diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/explorer.less b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/explorer.less
index f1900554c8..f182c5f8d9 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/explorer.less
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/explorer.less
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ max z-index: unknown;
         }
 
         &:hover{
-            background:@color-teal;
+            background:@color-teal-dark;
             color:white;
         }
     }
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ max z-index: unknown;
         }
 
         &:hover{
-            background:@color-teal
+            background:@color-teal-dark;
         }
     }
     .dl-subviewopen > .children,
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/forms.less b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/forms.less
index e91c1d1dda..8e26c41b1d 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/forms.less
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/components/forms.less
@@ -575,7 +575,10 @@ ul.inline li:first-child, li.inline:first-child{
         }
         .field input{
             padding-left:3em;
-            background-color:white;
+
+            &:focus{
+                background-color:white;
+            }
         }
         .field:before{
             position:absolute;
@@ -619,11 +622,16 @@ ul.inline li:first-child, li.inline:first-child{
             }
             .field input{
                 padding:0.4em 1.4em 0.4em 2em;
+
+                 &:focus{
+                    background-color:white;
+                }
             }
             .field:before{
                 font-size:1.4em;
                 top:0.45em;
             }
+
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/core.less b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/core.less
index 3367be564d..5462d8f139 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/core.less
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/static/wagtailadmin/css/core.less
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ img{
             .menu-images &.menu-images,
             .menu-search &.menu-search,
             .menu-explorer &.menu-explorer{
-                background:#222;
+                background:darken(@color-grey-1, 10%);
 
                 a{
                     color:white;
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ footer, .logo{
                 display:none;
             }
             img{
-                width:80px;
+                width:60px;
                 float:none;
                 margin:auto;
             }
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/home/recent_edits.html b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/home/recent_edits.html
index 27f282259e..b78a9a1467 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/home/recent_edits.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/home/recent_edits.html
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {% if last_edits %}
-    <div class="panel nice-padding row-flush">{# TODO try moving these classes onto the section tag #}
+    <div class="panel nice-padding">{# TODO try moving these classes onto the section tag #}
         <section>
             <h2>Your most recent edits</h2>
             <table class="listing">