diff --git a/HellionChat/Plugin.cs b/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
index 1e01812..99aadc6 100755
--- a/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IAsyncDalamudPlugin
 #if DEBUG
     internal Ui.Windows.WidgetGalleryWindow WidgetGallery { get; private set; } = null!;
 #endif
+    internal Ui.Windows.InputBarLabWindow InputBarLab { get; private set; } = null!;
     public FirstRunWizard FirstRunWizard { get; private set; } = null!;
     internal DebuggerWindow DebuggerWindow { get; private set; } = null!;
 
@@ -456,6 +457,7 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IAsyncDalamudPlugin
 #if DEBUG
         WidgetGallery = _host.Services.GetRequiredService<Ui.Windows.WidgetGalleryWindow>();
 #endif
+        InputBarLab = _host.Services.GetRequiredService<Ui.Windows.InputBarLabWindow>();
         DebuggerWindow = _host.Services.GetRequiredService<DebuggerWindow>();
         FirstRunWizard = _host.Services.GetRequiredService<FirstRunWizard>();
         ChannelPopoutPool = _host.Services.GetRequiredService<Ui.Windows.ChannelPopoutPool>();
@@ -1042,6 +1044,14 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IAsyncDalamudPlugin
             WidgetGallery.Toggle();
             return;
         }
+#endif
+
+        if (arg.Equals("lab", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+        {
+            InputBarLab.Toggle();
+            return;
+        }
+#if DEBUG
 #endif
         if (arg.Equals("reset", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
         {
diff --git a/HellionChat/PluginHostFactory.cs b/HellionChat/PluginHostFactory.cs
index eee2b8d..a039011 100644
--- a/HellionChat/PluginHostFactory.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/PluginHostFactory.cs
@@ -379,6 +379,13 @@ internal static class PluginHostFactory
             sp.GetRequiredService<Ui.StyleEngine.TokenResolver>()
         ));
 #endif
+        // Temporary: a side-by-side comparison of input-row variants, so the
+        // v1.14.0 style decision is made by looking rather than by imagining.
+        // Deliberately NOT behind DEBUG -- the decision happens in the build Flo
+        // actually runs. Comes out once the variants are picked.
+        services.AddSingleton(sp => new Ui.Windows.InputBarLabWindow(
+            sp.GetRequiredService<Plugin>()
+        ));
         services.AddSingleton(sp => new DebuggerWindow(
             sp.GetRequiredService<Plugin>(),
             sp.GetRequiredService<PayloadHandler>()
diff --git a/HellionChat/PluginLifecycle.cs b/HellionChat/PluginLifecycle.cs
index e0a27df..30c7966 100644
--- a/HellionChat/PluginLifecycle.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/PluginLifecycle.cs
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ internal sealed class PluginLifecycle : IAsyncDisposable
 #if DEBUG
         plugin.WindowSystem.AddWindow(plugin.WidgetGallery);
 #endif
+        plugin.WindowSystem.AddWindow(plugin.InputBarLab);
         plugin.WindowSystem.AddWindow(plugin.DebuggerWindow);
         plugin.WindowSystem.AddWindow(plugin.FirstRunWizard);
 
diff --git a/HellionChat/Ui/Windows/InputBarLabWindow.cs b/HellionChat/Ui/Windows/InputBarLabWindow.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f3fc07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/HellionChat/Ui/Windows/InputBarLabWindow.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,406 @@
+using System.Numerics;
+using Dalamud.Bindings.ImGui;
+using Dalamud.Interface;
+using Dalamud.Interface.Utility.Raii;
+using Dalamud.Interface.Windowing;
+using HellionChat.Themes;
+using HellionChat.Ui.StyleEngine;
+using HellionChat.Ui.StyleEngine.Widgets;
+using HellionChat.Util;
+
+namespace HellionChat.Ui.Windows;
+
+// Variants of the input row, drawn side by side so a decision can be made by
+// looking rather than by imagining. Reachable with /hellion lab.
+//
+// Temporary. It comes out once the variants are picked, which is also why it is
+// not behind DEBUG -- the decision happens in the build that actually runs.
+//
+// It exists because the alternative was drawing mockups, and mockups are what
+// sent this cycle down the wrong path once already: they are from before the
+// settings window learned that structure is typography and only controls get a
+// fill. Everything here is real ImGui against the live theme, so switching
+// themes switches the answer too -- which is the part a picture cannot show.
+//
+// The tools were all sitting in DrawListExtensions unused: DrawSlipPolygon and
+// DrawVerticalGradient had one caller between them (SegmentedControl),
+// DrawGlowBorder had none at all.
+internal sealed class InputBarLabWindow : Window
+{
+    private readonly Plugin _plugin;
+
+    private string _sample = string.Empty;
+    private int _buttonVariant;
+    private int _fieldVariant;
+    private int _pillVariant;
+    private int _headerVariant;
+
+    internal InputBarLabWindow(Plugin plugin)
+        : base("Input Bar Lab###hellion-input-lab")
+    {
+        _plugin = plugin;
+        Size = new Vector2(560, 720);
+        SizeCondition = ImGuiCond.FirstUseEver;
+    }
+
+    public override void Draw()
+    {
+        var fonts = _plugin.FontManager;
+        if (fonts is null || !fonts.FontsReady)
+        {
+            ImGui.TextDisabled("fonts not ready");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var c = _plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active.Colors;
+
+        ImGui.TextDisabled(
+            $"theme {_plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active.Slug}  ·  scale {Metrics.Scale:0.00}"
+        );
+        ImGui.Separator();
+
+        DrawButtonSection(c, fonts);
+        DrawFieldSection(c);
+        DrawPillSection(c, fonts);
+        DrawHeaderSection(c, fonts);
+    }
+
+    // ---- icon buttons -------------------------------------------------------
+
+    private void DrawButtonSection(ThemeColors c, FontManager fonts)
+    {
+        Heading("ICON BUTTONS", c);
+        ImGui.RadioButton("plain hover##b", ref _buttonVariant, 0);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("chamfer + gradient##b", ref _buttonVariant, 1);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("glow on hover##b", ref _buttonVariant, 2);
+
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+
+        var icons = new[]
+        {
+            FontAwesomeIcon.SmileBeam,
+            FontAwesomeIcon.Palette,
+            FontAwesomeIcon.Cog,
+            FontAwesomeIcon.Camera,
+            FontAwesomeIcon.EyeSlash,
+        };
+
+        var scale = Metrics.Scale;
+        var side = MathF.Round(26f * scale);
+        var gap = MathF.Round(4f * scale);
+        var origin = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos();
+        var dl = ImGui.GetWindowDrawList();
+
+        for (var i = 0; i < icons.Length; i++)
+        {
+            var min = new Vector2(origin.X + i * (side + gap), origin.Y);
+            var max = min + new Vector2(side, side);
+
+            ImGui.SetCursorScreenPos(min);
+            ImGui.InvisibleButton($"##lab-btn-{i}", new Vector2(side, side));
+            var hovered = ImGui.IsItemHovered();
+            var amount = HoverState.Query((uint)(0x1B000 + i), hovered);
+
+            DrawIconButtonVariant(dl, min, max, icons[i], amount, c, fonts, scale);
+        }
+
+        ImGui.SetCursorScreenPos(origin);
+        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0f, side + 10f * scale));
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+    }
+
+    private void DrawIconButtonVariant(
+        ImDrawListPtr dl,
+        Vector2 min,
+        Vector2 max,
+        FontAwesomeIcon icon,
+        float amount,
+        ThemeColors c,
+        FontManager fonts,
+        float scale
+    )
+    {
+        var accent = ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Accent);
+
+        switch (_buttonVariant)
+        {
+            case 0:
+                // What the sidebar does: nothing at rest, a soft fill on hover.
+                if (amount > 0f)
+                    dl.AddRectFilled(
+                        min,
+                        max,
+                        ColourUtil.ApplyAlpha(ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.SurfaceHover), amount),
+                        3f * scale
+                    );
+                break;
+
+            case 1:
+                // Chamfered plate with a vertical gradient, the shape the
+                // segmented control uses for its selected segment.
+                dl.DrawSlipPolygon(min, max, c.Surface, 4f * scale);
+                dl.DrawVerticalGradient(
+                    min,
+                    max,
+                    ColourUtil.ApplyAlpha(
+                        ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.SurfaceHover),
+                        0.35f + amount * 0.4f
+                    ),
+                    0u
+                );
+                break;
+
+            case 2:
+                // Flat at rest, and the glow border -- unused until now -- comes
+                // up with the hover instead of a fill.
+                if (amount > 0f)
+                {
+                    dl.AddRectFilled(
+                        min,
+                        max,
+                        ColourUtil.ApplyAlpha(ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Surface), amount * 0.8f),
+                        3f * scale
+                    );
+                    dl.DrawGlowBorder(
+                        min,
+                        max,
+                        ColourUtil.ApplyAlpha(c.Accent, amount * 0.7f),
+                        1f,
+                        4
+                    );
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+
+        using (fonts.FontAwesome.Push())
+        {
+            var glyph = icon.ToIconString();
+            var size = ImGui.CalcTextSize(glyph);
+            var tint = ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(
+                ColourUtil.EnsureContrast(c.TextPrimary, c.ChildBg, 4.5f)
+            );
+            if (amount > 0f)
+                tint = ColourUtil.Lerp(tint, accent, amount);
+
+            dl.AddText(min + (max - min - size) * 0.5f, tint, glyph);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // ---- input field --------------------------------------------------------
+
+    private void DrawFieldSection(ThemeColors c)
+    {
+        Heading("INPUT FIELD", c);
+        ImGui.RadioButton("imgui default##f", ref _fieldVariant, 0);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("own surface##f", ref _fieldVariant, 1);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("own surface + focus rail##f", ref _fieldVariant, 2);
+
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+
+        var scale = Metrics.Scale;
+        var height = MathF.Round(24f * scale);
+        var width = ImGui.GetContentRegionAvail().X - 8f;
+        var origin = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos();
+        var dl = ImGui.GetWindowDrawList();
+        var max = origin + new Vector2(width, height);
+
+        if (_fieldVariant > 0)
+        {
+            // The technique from Boutique.Inputs: paint the surface, then hand
+            // ImGui a transparent frame so the widget draws only text and caret.
+            dl.AddRectFilled(origin, max, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.FrameBg), 6f * scale);
+
+            if (_fieldVariant == 2 && ImGui.IsItemActive())
+                dl.AddRectFilled(
+                    origin,
+                    new Vector2(origin.X + 2f * scale, max.Y),
+                    ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Accent)
+                );
+        }
+
+        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBg, Vector4.Zero, _fieldVariant > 0))
+        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBgHovered, Vector4.Zero, _fieldVariant > 0))
+        using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBgActive, Vector4.Zero, _fieldVariant > 0))
+        using (ImRaii.PushStyle(ImGuiStyleVar.FramePadding, new Vector2(10f * scale, 4f * scale)))
+        {
+            ImGui.SetNextItemWidth(width);
+            ImGui.InputTextWithHint("##lab-field", "Type a message...", ref _sample, 256);
+        }
+
+        // Focus rail after the widget: IsItemActive only answers afterwards.
+        if (_fieldVariant == 2 && ImGui.IsItemActive())
+            dl.AddRectFilled(
+                origin,
+                new Vector2(origin.X + 2f * scale, max.Y),
+                ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Accent)
+            );
+
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+    }
+
+    // ---- channel pill -------------------------------------------------------
+
+    private void DrawPillSection(ThemeColors c, FontManager fonts)
+    {
+        Heading("CHANNEL PILL", c);
+        ImGui.RadioButton("current##p", ref _pillVariant, 0);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("gradient + top light##p", ref _pillVariant, 1);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("chamfered##p", ref _pillVariant, 2);
+
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+
+        var scale = Metrics.Scale;
+        var origin = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos();
+        var dl = ImGui.GetWindowDrawList();
+        const string label = "Jingliu Moon";
+        var textWidth = ImGui.CalcTextSize(label).X;
+        var size = new Vector2(textWidth + 34f * scale, MathF.Round(22f * scale));
+        var max = origin + size;
+        var fill = ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Accent);
+
+        switch (_pillVariant)
+        {
+            case 0:
+                dl.AddRectFilled(origin, max, fill, 6f * scale);
+                break;
+
+            case 1:
+                dl.AddRectFilled(origin, max, fill, 6f * scale);
+                dl.DrawVerticalGradient(origin, max, 0x30FFFFFFu, 0u);
+                dl.AddRectFilled(
+                    new Vector2(origin.X + 6f * scale, origin.Y),
+                    new Vector2(max.X - 6f * scale, origin.Y + 1f * scale),
+                    0x60FFFFFFu
+                );
+                break;
+
+            case 2:
+                dl.DrawSlipPolygon(origin, max, c.Accent, 6f * scale);
+                dl.DrawVerticalGradient(origin, max, 0x28FFFFFFu, 0u);
+                break;
+        }
+
+        var ink = ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(ColourUtil.EnsureContrast(c.WindowBg, c.Accent, 4.5f));
+        using (fonts.FontAwesome.Push())
+        {
+            var arrow = FontAwesomeIcon.ArrowRight.ToIconString();
+            dl.AddText(
+                new Vector2(
+                    origin.X + 8f * scale,
+                    origin.Y + (size.Y - ImGui.GetFontSize()) * 0.5f
+                ),
+                ink,
+                arrow
+            );
+        }
+
+        dl.AddText(
+            new Vector2(
+                origin.X + 24f * scale,
+                origin.Y + (size.Y - ImGui.GetTextLineHeight()) * 0.5f
+            ),
+            ink,
+            label
+        );
+
+        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0f, size.Y + 10f * scale));
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+    }
+
+    // ---- channel header -----------------------------------------------------
+
+    private void DrawHeaderSection(ThemeColors c, FontManager fonts)
+    {
+        Heading("CHANNEL HEADER", c);
+        ImGui.RadioButton("rule only (current)##h", ref _headerVariant, 0);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("underline##h", ref _headerVariant, 1);
+        ImGui.SameLine();
+        ImGui.RadioButton("tinted band##h", ref _headerVariant, 2);
+
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+
+        var scale = Metrics.Scale;
+        var width = ImGui.GetContentRegionAvail().X - 8f;
+        var height = ImGui.GetTextLineHeight() + 14f * scale;
+        var origin = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos();
+        var max = origin + new Vector2(width, height);
+        var dl = ImGui.GetWindowDrawList();
+
+        var accent = ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(ColourUtil.EnsureContrast(c.Accent, c.ChildBg, 4.5f));
+
+        // The band variant is the one the mockup drew and v1.11.0 abandoned.
+        // Here at a fraction of the strength, as a tint rather than a plate --
+        // included so the comparison is fair rather than rhetorical.
+        if (_headerVariant == 2)
+            dl.DrawEdgeTint(origin, max, ColourUtil.ApplyAlpha(accent, 0.10f), height);
+
+        var textY = origin.Y + 7f * scale;
+        const string name = "FREE COMPANY";
+
+        float drawn;
+        using (fonts.MetaFont!.Push())
+            drawn = dl.DrawTrackedText(
+                new Vector2(origin.X + 14f * scale, textY),
+                name,
+                accent,
+                1.8f * scale
+            );
+
+        if (_headerVariant == 0)
+        {
+            var ruleX = origin.X + 14f * scale + drawn + 10f * scale;
+            if (max.X - 14f * scale > ruleX)
+                dl.DrawFadeRule(
+                    new Vector2(ruleX, textY + ImGui.GetTextLineHeight() * 0.5f),
+                    max.X - 14f * scale - ruleX,
+                    ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Border),
+                    MathF.Max(1f, scale)
+                );
+        }
+        else if (_headerVariant == 1)
+        {
+            // Underline under the name only, the way the top tab strip marks its
+            // active tab -- a shape the plugin already uses elsewhere.
+            dl.AddRectFilled(
+                new Vector2(origin.X + 14f * scale, max.Y - 2f * scale),
+                new Vector2(origin.X + 14f * scale + drawn, max.Y),
+                accent
+            );
+        }
+
+        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0f, height + 6f * scale));
+    }
+
+    // ---- shared -------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    private static void Heading(string text, ThemeColors c)
+    {
+        ImGui.Spacing();
+        var dl = ImGui.GetWindowDrawList();
+        var pos = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos();
+        var width = dl.DrawTrackedText(
+            pos,
+            text,
+            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(ColourUtil.EnsureContrast(c.TextMuted, c.WindowBg, 4.5f)),
+            1.6f * Metrics.Scale
+        );
+
+        var ruleX = pos.X + width + 10f;
+        var avail = ImGui.GetContentRegionAvail().X;
+        dl.DrawFadeRule(
+            new Vector2(ruleX, pos.Y + ImGui.GetTextLineHeight() * 0.5f),
+            pos.X + avail - ruleX,
+            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(c.Border),
+            1f
+        );
+
+        ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0f, ImGui.GetTextLineHeight() + 4f));
+    }
+}