diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/index.vt b/main/webapp/modules/core/index.vt
index 24eeef467..3aa883b4c 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/index.vt
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/index.vt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
       <div id="project-open">
         <h1>Open a Project</h1>
         <div id="projects-container"></div>
-        <div class="content-block-footer"><a href="javascript:openWorkspaceDir()">Browse Workspace Directory</a></div>
+        <div class="content-block-footer"><a href="javascript:openWorkspaceDir()" class="secondary">Browse workspace directory</a></div>
       </div>
       <div id="project-create">
         <form id="file-upload-form" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="/command/core/create-project-from-upload" accept-charset="UTF-8">
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/project.vt b/main/webapp/modules/core/project.vt
index 4c72ab70c..f1b0d1892 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/project.vt
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/project.vt
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
         </div>
         <div bind="viewPanelDiv" id="view-panel"></div>
       </div>
-      <div bind="processPanelDiv" id="process-panel"></div>
+      <div bind="processPanelDiv" id="notification-container"></div>
     </div>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index.js b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index.js
index 5ae940cb0..0f9db5635 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index.js
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/index.js
@@ -227,14 +227,16 @@ function showVersion() {
             var poll = function() {
                 if ("releases" in window) {
                     if (isThereNewRelease()) {
-                        var div = $('<div id="version-message">')
-                            .text('New version "' + releases.releases[0].description + '" ')
+                        var container = $('<div id="notification-container">')
                             .appendTo(document.body)
-                        
+                        var notification = $('<div id="notification">')
+                            .text('New version! ')
+                            .appendTo(container)
                         $('<a>')
+                            .addClass('notification-action')
                             .attr("href", releases.homepage)
-                            .text("available for download here")
-                            .appendTo(div);
+                            .text('Download ' + releases.releases[0].description + ' now.')
+                            .appendTo(notification);
                     }
                 } else {
                     window.setTimeout(poll, 1000);
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project.js b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project.js
index 594d3b99c..bfcab134e 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project.js
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project.js
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ function resizeAll() {
 
 function initializeUI(uiState) {
     $("#loading-message").hide();
+    $("#notification-container").hide();
     $("#project-title").show();
     $("#project-controls").show();
     $("#body").show();
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/history-panel.html b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/history-panel.html
index 858ed8147..b1909c84c 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/history-panel.html
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/history-panel.html
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
-<div class="history-panel-controls" bind="controlsDiv">
-    <a class="button" href="javascript:{}" bind="extractLink">extract...</a>
-    <a class="button" href="javascript:{}" bind="applyLink">apply...</a>
-</div>
 <div class="history-panel-help" bind="helpDiv">
     <h1>Infinite undo history</h1>
     <p>Don't worry about making mistakes. Every change you make will be shown here, and you can undo your changes anytime.</p>
     <p><a href="http://code.google.com/p/google-refine/wiki/GettingStarted?tm=6" target="_blank"><b>Learn more &raquo;</b></a></p>
 </div>
-<div class="history-panel-body-controls" bind="bodyControlsDiv">Quick filter:
-    <input bind="filterInput" />
+<div class="history-panel-controls" bind="controlsDiv">
+  <a class="button button-pill-left" href="javascript:{}" bind="extractLink">Extract&hellip;</a><a class="button button-pill-right" href="javascript:{}" bind="applyLink">Apply&hellip;</a>
+</div>
+<div class="history-panel-filter" bind="bodyControlsDiv">
+Filter: <input type="text"  size="30" bind="filterInput" />
 </div>
 <div class="history-panel-body" bind="bodyDiv">
     <div class="history-past" bind="pastDiv">
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/process-panel.js b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/process-panel.js
index 6e2838712..88777ca72 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/process-panel.js
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/project/process-panel.js
@@ -58,16 +58,16 @@ ProcessPanel.prototype.showUndo = function(historyEntry) {
     
     this._latestHistoryEntry = historyEntry;
 
-    this._div.stop(true,false).empty().html(
-        '<div class="process-panel-inner"><div class="process-panel-undo">' +
-            '<a href="javascript:{}" bind="undo">Undo</a> <span bind="description"></span>' +
-        '</div><div style="text-align: right; padding-right: 1em;"><a href="javascript:{}" bind="close">close</a></div></div>'
-    ).slideDown(200).delay(5000).slideUp(150);
+    this._div.stop(true,false)
+    .empty()
+    .html('<div id="notification"><span bind="description"></span> <span class="notification-action"><a href="javascript:{}" bind="undo">Undo</a></span></div>')
+    .fadeIn(200)
+    .delay(7500)
+    .fadeOut(200);
     var elmts = DOM.bind(this._div);
         
     elmts.description.text(historyEntry.description);
     elmts.undo.click(function() { self.undo(); });
-    elmts.close.click(function() { $(".process-panel-inner").stop(true,false).slideUp(150); });
 };
 
 ProcessPanel.prototype.undo = function() {
@@ -102,40 +102,34 @@ ProcessPanel.prototype._render = function(newData) {
     
     if (!newData.processes.length) {
         Refine.setTitle();
-        this._div.hide();
+        this._div.fadeOut(200);
     } else {
-        this._div.show();
-        
-        var innerDiv = $('<div></div>').addClass("process-panel-inner").appendTo(this._div);
-        
-        var headDiv = $('<div></div>').addClass("process-panel-head").appendTo(innerDiv);
+        this._div.fadeIn(200);
+        var cancelmessage = "Cancel"
+        var noticeDiv = $('<div id="notification"></div>').appendTo(this._div);
+        var descriptionSpan = $('<span></span>').appendTo(noticeDiv);
+        var statusDiv = $('<div></div>').appendTo(noticeDiv);
         $('<img src="images/small-spinner.gif" />')
-            .css("margin-right", "3px")
-            .css("opacity", "0.3")
-            .appendTo(headDiv);
-        $('<a href="javascript:{}"></a>')
-            .addClass("action")
-            .text("cancel all")
-            .click(function() {
-                self._cancelAll();
-                
-                $(this).text("canceling all processes...").unbind();
-            })
-            .appendTo(headDiv);
-            
-        var bodyDiv = $('<div></div>').addClass("process-panel-body").appendTo(innerDiv);
+            .addClass("notification-loader")
+            .appendTo(statusDiv);
+        var progressSpan = $('<span></span>').appendTo(statusDiv);
+        var countSpan = $('<span></span>').appendTo(statusDiv);
         var renderProcess = function(process) {
-            var div = $('<div></div>').addClass("process-panel-entry").appendTo(bodyDiv);
-            
-            if (process.status == "pending") {
-                div.text(process.description + " (pending)");
-            } else {
-                Refine.setTitle(process.progress + "%");
-                div.text(process.description + " (" + process.progress + "%)");
-            }
+          if (process.status != "pending") {
+            Refine.setTitle(process.progress + "% complete");
+            descriptionSpan.text(process.description);
+            progressSpan.text(process.progress  + '% complete');
+          }
+        };
+        var renderProcessCount = function(count) {
+          var pendingcount = count - 1;
+          countSpan.text(', ' + pendingcount + ' pending processes');
         };
-        
         var processes = newData.processes;
+        if (processes.length >> 1) {
+          cancelmessage = "Cancel All";
+          renderProcessCount(processes.length);
+        }
         for (var i = 0; i < processes.length; i++) {
             var process = processes[i];
             renderProcess(process);
@@ -143,6 +137,14 @@ ProcessPanel.prototype._render = function(newData) {
                 newProcessMap[process.id] = process;
             }
         }
+        $('<a href="javascript:{}"></a>')
+          .addClass("notification-action")
+          .text(cancelmessage)
+          .click(function() {
+              self._cancelAll();
+              $(this).text("Canceling...").unbind();
+          })
+          .appendTo(statusDiv);
     }
     
     if ((this._data) && this._data.processes.length > 0) {
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/util/dialog.js b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/util/dialog.js
index 711408b2e..25b95b1ec 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/util/dialog.js
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/scripts/util/dialog.js
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ DialogSystem.createDialog = function() {
 
 DialogSystem.showBusy = function(message) {
     var frame = DialogSystem.createDialog();
-    frame.addClass("dialog-busy-frame");
+    frame.addClass("dialog-busy");
     
-    var body = $('<div>').addClass("dialog-busy-body").appendTo(frame);
+    var body = $('<div>').attr('id', 'loading-message').appendTo(frame);
     $('<img>').attr("src", "images/large-spinner.gif").appendTo(body);
     $('<span>').text(" " + (message || "Working...")).appendTo(body);
     
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/common.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/common.less
index ef7c822e7..0e2de5e1c 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/common.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/common.less
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ input[type=text] {
   font-family: inherit; 
   border: #ccc 1px solid;
   border-top: #888 1px solid;
+  vertical-align: baseline;
   }
 
 a {
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ a.selected {
   }
 
 a.inaction {
-  color: @chrome_primary;
+  color: @light_grey;
   }
 
 a.selected:hover, a.inaction:hover {
@@ -160,16 +161,48 @@ a img {
   background: #f2f2f2;
   }
 
+.list-table-itemname {
+  font-size: 1.2em;
+  }
+
 #loading-message {
-    text-align: center;
-    font-size: 300%;
-    color: @light_grey;
-    padding: 4em;
-}
+  text-align: center;
+  font-size: 300%;
+  color: @light_grey;
+  padding: 3em .5em;
+  }
 
 #loading-message img {
   position: relative;
   top: -4px;
+  }
+  
+#notification-container {
+  position: fixed;
+  top: 0;
+  width: 100%;
+  z-index: 100;
+  text-align: center;
+  }
+
+#notification {
+  display: inline-block;
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  padding: 5px 8px 4px;
+  font-size: 1.3em;
+  text-align: left;
+  font-weight: bold;
+  background: @notification_primary;
+  .rounded_corners(2px);
+  }
+  
+.notification-action {
+    padding-left: 10px;
+}
+
+.notification-loader {
+    padding: 0 3px 0 0;
+    opacity: 0.3;
 }
 
 #header {
@@ -229,6 +262,7 @@ a img {
 input[type="checkbox"], input[type="radio"] {
     vertical-align: baseline;
 }
+
 input.inline {
     vertical-align: middle;
 }
@@ -237,6 +271,7 @@ input.inline {
 
 
 
+
   
 
 
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/index.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/index.less
index 5e84618bb..fbfb1d39c 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/index.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/index.less
@@ -37,10 +37,12 @@
   }
 
 #projects-container {
-  border-top: 1px solid @line_accent;
+  border: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
+  border-left: 0;
+  border-right: 0;
   background: #fff;
   overflow: auto;
-  height: 400px;
+  height: 378px;
   }
   
 #projects-container .project .last-modified {
@@ -59,8 +61,9 @@
   }
   
 .content-block-footer {
-  padding: @padding_tighter;
-  text-align: center;
+  background: #f2f2f2;
+  padding: @padding_tight;
+  font-size: 1.1em;
   }
 
 #project-links {
@@ -90,7 +93,7 @@
   } 
 
 .project-create-basic {
-  border-top: 1px solid @line_accent;
+  border-top: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
   padding: @padding_loose;
   background: #fff;
   }
@@ -128,16 +131,4 @@
   position: absolute;
   top: 12px;
   right: 10px;
-  }
-  
-#version-message {
-  position: fixed;
-  top: -1px;
-  padding: @padding_loose;
-  left: 40%;
-  width: 20%;
-  background: @fill_primary;
-  border: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
-  
-  .rounded_corners_bottom(10px);
   }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/jquery-ui-overrides.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/jquery-ui-overrides.less
index e4ca9e646..e1c3a372d 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/jquery-ui-overrides.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/jquery-ui-overrides.less
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 
 .ui-tabs .ui-tabs-nav .ui-state-active, 
 .ui-tabs .ui-tabs-nav .ui-widget-content .ui-state-active {
-  border: 1px solid @line_accent;
+  border: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
   border-bottom: none;
   background: white;
   }
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project.less
index eec1c068d..041dc8a89 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project.less
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
   padding: 0px;
   padding-top: @padding_tight;
   font-size: 1.3em;
-  background: @fill_normal;
+  background: @chrome_secondary;
   
   .ui-tabs .ui-tabs-panel {
     border-left: none;
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/process.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/process.less
index bac4c3e88..4ceaf63d7 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/process.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/process.less
@@ -28,8 +28,3 @@
     padding: 10px;
 }
 
-.process-panel-undo {
-    max-height: 50px;
-    overflow: auto;
-    padding: 10px;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/sidebar.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/sidebar.less
index 40cfe94f8..c9147f688 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/sidebar.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/project/sidebar.less
@@ -60,104 +60,100 @@
   line-height: 1.3;
   }
 
-@history_done_background: white;
-@history_undone_background: #f2f2ff; /* #a9e9fb; */
-@history_now_background: @chrome_primary;
-@history_entry_vpadding: 7px;
-@history_entry_hpadding: 5px;
+@history_done_background: #fff;
+@history_undone_background: @chrome_secondary;
 @history_entry_index_width: 30px;
 
-.history-panel-controls {
-    padding: @padding_normal;
-    text-align: right;
-    font-weight: bold;
-    
-    a {
-      text-decoration: none;
-    }
-}
-
-.history-panel-message {
-    text-align: center;
-    font-style: italic;
-    padding: @padding_loose;
-}
-
-.history-panel-body-controls {
-    padding: @padding_tighter @padding_normal;
-    
-    input {
-      vertical-align: baseline;
-    }
-}
-
-.history-panel-body {
-    background: @history_undone_background;
-    overflow: auto;
-    border-top: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
-}
-
-.history-past {
-    position: relative;
-    background: @history_done_background;
-}
-.history-now {
-    background: @history_now_background;
-}
-.history-future {
-    position: relative;
-}
-
-.history-highlight {
-    position: absolute;
-    left: 0px;
-    width: 100%;
-    display: none;
-}
-.history-past .history-highlight {
-    background: @history_undone_background;
-    bottom: 0px;
-}
-.history-future .history-highlight {
-    background: @history_done_background;
-    top: 0px;
-}
+a.history-entry {
+  display: block;
+  position: relative;
+  padding: @padding_normal;
+  padding-left:  @padding_normal + @history_entry_index_width;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  color: #000;
+  border-bottom: 1px dotted #ddd;
+  }
 
 .history-entry-index {
-    position: absolute;
-    left: 0px;
-    top: 0px;
-    width: @history_entry_index_width;
-    text-align: right;
-    font-size: 80%;
-    padding: 2px 0px;
-}
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 8px;
+  left: 0;
+  width: @history_entry_index_width;
+  text-align: right;
+  font-size: 80%;
+  padding: 2px 0px;
+  }
 
-a.history-entry {
-    display: block;
-    position: relative;
-    padding: @history_entry_vpadding @history_entry_hpadding;
-    padding-left: @history_entry_hpadding + @history_entry_index_width;
-    text-decoration: none;
-    color: black;
-    border-top: 1px dotted #ddd;
-}
 a.history-entry.filtered-out {
-    height: 1px;
-    padding-top: 2px;
-    padding-bottom: 2px;
-}
+  height: 1px;
+  padding-top: 2px;
+  padding-bottom: 2px;
+  }
+
 a.history-entry.filtered-out > * {
-    display: none;
-}
+  display: none;
+  }
+
+.history-panel-controls {
+  padding: @padding_normal;
+  text-align: right;
+  }
+
+.history-panel-filter {
+  padding: @padding_tighter @padding_normal;
+  background: @chrome_secondary;
+  border: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
+  border-left: 0;  
+  border-right: 0;
+  }
+
+.history-panel-body {
+  background: @history_undone_background;
+  overflow: auto;
+  }
+
+.history-past {
+  position: relative;
+  background: @history_done_background;
+  }
+
+.history-now {
+  background: @selected_primary;
+  }
+
+.history-future {
+  position: relative;
+  }
+
+.history-highlight {
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 0px;
+  width: 100%;
+  display: none;
+  }
+  
+.history-past .history-highlight {
+  background: @history_undone_background;
+  bottom: 0;
+  }
+
+.history-future .history-highlight {
+  background: @history_done_background;
+  top: 0;
+  }
 
 .history-future a.history-entry, .history-future a.history-entry-index {
-    color: @light_grey;
-}
+  color: @light_grey;
+  }
 
+.history-now a.history-entry, .history-now a.history-entry-index {
+  color: #fff;
+  }
+  
 .history-past a.history-entry:hover, .history-future a.history-entry:hover {
-    border-bottom: 2px solid @history_now_background;
-}
+  border-bottom: 1px solid @selected_primary;
+  }
+
 
 .extract-operation-dialog-entries {
     height: 400px;
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/theme.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/theme.less
index 4addaca6a..221439eb5 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/theme.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/theme.less
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
-@fill_normal: #e3e9ff;
-@fill_accent: #bbccff;
-@line_accent: #bbccff;
-
 @link_primary: #11c;
 @link_secondary: #4272db;
 @chrome_primary: #bcf;
 @chrome_secondary: #e3e9ff;
 @fill_primary: #ebeef8;
 @fill_secondary: #f2f2f2;
+@selected_primary: #68e;
 @green_primary: #282;
 @green_secondary: #3d3;
+@notification_primary: #fe8;
 @faint_grey: #ddd;
 @light_grey: #999;
 @metadata_grey: #777;
@@ -30,7 +28,7 @@
   -webkit-border-radius: @radius;
   border-radius: @radius;
   }
-  
+
 .sharp_corners_left () {
   -webkit-border-top-right-radius: 0;
   -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 0;
@@ -48,12 +46,3 @@
   border-top-left-radius: 0;
   border-bottom-left-radius: 0;
   }
-
-.rounded_corners_bottom (@radius: 10px) {
-  -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: @radius;
-  -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: @radius;
-  -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: @radius;
-  -moz-border-radius-bottomright: @radius;
-  border-bottom-left-radius: @radius;
-  border-bottom-right-radius: @radius;
-  }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/util/dialog.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/util/dialog.less
index 4735d4c11..2c5903bad 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/util/dialog.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/util/dialog.less
@@ -18,51 +18,38 @@
   }
 
 .dialog-frame {
-    margin: 0 auto;
-    text-align: left;
-    background: white;
-    border: 1px solid @dialog_frame;
-}
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  text-align: left;
+  background: white;
+  border: 1px solid @dialog_frame;
+  }
 
 .dialog-border {
-    border: 4px solid @dialog_border;
-}
+  border: 4px solid @dialog_border;
+  }
 
 .dialog-header {
-    background: @dialog_header;
-    padding: @padding_loose;
-    font-weight: bold;
-    font-size: 1.6em;
-    color: #000;
-    cursor: move;
-}
+  background: @dialog_header;
+  padding: @padding_loose;
+  font-weight: bold;
+  font-size: 1.6em;
+  color: #000;
+  cursor: move;
+  }
 
 .dialog-body {
   font-size: 1.3em;
   padding: @padding_looser;
-}
+  }
 
 .dialog-footer {
   font-size: 1.3em;
   background: @dialog_footer;
   padding: @padding_loose;
-}
-
-.dialog-footer button {
-}
-
-.dialog-busy-frame {
-    width: 300px;
-    border: none;
-    padding: @padding_loose;
-    -moz-border-radius: 15px;
-    -webkit-border-radius: 15px;
-}
-.dialog-busy-body {
-    margin: 1em;
-    text-align: center;
-    font-size: 200%;
-    font-weight: bold;
-    color: #aaa;
-}
+  }
 
+.dialog-busy {
+  width: 400px;
+  border: none;
+  .rounded_corners();
+  }
diff --git a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/views/data-table-view.less b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/views/data-table-view.less
index ae489030a..800bed20a 100644
--- a/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/views/data-table-view.less
+++ b/main/webapp/modules/core/styles/views/data-table-view.less
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   }
 
 .data-table-container {
-    border-top: 1px solid @line_accent;
+    border-top: 1px solid @chrome_primary;
     overflow: auto;
 }
 
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ a.column-header-menu:hover {
     height: 4px;
     max-height: 4px;
     background: #ddd;
-    border: 1px solid #aaa;
+    border: 1px solid #ccc;
     position: relative;
     width: 100%;
 }