diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0242c68..af8ef2f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -117,6 +117,23 @@ Every setting lives in `~/.config/amane/config.toml`: sizes, timings, text sizes
 
 The config window edits the same file: Settings at the foot of the control centre, or `amane ipc call config toggle`. It is a normal window with a page per part of the shell, a page per Hyprland category, and a search over everything. Numbers with a range get a slider and a field, switches toggle, colours show a swatch; a typed value applies on Enter. Reset brings back the default.
 
+### Glass
+
+`appearance.surface.design` picks what the island, the pills, the tray menu, the control centre and its popups are made of: `solid` (the wallpaper's gradient with an accent glow), `frosted` (a thin tint, a hairline white rim, a sheen along the top, a soft shadow) or `liquid` (clear glass, denser toward the bottom right, a light-catching edge, the accent's glow). Each design's opacity, rim and light are settings of their own (`appearance.solid|frosted|liquid.*`); the look itself is `src/surface.rs`. On see-through glass a face fades with `.opacity()` instead of a veil, a GPU layer only while it fades.
+
+Amane can only blur what the shell draws, so the frosting comes from Hyprland: a layer rule for the shell's windows (the namespace match is a full match). `ignore_alpha` leaves pixels at or below that opacity unblurred, which keeps the clear margin around the pills sharp; keep it below the design's thinnest part, or that part shows the desktop unblurred (liquid at its default 0.4 is 0.22 in its top left corner).
+
+```lua
+hl.layer_rule({
+    name = "amane-glass",
+    match = { namespace = "^magic-.*$" },
+    blur = true,
+    ignore_alpha = 0.2,
+})
+```
+
+The blur's strength is Hyprland's own (`decoration.blur.size`, `passes`; also on the config window's Decoration page).
+
 ### Hyprland options
 
 The Hyprland pages list every option Hyprland itself describes (`hyprctl descriptions`), with its current value and default, and whether your Hyprland config sets it. A change applies at once (`hl.config`) and is kept in `config.toml` under `[hyprland.*]`; the shell writes those to `~/.config/hypr/amane.lua`. Load that file last in `hyprland.lua`, so the window's values survive a Hyprland reload and win over the rest of your config:
@@ -147,6 +164,7 @@ src/png.rs         a stdlib png writer, for tray icons sent as pixels
 src/system.rs      what the control centre shows: iwd, wired cards, openvpn, power, the external GPU
 src/glyph.rs       every drawn icon, as a Canvas or as shapes for a shared one
 src/theme.rs       the shell's colours: the matugen theme file, the cross-fade; watches config.toml
+src/surface.rs     what the island, pills, menus and popups are made of: the solid, frosted and liquid designs
 src/config.rs      every setting, declared once (typed accessors + the window's list), config.toml read and written
 src/hypr.rs        Hyprland's options for the config window: hyprctl descriptions/getoption, hl.config, amane.lua
 src/settings.rs    the config window, `config` IPC
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index c29cc22..7fd78d9 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ pub struct Opt {
     pub help: &'static str,
     pub kind: Kind,
     pub range: Option<(f64, f64)>,
+    // the only words a text setting takes, shown as chips; empty: any text
+    pub choices: &'static [&'static str],
     pub default: fn() -> Value,
 }
 
@@ -170,7 +172,7 @@ pub fn color(text: &str) -> Option<Color> {
 }
 
 macro_rules! settings {
-    ($( $module:ident { $( $group:ident { $( $name:ident : $ty:ty = $default:expr $(, $min:literal ..= $max:literal)? ; $help:literal )* } )* } )*) => {
+    ($( $module:ident { $( $group:ident { $( $name:ident : $ty:ty $([ $($choice:literal),+ ])? = $default:expr $(, $min:literal ..= $max:literal)? ; $help:literal )* } )* } )*) => {
         $( pub mod $module {
             $( pub mod $group {
                 #[allow(unused_imports)]
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ macro_rules! settings {
             help: $help,
             kind: <$ty as Setting>::KIND,
             range: settings!(@range $($min, $max)?),
+            choices: &[ $( $($choice),+ )? ],
             default: || <$ty as Setting>::value(&$default),
         }, )* )* )* ];
     };
@@ -221,6 +224,27 @@ settings! {
         motion {
             hover_ms: u64 = 220, 0..=2000; "How long hover highlights take to fade in and out"
         }
+        surface {
+            design: String ["solid", "frosted", "liquid"] = String::from("solid"); "What the island, the pills, the menus, the control centre and its popups are made of: solid (the wallpaper's gradient with an accent glow), frosted (a thin tint, a hairline rim and a sheen) or liquid (clear glass with a light-catching edge). See-through ones need Hyprland's blur behind the shell: README, Glass"
+        }
+        solid {
+            opacity: f32 = 1.0, 0.05..=1.0; "How opaque the solid design is; below 1 the desktop shows through"
+            glow: f32 = 0.3, 0.0..=1.0; "Strength of the accent glow around each surface"
+            hover_glow: f32 = 0.7, 0.0..=1.0; "Strength of the glow while hovered"
+        }
+        frosted {
+            opacity: f32 = 0.62, 0.05..=1.0; "How opaque the frosted tint is"
+            rim: f32 = 0.19, 0.0..=1.0; "Opacity of the hairline white rim"
+            sheen: f32 = 0.13, 0.0..=1.0; "Opacity of the white highlight along the top edge"
+            shadow: f32 = 0.24, 0.0..=1.0; "Strength of the soft shadow under each surface"
+        }
+        liquid {
+            opacity: f32 = 0.4, 0.05..=1.0; "How opaque the glass is in its middle; clearer at the top left, denser at the bottom right"
+            rim: f32 = 0.33, 0.0..=1.0; "Opacity of the light rim"
+            rim_width: f32 = 1.5, 0.0..=4.0; "Width of the light rim, in pixels"
+            light: f32 = 0.235, 0.0..=1.0; "Opacity of the light caught at the top left edge"
+            glow: f32 = 0.22, 0.0..=1.0; "Strength of the accent glow around each surface"
+        }
         fallback {
             accent: Color = Color::rgb(247, 168, 200); "Accent, used until matugen writes ~/.config/amane/theme from the wallpaper"
             on_accent: Color = Color::rgb(40, 18, 32); "Text and icons on the accent colour, without a theme file"
@@ -575,6 +599,10 @@ fn check(path: &str, value: &Value) -> Result<(), String> {
         return Err(format!("needs {}", kind_words(option)));
     }
 
+    if !option.choices.is_empty() && !value.text().is_some_and(|word| option.choices.contains(&word)) {
+        return Err(format!("must be one of {}", option.choices.join(", ")));
+    }
+
     let numbers: Vec<f64> = match value {
         Value::List(items) => items.iter().filter_map(Value::number).collect(),
         _ => value.number().into_iter().collect(),
diff --git a/src/control.rs b/src/control.rs
index 9e21bc2..311ac2a 100644
--- a/src/control.rs
+++ b/src/control.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use amane::{
     Animation, Audio, Blend, Bluetooth, Brightness, Button, Canvas, Cap, Center, Color, Column, Easing, End, Full,
-    Horizontal, InputArea, Layer, LayerWindow, Line, Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer, Rectangle, Row, Service, Shadow,
+    Horizontal, InputArea, Layer, LayerWindow, Line, Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer, Rectangle, Row, Service,
     Shape, SpaceBetween, Stack, Start, Text, Vertical, Weight, Widget, Zone, children, shapes,
 };
 
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@ use crate::config::control as c;
 use crate::config::island::{animation as island_animation, pill as island_pill};
 use crate::edge::{self, Edge};
 use crate::glyph::{Glyph, icon};
-use crate::island::{self, CLEAR, backdrop, faded, mix, phases, veiled};
+use crate::island::{self, CLEAR, faded, mix, phases, veiled};
 use crate::map::{self, Centre, Link, Node};
 use crate::parse;
 use crate::prompt;
 use crate::settings;
 use crate::sound::Sound;
 use crate::system::{self, Charge, Gpu, Links, Power, VpnState};
-use crate::theme;
+use crate::{surface, theme};
 
 // every size and timing is a setting (config.rs: control.*); these follow from them
 fn menu_w() -> f32 {
@@ -452,14 +452,10 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
     let tapped = monitor.name.clone();
     let hovered = monitor.name.clone();
 
-    let shape = Rectangle::new()
-        .width(width)
-        .height(height)
-        .radius(radius)
-        .fill(backdrop(&colors, 255))
-        .border(1.0, Color::blend(theme::now().outline, faded(theme::now().accent, 110), lift))
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme::now().accent).opacity(mix(0.3, 0.7, lift)).blur(22.0))
-        .align_child(Center, Start)
+    let face = Rectangle::new().width(width).height(height).align_child(Center, Start).child(face);
+
+    // the surface is surface.rs's, like the island's
+    let shape = surface::shell(width, height, radius, &colors, lift, face)
         .on_click(move |_| tap(&tapped))
         .on_hover(move |inside| {
             {
@@ -481,8 +477,7 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
             if !inside && panel_here {
                 collapse_soon();
             }
-        })
-        .child(face);
+        });
 
     let shape = if control.expanded && opened_here { shape } else { shape.cursor(Pointer) };
 
diff --git a/src/island.rs b/src/island.rs
index 7b7dcb7..12d9ea3 100644
--- a/src/island.rs
+++ b/src/island.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use crate::glyph::{Glyph, bold_icon, icon};
 use crate::parse::{self, Sink};
 use crate::sound::{self, Sound};
 use crate::spectrum::Spectrum;
-use crate::theme;
+use crate::{surface, theme};
 
 /*
  * opening is one linear timeline in two phases, so the shape never resizes with the
@@ -317,26 +317,20 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
         Rectangle::new().width(0.0).height(0.0)
     };
 
-    let shape = Rectangle::new()
-        .width(width)
-        .height(height)
-        .radius(radius)
-        .fill(backdrop(&colors, 255))
-        .border(1.0, Color::blend(theme::now().outline, faded(theme::now().accent, 110), lift));
+    // the face centred along the top: while the shape grows it is narrower than the shape
+    let face = Rectangle::new().width(width).height(height).align_child(Center, Start).child(face);
 
     /*
-     * one faint pink glow around the island, pill and card alike, stronger while the
-     * pill is hovered. blur 22 fades out within ~28 px (amane blurs with a deviation
-     * of blur / 2), inside the window's c::pill::shadow() margin. no clip anywhere: neither face
-     * ever overflows the shape
+     * the surface (fill, rim, glow; stronger while hovered) is surface.rs's. its glow fades
+     * out inside the window's c::pill::shadow() margin. no clip anywhere: neither face ever
+     * overflows the shape
      */
-    let shape = shape.shadow(Shadow::drop(theme::now().accent).opacity(mix(0.3, 0.7, lift)).blur(22.0));
+    let shape = surface::shell(width, height, radius, &colors, lift, face);
 
     let tapped = monitor.name.clone();
     let hovered = monitor.name.clone();
 
     let shape = shape
-        .align_child(Center, Start)
         .on_click(move |_| tap(&tapped))
         .on_hover(move |inside| {
             if inside {
@@ -352,8 +346,7 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
             if !inside && card_here {
                 collapse();
             }
-        })
-        .child(face);
+        });
 
     let shape = if island.expanded && opened_here { shape } else { shape.cursor(Pointer) };
 
@@ -539,13 +532,19 @@ pub fn phases(timeline: f32) -> (f32, f32, f32) {
  * fades a face in over the island's backdrop by laying the same gradient over it,
  * thinning as `shown` rises: the same picture as .opacity(shown), without a gpu layer.
  * the veil spans the whole shape (minus the 1 px rim), so its gradient lines up with
- * the backdrop's exactly; amane places gradients by each rectangle's own bounds
+ * the backdrop's exactly; amane places gradients by each rectangle's own bounds.
+ * see-through glass can't hide anything under a veil, so there faces fade with
+ * .opacity(), a gpu layer only while the fade runs
  */
 pub fn veiled(face: Rectangle, width: f32, height: f32, radius: f32, shown: f32, colors: &[Color; 3]) -> Rectangle {
     if shown >= 1.0 {
         return face;
     }
 
+    if surface::clear() {
+        return Rectangle::new().width(width).height(height).align_child(Center, Start).child(face).opacity(shown);
+    }
+
     let veil = Rectangle::new()
         .width(width - 2.0)
         .height(height - 2.0)
@@ -590,17 +589,15 @@ pub fn faded(color: Color, alpha: u8) -> Color {
     Color::rgba(color.red(), color.green(), color.blue(), alpha)
 }
 
-// the island while no player is open: a music note and "Nothing playing", glowing like the pill
+// the island while no player is open: a music note and "Nothing playing", on the pill's surface
 fn idle(colors: &[Color; 3]) -> Rectangle {
-    Rectangle::new()
+    let content = Rectangle::new()
         .width(c::pill::width())
         .height(c::pill::height())
-        .radius(Full)
-        .fill(backdrop(colors, 255))
-        .border(1.0, theme::now().outline)
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme::now().accent).opacity(0.3).blur(22.0))
         .align_child(Center, Center)
-        .child(Row::new(children![icon(Glyph::Note, 15.0, theme::now().accent), Text::new("Nothing playing").size(text::body()).color(theme::now().dim)]).gap(8.0).align(Center))
+        .child(Row::new(children![icon(Glyph::Note, 15.0, theme::now().accent), Text::new("Nothing playing").size(text::body()).color(theme::now().dim)]).gap(8.0).align(Center));
+
+    surface::shell(c::pill::width(), c::pill::height(), c::pill::height() / 2.0, colors, 0.0, content)
 }
 
 // the pill: cover, title, the player's live levels
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 04dc50b..97a0663 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ mod prompt;
 mod settings;
 mod sound;
 mod spectrum;
+mod surface;
 mod system;
 mod png;
 mod theme;
diff --git a/src/prompt.rs b/src/prompt.rs
index d7ec60f..b3975d3 100644
--- a/src/prompt.rs
+++ b/src/prompt.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 
 use amane::{
     Animation, Blend, Center, Color, Column, End, Full, Horizontal, InputArea, Key, Keyboard, Layer, LayerWindow, Margin,
-    Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer, Rectangle, Row, Service, Shadow, Start, Text, TextInput, Vertical, Weight, Widget,
+    Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer, Rectangle, Row, Service, Start, Text, TextInput, Vertical, Weight, Widget,
     Zone, children,
 };
 
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ use crate::config::island::pill as island_pill;
 use crate::config::popups::{layout, timing};
 use crate::control::{self, Control};
 use crate::glyph::{Glyph, icon};
-use crate::island::{self, backdrop, veiled};
+use crate::island::{self, veiled};
 use crate::parse::{self, Pairing};
 use crate::system;
-use crate::theme;
+use crate::{surface, theme};
 
 // the popup's sizes are settings (config.rs: popups.*)
 fn inner_w() -> f32 {
@@ -621,15 +621,8 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
 
     let content = Rectangle::new().width(layout::width()).height(card_h).padding(layout::pad()).child(Column::new(rows).gap(layout::gap()));
 
-    let card = Rectangle::new()
-        .width(layout::width())
-        .height(card_h)
-        .radius(22.0)
-        .fill(backdrop(&colors, 255))
-        .border(1.0, Color::blend(theme.outline, theme.accent, 0.5))
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(0.45).blur(22.0))
-        .translate(0.0, 8.0 * (1.0 - appear))
-        .child(veiled(content, layout::width(), card_h, 22.0, appear, &colors));
+    // raised a little over the control centre: a stronger glow and rim than a resting surface
+    let card = surface::shell(layout::width(), card_h, 22.0, &colors, 0.375, veiled(content, layout::width(), card_h, 22.0, appear, &colors)).translate(0.0, 8.0 * (1.0 - appear));
 
     // over the middle of the map menu, a little below the control centre's top
     let (right, top) = (control_pill::right() + (control::map_width(monitor.width as f32) - layout::width()) / 2.0 - island_pill::shadow(), island_pill::top_gap() + 110.0 - island_pill::shadow());
diff --git a/src/settings.rs b/src/settings.rs
index 01adbe7..176dee5 100644
--- a/src/settings.rs
+++ b/src/settings.rs
@@ -480,6 +480,14 @@ fn shell_row(option: &'static Opt, width: f32, colors: &Colors) -> Rectangle {
 
             Box::new(switch(on, move || say(config::set(option.path, Value::Bool(!on)), format!("{} = {}", option.path, !on))))
         }
+        (Kind::Text, Value::Text(current)) if !option.choices.is_empty() => Box::new(chips(
+            option
+                .choices
+                .iter()
+                .map(|&word| (String::from(word), current == word, Box::new(move || say(config::set(option.path, Value::Text(String::from(word))), format!("{} = {word}", option.path))) as Box<dyn Fn()>))
+                .collect(),
+            colors,
+        )),
         (Kind::Int | Kind::Float, _) if option.range.is_some() => {
             let (min, max) = option.range.unwrap_or((0.0, 1.0));
             let whole = option.kind == Kind::Int;
@@ -514,8 +522,6 @@ fn shell_row(option: &'static Opt, width: f32, colors: &Colors) -> Rectangle {
         help.push_str(&format!("  ·  default {}", config::shown(&(option.default)())));
     }
 
-    let _ = colors;
-
     row(config::label(option.name()), option.path.to_string(), help, control, reset, width)
 }
 
@@ -633,14 +639,31 @@ fn slider(fraction: f64, pick: impl Fn(f64) + Clone + 'static) -> Rectangle {
 }
 
 // a Hyprland number with named values: one chip per name
+// a Hyprland option's named values as chips
 fn choices(option: &HyprOption, colors: &Colors) -> Row {
     let name = option.name;
-    let chips: Vec<Box<dyn Widget>> = option
-        .choices
-        .iter()
-        .map(|(label, value)| {
-            let chosen = option.current == value.to_string();
-            let value = value.to_string();
+
+    chips(
+        option
+            .choices
+            .iter()
+            .map(|(label, value)| {
+                let value = value.to_string();
+
+                (label.replace('_', " "), option.current == value, Box::new(move || hypr::set(name, &value)) as Box<dyn Fn()>)
+            })
+            .collect(),
+        colors,
+    )
+}
+
+// one choice: its label, whether it's the current one, what a click does
+type Choice = (String, bool, Box<dyn Fn()>);
+
+fn chips(items: Vec<Choice>, colors: &Colors) -> Row {
+    let chips: Vec<Box<dyn Widget>> = items
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|(label, chosen, pick)| {
             let letters = label.chars().count() as f32;
 
             Box::new(
@@ -651,8 +674,8 @@ fn choices(option: &HyprOption, colors: &Colors) -> Row {
                     .fill(if chosen { colors.accent } else { config::appearance::overlays::chip() })
                     .align_child(Center, Center)
                     .cursor(Cursor::Pointer)
-                    .on_click(move |_| hypr::set(name, &value))
-                    .child(Text::new(label.replace('_', " ")).size(config::appearance::text::small()).color(if chosen { colors.on_accent } else { colors.text })),
+                    .on_click(move |_| pick())
+                    .child(Text::new(label).size(config::appearance::text::small()).color(if chosen { colors.on_accent } else { colors.text })),
             ) as Box<dyn Widget>
         })
         .collect();
diff --git a/src/surface.rs b/src/surface.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d8badb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/surface.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+use amane::{Blend, Color, Gradient, Rectangle, Shadow, Stack, children};
+
+use crate::config::appearance::{frosted, liquid, solid, surface};
+use crate::island::{backdrop, faded};
+use crate::theme;
+
+/*
+ * what the island, its idle pill, the workspace and tray pills, the tray menu, the control
+ * centre and its popup are made of: one place, so a design is this file. `shell` wraps
+ * `content` (already width x height, with its own padding and alignment) in the surface.
+ * `lift` (0 to 1) is how raised it is: hovered, or a popup over the rest.
+ * see-through designs need Hyprland's blur behind the shell (README: Glass)
+ */
+pub fn shell(width: f32, height: f32, radius: f32, colors: &[Color; 3], lift: f32, content: Rectangle) -> Rectangle {
+    let theme = theme::now();
+    let base = Rectangle::new().width(width).height(height).radius(radius);
+
+    match surface::design().as_str() {
+        // after Apple's materials: a thin tint, a hairline light rim (the accent when hovered),
+        // a soft highlight along the top as if lit from above, one soft low shadow instead of a glow
+        "frosted" => {
+            let sheen = inner(width, height, radius).fill(Gradient::linear(180.0, [(0.0, white(frosted::sheen())), (0.3, white(frosted::sheen() * 0.26)), (0.65, white(0.0))]));
+
+            base.fill(backdrop(colors, alpha(frosted::opacity())))
+                .border(1.0, Color::blend(white(frosted::rim()), faded(theme.accent, 150), lift))
+                .shadow(Shadow::drop(Color::BLACK).opacity(frosted::shadow() + 0.1 * lift).blur(24.0).offset(0.0, 6.0))
+                .child(Stack::new(children![sheen, content]).width(width).height(height))
+        }
+
+        // clear glass, denser toward the bottom right where the equalizer's labels sit; a bright
+        // edge where light enters at the top left and leaves at the bottom right; the accent's glow
+        "liquid" => {
+            let glass = liquid::opacity();
+            let fill = Gradient::linear(150.0, [(0.0, faded(colors[0], alpha(glass * 0.55))), (0.55, faded(colors[1], alpha(glass))), (1.0, faded(colors[2], alpha(glass * 1.6)))]);
+
+            let light = liquid::light();
+            let edge = inner(width, height, radius).fill(Gradient::linear(
+                135.0,
+                [(0.0, white(light)), (0.16, white(light * 0.23)), (0.4, white(0.0)), (0.82, white(0.0)), (1.0, white(light * 0.43))],
+            ));
+
+            base.fill(fill)
+                .border(liquid::rim_width(), Color::blend(white(liquid::rim()), faded(theme.flame, 200), lift))
+                .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(liquid::glow() + 0.3 * lift).blur(24.0))
+                .child(Stack::new(children![edge, content]).width(width).height(height))
+        }
+
+        // the original: the wallpaper's gradient, a 1 px rim, a soft glow in the accent
+        _ => base
+            .fill(backdrop(colors, alpha(solid::opacity())))
+            .border(1.0, Color::blend(theme.outline, faded(theme.accent, 110), lift))
+            .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(solid::glow() + (solid::hover_glow() - solid::glow()) * lift).blur(22.0))
+            .child(content),
+    }
+}
+
+// whether the desktop shows through: then a veil can't hide a face, so faces fade with .opacity()
+pub fn clear() -> bool {
+    surface::design() != "solid" || solid::opacity() < 1.0
+}
+
+// a layer just inside the rim, so the rim stays crisp over it
+fn inner(width: f32, height: f32, radius: f32) -> Rectangle {
+    Rectangle::new().width(width - 2.0).height(height - 2.0).radius((radius - 1.0).max(0.0)).translate(1.0, 1.0)
+}
+
+// an opacity, 0 to 1, as a colour's alpha
+fn alpha(opacity: f32) -> u8 {
+    (opacity.clamp(0.0, 1.0) * 255.0).round() as u8
+}
+
+fn white(opacity: f32) -> Color {
+    Color::rgba(255, 255, 255, alpha(opacity))
+}
diff --git a/src/tray.rs b/src/tray.rs
index 0018383..f146016 100644
--- a/src/tray.rs
+++ b/src/tray.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use std::{env, fs, thread};
 
 use amane::{
     Animation, Argument, Blend, Bus, Button, Center, Color, Column, Full, Horizontal, Image, InputArea, Layer,
-    LayerWindow, Margin, Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer, Rectangle, Row, Scroll, Service, Shadow, SpaceBetween,
+    LayerWindow, Margin, Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer, Rectangle, Row, Scroll, Service, SpaceBetween,
     Start, Text, Value, Vertical, Weight, Widget, Zone,
 };
 
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ use crate::config::appearance::{motion, overlays, text};
 use crate::config::island::pill as island_pill;
 use crate::config::tray::{menu, pill};
 use crate::glyph::{Glyph, icon};
-use crate::island::{CLEAR, backdrop, faded, veiled};
-use crate::{edge, parse, png, theme};
+use crate::island::{CLEAR, faded, veiled};
+use crate::{edge, parse, png, surface, theme};
 
 const WATCHER: &str = "org.kde.StatusNotifierWatcher";
 const WATCHER_PATH: &str = "/StatusNotifierWatcher";
@@ -702,17 +702,9 @@ pub fn pill(monitor: &str, left: f32) -> Option<(Rectangle, f32)> {
         slots.push(Box::new(slot));
     }
 
-    let pill = Rectangle::new()
-        .width(width)
-        .height(island_pill::height())
-        .radius(Full)
-        .fill(backdrop(&theme.surfaces(), 255))
-        .border(1.0, theme.outline)
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(0.3).blur(22.0))
-        .padding(pill::inset())
-        .align_child(Start, Center)
-        .on_hover(edge::over_bar)
-        .child(Row::new(slots).gap(pill::slot_gap()).align(Center));
+    let content = Rectangle::new().width(width).height(island_pill::height()).padding(pill::inset()).align_child(Start, Center).child(Row::new(slots).gap(pill::slot_gap()).align(Center));
+
+    let pill = surface::shell(width, island_pill::height(), island_pill::height() / 2.0, &theme.surfaces(), 0.0, content).on_hover(edge::over_bar);
 
     Some((pill, width))
 }
@@ -822,13 +814,8 @@ pub fn menu_view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
 
     let content = Rectangle::new().width(menu::width()).height(height).padding(menu::pad()).child(Column::new(rows));
 
-    let card = Rectangle::new()
-        .width(menu::width())
-        .height(height)
-        .radius(16.0)
-        .fill(backdrop(&colors, 255))
-        .border(1.0, theme.outline)
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(0.35).blur(22.0))
+    // raised a little over the bar
+    let card = surface::shell(menu::width(), height, 16.0, &colors, 0.125, veiled(content, menu::width(), height, 16.0, appear, &colors))
         .translate(0.0, -6.0 * (1.0 - appear))
         .on_hover(|inside| {
             if inside {
@@ -839,8 +826,7 @@ pub fn menu_view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
             } else {
                 leave_soon();
             }
-        })
-        .child(veiled(content, menu::width(), height, 16.0, appear, &colors));
+        });
 
     let left = (open.x - 8.0 - island_pill::shadow()).max(0.0);
     let top = island_pill::top_gap() + island_pill::height() + 6.0 - island_pill::shadow();
diff --git a/src/workspaces.rs b/src/workspaces.rs
index 73f1e49..a15cda7 100644
--- a/src/workspaces.rs
+++ b/src/workspaces.rs
@@ -5,15 +5,15 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 
 use amane::{
     Animation, Blend, Center, Color, Full, Horizontal, InputArea, Layer, LayerWindow, Monitor, Padding, Parent, Pointer,
-    Rectangle, Row, Service, Shadow, Stack, Start, Text, Vertical, Weight, Widget, Workspace, Workspaces, Zone,
+    Rectangle, Row, Service, Stack, Start, Text, Vertical, Weight, Widget, Workspace, Workspaces, Zone,
 };
 
 use crate::config::appearance::{motion, overlays, text};
 use crate::config::island::pill as island_pill;
 use crate::config::workspaces::pill;
 use crate::edge::{self, Edge, Part};
-use crate::island::{CLEAR, backdrop, faded, mix};
-use crate::{theme, tray};
+use crate::island::{CLEAR, faded, mix};
+use crate::{surface, theme, tray};
 
 // one round slot per workspace, inside the pill's inset, the pill pill::left() px from the monitor's edge,
 // the tray pill::tray_gap() after it (config.rs: workspaces.*)
@@ -196,17 +196,9 @@ pub fn view(monitor: &Monitor) -> LayerWindow {
 
     layers.extend(slots);
 
-    let pill = Rectangle::new()
-        .width(width)
-        .height(island_pill::height())
-        .radius(Full)
-        .fill(backdrop(&theme.surfaces(), 255))
-        .border(1.0, theme.outline)
-        .shadow(Shadow::drop(theme.accent).opacity(0.3).blur(22.0))
-        .padding(pill::inset())
-        .align_child(Start, Center)
-        .on_hover(edge::over_bar)
-        .child(Stack::new(layers).width(row_w).height(pill::slot()));
+    let content = Rectangle::new().width(width).height(island_pill::height()).padding(pill::inset()).align_child(Start, Center).child(Stack::new(layers).width(row_w).height(pill::slot()));
+
+    let pill = surface::shell(width, island_pill::height(), island_pill::height() / 2.0, &theme.surfaces(), 0.0, content).on_hover(edge::over_bar);
 
     // clicks next to the pills reach the windows underneath
     let mut regions = vec![InputArea { x: pill::left() as i32, y: island_pill::top_gap() as i32, width: width.ceil() as i32, height: island_pill::height() as i32 }];