diff --git a/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx b/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
index 12660d1..1806e2c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/documents/DocumentsTable.jsx
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
                     className={cardClasses.join(' ')}
                     role="listitem"
                     id={`document-card-${doc.id}`}
+                    data-doc-id={doc.id}
                     onClick={(event) => onDocumentRowClick(doc.id, event)}
                     onDoubleClick={() => onDocumentOpen(doc.id)}
                     draggable
@@ -646,6 +647,7 @@ const DocumentsTable = ({
                       key={doc.id}
                       className={rowClasses.join(' ')}
                       id={`document-row-${doc.id}`}
+                      data-doc-id={doc.id}
                       onClick={(event) => onDocumentRowClick(doc.id, event)}
                       onDoubleClick={() => onDocumentOpen(doc.id)}
                       draggable
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.jsx b/frontend/src/index.jsx
index 4f64585..e90fbce 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/index.jsx
@@ -3300,13 +3300,38 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
   );
 
   const handleDocumentTagAttach = useCallback(
-    async ({ documentId, tagId }) => {
+    async ({ documentId, tagId, tag: tagData = null }) => {
       if (!documentId || !tagId) {
         return false;
       }
 
+      const resolveTagForCache = () => {
+        const lookupTag = tagLookupById.get(tagId);
+        const source = lookupTag || tagData;
+        if (!source) {
+          return { id: tagId, label: 'Tag', color: null };
+        }
+        return {
+          id: source.id ?? tagId,
+          label: source.label || source.name || 'Tag',
+          color: Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(source, 'color')
+            ? source.color
+            : null,
+        };
+      };
+
       try {
         await api.post(`/documents/${documentId}/tags`, { tag_ids: [tagId] });
+        updateDocumentCaches(documentId, (doc) => {
+          if (!doc) {
+            return doc;
+          }
+          const currentTags = Array.isArray(doc.tags) ? doc.tags : [];
+          if (currentTags.some((existing) => existing?.id === tagId)) {
+            return doc;
+          }
+          return { ...doc, tags: [...currentTags, resolveTagForCache()] };
+        });
         setStatusMessage('Tag assigned.', 'success');
         await refreshCurrentFolder();
         return true;
@@ -3316,7 +3341,14 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
         return false;
       }
     },
-    [api, refreshCurrentFolder, notifyApiError, setStatusMessage],
+    [
+      api,
+      refreshCurrentFolder,
+      notifyApiError,
+      setStatusMessage,
+      updateDocumentCaches,
+      tagLookupById,
+    ],
   );
 
   const handleDocumentTagDrop = useCallback(
@@ -3329,7 +3361,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
         return;
       }
 
-      const attached = await handleDocumentTagAttach({ documentId, tagId: tag.id });
+      const attached = await handleDocumentTagAttach({ documentId, tagId: tag.id, tag });
       if (!attached) {
         return;
       }
@@ -3794,14 +3826,14 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       return TAG_MIME_TYPES.some((type) => Array.from(types).includes(type));
     };
 
-    const isDocumentRowTarget = (target) =>
-      target instanceof Element ? Boolean(target.closest('tr.document')) : false;
+    const isDocumentDropTarget = (target) =>
+      target instanceof Element ? Boolean(target.closest('[data-doc-id]')) : false;
 
     const handleTagDragOver = (event) => {
       if (!isTagTransfer(event)) {
         return;
       }
-      if (isDocumentRowTarget(event.target)) {
+      if (isDocumentDropTarget(event.target)) {
         setTagRemovalCursor(false);
         return;
       }
@@ -3816,7 +3848,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       }
       const related = event.relatedTarget;
       if (related instanceof Element && host.contains(related)) {
-        if (isDocumentRowTarget(related)) {
+        if (isDocumentDropTarget(related)) {
           setTagRemovalCursor(false);
         }
         return;
@@ -3829,7 +3861,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
         return;
       }
       setTagRemovalCursor(false);
-      if (isDocumentRowTarget(event.target) || event.defaultPrevented) {
+      if (isDocumentDropTarget(event.target) || event.defaultPrevented) {
         return;
       }
       event.preventDefault();
@@ -4415,13 +4447,11 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       onRefresh: refreshCurrentFolder,
       onDocumentOpen: openDocumentPreview,
       resolveThumbnailUrl: resolveThumbnailUrlForDoc,
-      availableTags: tags,
-      onCreateTag: handleTagCreate,
       onAssignTagToDocument: handleDocumentTagAttach,
       onRemoveTagFromDocument: handleTagRemove,
       ensureAssetUrl,
       getDocumentAsset,
-      prepareTagPayload: buildTagPayload,
+      activeTagIds: activeTagFilters,
     }),
     [
       documents,
@@ -4432,13 +4462,11 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       refreshCurrentFolder,
       openDocumentPreview,
       resolveThumbnailUrlForDoc,
-      tags,
-      handleTagCreate,
       handleDocumentTagAttach,
       handleTagRemove,
       ensureAssetUrl,
       getDocumentAsset,
-      buildTagPayload,
+      activeTagFilters,
     ],
   );
 
@@ -4685,9 +4713,9 @@ const DocumentsRoute = () => {
 
   if (workspaceMode === 'skeuo') {
     return (
-      <main className="skeuo-main">
+      <DocumentsLayout sidebarProps={sidebarProps}>
         <SkeuomorphicWorkspace {...skeuoWorkspaceProps} />
-      </main>
+      </DocumentsLayout>
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.css b/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.css
index c3c9ca1..3285bf4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.css
+++ b/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.css
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   flex: 1;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
+  grid-column: 2 / -1;
   min-height: 0;
   position: relative;
   background-color: var(--surface-subtle);
@@ -192,68 +193,6 @@
   opacity: 0.4;
 }
 
-.skeuo-tag-shelf {
-  position: absolute;
-  top: 2.25rem;
-  right: 1rem;
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 0.6rem;
-  align-items: flex-end;
-  max-height: calc(100% - 4rem);
-  overflow: auto;
-  padding: 0;
-  z-index: 100000;
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-shelf .skeuo-tag {
-  cursor: grab;
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-shelf .skeuo-tag:active {
-  cursor: grabbing;
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-shelf .skeuo-tag.is-inactive {
-  opacity: 0.25;
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-shelf .skeuo-tag.is-active {
-  opacity: 1;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-add {
-  width: 2.4rem;
-  height: 2.4rem;
-  border-radius: 50%;
-  border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
-  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
-  color: var(--fg);
-  font-size: 1.4rem;
-  line-height: 1;
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  margin-top: 0.4rem;
-  transition: background 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-add:hover {
-  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 1);
-  transform: translateY(-1px);
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-add:active {
-  transform: translateY(0);
-}
-
-.skeuo-tag-add:focus-visible {
-  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
-  outline-offset: 2px;
-}
-
 body.skeuo-cursor-remove,
 body.skeuo-cursor-remove * {
   cursor: not-allowed !important;
diff --git a/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.jsx b/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.jsx
index bebfe5a..c94120f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/skeuomorphic_ws.jsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import React, {
   useState,
 } from 'react';
 import { resolveDocumentAssetUrl } from './asset_manager';
-import { generateRandomTagColor, getReadableTextColor } from './utils/colors';
+import { getReadableTextColor } from './utils/colors';
 import './skeuomorphic_ws.css';
 
 const ITEM_WIDTH = 220;
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ const ZOOM_MIN_SCALE = 1.05;
 const ZOOM_MAX_SCALE = 5;
 const TAG_REMOVE_DISTANCE = 160;
 
-const DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY = Symbol('dragPreview');
 const DEBUG_DRAG = false;
 const DEBUG_FOCUS = true;
 const DEBUG_DROP = true;
@@ -432,20 +431,17 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
   onRefresh,
   onDocumentOpen,
   resolveThumbnailUrl,
-  availableTags = [],
-  onCreateTag = null,
   onAssignTagToDocument = null,
   onRemoveTagFromDocument = null,
   ensureAssetUrl = null,
   getDocumentAsset = () => null,
-  prepareTagPayload = null,
+  activeTagIds = [],
 }) => {
   const items = useMemo(() => (searchResults ? searchResults : documents), [documents, searchResults]);
   const showingSearchResults = searchResults !== null;
 
 
   const containerRef = useRef(null);
-  const tagShelfRef = useRef(null);
   const layoutRef = useRef(new Map());
   const itemRefs = useRef(new Map());
   const zCounterRef = useRef(10);
@@ -453,17 +449,27 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
   const [layoutSnapshot, setLayoutSnapshot] = useState(() => new Map());
 
   const [canvasSize, setCanvasSize] = useState({ width: 0, height: 0 });
-  const [tagShelfWidth, setTagShelfWidth] = useState(0);
   const [draggingId, setDraggingId] = useState(null);
   const [zoomedId, setZoomedId] = useState(null);
   const [tagDropTargetId, setTagDropTargetId] = useState(null);
   const [pendingTagDocId, setPendingTagDocId] = useState(null);
   const [pendingRemovalTag, setPendingRemovalTag] = useState(null);
-  const [activeShelfTagId, setActiveShelfTagId] = useState(null);
   const draggingTagRef = useRef(null);
   const pendingDocTagDragRef = useRef(null);
   const docSizeMapRef = useRef(new Map());
   const removalCursorActiveRef = useRef(false);
+  const activeTagSet = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!Array.isArray(activeTagIds) || activeTagIds.length === 0) {
+      return new Set();
+    }
+    const set = new Set();
+    activeTagIds.forEach((id) => {
+      if (id != null) {
+        set.add(String(id));
+      }
+    });
+    return set;
+  }, [activeTagIds]);
 
   const resolvePreviewAsset = useCallback(
     (doc) => {
@@ -591,72 +597,11 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
     );
   }, []);
 
-  const handleShelfTagDragStart = useCallback((event, tag) => {
-    if (!tag) return;
-    try {
-      event.dataTransfer.effectAllowed = 'copy';
-      const payload = JSON.stringify({ id: tag.id, label: tag.label });
-      event.dataTransfer.setData('application/x-papercrate-tag', payload);
-      event.dataTransfer.setData('text/papercrate-tag', payload);
-      event.dataTransfer.setData('text/plain', tag.label || 'Tag');
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.warn('Failed to initiate tag drag', error);
-    }
-    const node = event.currentTarget;
-    const hideNode = () => {
-      if (node instanceof HTMLElement) {
-        node.classList.add('is-drag-hidden');
-      }
-    };
-    if (node instanceof HTMLElement) {
-      if (node[DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY]) {
-        cleanupPreview(node[DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY]);
-        delete node[DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY];
-      }
-      const preview = createDragPreview(node, event.clientX, event.clientY);
-      if (preview && event.dataTransfer) {
-        try {
-          event.dataTransfer.setDragImage(preview.clone, preview.offsetX, preview.offsetY);
-          node[DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY] = preview.clone;
-        } catch (
-          // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty
-          error
-        ) {}
-      }
-    }
-    if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && typeof window.requestAnimationFrame === 'function') {
-      window.requestAnimationFrame(hideNode);
-    } else {
-      setTimeout(hideNode, 0);
-    }
-  }, []);
-
   const handleTagDragEnd = useCallback(() => {
     updateRemovalCursor(false);
     setTagDropTargetId(null);
   }, [updateRemovalCursor]);
 
-  const handleShelfTagDragEndWithReset = useCallback((event) => {
-    if (event?.currentTarget instanceof HTMLElement) {
-      const target = event.currentTarget;
-      const showNode = () => {
-        if (target instanceof HTMLElement) {
-          target.classList.remove('is-drag-hidden');
-          const stored = target[DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY];
-          cleanupPreview(stored);
-          delete target[DRAG_PREVIEW_KEY];
-        }
-      };
-      if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && typeof window.requestAnimationFrame === 'function') {
-        window.requestAnimationFrame(showNode);
-      } else {
-        setTimeout(showNode, 0);
-      }
-    }
-    handleTagDragEnd();
-    queueFocusCanvas();
-  }, [handleTagDragEnd, queueFocusCanvas]);
-
   const ensureDocumentSize = useCallback((doc) => {
     const key = resolveSizeKey(doc);
     const cache = docSizeMapRef.current.get(key);
@@ -721,17 +666,6 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
     docSizeMapRef.current = new Map();
   }, [items]);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!activeShelfTagId) {
-      return;
-    }
-    const stillExists = availableTags.some((tag) => resolveTagKey(tag) === activeShelfTagId);
-    if (!stillExists) {
-      setActiveShelfTagId(null);
-    }
-  }, [activeShelfTagId, availableTags]);
-
-
   const resolveZoomMetrics = useCallback(
     (doc, cardWidth, cardHeight) => {
       const canvasWidth = canvasSize.width || DEFAULT_CANVAS_WIDTH;
@@ -821,30 +755,6 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
     [resolvePreviewDimensions],
   );
 
-  useLayoutEffect(() => {
-    const shelfNode = tagShelfRef.current;
-    if (!shelfNode || !availableTags.length) {
-      setTagShelfWidth(0);
-      return () => {};
-    }
-
-    const measure = () => {
-      const rect = shelfNode.getBoundingClientRect();
-      setTagShelfWidth(Math.ceil(rect.width));
-    };
-
-    measure();
-
-    if (typeof ResizeObserver === 'undefined') {
-      window.addEventListener('resize', measure);
-      return () => window.removeEventListener('resize', measure);
-    }
-
-    const observer = new ResizeObserver(() => measure());
-    observer.observe(shelfNode);
-    return () => observer.disconnect();
-  }, [availableTags.length]);
-
   const syncLayoutSnapshot = useCallback(() => {
     setLayoutSnapshot(new Map(layoutRef.current));
   }, []);
@@ -950,7 +860,7 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
             startZ: maxZ,
             rotationRange: ROTATION_RANGE,
             minSpacing: 48,
-            shelfWidth: tagShelfWidth > 0 ? tagShelfWidth + CANVAS_PADDING : 0,
+            shelfWidth: 0,
           },
         );
         generatedLayout.forEach((entry, docId) => {
@@ -971,7 +881,6 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
     canvasSize.height,
     ensureDocumentSize,
     syncLayoutSnapshot,
-    tagShelfWidth,
   ]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -1150,7 +1059,7 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
 
       setPendingTagDocId(doc.id);
       try {
-        await onAssignTagToDocument({ documentId: doc.id, tagId });
+        await onAssignTagToDocument({ documentId: doc.id, tagId, tag: payload });
         markActiveTagDropHandled(tagId, sourceDocId);
         if (DEBUG_DROP) {
           console.log('[skeuo] handleTagDropOnDoc: assigned tag', tagId, 'to doc', doc.id);
@@ -1504,7 +1413,6 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
       <div
         className="skeuo-canvas"
         ref={containerRef}
-        data-active-tag={activeShelfTagId || undefined}
         onDragOver={handleCanvasDragOver}
         onDragLeave={handleCanvasDragLeave}
         onDrop={handleCanvasDrop}
@@ -1572,7 +1480,7 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
               .map((tag) => resolveTagKey(tag))
               .filter(Boolean);
             const matchesFilter =
-              !activeShelfTagId || docTagKeys.includes(activeShelfTagId);
+              activeTagSet.size === 0 || docTagKeys.some((key) => activeTagSet.has(key));
             const dropActive = tagDropTargetId === doc.id;
             const dropPending = pendingTagDocId === doc.id;
             const itemClasses = ['skeuo-item'];
@@ -1674,81 +1582,6 @@ const SkeuomorphicWorkspace = ({
             );
           })
         )}
-        {(availableTags.length > 0 || onCreateTag) && (
-          <div
-            className="skeuo-tag-shelf"
-            aria-label="Available tags"
-            ref={tagShelfRef}
-          >
-            {availableTags.map((tag) => {
-              const colorValue = normalizeColor(tag.color);
-              const foreground = getContrastingTextColor(colorValue || '#1b1f24');
-              const tagStyle = colorValue
-                ? { backgroundColor: colorValue, color: foreground }
-                : undefined;
-              const tagKey = resolveTagKey(tag);
-              const isSelected = activeShelfTagId === tagKey;
-              const shelfTagClasses = ['skeuo-tag'];
-              if (isSelected) {
-                shelfTagClasses.push('is-active');
-              } else if (activeShelfTagId) {
-                shelfTagClasses.push('is-inactive');
-              }
-              return (
-                <div
-                  key={tag.id || tag.label}
-                  className={shelfTagClasses.join(' ')}
-                  style={tagStyle}
-                  title={tag.label}
-                  draggable
-                  data-tag-id={tagKey || undefined}
-                  onDragStart={(event) => handleShelfTagDragStart(event, tag)}
-                  onDragEnd={handleShelfTagDragEndWithReset}
-                  role="button"
-                  onClick={(event) => {
-                    event.preventDefault();
-                    event.stopPropagation();
-                    setActiveShelfTagId((current) => (current === tagKey ? null : tagKey));
-                  }}
-                  onKeyDown={(event) => {
-                    if (event.key === 'Enter' || event.key === ' ') {
-                      event.preventDefault();
-                      setActiveShelfTagId((current) => (current === tagKey ? null : tagKey));
-                    }
-                  }}
-                >
-                  <span>{tag.label}</span>
-                </div>
-              );
-            })}
-            {typeof onCreateTag === 'function' && (
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                className="skeuo-tag-add"
-                aria-label="Add tag"
-                onClick={async () => {
-                  const labelInput = window.prompt('New tag name?');
-                  const label = labelInput ? labelInput.trim() : '';
-                  if (!label) {
-                    return;
-                  }
-                  try {
-                    const payload =
-                      typeof prepareTagPayload === 'function'
-                        ? prepareTagPayload({ label })
-                        : { label, color: generateRandomTagColor() };
-                    await onCreateTag(payload);
-                    setActiveShelfTagId(null);
-                  } catch (error) {
-                    console.error('Failed to create tag', error);
-                  }
-                }}
-                >
-                +
-              </button>
-            )}
-          </div>
-        )}
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles.css b/frontend/src/styles.css
index 9f4bd1b..9e35802 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles.css
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ button.icon-button.ghost:hover:not([disabled]) {
 }
 
 .column + .column {
-  border-left: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-left: none;
   padding-left: 1.25rem;
 }
 
@@ -940,6 +940,7 @@ button.icon-button.ghost:hover:not([disabled]) {
   overflow-y: auto;
   padding: 1.25rem;
   color: var(--sidebar-fg);
+  border-right: 1px solid var(--border);
 }
 
 .sidebar-section:first-of-type,