diff --git a/app.vue b/app.vue
index 7af306b..cb5ec34 100644
--- a/app.vue
+++ b/app.vue
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ body {
   font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
   box-sizing: border-box;
   color: var(--text-color);
-	background: var(--optional-chat-background);
+	background: var(--optional-body-background);
   background-color: var(--chat-background-color);
   margin: 0;
 }
diff --git a/components/MessageArea.vue b/components/MessageArea.vue
index 18b9ac5..aa50cbc 100644
--- a/components/MessageArea.vue
+++ b/components/MessageArea.vue
@@ -9,11 +9,28 @@
 		</div>
 		<div id="message-box" class="rounded-corners">
 			<form id="message-form" @submit="sendMessage">
-				<input v-model="messageInput" id="message-box-input" class="rounded-corners" type="text"
-					name="message-input" autocomplete="off">
-				<button id="submit-button" type="submit">
-					<Icon name="lucide:send" />
-				</button>
+				<div id="message-box-left-elements">
+					<span class="message-box-button">
+						<Icon name="lucide:file-plus-2" />
+					</span>
+				</div>
+
+				<div id="message-textarea">
+					<div id="message-textbox-input"
+							role="textbox" ref="messageTextboxInput"
+							autocorrect="off" spellcheck="true" contenteditable="true"
+							@keydown="handleTextboxKeyDown" @input="handleTextboxInput">
+					</div>
+				</div>
+				
+				<div id="message-box-right-elements">
+					<button class="message-box-button" type="submit">
+						<Icon name="lucide:send" />
+					</button>
+					<span class="message-box-button">
+						<Icon name="lucide:image-play" />
+					</span>
+				</div>
 			</form>
 		</div>
 	</div>
@@ -106,11 +123,38 @@ function pushMessage(message: MessageResponse) {
 	messages.value.push(message);
 }
 
+function handleTextboxKeyDown(event: KeyboardEvent) {
+	if (event.key === "Enter" && event.shiftKey && messageTextboxInput.value) {
+		// this enters a newline, due to not preventing default
+	} else if (event.key === "Enter") {
+		event.preventDefault()
+		sendMessage(event)
+	}
+	
+	adjustTextboxHeight()
+}
+
+function handleTextboxInput() {
+	if (messageTextboxInput.value) {
+        messageInput.value = messageTextboxInput.value.innerText;
+    }
+
+	adjustTextboxHeight()
+}
+
+// this technically uses pixel units, but it's still set using dynamic units
+function adjustTextboxHeight() {
+	if (messageTextboxInput.value && messageTextboxDisplay.value) {
+		messageTextboxInput.value.style.height = "auto"
+		messageTextboxInput.value.style.height = `${messageTextboxInput.value.scrollHeight}px`
+	}
+}
+
 const messages = ref<MessageResponse[]>([]);
-
-const messageInput = ref<string>();
-
+const messageInput = ref<string>("");
 const messagesElement = ref<HTMLDivElement>();
+const messageTextboxInput = ref<HTMLDivElement>();
+const messageTextboxDisplay = ref<HTMLDivElement>();
 
 if (messagesRes) messages.value = messagesRes;
 
@@ -158,14 +202,21 @@ if (accessToken && apiBase) {
 
 function sendMessage(e: Event) {
 	e.preventDefault();
-	const message = {
-		message: messageInput.value
-	}
-	console.log("message:", message);
-	if (message.message) {
+	if (messageInput.value && messageInput.value.trim() !== "") {
+		const message = {
+			message: messageInput.value.trim().replace(/\n/g, "<br>") // trim, and replace \n with <br>
+		}
+
+		console.log("message:", message);
 		ws.send(JSON.stringify(message));
-		messageInput.value = "";
-		console.log("MESSAGE SENT!!!");
+
+		// reset input field
+		messageInput.value = ""
+		if (messageTextboxInput.value) {
+			messageTextboxInput.value.innerText = ""
+		}
+
+		adjustTextboxHeight()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -241,38 +292,62 @@ router.beforeEach((to, from, next) => {
 
 <style scoped>
 #message-area {
-	display: grid;
-	grid-template-rows: 8fr 1fr;
+	display: flex;
+	flex-direction: column;
 	padding-left: 1dvw;
 	padding-right: 1dvw;
 	overflow: hidden;
 }
 
 #message-box {
-	display: flex;
-	flex-direction: column;
-	justify-content: center;
-	align-content: center;
-	border: 1px solid var(--padding-color);
-	padding-bottom: 1dvh;
-	padding-top: 1dvh;
-	margin-bottom: 1dvh;
+	margin-bottom: 2dvh;
 	margin-left: 1dvw;
 	margin-right: 1dvw;
+
+	padding-left: 2%;
+	padding-right: 2%;
+	
+	align-items: center;
+	
+	color: var(--text-color);
+	border: 1px solid var(--padding-color);
+	background-color: var(--chatbox-background-color);
 }
 
 #message-form {
 	display: flex;
-	justify-content: center;
+	flex-direction: row;
+	gap: .55em;
 }
 
-#message-box-input {
-	width: 80%;
-	background-color: var(--sidebar-background-color);
+#message-textarea {
+	flex-grow: 1;
+	min-height: 2.35em;
+}
+
+#message-textbox-input {
+	width: 100%;
+	max-height: 50dvh;
+
+	padding: 0.5em 0;
+	user-select: text;
+
+	font-family: inherit;
+	font-size: inherit;
+	line-height: normal;
 	border: none;
-	color: inherit;
-	padding-left: 1dvw;
-	padding-right: 1dvw;
+	background-color: #40404000; /* completely transparent colour */
+
+	text-align: left;
+	word-break: break-word;
+	overflow-wrap: break-word;
+	
+	overflow-y: auto;
+}
+
+#message-box-left-elements, #message-box-right-elements {
+	display: flex;
+	align-items: end;
 }
 
 #messages {
@@ -283,7 +358,7 @@ router.beforeEach((to, from, next) => {
 	padding-right: 1dvw;
 }
 
-#submit-button {
+.message-box-button {
 	background-color: inherit;
 	border: none;
 	color: var(--primary-color);
@@ -291,7 +366,7 @@ router.beforeEach((to, from, next) => {
 	font-size: 1.5em;
 }
 
-#submit-button:hover {
+.message-box-button:hover {
 	color: var(--primary-highlighted-color);
 	cursor: pointer;
 }
diff --git a/pages/servers/[serverId]/channels/[channelId].vue b/pages/servers/[serverId]/channels/[channelId].vue
index 6bdcc7c..32b8104 100644
--- a/pages/servers/[serverId]/channels/[channelId].vue
+++ b/pages/servers/[serverId]/channels/[channelId].vue
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ function handleMemberClick(member: GuildMemberResponse) {
 	padding-left: 1dvw;
 	padding-right: 1dvw;
 	border-left: 1px solid var(--padding-color);
+	background: var(--optional-member-list-background);
 }
 
 #members-list {
diff --git a/pages/settings.vue b/pages/settings.vue
index 1380283..3aac506 100644
--- a/pages/settings.vue
+++ b/pages/settings.vue
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
     <div id="settings-page">
       <div id="sidebar">
         <ul>
+          <p>
+            <span @click="$router.go(-1)">
+              <Icon class="back-button" size="2em" name="lucide:circle-arrow-left" alt="Back"></Icon>
+            </span>
+          </p>
+          <span class="spacer"></span>
+
           <!-- categories and dynamic settings pages -->
           <div v-for="category in categories" :key="category.displayName">
             <h2>{{ category.displayName }}</h2>
@@ -28,7 +35,6 @@
             <br>
             Build Time: {{ appConfig.public.buildTimeString }}
           </p>
-
         </ul>
       </div>
       <div id="sub-page">
@@ -176,6 +182,16 @@ onMounted(() => {
   height: 100vh;
 }
 
+.back-button {
+  cursor: pointer;
+  color: var(--primary-color);
+  transition: color 100ms;
+}
+
+.back-button:hover{
+  color: var(--primary-highlighted-color);
+}
+
 #links-and-socials * {
   margin-right: 0.2em;
 }
diff --git a/public/themes/ash.css b/public/themes/ash.css
index b685551..66923af 100644
--- a/public/themes/ash.css
+++ b/public/themes/ash.css
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 	--sidebar-background-color: #3e3a37;
 	--sidebar-highlighted-background-color: #46423b;
 	--topbar-background-color: #3a3733;
+	--chatbox-background-color: #3a3733;
 
     --padding-color: #e0e0e0;
     
diff --git a/public/themes/dark.css b/public/themes/dark.css
index 8245724..af94112 100644
--- a/public/themes/dark.css
+++ b/public/themes/dark.css
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 	--sidebar-background-color: #2e2a27;
 	--sidebar-highlighted-background-color: #36322b;
 	--topbar-background-color: #2a2723;
+	--chatbox-background-color: #1a1713;
 
     --padding-color: #484848;
     
diff --git a/public/themes/description.css b/public/themes/description.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b07f11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/themes/description.css
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/* this is not a real theme, but rather a template for themes */
+:root {
+	--text-color: #161518;
+	--secondary-text-color: #2b2930;
+
+    --chat-background-color: #80808000;
+    --chat-highlighted-background-color: #ffffff20;
+	--sidebar-background-color: #80808000;
+	--sidebar-highlighted-background-color: #ffffff20;
+	--topbar-background-color: #80808000;
+	--chatbox-background-color: #80808000;
+
+    --padding-color: #80808000;
+    
+    --primary-color: #21b1ff80;
+    --primary-highlighted-color: #18a0df80;
+    --secondary-color: #ffd80080;
+    --secondary-highlighted-color: #dfb80080;
+    --accent-color: #ff218c80;
+    --accent-highlighted-color: #df1b6f80;
+
+    --optional-body-background: ; /* background element for the body */
+    --optional-chat-background: ; /* background element for the chat box */
+	--optional-topbar-background: ; /* background element for the topbar */
+	--optional-sidebar-background: ; /* background element for left server sidebar */
+	--optional-channel-list-background: ; /* background element for channel list and settings list */
+	--optional-member-list-background: ; /* background element for member list */
+	--optional-message-box-background: ; /* background element for message box */
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/public/themes/light.css b/public/themes/light.css
index cb51d8c..b9b7b86 100644
--- a/public/themes/light.css
+++ b/public/themes/light.css
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 	--sidebar-background-color: #dbd8d4;
 	--sidebar-highlighted-background-color: #d4d0ca;
 	--topbar-background-color: #dfdbd6;
+	--chatbox-background-color: #dfdbd6;
 
     --padding-color: #484848;
     
diff --git a/public/themes/rainbow-capitalism.css b/public/themes/rainbow-capitalism.css
index 8aeffc8..32f7449 100644
--- a/public/themes/rainbow-capitalism.css
+++ b/public/themes/rainbow-capitalism.css
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 	--sidebar-background-color: #80808000;
 	--sidebar-highlighted-background-color: #ffffff20;
 	--topbar-background-color: #80808000;
+	--chatbox-background-color: #80808040;
 
     --padding-color: #80808000;
     
@@ -17,8 +18,11 @@
     --accent-color: #ff218c80;
     --accent-highlighted-color: #df1b6f80;
 
-    --optional-chat-background: linear-gradient(45deg, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #f35b2280, #f9962180, #f5c11e80, #f1eb1b80, #f1eb1b80, #f1eb1b80, #63c72080, #0c9b4980, #21878d80, #3954a580, #61379b80, #93288e80);
+    /* --optional-body-background: background */
+    --optional-body-background: linear-gradient(45deg, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #ed222480, #f35b2280, #f9962180, #f5c11e80, #f1eb1b80, #f1eb1b80, #f1eb1b80, #63c72080, #0c9b4980, #21878d80, #3954a580, #61379b80, #93288e80);
 	--optional-topbar-background: linear-gradient(-12.5deg, cyan, pink, white, pink, cyan);
 	--optional-sidebar-background: linear-gradient(90deg, #55cdfcd0, #f7a8b8d0, #ffffffd0, #f7a8b8d0, #55cdfcd0);
 	--optional-channel-list-background: linear-gradient(82deg, #d52c00b0, #e29688b0, #ffffffb0, #d27fa4b0, #a20062b0);
+	--optional-member-list-background: linear-gradient(3deg, #ff0080, #c8259d, #8c4799, #442e9f, #0032a0);
+    --optional-message-box-background: linear-gradient(3deg, #ff0080, #c8259d, #8c4799, #442e9f, #0032a0);
 }
\ No newline at end of file