diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/LICENSE b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e82379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2020-2026 Paweł Kuna
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/arrow-left.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/arrow-left.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52db8fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/arrow-left.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<!--
+tags: [back, swipe, return, arrow, left, direction, pointer, navigation, flow, navigate]
+category: Arrows
+version: "1.0"
+unicode: "ea19"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M5 12l14 0" />
+  <path d="M5 12l6 6" />
+  <path d="M5 12l6 -6" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/arrow-right.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/arrow-right.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25221b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/arrow-right.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<!--
+tags: [next, proceed, swipe, arrow, right, direction, pointer, navigation, flow, navigate]
+category: Arrows
+version: "1.0"
+unicode: "ea1f"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M5 12l14 0" />
+  <path d="M13 18l6 -6" />
+  <path d="M13 6l6 6" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/calendar.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/calendar.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..20d6753
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/calendar.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<!--
+tags: [date, day, plan, schedule, agenda, calender, calendar, control, operation, function]
+category: System
+version: "1.0"
+unicode: "ea53"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M4 7a2 2 0 0 1 2 -2h12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v12a2 2 0 0 1 -2 2h-12a2 2 0 0 1 -2 -2v-12" />
+  <path d="M16 3v4" />
+  <path d="M8 3v4" />
+  <path d="M4 11h16" />
+  <path d="M11 15h1" />
+  <path d="M12 15v3" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/chevron-left.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/chevron-left.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..137fa6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/chevron-left.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<!--
+tags: [move, previous, back, chevron, left, navigation, flow, movement, route, path]
+category: Arrows
+version: "1.0"
+unicode: "ea60"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M15 6l-6 6l6 6" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/chevron-right.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/chevron-right.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39d1618
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/chevron-right.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<!--
+tags: [move, checklist, next, chevron, right, navigation, flow, movement, route, path]
+category: Arrows
+version: "1.0"
+unicode: "ea61"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M9 6l6 6l-6 6" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-collapse.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-collapse.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb8264f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-collapse.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<!--
+tags: [grid, aside, column, columns, menu, navigation, layout, sidebar, right, collapse]
+category: Design
+version: "1.53"
+unicode: "f006"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M4 6a2 2 0 0 1 2 -2h12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v12a2 2 0 0 1 -2 2h-12a2 2 0 0 1 -2 -2l0 -12" />
+  <path d="M15 4v16" />
+  <path d="M9 10l2 2l-2 2" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-expand.svg b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-expand.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79ed430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-expand.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<!--
+tags: [grid, aside, column, columns, menu, navigation, layout, sidebar, right, expand]
+category: Design
+version: "1.53"
+unicode: "f007"
+-->
+<svg
+  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+  width="24"
+  height="24"
+  viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+  fill="none"
+  stroke="currentColor"
+  stroke-width="2"
+  stroke-linecap="round"
+  stroke-linejoin="round"
+>
+  <path d="M4 6a2 2 0 0 1 2 -2h12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v12a2 2 0 0 1 -2 2h-12a2 2 0 0 1 -2 -2l0 -12" />
+  <path d="M15 4v16" />
+  <path d="M10 10l-2 2l2 2" />
+</svg>
diff --git a/crates/trawler/src/assets.rs b/crates/trawler/src/assets.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c0e1da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/trawler/src/assets.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+//! Embedded UI assets (openspec change ui-polish, capability app-chrome):
+//! the bundled Tabler icons, compiled into the binary and served to gpui's
+//! `svg()` element through an [`AssetSource`] — the same spirit as the
+//! bundled fonts: no system dependencies, identical rendering everywhere.
+//!
+//! Icons are the MIT-licensed Tabler outline set
+//! (<https://tabler.io/icons>); see `assets/icons/LICENSE`. Only the icons
+//! the UI actually uses are bundled — add to [`ICONS`] when a new one is
+//! needed.
+
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
+use gpui::{AssetSource, Result, SharedString};
+
+/// Every bundled icon: the path `svg().path(...)` refers to it by, and its
+/// embedded bytes.
+const ICONS: &[(&str, &[u8])] = &[
+    (
+        "icons/arrow-left.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/arrow-left.svg"),
+    ),
+    (
+        "icons/arrow-right.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/arrow-right.svg"),
+    ),
+    (
+        "icons/calendar.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/calendar.svg"),
+    ),
+    (
+        "icons/chevron-left.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/chevron-left.svg"),
+    ),
+    (
+        "icons/chevron-right.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/chevron-right.svg"),
+    ),
+    (
+        "icons/layout-sidebar-right-collapse.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-collapse.svg"),
+    ),
+    (
+        "icons/layout-sidebar-right-expand.svg",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icons/layout-sidebar-right-expand.svg"),
+    ),
+];
+
+/// The application's [`AssetSource`], registered via
+/// `Application::with_assets` at startup.
+pub struct Assets;
+
+impl AssetSource for Assets {
+    fn load(&self, path: &str) -> Result<Option<Cow<'static, [u8]>>> {
+        Ok(ICONS
+            .iter()
+            .find(|(p, _)| *p == path)
+            .map(|(_, bytes)| Cow::Borrowed(*bytes)))
+    }
+
+    fn list(&self, path: &str) -> Result<Vec<SharedString>> {
+        Ok(ICONS
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|(p, _)| p.starts_with(path))
+            .map(|(p, _)| (*p).into())
+            .collect())
+    }
+}
+
+/// A bundled Tabler icon sized to sit inline with UI text, tinted a neutral
+/// UI-chrome gray. gpui's `Svg` element paints only when a text color is set
+/// on the element itself (`Svg::paint` zips the path with the element's own
+/// `style.text.color` — there is no cascade for svg tinting), so the color
+/// must be explicit here; call sites can override it via `.text_color(...)`.
+pub fn icon(path: &'static str) -> gpui::Svg {
+    use gpui::Styled as _;
+    gpui::svg()
+        .path(path)
+        .size(gpui::px(16.0))
+        .flex_none()
+        .text_color(gpui::rgb(0xd0d0d0))
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn every_registered_icon_loads_and_parses_as_svg() {
+        for (path, _) in ICONS {
+            let bytes = Assets
+                .load(path)
+                .unwrap()
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("{path} must load"));
+            let text = std::str::from_utf8(&bytes).expect("svg is utf-8");
+            assert!(text.contains("<svg"), "{path} does not look like an svg");
+            assert!(
+                text.contains("currentColor"),
+                "{path} must tint via currentColor (text color cascade)"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn list_returns_all_icons_under_the_icons_prefix() {
+        assert_eq!(Assets.list("icons/").unwrap().len(), ICONS.len());
+        assert!(Assets.list("fonts/").unwrap().is_empty());
+        assert!(Assets.load("icons/nonexistent.svg").unwrap().is_none());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/trawler/src/main.rs b/crates/trawler/src/main.rs
index 3eaa418..464afce 100644
--- a/crates/trawler/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/trawler/src/main.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 //! its backlinks. Backlinks are always shown below the main content for
 //! any non-Journal view (spec: "Backlinks are always visible").
 
+mod assets;
 #[cfg(feature = "devtools")]
 mod devtools;
 mod editor;
@@ -2085,9 +2086,10 @@ fn render_calendar(
                                 .id("calendar-prev")
                                 .cursor_pointer()
                                 .px_1()
+                                .py_0p5()
                                 .rounded_sm()
                                 .hover(|d| d.bg(rgb(0x2a2a3a)))
-                                .child("◀")
+                                .child(assets::icon("icons/chevron-left.svg"))
                                 .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _event: &ClickEvent, _window, cx| {
                                     this.shift_calendar_month(-1, cx);
                                 })),
@@ -2102,9 +2104,10 @@ fn render_calendar(
                                 .id("calendar-next")
                                 .cursor_pointer()
                                 .px_1()
+                                .py_0p5()
                                 .rounded_sm()
                                 .hover(|d| d.bg(rgb(0x2a2a3a)))
-                                .child("▶")
+                                .child(assets::icon("icons/chevron-right.svg"))
                                 .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _event: &ClickEvent, _window, cx| {
                                     this.shift_calendar_month(1, cx);
                                 })),
@@ -2755,9 +2758,10 @@ impl Render for TrawlerApp {
                             .id("nav-back")
                             .cursor_pointer()
                             .px_1()
+                            .py_0p5()
                             .rounded_sm()
                             .hover(|d| d.bg(rgb(0x2a2a3a)))
-                            .child("◀")
+                            .child(assets::icon("icons/arrow-left.svg"))
                             .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _event: &ClickEvent, window, cx| {
                                 this.navigate_back(&NavigateBack, window, cx);
                             })),
@@ -2767,9 +2771,10 @@ impl Render for TrawlerApp {
                             .id("nav-forward")
                             .cursor_pointer()
                             .px_1()
+                            .py_0p5()
                             .rounded_sm()
                             .hover(|d| d.bg(rgb(0x2a2a3a)))
-                            .child("▶")
+                            .child(assets::icon("icons/arrow-right.svg"))
                             .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _event: &ClickEvent, window, cx| {
                                 this.navigate_forward(&NavigateForward, window, cx);
                             })),
@@ -2794,6 +2799,11 @@ impl Render for TrawlerApp {
                                     .px_2()
                                     .rounded_sm()
                                     .hover(|d| d.bg(rgb(0x2a2a3a)))
+                                    .flex()
+                                    .flex_row()
+                                    .items_center()
+                                    .gap_1()
+                                    .child(assets::icon("icons/calendar.svg"))
                                     .child("Calendar")
                                     .on_click(cx.listener(
                                         |this, _event: &ClickEvent, window, cx| {
@@ -3073,25 +3083,27 @@ fn main() {
     }
 
     let graph_dir = default_graph_dir();
-    Application::new().run(move |cx: &mut App| {
-        load_bundled_fonts(cx);
-        editor::init(cx);
-        init_keymap(cx);
-        let bounds = Bounds::centered(None, size(px(900.0), px(600.0)), cx);
-        let open_dir = graph_dir.clone();
-        let window = cx
-            .open_window(
-                WindowOptions {
-                    window_bounds: Some(WindowBounds::Windowed(bounds)),
-                    ..Default::default()
-                },
-                move |window, cx| cx.new(|cx| TrawlerApp::new(open_dir.clone(), window, cx)),
-            )
-            .unwrap();
-        #[cfg(feature = "devtools")]
-        devtools::maybe_start(graph_dir, window, cx);
-        #[cfg(not(feature = "devtools"))]
-        let _ = window;
-        cx.activate(true);
-    });
+    Application::new()
+        .with_assets(assets::Assets)
+        .run(move |cx: &mut App| {
+            load_bundled_fonts(cx);
+            editor::init(cx);
+            init_keymap(cx);
+            let bounds = Bounds::centered(None, size(px(900.0), px(600.0)), cx);
+            let open_dir = graph_dir.clone();
+            let window = cx
+                .open_window(
+                    WindowOptions {
+                        window_bounds: Some(WindowBounds::Windowed(bounds)),
+                        ..Default::default()
+                    },
+                    move |window, cx| cx.new(|cx| TrawlerApp::new(open_dir.clone(), window, cx)),
+                )
+                .unwrap();
+            #[cfg(feature = "devtools")]
+            devtools::maybe_start(graph_dir, window, cx);
+            #[cfg(not(feature = "devtools"))]
+            let _ = window;
+            cx.activate(true);
+        });
 }
diff --git a/openspec/changes/ui-polish/tasks.md b/openspec/changes/ui-polish/tasks.md
index c82d586..c2d1713 100644
--- a/openspec/changes/ui-polish/tasks.md
+++ b/openspec/changes/ui-polish/tasks.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ## 1. Icons and asset plumbing
 
-- [ ] 1.1 Add `AssetSource` registration at app start; bundle selected Tabler SVGs under `crates/trawler/assets/icons/` with the MIT license file
-- [ ] 1.2 Replace the ◀/▶ header glyphs with Tabler arrow icons (tinted via text color); add the calendar icon and the sidebar-toggle pair (`layout-sidebar-right-collapse` / `layout-sidebar-right-expand`)
+- [x] 1.1 Add `AssetSource` registration at app start (`assets::Assets`, `Application::with_assets`); bundled 7 Tabler outline SVGs under `crates/trawler/assets/icons/` with the MIT license file; unit tests assert every registered icon loads, parses as SVG, and tints via `currentColor`
+- [x] 1.2 Replace the ◀/▶ glyphs with Tabler icons — header back/forward use arrow-left/right, calendar month-nav uses chevron-left/right, the Calendar button gained the calendar icon; sidebar-toggle pair (`layout-sidebar-right-collapse` / `-expand`) bundled for group 3. Implementation note: gpui's `Svg` paints only with an *explicit* element text color (no cascade — `Svg::paint` zips path with the element's own `style.text.color`), so `assets::icon()` sets the tint (`0xd0d0d0`), overridable per call site. Verified visually via dev-loop screenshots (header + open calendar)
 
 ## 2. Window chrome (design D1)