diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx
index 01607dfb..83116d26 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/UserProfileModal.tsx
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ export function UserProfileModal() {
         </div>
 
         {/* Header (avatar + name) */}
-        <div className="px-5 flex-shrink-0">
+        <div className="px-5 flex-shrink-0 relative">
           <div
             className="mt-[-48px] mb-2 w-fit rounded-full"
             style={{ border: '4px solid var(--color-surface-elevated, #1e1e2a)' }}
@@ -269,7 +269,6 @@ export function UserProfileModal() {
             <Username
               username={displayName}
               className="text-[20px] font-bold leading-tight"
-              style={user.accentColor ? { color: user.accentColor } : undefined}
             />
             <div className="text-[14px] text-txt-tertiary mt-0.5">
               {domain ? (
@@ -346,23 +345,6 @@ export function UserProfileModal() {
                 </div>
               </div>
 
-              {/* Accent color */}
-              {user.accentColor && (
-                <div>
-                  <span className="text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wide font-semibold text-txt-tertiary">
-                    Accent Color
-                  </span>
-                  <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mt-1">
-                    <div
-                      className="w-5 h-5 rounded-full border border-white/10"
-                      style={{ backgroundColor: user.accentColor }}
-                    />
-                    <span className="text-[12px] text-txt-tertiary font-mono">
-                      {user.accentColor}
-                    </span>
-                  </div>
-                </div>
-              )}
             </div>
           )}
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/settingsPanels/AccountPanel.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/settingsPanels/AccountPanel.tsx
index 8ff0e82e..a1e2b287 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/settingsPanels/AccountPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/settingsPanels/AccountPanel.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { useAuthStore } from '../../../stores/authStore';
 import { Avatar } from '../../ui/Avatar';
 import { ImageCropModal } from '../../ui/ImageCropModal';
 import { api } from '../../../api/client';
-import { getAvatarGradient, adjustColor, AVATAR_GRADIENT_MAP, ACCENT_PRESETS } from '../../../utils/gradients';
+import { getAvatarGradient, adjustColor, AVATAR_GRADIENT_MAP, BANNER_COLOR_PRESETS } from '../../../utils/gradients';
 import { AVATAR_COLORS } from '@backspace/shared';
 import type { User, UserStatus, AvatarColor } from '@backspace/shared';
 
@@ -212,17 +212,17 @@ export function AccountPanel() {
         </div>
 
         {/* Live Preview Card */}
-        <div className="rounded-lg overflow-hidden border border-white/[0.06] mb-4">
+        <div className="rounded-lg overflow-hidden border border-white/[0.06] mb-4 bg-surface-channel">
           {/* Banner area */}
           <div
-            className="h-[80px] relative"
+            className="h-[80px]"
             style={displayBannerSrc
               ? { backgroundImage: `url(${displayBannerSrc})`, backgroundSize: 'cover', backgroundPosition: 'center' }
               : { background: bannerFallback, opacity: 0.6 }
             }
           />
           {/* Avatar + info */}
-          <div className="px-4 pb-3 bg-surface-channel">
+          <div className="px-4 pb-3">
             <div
               className="mt-[-28px] mb-2 w-fit rounded-full"
               style={{ border: '4px solid var(--color-surface-channel, #1e1e2a)' }}
@@ -244,8 +244,7 @@ export function AccountPanel() {
               )}
             </div>
             <div
-              className="font-semibold text-[15px] leading-tight"
-              style={{ color: effectiveAccent ?? 'var(--color-txt-primary)' }}
+              className="font-semibold text-[15px] leading-tight text-txt-primary"
             >
               {effectiveDisplayName}
             </div>
@@ -410,24 +409,29 @@ export function AccountPanel() {
             </div>
           </div>
 
-          {/* Accent Color */}
+          {/* Banner Color */}
           <div>
-            <label className="block text-xs text-txt-secondary mb-1.5">Accent Color</label>
+            <label className="block text-xs text-txt-secondary mb-1.5">Banner Color</label>
             <div className="grid grid-cols-7 gap-1.5 mb-2">
-              {ACCENT_PRESETS.map((color) => (
-                <button
-                  key={color}
-                  type="button"
-                  onClick={() => { setAccentColor(color); setCustomHex(color); }}
-                  className="w-7 h-7 rounded-full border-2 transition-all hover:scale-110"
-                  style={{
-                    backgroundColor: color,
-                    borderColor: accentColor === color ? 'white' : 'transparent',
-                    boxShadow: accentColor === color ? `0 0 0 2px ${color}40` : 'none',
-                  }}
-                  title={color}
-                />
-              ))}
+              {[0, 1, 2].map((row) =>
+                BANNER_COLOR_PRESETS.map((family) => {
+                  const color = family[row]!;
+                  return (
+                    <button
+                      key={color}
+                      type="button"
+                      onClick={() => { setAccentColor(color); setCustomHex(color); }}
+                      className="w-7 h-7 rounded-full border-2 transition-all hover:scale-110"
+                      style={{
+                        backgroundColor: color,
+                        borderColor: accentColor === color ? 'white' : 'transparent',
+                        boxShadow: accentColor === color ? `0 0 0 2px ${color}40` : 'none',
+                      }}
+                      title={color}
+                    />
+                  );
+                })
+              )}
             </div>
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
               <input
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx
index cec9d164..61fe3cb3 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/ui/UserProfilePopout.tsx
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export function UserProfilePopout({ user, onClose, position }: UserProfilePopout
       />
 
       {/* Body */}
-      <div className="px-4 pb-4">
+      <div className="px-4 pb-4 relative">
         {/* Avatar */}
         <div
           className="mt-[-40px] mb-3 w-fit rounded-full"
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ export function UserProfilePopout({ user, onClose, position }: UserProfilePopout
           <Username
             username={user.displayName ?? baseName}
             className="text-[16px] font-semibold leading-tight"
-            style={user.accentColor ? { color: user.accentColor } : undefined}
           />
           <div className="text-[13px] text-txt-tertiary">
             {domain ? (
diff --git a/packages/web/src/utils/gradients.ts b/packages/web/src/utils/gradients.ts
index 13652802..b076501b 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/utils/gradients.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/utils/gradients.ts
@@ -6,19 +6,25 @@
 import type { AvatarColor } from '@backspace/shared';
 
 export interface GradientEntry {
-  gradient: string;
-  glow: string;
+  from: string;      // hex start color
+  to: string;        // hex end color
+  gradient: string;  // CSS linear-gradient (derived from from/to)
+  glow: string;      // hex glow color (hand-curated most prominent color)
+}
+
+function grad(from: string, to: string, glow: string): GradientEntry {
+  return { from, to, gradient: `linear-gradient(135deg, ${from}, ${to})`, glow };
 }
 
 // ── Avatar gradients (user fallbacks) ──
 const AVATAR_GRADIENTS: GradientEntry[] = [
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #059669, #10b981)', glow: '#10b981' },   // mint
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #3b82f6, #6366f1)', glow: '#6366f1' },   // sky
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #a78bfa, #c084fc)', glow: '#c084fc' },   // lavender
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #f97316, #ef4444)', glow: '#f97316' },   // coral
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #f43f5e, #ec4899)', glow: '#ec4899' },   // rose
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #14b8a6, #06b6d4)', glow: '#06b6d4' },   // teal
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #f59e0b, #eab308)', glow: '#f59e0b' },   // amber
+  grad('#059669', '#10b981', '#10b981'),   // mint
+  grad('#3b82f6', '#6366f1', '#6366f1'),   // sky
+  grad('#a78bfa', '#c084fc', '#c084fc'),   // lavender
+  grad('#f97316', '#ef4444', '#f97316'),   // coral
+  grad('#f43f5e', '#ec4899', '#ec4899'),   // rose
+  grad('#14b8a6', '#06b6d4', '#06b6d4'),   // teal
+  grad('#f59e0b', '#eab308', '#f59e0b'),   // amber
 ];
 
 export const AVATAR_GRADIENT_MAP: Record<AvatarColor, GradientEntry> = {
@@ -33,20 +39,17 @@ export const AVATAR_GRADIENT_MAP: Record<AvatarColor, GradientEntry> = {
 
 // ── Space icon gradients (space fallbacks) ──
 const SPACE_GRADIENTS: GradientEntry[] = [
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #ef4444, #f97316)', glow: '#f97316' },   // red-orange
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #ec4899, #f472b6)', glow: '#ec4899' },   // pink
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #14b8a6, #06b6d4)', glow: '#06b6d4' },   // teal-cyan
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #f59e0b, #eab308)', glow: '#f59e0b' },   // amber-yellow
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #3b82f6, #6366f1)', glow: '#6366f1' },   // blue-indigo
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #a78bfa, #c084fc)', glow: '#c084fc' },   // lavender
-  { gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #059669, #10b981)', glow: '#10b981' },   // mint
+  grad('#ef4444', '#f97316', '#f97316'),   // red-orange
+  grad('#ec4899', '#f472b6', '#ec4899'),   // pink
+  grad('#14b8a6', '#06b6d4', '#06b6d4'),   // teal-cyan
+  grad('#f59e0b', '#eab308', '#f59e0b'),   // amber-yellow
+  grad('#3b82f6', '#6366f1', '#6366f1'),   // blue-indigo
+  grad('#a78bfa', '#c084fc', '#c084fc'),   // lavender
+  grad('#059669', '#10b981', '#10b981'),   // mint
 ];
 
 // ── Home button (DM / Backspace) — fixed indigo-purple gradient ──
-export const HOME_GRADIENT: GradientEntry = {
-  gradient: 'linear-gradient(135deg, #6366f1, #8b5cf6)',
-  glow: '#8b5cf6',
-};
+export const HOME_GRADIENT: GradientEntry = grad('#6366f1', '#8b5cf6', '#8b5cf6');
 
 /** djb2 hash → stable unsigned 32-bit integer. */
 function hashString(str: string): number {
@@ -72,11 +75,19 @@ export function getSpaceGradient(id?: string | null, name?: string): GradientEnt
   return SPACE_GRADIENTS[hashString(key) % SPACE_GRADIENTS.length]!;
 }
 
-/** Flat accent-color presets derived from the avatar gradient palette. Both stops per gradient. */
-export const ACCENT_PRESETS: string[] = AVATAR_GRADIENTS.flatMap(g => {
-  const matches = g.gradient.match(/#[0-9a-fA-F]{6}/g);
-  return matches ?? [];
-});
+/** Banner-color presets: 7 families × 3 shades (deep, vibrant, soft). */
+export const BANNER_COLOR_PRESETS: string[][] = [
+  ['#047857', '#10b981', '#6ee7b7'],   // mint
+  ['#4338ca', '#6366f1', '#a5b4fc'],   // sky
+  ['#7c3aed', '#c084fc', '#e9d5ff'],   // lavender
+  ['#c2410c', '#f97316', '#fdba74'],   // coral
+  ['#be185d', '#ec4899', '#f9a8d4'],   // rose
+  ['#0e7490', '#06b6d4', '#67e8f9'],   // teal
+  ['#b45309', '#f59e0b', '#fcd34d'],   // amber
+];
+
+/** @deprecated Use BANNER_COLOR_PRESETS instead. */
+export const ACCENT_PRESETS: string[] = BANNER_COLOR_PRESETS.map(f => f[1]!);
 
 /** Shift each RGB component of a hex color by `amount` (positive = lighter, negative = darker). */
 export function adjustColor(hex: string, amount: number): string {