diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/RoomCard.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/RoomCard.svelte
index 9ab89bd..d965c04 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/RoomCard.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/RoomCard.svelte
@@ -35,19 +35,13 @@
 <style>
   .card {
     --pad: clamp(13px, 1.7vw, 18px);
-    --strip: 18px;
     position: relative; display: flex; overflow: hidden; text-decoration: none; color: var(--ink);
     background: var(--tint, var(--surface)); border: 1px solid rgba(20, 30, 45, 0.07);
     border-radius: 18px; box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(20, 30, 45, 0.06);
     transition: transform 0.18s ease, box-shadow 0.18s ease;
-    padding: calc(var(--pad) + var(--strip)) var(--pad) var(--pad);
+    padding: var(--pad);
   }
   .card:hover { transform: translateY(-4px); box-shadow: 0 20px 46px rgba(20, 30, 45, 0.12); }
-  /* the darker color strip across the top — a touch of each tint, deepened */
-  .card::before {
-    content: ""; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; height: var(--strip);
-    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--tint, #e8e8e8), #0c1620 24%);
-  }
 
   /* size variants — grid spans set by the page; these set the heights */
   .card--large { min-height: 340px; }