diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fa44ac3..c5382ad 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Changed
+
+- All three default themes now have distinct status colors. Status UIs can now distinguish caution, error, info, and success states without token overrides. 
+- `dust` theme background lightened slightly to improve contrast ratios with the updated color palette. 
+
 ## [0.2.0] - 2026-05-25
 
 ### Added
@@ -48,5 +55,6 @@
   theming guide
 - `examples/playground.html` for visual review of all components and states
 
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/baudsmithstudios/elumkit/compare/v0.2.0...HEAD
 [0.2.0]: https://github.com/baudsmithstudios/elumkit/releases/tag/v0.2.0
 [0.1.0]: https://github.com/baudsmithstudios/elumkit/releases/tag/v0.1.0
diff --git a/assets/theme-dust.svg b/assets/theme-dust.svg
index 5e8dd70..b9c5f52 100644
--- a/assets/theme-dust.svg
+++ b/assets/theme-dust.svg
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@
       .muted { fill: #5f5648; }
       .accent { fill: #a3341b; }
       .accent-fill { fill: #a3341b; }
-      .success { fill: #2e6048; }
-      .warn { fill: #7a4800; }
+      .success { fill: #006b2d; }
+      .warn { fill: #8a4900; }
       .idle { fill: #5f5648; }
       .frame { fill: none; stroke: #3d2f20; stroke-width: 2; }
       .accent-frame { fill: none; stroke: #a3341b; stroke-width: 2; }
     </style>
   </defs>
-  <rect x="25" y="257" width="1230" height="186" rx="10" fill="#ddd6c4"/>
+  <rect x="25" y="257" width="1230" height="186" rx="10" fill="#e7e0ce"/>
 
   <rect x="40" y="272" width="384" height="156" rx="3" class="frame"/>
   <text x="64" y="310" class="mono label">STATUS</text>
diff --git a/assets/theme-iron.svg b/assets/theme-iron.svg
index 670931c..5e27f57 100644
--- a/assets/theme-iron.svg
+++ b/assets/theme-iron.svg
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
       .accent { fill: #f08550; }
       .accent-fill { fill: #f08550; }
       .success { fill: #4ec898; }
-      .warn { fill: #e05252; }
+      .warn { fill: #e3a008; }
       .idle { fill: #8a9eac; }
       .frame { fill: none; stroke: #4a6275; stroke-width: 2; }
       .accent-frame { fill: none; stroke: #f08550; stroke-width: 2; }
diff --git a/docs/theming.md b/docs/theming.md
index 74405c9..d281eb2 100644
--- a/docs/theming.md
+++ b/docs/theming.md
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ Defined in `packages/core-css/src/tokens.css`:
 
 `--elum-color-bg` and `--elum-color-surface` are separate tokens; the default themes assign them the same value for a flat, frameless look. You can override `--elum-color-surface` for additional card depth.
 
-`--elum-color-muted` and `--elum-color-border` are distinct: muted is for de-emphasized text, border is for layout structure. `--elum-color-warn` and `--elum-color-error` are separate tokens from `--elum-color-accent`; the default themes assign them the same value, but they can be overridden independently.
+`--elum-color-muted` and `--elum-color-border` are distinct: muted is for de-emphasized text, border is for layout structure. The four status tokens — `--elum-color-success`, `--elum-color-info`, `--elum-color-warn`, and `--elum-color-error` — each carry a distinct hue in every default theme, and can be overridden independently.
 
 ## Layout tokens
 
diff --git a/packages/core-css/src/tokens.css b/packages/core-css/src/tokens.css
index 0fe4a65..35dbcb5 100644
--- a/packages/core-css/src/tokens.css
+++ b/packages/core-css/src/tokens.css
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@
   --elum-color-border: #4a6275;
   --elum-color-accent: #f08550;
   --elum-color-success: #4ec898;
-  --elum-color-warn: #e05252;
+  --elum-color-warn: #e3a008;
   --elum-color-error: #e05252;
-  --elum-color-info: #4ec898;
+  --elum-color-info: #5aa7ff;
 
   --elum-color-focus: #f08550;
 }
@@ -55,24 +55,24 @@
   --elum-color-accent: #00e5ff;
   --elum-color-success: #00ff87;
   --elum-color-warn: #ffbe0b;
-  --elum-color-error: #ffbe0b;
-  --elum-color-info: #00ff87;
+  --elum-color-error: #ff5d73;
+  --elum-color-info: #b794ff;
 
   --elum-color-focus: #00e5ff;
 }
 
 [data-theme="dust"] {
   color-scheme:light;
-  --elum-color-bg: #ddd6c4;
-  --elum-color-surface: #ddd6c4;
+  --elum-color-bg: #e7e0ce;
+  --elum-color-surface: #e7e0ce;
   --elum-color-fg: #0e0e0e;
   --elum-color-muted: #5f5648;
   --elum-color-border: #3d2f20;
   --elum-color-accent: #a3341b;
-  --elum-color-success: #2e6048;
-  --elum-color-warn: #7a4800;
-  --elum-color-error: #7a4800;
-  --elum-color-info: #2e6048;
+  --elum-color-success: #006b2d;
+  --elum-color-warn: #8a4900;
+  --elum-color-error: #b01030;
+  --elum-color-info: #0058bd;
 
   --elum-color-focus: #a3341b;
 }