diff --git a/src/app/(repairs-app)/repairs-app/book-in-form.tsx b/src/app/(repairs-app)/repairs-app/book-in-form.tsx
index 9129630..4283bbb 100644
--- a/src/app/(repairs-app)/repairs-app/book-in-form.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(repairs-app)/repairs-app/book-in-form.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,28 @@ import type { Customer, Supplier } from "@/lib/types";
 /** Ten photos is plenty for one booking. */
 const MAX_PHOTOS = 10;
 
+/** Fields stand out from their card: white well, firm border. */
+const FIELD =
+  "min-h-[56px] border-2 border-foreground/30 bg-background text-base shadow-sm focus-visible:border-primary";
+const AREA =
+  "border-2 border-foreground/30 bg-background text-base shadow-sm focus-visible:border-primary";
+const PICKER =
+  "min-h-[56px] w-full border-2 border-foreground/30 bg-background text-base shadow-sm";
+const CARD = "space-y-2 rounded-2xl border border-foreground/15 bg-muted/60 p-4 shadow-sm";
+
+/** Says out loud whether a field has to be filled in. */
+function Tag({ required }: { required?: boolean }) {
+  return required ? (
+    <span className="rounded-full bg-destructive/10 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-semibold text-destructive">
+      Required
+    </span>
+  ) : (
+    <span className="rounded-full bg-foreground/10 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+      Optional
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
 type Lookups = { customers: Customer[]; suppliers: Supplier[] };
 
 /**
@@ -239,8 +261,11 @@ export function BookInForm() {
         Photos first: the machine is in front of you when you start, and
         the photo is the one thing the form will not book in without.
       */}
-      <div className="space-y-2">
-        <Label htmlFor="photos">Photos of the machine</Label>
+      <div className={CARD}>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label htmlFor="photos">Photos of the machine</Label>
+          <Tag required />
+        </div>
         <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
           Take a photo of the machine as it arrived.
         </p>
@@ -257,7 +282,7 @@ export function BookInForm() {
         <Button
           type="button"
           variant="outline"
-          className="min-h-[56px] w-full text-base"
+          className={PICKER}
           disabled={photos.length >= MAX_PHOTOS}
           onClick={() => fileRef.current?.click()}
         >
@@ -280,11 +305,14 @@ export function BookInForm() {
         "Whose machine is it?" reachable as a label for the picker.
       */}
       <div
-        className="space-y-2"
+        className={CARD}
         role="group"
         aria-labelledby="customer-label"
       >
-        <Label id="customer-label">Whose machine is it?</Label>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label id="customer-label">Whose machine is it?</Label>
+          <Tag required />
+        </div>
         {lookupsLoaded ? (
           <CustomerSearch
             value={customerId}
@@ -296,7 +324,7 @@ export function BookInForm() {
           <Button
             type="button"
             variant="outline"
-            className="min-h-[56px] w-full text-base"
+            className={PICKER}
             disabled={lookupsLoading}
             onClick={() => void loadLookups("customer")}
           >
@@ -304,65 +332,85 @@ export function BookInForm() {
           </Button>
         )}
         {lookupsError?.which === "customer" ? (
-          <p className="rounded-md border border-destructive/40 p-3 text-sm">
+          <p className="rounded-md border-2 border-destructive bg-destructive/10 p-3 text-sm font-medium text-destructive">
             {lookupsError.message}
           </p>
         ) : null}
       </div>
 
-      <div className="space-y-2">
-        <Label htmlFor="machine">What is the machine?</Label>
+      <div className={CARD}>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label htmlFor="machine">What is the machine?</Label>
+          <Tag required />
+        </div>
         <Input
           id="machine"
+          aria-required="true"
           value={machine}
           onChange={(e) => setMachine(e.target.value)}
           placeholder="e.g. Welding machine"
-          className="min-h-[56px] text-base"
+          className={FIELD}
         />
       </div>
 
-      <div className="space-y-2">
-        <Label htmlFor="serial_no">Serial number</Label>
+      <div className={CARD}>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label htmlFor="serial_no">Serial number</Label>
+          <Tag required />
+        </div>
         <Input
           id="serial_no"
+          aria-required="true"
           value={serialNo}
           onChange={(e) => setSerialNo(e.target.value)}
           placeholder="e.g. WM-9"
-          className="min-h-[56px] text-base"
+          className={FIELD}
         />
       </div>
 
-      <div className="space-y-2">
-        <Label htmlFor="fault">What does the customer say is wrong?</Label>
+      <div className={CARD}>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label htmlFor="fault">What does the customer say is wrong?</Label>
+          <Tag required />
+        </div>
         <Textarea
           id="fault"
+          aria-required="true"
           value={fault}
           onChange={(e) => setFault(e.target.value)}
           placeholder="e.g. Will not strike"
           rows={3}
+          className={AREA}
         />
       </div>
 
-      <div className="space-y-2">
-        <Label htmlFor="supplier_scope">What must the supplier look at?</Label>
+      <div className={CARD}>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label htmlFor="supplier_scope">What must the supplier look at?</Label>
+          <Tag />
+        </div>
         <Textarea
           id="supplier_scope"
           value={supplierScope}
           onChange={(e) => setSupplierScope(e.target.value)}
           placeholder="e.g. Strip and quote the strike mechanism"
           rows={3}
+          className={AREA}
         />
         <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-          Optional. Leave it empty if you are not sure yet.
+          Leave it empty if you are not sure yet.
         </p>
       </div>
 
       <div
-        className="space-y-2"
+        className={CARD}
         role="group"
         aria-labelledby="supplier-label"
       >
-        <Label id="supplier-label">Which supplier?</Label>
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+          <Label id="supplier-label">Which supplier?</Label>
+          <Tag />
+        </div>
         {lookupsLoaded ? (
           <SupplierSearch
             value={supplierId}
@@ -374,7 +422,7 @@ export function BookInForm() {
           <Button
             type="button"
             variant="outline"
-            className="min-h-[56px] w-full text-base"
+            className={PICKER}
             disabled={lookupsLoading}
             onClick={() => void loadLookups("supplier")}
           >
@@ -382,19 +430,19 @@ export function BookInForm() {
           </Button>
         )}
         {lookupsError?.which === "supplier" ? (
-          <p className="rounded-md border border-destructive/40 p-3 text-sm">
+          <p className="rounded-md border-2 border-destructive bg-destructive/10 p-3 text-sm font-medium text-destructive">
             {lookupsError.message}
           </p>
         ) : null}
         <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-          Optional — the office can pick the supplier later.
+          The office can pick the supplier later.
         </p>
       </div>
 
       {error ? (
         <p
           role="alert"
-          className="rounded-md border border-destructive/40 p-3 text-sm"
+          className="rounded-md border-2 border-destructive bg-destructive/10 p-3 text-sm font-medium text-destructive"
         >
           {error}
         </p>
@@ -404,7 +452,7 @@ export function BookInForm() {
         <Button
           type="button"
           variant="outline"
-          className="min-h-[56px] w-full text-base"
+          className={PICKER}
           onClick={() => router.push("/repairs-app/" + createdRepairId)}
         >
           Open the repair