diff --git a/app/components/Projects.tsx b/app/components/Projects.tsx
index f5b4585..bcb1df9 100644
--- a/app/components/Projects.tsx
+++ b/app/components/Projects.tsx
@@ -104,34 +104,57 @@ const Projects = () => {
               }}
               className="group relative flex flex-col bg-white/40 backdrop-blur-xl backdrop-saturate-150 rounded-2xl overflow-hidden shadow-[0_4px_20px_rgba(0,0,0,0.02)] hover:shadow-[0_20px_40px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)] transition-all duration-500 ease-out border border-white/50 ring-1 ring-white/30"
             >
-              {/* Project Cover / Header */}
-              <div className="relative aspect-[4/3] overflow-hidden bg-stone-100/50">
+              {/* Project Cover / Image Area */}
+              <div className="relative aspect-[16/10] overflow-hidden bg-stone-100">
                 {project.imageUrl ? (
-                  <Image
-                    src={project.imageUrl}
-                    alt={project.title}
-                    fill
-                    className="object-cover transition-transform duration-1000 ease-out group-hover:scale-105"
-                  />
+                  <>
+                    <Image
+                      src={project.imageUrl}
+                      alt={project.title}
+                      fill
+                      className="object-cover transition-transform duration-1000 ease-out group-hover:scale-110"
+                    />
+                    {/* Subtle Overlay for better text readability and depth */}
+                    <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-stone-900/20 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-500" />
+                  </>
                 ) : (
-                  <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-br from-stone-200 to-stone-300 flex items-center justify-center p-8 group-hover:from-stone-100 group-hover:to-stone-200 transition-colors duration-700 ease-out">
-                    <div className="relative z-10 text-center">
-                      <span className="text-6xl font-serif font-bold text-stone-500/20 group-hover:text-stone-500/30 transition-colors duration-500 select-none">
+                  <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-stone-200 flex items-center justify-center overflow-hidden">
+                    {/* Mesh Gradient Fallback */}
+                    <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-br from-stone-300 via-stone-200 to-stone-300" />
+                    <div className="absolute top-[-20%] left-[-10%] w-[70%] h-[70%] bg-white/20 rounded-full blur-3xl animate-pulse" />
+                    <div className="absolute bottom-[-10%] right-[-5%] w-[60%] h-[60%] bg-stone-400/10 rounded-full blur-2xl" />
+                    
+                    <div className="relative z-10">
+                      <span className="text-7xl font-serif font-black text-stone-800/10 group-hover:text-stone-800/20 transition-all duration-700 select-none tracking-tighter">
                         {project.title.charAt(0)}
                       </span>
                     </div>
-                    <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-tr from-white/10 via-transparent to-white/10 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-500" />
+                  </div>
+                )}
+
+                {/* Texture/Grain Overlay */}
+                <div className="absolute inset-0 opacity-[0.03] pointer-events-none mix-blend-overlay bg-[url('https://grainy-gradients.vercel.app/noise.svg')]" />
+
+                {/* Animated Shine Effect */}
+                <div className="absolute inset-0 translate-x-[-100%] group-hover:translate-x-[100%] transition-transform duration-1000 ease-in-out bg-gradient-to-r from-transparent via-white/20 to-transparent skew-x-[-20deg] pointer-events-none" />
+
+                {/* Featured Badge */}
+                {project.featured && (
+                  <div className="absolute top-3 left-3 z-20">
+                    <div className="px-3 py-1 bg-red-500 text-white text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-widest rounded-full shadow-lg border border-red-400/50">
+                      Featured
+                    </div>
                   </div>
                 )}
 
                 {/* Overlay Links */}
-                <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-stone-900/10 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-500 ease-out flex items-center justify-center gap-4 backdrop-blur-[2px]">
+                <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-stone-900/40 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-500 ease-out flex items-center justify-center gap-4 backdrop-blur-[2px] z-10">
                   {project.github && (
                     <a
                       href={project.github}
                       target="_blank"
                       rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                      className="p-3 bg-white/90 backdrop-blur-md rounded-full text-stone-800 hover:scale-110 transition-all duration-300 ease-out shadow-lg hover:shadow-xl border border-white/50"
+                      className="p-3 bg-white text-stone-900 rounded-full hover:scale-110 transition-all duration-300 shadow-xl border border-white/50"
                       aria-label="GitHub"
                     >
                       <Github size={20} />
@@ -142,7 +165,7 @@ const Projects = () => {
                       href={project.live}
                       target="_blank"
                       rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                      className="p-3 bg-white/90 backdrop-blur-md rounded-full text-stone-800 hover:scale-110 transition-all duration-300 ease-out shadow-lg hover:shadow-xl border border-white/50"
+                      className="p-3 bg-white text-stone-900 rounded-full hover:scale-110 transition-all duration-300 shadow-xl border border-white/50"
                       aria-label="Live Demo"
                     >
                       <ExternalLink size={20} />
diff --git a/app/projects/page.tsx b/app/projects/page.tsx
index 1b0290e..fc38cb1 100644
--- a/app/projects/page.tsx
+++ b/app/projects/page.tsx
@@ -151,27 +151,70 @@ const ProjectsPage = () => {
               whileHover={{ y: -8 }}
               className="group flex flex-col bg-white/40 backdrop-blur-xl rounded-2xl overflow-hidden border border-white/60 shadow-[0_4px_20px_rgba(0,0,0,0.02)] hover:shadow-[0_20px_40px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)] transition-all duration-500"
             >
-              {/* Image / Fallback */}
-              <div className="relative h-56 overflow-hidden bg-stone-100">
+              {/* Image / Fallback / Cover Area */}
+              <div className="relative aspect-[16/10] overflow-hidden bg-stone-100">
                 {project.imageUrl ? (
-                  <img // Using img for now if Image is tricky with dynamic urls without config
-                    src={project.imageUrl}
-                    alt={project.title}
-                    className="w-full h-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 group-hover:scale-105"
-                  />
+                  <>
+                    <img 
+                      src={project.imageUrl}
+                      alt={project.title}
+                      className="w-full h-full object-cover transition-transform duration-1000 ease-out group-hover:scale-110"
+                    />
+                    <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-stone-900/20 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-500" />
+                  </>
                 ) : (
-                  <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-br from-stone-200 to-stone-300 flex items-center justify-center p-8 group-hover:from-stone-100 group-hover:to-stone-200 transition-colors duration-700">
-                    <span className="text-6xl font-serif font-bold text-stone-500/20 group-hover:text-stone-500/30 select-none">
-                      {project.title.charAt(0)}
-                    </span>
+                  <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-stone-200 flex items-center justify-center overflow-hidden">
+                    <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-br from-stone-300 via-stone-200 to-stone-300" />
+                    <div className="absolute top-[-20%] left-[-10%] w-[70%] h-[70%] bg-white/20 rounded-full blur-3xl animate-pulse" />
+                    <div className="absolute bottom-[-10%] right-[-5%] w-[60%] h-[60%] bg-stone-400/10 rounded-full blur-2xl" />
+                    
+                    <div className="relative z-10">
+                      <span className="text-7xl font-serif font-black text-stone-800/10 group-hover:text-stone-800/20 transition-all duration-700 select-none tracking-tighter">
+                        {project.title.charAt(0)}
+                      </span>
+                    </div>
                   </div>
                 )}
                 
+                {/* Texture/Grain Overlay */}
+                <div className="absolute inset-0 opacity-[0.03] pointer-events-none mix-blend-overlay bg-[url('https://grainy-gradients.vercel.app/noise.svg')]" />
+
+                {/* Animated Shine Effect */}
+                <div className="absolute inset-0 translate-x-[-100%] group-hover:translate-x-[100%] transition-transform duration-1000 ease-in-out bg-gradient-to-r from-transparent via-white/20 to-transparent skew-x-[-20deg] pointer-events-none" />
+
                 {project.featured && (
-                  <div className="absolute top-4 right-4 px-3 py-1 bg-white/90 backdrop-blur-md text-stone-800 text-xs font-bold rounded-full shadow-sm border border-white/50">
-                    Featured
+                  <div className="absolute top-3 left-3 z-20">
+                    <div className="px-3 py-1 bg-red-500 text-white text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-widest rounded-full shadow-lg border border-red-400/50">
+                      Featured
+                    </div>
                   </div>
                 )}
+
+                {/* Overlay Links */}
+                <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-stone-900/40 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-500 ease-out flex items-center justify-center gap-4 backdrop-blur-[2px] z-10">
+                  {project.github && (
+                    <a
+                      href={project.github}
+                      target="_blank"
+                      rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                      className="p-3 bg-white text-stone-900 rounded-full hover:scale-110 transition-all duration-300 shadow-xl border border-white/50"
+                      aria-label="GitHub"
+                    >
+                      <Github size={20} />
+                    </a>
+                  )}
+                  {project.live && (
+                    <a
+                      href={project.live}
+                      target="_blank"
+                      rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                      className="p-3 bg-white text-stone-900 rounded-full hover:scale-110 transition-all duration-300 shadow-xl border border-white/50"
+                      aria-label="Live Demo"
+                    >
+                      <ExternalLink size={20} />
+                    </a>
+                  )}
+                </div>
               </div>
 
               <div className="p-6 flex flex-col flex-1">