diff --git a/src/main/resources/static/css/explore.css b/src/main/resources/static/css/explore.css
index 042e0c0..78880f1 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/static/css/explore.css
+++ b/src/main/resources/static/css/explore.css
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ body, html {
   font-size: 1.3em;
   font-weight: 900;
   letter-spacing: 1.3px;
+  overflow: auto;
+  scrollbar-color: var(--dusty-red) var(--peach);
+  scrollbar-width: none; /* hid the scroll bar but you can scroll through filters */
 }
 
 .sidebar-right ul {
@@ -185,6 +188,28 @@ body, html {
   text-decoration: none;
 }
 
+#filter-form h3 {
+  color: var(--dusty-red-hover);
+  font-size: 0.9em;
+  margin: 4px 0 8px;
+}
+
+#filter-form label {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 4px;
+  font-size: 0.75em;
+  color: var(--dusty-red);
+  margin-bottom: 2px;
+}
+
+#filter-form input[type="checkbox"] {
+  accent-color: var(--dusty-red);
+  width: 16px;
+  height: 16px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
 /* =========================
    Main Content Area
 ========================= */
@@ -233,7 +258,7 @@ input[type="search"] {
   background: var(--dusty-red);
 }
 
-input[type="search"]::placeholder {
+input[type="text"]::placeholder {
   color: var(--dark-yellow);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/resources/static/css/my-profile.css b/src/main/resources/static/css/my-profile.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/main/resources/templates/explore.html b/src/main/resources/templates/explore.html
index bdb17b0..b656c2f 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/templates/explore.html
+++ b/src/main/resources/templates/explore.html
@@ -1,195 +1,234 @@
 <!DOCTYPE html>
-<html lang="en" xmlns:th="http://www.thymeleaf.org">
+<html lang="en">
 <head>
     <meta charset="UTF-8">
-    <title>Explore Recipes</title>
+    <title>Thyme Crunch Home</title>
+    <link rel="stylesheet" th:href="@{css/explore.css}">
+    <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Delius+Swash+Caps&family=Mali:ital,wght@0,200;0,300;0,400;0,500;0,600;0,700;1,200;1,300;1,400;1,500;1,600;1,700" rel="stylesheet">
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.7.2/css/all.min.css">
 </head>
 <body>
-    <h1>Explore Recipes</h1>
 
-    <nav>
-        <a th:href="@{/}">Home</a> |
-        <a th:href="@{/explore}">Explore</a> |
-        <a th:href="@{/my-profile}">Profile</a>
-    </nav>
+<header class="top-header">
+    <img th:src="@{images/header_left.png}" alt="Violin f-hole shape to the left of header." class="swirl">
+    <h1 class="site-name">Thyme Crunch</h1>
+    <img th:src="@{images/header_right.png}" alt="Violin f-hole shape to the right of header." class="swirl">
+</header>
 
-    <form id="search-form" th:action="@{/explore}" method="get">
-        <input type="text" id="site-search" name="q" th:value="${q}" placeholder="Search recipes">
-        <button type="submit">Search</button>
-
-        <h3>Prep Time</h3>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="15"> &lt;15 min
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="30"> 15~30 min
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="60"> 30~60 min
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="240"> 1~4 hours
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="241"> 4+ hours
-        </label>
-
-        <h3>Cook Time</h3>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="15"> &lt;15 min
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="30"> 15~30 min
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="60"> 30~60 min
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="120"> 1~2 hours
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="121"> 2+ hours
-        </label>
-
-        <h3>Price</h3>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="1"> $
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="2"> $$
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="3"> $$$
-        </label><br>
-        <label>
-            <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="4"> $$$$
-        </label>
-    </form>
-
-    <div th:if="${#lists.isEmpty(recipes)}">
-        <p>No recipes found.</p>
+<div class="body">
+    <!--Navigation Bar -->
+    <div class="body-left">
+        <nav class="sidebar-left">
+            <ul>
+                <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
+                <li><a th:href="@{/explore}">Explore</a></li>
+                <li><a th:href="@{/my-profile}">Profile</a></li>
+                <li>
+                    <form th:action="@{/logout}" method="post">
+                        <input type="image" th:src="@{images/logout_icon.png}" alt="Logout button" class="nav_icon"/>
+                    </form>
+                </li>
+            </ul>
+        </nav>
+        <a th:href="@{/create}" target="_blank" class="create_icon">
+            <img th:src="@{images/create_icon.png}" alt="Create New Recipe Icon (Red mixing bowl with a spoon and yellow addition symbol.">
+        </a>
     </div>
 
-    <div th:unless="${#lists.isEmpty(recipes)}">
-        <div th:each="recipe : ${recipes}" style="margin-bottom: 20px; border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 10px;">
-            <h3>
-                <a th:href="@{/recipes/{id}(id=${recipe.id})}" th:text="${recipe.title}">Recipe Title</a>
-            </h3>
 
-            <p>
-                <strong>Author:</strong>
-                <a th:href="@{/users/{id}(id=${recipe.userDto.id})}"
-                   th:text="${recipe.userDto.displayName != null and !#strings.isEmpty(recipe.userDto.displayName) ? recipe.userDto.displayName : recipe.userDto.username}">
-                    Author Name
-                </a>
-            </p>
+    <!-- Main Content -->
+    <main class="main-content">
+    	<div class="search-bar">
+    		<form action="/explore" method="get" id="search-form">
+  				<label for="site-search">Search:</label>
+  				<div class="search-btn">
+  				<div id="tag-input-wrapper">
+<!--     			<div id="chips-container"></div> -->
+    				<input type="text" id="site-search" name="q" th:value="${q}" placeholder="Search for recipes...">
+  				</div>
+ 		 		<button type="submit"><i class="fa fa-search"></i></button>
+			</div>
+			</form>
+    	</div>	
+        <div class="recipe-card">
 
-            <p th:text="${recipe.description}">Recipe description</p>
+            <a th:href="@{/recipes/{id}(id=${recipe.id})}" class="card" th:each="recipe : ${recipes}">
+                <div class="card-text">
+                    <h2 th:text="${recipe.title}"></h2>
+                    <p th:text="${recipe.description}"></p>
+                </div>
+                <div class="card-right">
+                <div th:each="img : ${recipe.images}">
+            		<img th:src="${img.imageUrl}" alt="Recipe Image"/>
+        		</div>
+                </div>
+            </a>
+        </div>
+    </main>
 
-            <p>
-                <strong>Prep:</strong> <span th:text="${recipe.prepTimeMinutes}">0</span> min |
-                <strong>Cook:</strong> <span th:text="${recipe.cookTimeMinutes}">0</span> min |
-                <strong>Servings:</strong> <span th:text="${recipe.servings}">0</span> |
-                <strong>Cost:</strong> <span th:text="${recipe.cost}">0</span>
-            </p>
+    <!--Filter -->
+    <div class="body-right">
+        <div class="sidebar-right">
+            <h1> FILTER </h1>
+            <form id="filter-form">
+            <h3>Prep Time</h3>
 
-            <div th:if="${recipe.images != null and !#lists.isEmpty(recipe.images)}">
-                <img th:src="${recipe.images[0].imageUrl}" alt="Recipe Image" style="max-width: 200px;">
-            </div>
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="15"><15 min
+            </label><br>
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="30">15~30 min
+            </label><br>
 
-            <p><a th:href="@{/recipes/{id}(id=${recipe.id})}">View Recipe</a></p>
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="60">30~60 min
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="240">1~4 hours
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="prepTime" value="241">4+ hours
+            </label>
+            <h3>Cook Time</h3>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="15"><15 min
+            </label><br>
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="30">15~30 min
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="60">30~60 min
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="120">1~2 hours
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="cookTime" value="121">2+ hours
+            </label>
+            <h3>Price</h3>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="1"> $
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="2"> $$
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="3"> $$$
+            </label><br>
+
+            <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" name="price" value="4"> $$$$
+            </label>
+        </form>
         </div>
     </div>
+</div>
+<script>
+(function () {
+	  const input = document.getElementById('site-search');
+	  const tags = [];
 
-    <script>
-    (function () {
-        const input = document.getElementById('site-search');
-        const tags = [];
-        const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+	  // Restore price checkboxes from URL
+	  const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+	  params.getAll('prices').forEach(p => {
+	    const cb = document.querySelector(`input[name="price"][value="${p}"]`);
+	    if (cb) cb.checked = true;
+	  });
+	  
+	  // Restore cookTime checkboxes from URL
+	  params.getAll('cookTime').forEach(p => {
+		    const cb = document.querySelector(`input[name="cookTime"][value="${p}"]`);
+		    if (cb) cb.checked = true;
+		  });
+	  
+	// Restore prepTime checkboxes from URL
+	  params.getAll('prepTime').forEach(p => {
+		    const cb = document.querySelector(`input[name="prepTime"][value="${p}"]`);
+		    if (cb) cb.checked = true;
+		  });
 
-        params.getAll('prices').forEach(p => {
-            const cb = document.querySelector(`input[name="price"][value="${p}"]`);
-            if (cb) cb.checked = true;
-        });
+	  // Restore tag chips from URL
+	  params.getAll('tags').forEach(addChip);
 
-        params.getAll('cookTime').forEach(p => {
-            const cb = document.querySelector(`input[name="cookTime"][value="${p}"]`);
-            if (cb) cb.checked = true;
-        });
+	  input.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
+	    if ((e.key === ' ' || e.key === 'Enter') && input.value.includes('#')) {
+	      const val = input.value + ' ';
+	      const match = val.match(/(^|\s)(#\w+)(\s)/); // NASTY regex ):
+	      if (match) {
+	        e.preventDefault();
+	        addChip(match[2].substring(1));
+	        input.value = val.replace(match[0], '');
+	        input.value += ' ';
+	        
+	      }
+	    }
+	  });
 
-        params.getAll('prepTime').forEach(p => {
-            const cb = document.querySelector(`input[name="prepTime"][value="${p}"]`);
-            if (cb) cb.checked = true;
-        });
+	  document.querySelectorAll('input[name="price"]').forEach(cb => {
+	    cb.addEventListener('change', submitSearch);
+	  });
+	  
+	  document.querySelectorAll('input[name="cookTime"]').forEach(cb => {
+		    cb.addEventListener('change', submitSearch);
+		  });
+	  
+	  document.querySelectorAll('input[name="prepTime"]').forEach(cb => {
+		    cb.addEventListener('change', submitSearch);
+		  });
 
-        params.getAll('tags').forEach(addChip);
+	  document.getElementById('search-form').addEventListener('submit', (e) => {
+	    e.preventDefault();
+	    
+	    submitSearch();
+	  });
+	  
+	  function addChip(tag) {
+		    if (tags.includes(tag)) return;
+		    tags.push(tag);
+		    const chip = document.createElement('span');
+		    chip.className = 'tag-chip';
+		    chip.innerHTML = `#${tag} <button type="button" aria-label="Remove ${tag}">×</button>`;
+		    chip.querySelector('button').addEventListener('click', () => {
+		      chip.remove();
+		      tags.splice(tags.indexOf(tag), 1);
+		    });
+		    const lastChip = input.parentElement.querySelector('.tag-chip:last-of-type');
+		    if (lastChip) {
+		      lastChip.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', chip);
+		    } else {
+		      input.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', chip);
+		    }
+		  }
 
-        input.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
-            if ((e.key === ' ' || e.key === 'Enter') && input.value.includes('#')) {
-                const val = input.value + ' ';
-                const match = val.match(/(^|\s)(#\w+)(\s)/);
-                if (match) {
-                    e.preventDefault();
-                    addChip(match[2].substring(1));
-                    input.value = val.replace(match[0], '');
-                    input.value += ' ';
-                }
-            }
-        });
+	  function submitSearch() {
+	    // Only use chips for tags, not strings!
+	    const cleanedQuery = input.value.replace(/#\w+/g, '').trim();
+	    
 
-        document.querySelectorAll('input[name="price"]').forEach(cb => {
-            cb.addEventListener('change', submitSearch);
-        });
+	    const out = new URLSearchParams();
+	    if (cleanedQuery) out.set('q', cleanedQuery);
+	    tags.forEach(t => out.append('tags', t));
+	    document.querySelectorAll('input[name="price"]:checked')
+	      .forEach(cb => out.append('prices', cb.value));
+	    
+	    document.querySelectorAll('input[name="cookTime"]:checked')
+	      .forEach(cb => out.append('cookTime', cb.value));
+	    
+	    document.querySelectorAll('input[name="prepTime"]:checked')
+	      .forEach(cb => out.append('prepTime', cb.value));
 
-        document.querySelectorAll('input[name="cookTime"]').forEach(cb => {
-            cb.addEventListener('change', submitSearch);
-        });
-
-        document.querySelectorAll('input[name="prepTime"]').forEach(cb => {
-            cb.addEventListener('change', submitSearch);
-        });
-
-        document.getElementById('search-form').addEventListener('submit', (e) => {
-            e.preventDefault();
-            submitSearch();
-        });
-
-        function addChip(tag) {
-            if (tags.includes(tag)) return;
-            tags.push(tag);
-
-            const chip = document.createElement('span');
-            chip.className = 'tag-chip';
-            chip.innerHTML = `#${tag} <button type="button" aria-label="Remove ${tag}">×</button>`;
-
-            chip.querySelector('button').addEventListener('click', () => {
-                chip.remove();
-                tags.splice(tags.indexOf(tag), 1);
-                submitSearch();
-            });
-
-            input.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', chip);
-        }
-
-        function submitSearch() {
-            const cleanedQuery = input.value.replace(/#\w+/g, '').trim();
-            const out = new URLSearchParams();
-
-            if (cleanedQuery) out.set('q', cleanedQuery);
-            tags.forEach(t => out.append('tags', t));
-
-            document.querySelectorAll('input[name="price"]:checked')
-                .forEach(cb => out.append('prices', cb.value));
-
-            document.querySelectorAll('input[name="cookTime"]:checked')
-                .forEach(cb => out.append('cookTime', cb.value));
-
-            document.querySelectorAll('input[name="prepTime"]:checked')
-                .forEach(cb => out.append('prepTime', cb.value));
-
-            window.location.href = '/explore?' + out.toString();
-        }
-    })();
-    </script>
+	    window.location.href = '/explore?' + out.toString();
+	  }
+	})();
+</script>
 </body>
-</html>
\ No newline at end of file
+</html>
diff --git a/src/main/resources/templates/home.html b/src/main/resources/templates/home.html
index bd28522..fab4464 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/templates/home.html
+++ b/src/main/resources/templates/home.html
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
                 <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
                 <li><a th:href="@{/explore}">Explore</a></li>
                 <li><a th:href="@{/my-profile}">Profile</a></li>
-                <li><a href="#">Saved</a></li>
                 <li>
                     <form th:action="@{/logout}" method="post">
                         <input type="image" th:src="@{images/logout_icon.png}" alt="Logout button" class="nav_icon"/>
