sm leading-7 text-slate-300">
+          Nothing has been published or charged. Try again to reload the dashboard, or return home if you want to restart from a safe point.
+        </p>
+        <div className="mt-6 rounded-[1.5rem] border border-rose-300/15 bg-rose-300/10 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-rose-100">
+          {error.message || "Unexpected dashboard error."}
+        </div>
+        <div className="mt-6 flex flex-wrap gap-3">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={reset}
+            className="inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-cyan-300 px-4 py-2.5 text-sm font-medium text-slate-950 hover:bg-cyan-200"
+          >
+            Try again
+          </button>
+          <Link
+            href="/"
+            className="inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-white/12 bg-white/6 px-4 py-2.5 text-sm font-medium text-slate-100 hover:border-cyan-200/30 hover:bg-white/10"
+          >
+            Go home
+          </Link>
+        </div>
+      </section>
+    </DashboardShell>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/dashboard/loading.tsx b/src/app/dashboard/loading.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0de7ec7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/dashboard/loading.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { DashboardShell } from "../components/dashboard-shell";
+
+export default function DashboardLoading() {
+  return (
+    <DashboardShell>
+      <div className="grid gap-6 lg:grid-cols-[1.2fr_0.8fr]" aria-busy="true" aria-live="polite">
+        {[0, 1].map((item) => (
+          <section key={item} className="glass-panel rounded-[2rem] p-6 sm:p-8">
+            <div className="h-6 w-28 rounded-full bg-white/8" />
+            <div className="mt-5 h-10 max-w-xl rounded-2xl bg-white/10" />
+            <div className="mt-3 h-5 max-w-2xl rounded-full bg-white/6" />
+            <div className="mt-8 grid gap-3">
+              <div className="h-12 rounded-2xl bg-white/6" />
+              <div className="h-12 rounded-2xl bg-white/6" />
+              <div className="h-12 rounded-2xl bg-white/6" />
+            </div>
+          </section>
+        ))}
+      </div>
+      <div className="mt-6 grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-3">
+        {[0, 1, 2].map((item) => (
+          <div key={item} className="glass-panel h-40 rounded-[1.5rem] bg-white/4" />
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </DashboardShell>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/globals.css b/src/app/globals.css
index f28320c..8b799de 100644
--- a/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/src/app/globals.css
@@ -1,22 +1,37 @@
 @import "tailwindcss";
 
 :root {
-  --background: #ffffff;
-  --foreground: #171717;
+  --background: #07111f;
+  --foreground: #f4f7fb;
+  --surface: rgba(11, 23, 40, 0.82);
+  --surface-strong: rgba(10, 20, 36, 0.96);
+  --border-subtle: rgba(148, 163, 184, 0.14);
+  --border-strong: rgba(125, 211, 252, 0.22);
+  --accent: #6ee7f9;
+  --accent-strong: #22d3ee;
+  --accent-warm: #f59e0b;
+  --success: #34d399;
+  --danger: #f87171;
+  --muted: #9fb0c7;
 }
 
 @theme inline {
   --color-background: var(--background);
   --color-foreground: var(--foreground);
-  --font-sans: var(--font-geist-sans);
-  --font-mono: var(--font-geist-mono);
+  --font-sans:
+    "Segoe UI", "SF Pro Display", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;
+  --font-mono:
+    "SFMono-Regular", "Cascadia Code", "Fira Code", Consolas, monospace;
 }
 
-@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
-  :root {
-    --background: #0a0a0a;
-    --foreground: #ededed;
-  }
+* {
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+}
+
+html {
+  background:
+    radial-gradient(circle at top, rgba(34, 211, 238, 0.18), transparent 34%),
+    linear-gradient(180deg, #09111e 0%, #050b14 100%);
 }
 
 body {
diff --git a/src/app/layout.tsx b/src/app/layout.tsx
index 3ed0e9c..7e822ed 100644
--- a/src/app/layout.tsx
+++ b/src/app/layout.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 import type { Metadata } from "next";
-import { Geist, Geist_Mono } from "next/font/google";
 import "./globals.css";
 
-const geistSans = Geist({
-  variable: "--font-geist-sans",
-  subsets: ["latin"],
-});
-
-const geistMono = Geist_Mono({
-  variable: "--font-geist-mono",
-  subsets: ["latin"],
-});
-
 export const metadata: Metadata = {
   title: "ChronoPay - Time Economy",
   description: "Tokenize and trade human time on the Stellar network.",
@@ -24,11 +13,7 @@ export default function RootLayout({
 }>) {
   return (
     <html lang="en">
-      <body
-        className={`${geistSans.variable} ${geistMono.variable} antialiased`}
-      >
-        {children}
-      </body>
+      <body className="antialiased">{children}</body>
     </html>
   );
 }