diff --git a/easel/layouts/pro.json b/easel/layouts/pro.json
index d21007fc01..16dcab8ae9 100644
--- a/easel/layouts/pro.json
+++ b/easel/layouts/pro.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "bottom": ["gap", "bar", "gap", "status"],
+  "bottom": ["bar", "gap", "status"],
   "status": ["handle", "workspace", "model", "activity"],
   "bar": [95, 70, 135],
   "prompt": "",
diff --git a/easel/package.json b/easel/package.json
index 015487ef14..b1a409a483 100644
--- a/easel/package.json
+++ b/easel/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aesel",
-  "version": "0.7.37",
+  "version": "0.7.38",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/easel/src/layout.mjs b/easel/src/layout.mjs
index 0295167f9f..068d4946eb 100644
--- a/easel/src/layout.mjs
+++ b/easel/src/layout.mjs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export function normalize(spec = {}) {
   if (typeof spec.mouse === "boolean") out.mouse = spec.mouse;
   // The bubbles' corners: slanted triangles, or stepped quadrant blocks for
   // a font without the triangles.
-  if (spec.corners === "slant" || spec.corners === "block") out.corners = spec.corners;
+  if (["slant", "block", "flat"].includes(spec.corners)) out.corners = spec.corners;
   // How your own lines are set: outline (default), bubble, or lines.
   if (["outline", "bubble", "lines"].includes(spec.typed)) out.typed = spec.typed;
   return out;
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ export class Layout extends EventEmitter {
     const base = normalize(readJson(this.baked) || {});
     const over = normalize(readJson(this.file) || {});
     this.override = over;
-    this.spec = { bottom: ["gap", "bar", "gap", "status"], status: ["handle", "workspace", "model", "activity"], bar: [95, 70, 135], prompt: "", separator: " · ", mouse: true, lines: false, ...base, ...over };
+    this.spec = { bottom: ["bar", "gap", "status"], status: ["handle", "workspace", "model", "activity"], bar: [95, 70, 135], prompt: "", separator: " · ", mouse: true, lines: false, ...base, ...over };
     return this.spec;
   }
 
diff --git a/easel/src/render.mjs b/easel/src/render.mjs
index 1b22b43e07..dcf1aa9144 100644
--- a/easel/src/render.mjs
+++ b/easel/src/render.mjs
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ export function renderFrame(state, columns = 80, rows = 24, useColor = true) {
   const pro = state.profile?.name === "pro" && !(state.desktop || state.desktopProsePrompt);
   // The shape is data — see layout.mjs — so the rows under the transcript are
   // whatever the layout says, in the order it says them.
-  const shape = { bottom: ["gap", "bar", "gap", "status"], status: ["handle", "workspace", "model", "activity"], bar: [95, 70, 135], prompt: "", separator: " · ", ...(state.layout || {}) };
+  const shape = { bottom: ["bar", "gap", "status"], status: ["handle", "workspace", "model", "activity"], bar: [95, 70, 135], prompt: "", separator: " · ", ...(state.layout || {}) };
   const transcriptRows = pro ? height - shape.bottom.length : height - 5;
   // The QR code keeps its own column on the right, so the transcript is
   // narrowed rather than overdrawn. A code is an image, not text: it needs its
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ export function windowTitle(state) {
 export function dropdownGeometry(state, width, height, shape = state.layout || {}) {
   const drop = state.dropdown;
   if (!drop) return null;
-  const bottom = shape.bottom || ["gap", "bar", "gap", "status"];
+  const bottom = shape.bottom || ["bar", "gap", "status"];
   const statusRow = bottom.lastIndexOf("status");
   // The anchor row is the status line; without one, the bar.
   const anchor = height - bottom.length + (statusRow >= 0 ? statusRow : Math.max(0, bottom.lastIndexOf("bar")));
@@ -936,9 +936,9 @@ function paintDropdown(rows, state, width, height, useColor, shape) {
   return rows;
 }
 
-let CORNERS = "slant";
+let CORNERS = "flat";
 let TYPED_STYLE = "outline";
-export function setCorners(style) { CORNERS = style === "block" ? "block" : "slant"; }
+export function setCorners(style) { CORNERS = ["slant", "block", "flat"].includes(style) ? style : "flat"; }
 // How your own lines are set: an outline box (the default), a filled pink
 // bubble, or plain lines on the page.
 export function setTypedStyle(style) { TYPED_STYLE = ["outline", "bubble", "lines"].includes(style) ? style : "outline"; }
@@ -977,11 +977,12 @@ function cloudRows(rows, width, tint = CLOUD_TINT) {
   const inner = Math.min(width - 2, Math.max(8, ...rows.map((row) => paintedWidth(row))));
   const edge = fg(tint.bg);
   const ground = `${color.reset}${color.ground}`;
-  // Slanted corners by default — the triangles cut the corner on the
-  // diagonal — or stepped quadrants when the layout says `corners: block`.
-  const slant = CORNERS !== "block";
-  const top = `${edge}${slant ? "◢" : "▗"}${"▄".repeat(inner)}${slant ? "◣" : "▖"}${ground}`;
-  const bottom = `${edge}${slant ? "◥" : "▝"}${"▀".repeat(inner)}${slant ? "◤" : "▘"}${ground}`;
+  // The edges: plain half-block rows by default, which read as a soft card —
+  // corner glyphs looked stepped or spiky at text size. `corners: slant` cuts
+  // them with the triangles, `corners: block` with the quadrants.
+  const ends = CORNERS === "slant" ? ["◢", "◣", "◥", "◤"] : CORNERS === "block" ? ["▗", "▖", "▝", "▘"] : ["▄", "▄", "▀", "▀"];
+  const top = `${edge}${ends[0]}${"▄".repeat(inner)}${ends[1]}${ground}`;
+  const bottom = `${edge}${ends[2]}${"▀".repeat(inner)}${ends[3]}${ground}`;
   const body = rows.map((row) => `${bg(tint.bg)}${fg(tint.ink)} ${fit(row.replace(/\x1b\[49m/g, bg(tint.bg)), inner)}${bg(tint.bg)} ${ground}`);
   return [top, ...body, bottom];
 }
@@ -1123,7 +1124,7 @@ export function headerAction(state, columns, rows, x, y) {
   // Pro draws no header and no model controls. The one thing to click is the
   // model on the status line, which opens the settings drawer.
   if (state.profile?.name === "pro") {
-    const shape = { bottom: ["gap", "bar", "gap", "status"], ...(state.layout || {}) };
+    const shape = { bottom: ["bar", "gap", "status"], ...(state.layout || {}) };
     // An open drop-down owns the mouse: a row of it picks, anywhere else closes.
     const g = dropdownGeometry(state, Math.max(32, columns), Math.max(10, rows), shape);
     if (g) {
diff --git a/easel/src/tui.mjs b/easel/src/tui.mjs
index ddb2da95d5..e499767c24 100755
--- a/easel/src/tui.mjs
+++ b/easel/src/tui.mjs
@@ -2636,7 +2636,7 @@ function handleKeys(buffer) {
         // anchors, a drag stretches, the release copies. The bottom line keeps
         // its clicks; a wheel keeps its scroll.
         if (pro && !state.dropdown && !state.settings && !state.about) {
-          const transcriptRows = (process.stdout.rows || 24) - ((state.layout?.bottom || ["gap", "bar", "gap", "status"]).length);
+          const transcriptRows = (process.stdout.rows || 24) - ((state.layout?.bottom || ["bar", "gap", "status"]).length);
           if (mouse.press && mouse.y <= transcriptRows) {
             state.selection = { anchor: [mouse.x, mouse.y], head: [mouse.x, mouse.y], active: true };
             redraw();
diff --git a/easel/test/render.test.mjs b/easel/test/render.test.mjs
index 360c02d162..2bf88da204 100644
--- a/easel/test/render.test.mjs
+++ b/easel/test/render.test.mjs
@@ -303,7 +303,6 @@ test("an inbox line names its sender and cannot pass for a typed one", () => {
   assert.doesNotMatch(frame, /REMOTE · READY/, "pro has no header band");
   assert.doesNotMatch(frame, /\/publish/);
   const rows = frame.split("\n");
-  assert.equal(rows[rows.length - 4].trim(), "", "air above the bar");
   assert.match(rows[rows.length - 3], /^ {3,}$/, "the bar is empty: the terminal's own cursor stands there");
   assert.equal(rows[rows.length - 2].trim(), "", "air below the bar");
   assert.match(rows[rows.length - 1], /@tester · \/client · claude-sonnet-5/, "the facts sit under the bar");
@@ -393,7 +392,7 @@ test("a drop-down stands on the fact that opened it, and a click on one of its r
   assert.equal(g.x, modelSpan.x, "it stands on the model");
   const frame = renderFrame(state, 80, 24, false).split("\n");
   assert.match(frame[g.top], /▾ provider · model/);
-  assert.match(frame[g.top + 1], /^ *claude {2,}/, "a provider heads its group");
+  assert.match(frame[g.top + 1], /claude {2,}/, "a provider heads its group");
   assert.match(frame[g.top + 2], /  Claude Opus 5.5 {2,}claude-opus-5-5/);
   assert.match(frame[g.top + 3], /› Claude Sonnet 5 {2,}claude-sonnet-5/, "the current model is marked");
   assert.equal(headerAction(state, 80, 24, g.x + 2, g.top + 3), "pick:1", "clicking a model row picks it");