:root {
      --gold: #E8C84A;
      --gold-dim: rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.12);
      --dark: #0a0a0a;
      --mid: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
      --muted: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.42);
    }

    /* ── Section layout ── */
    .connect-section {
      background: var(--dark);
      padding: 7rem 4vw 0;
      overflow: hidden;
      position: relative;
    }

    .connect-grid {
      display: grid;
      grid-template-columns: 1fr 1.2fr;
      gap: 5rem;
      max-width: 1200px;
      margin: 0 auto;
      align-items: start;
    }

    @media (max-width: 900px) {
      .connect-grid {
        grid-template-columns: 1fr;
        gap: 3rem;
      }
    }

    /* ── Left panel ── */
    .connect-left .section-title {
      font-size: clamp(2rem, 4vw, 3.2rem);
      line-height: 1.1;
      margin-bottom: 0.75rem;
    }

    .connect-tagline {
      color: var(--muted);
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.72rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.14em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      margin-bottom: 2.5rem;
    }

    /* Contact info */
    .contact-info {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
    }

    .ci-item {
      display: flex;
      align-items: flex-start;
      gap: 1rem;
      padding: 1.2rem 0;
      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--mid);
      text-decoration: none;
      color: inherit;
      transition: color 0.2s;
    }

    .ci-item:first-child {
      border-top: 1px solid var(--mid);
    }

    .ci-item:hover {
      color: var(--gold);
    }

    .ci-icon {
      width: 2.4rem;
      height: 2.4rem;
      border: 1px solid rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.3);
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      color: var(--gold);
      font-size: 0.82rem;
      flex-shrink: 0;
      transition: background 0.25s;
    }

    .ci-item:hover .ci-icon {
      background: var(--gold-dim);
    }

    .ci-item>div:last-child {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      gap: 0.15rem;
    }

    .ci-item span {
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.1em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--muted);
    }

    .ci-item strong {
      font-family: 'Syne', sans-serif;
      font-size: 0.88rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      color: #fff;
      line-height: 1.4;
    }

    .ci-item:hover strong {
      color: var(--gold);
    }

    /* Socials */
    .connect-socials {
      display: flex;
      gap: 0.65rem;
      margin-top: 2rem;
    }

    .connect-socials a {
      width: 2.4rem;
      height: 2.4rem;
      border: 1px solid var(--mid);
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      color: var(--muted);
      font-size: 0.82rem;
      text-decoration: none;
      transition: border-color 0.25s, color 0.25s, background 0.25s;
    }

    .connect-socials a:hover {
      border-color: var(--gold);
      color: var(--gold);
      background: var(--gold-dim);
    }

    /* ── Right panel: Form wrapper ── */
    .cf-wrapper {
      background: #111;
      border: 1px solid var(--mid);
      padding: 2.75rem 2.5rem 2.5rem;
      position: relative;
    }

    .cf-wrapper::before {
      content: '';
      position: absolute;
      top: 0;
      left: 0;
      right: 0;
      height: 2px;
      background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--gold) 0%, transparent 70%);
    }

    @media (max-width: 540px) {
      .cf-wrapper {
        padding: 2rem 1.25rem 1.75rem;
      }
    }

    /* Step indicator */
    .cf-steps {
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      margin-bottom: 2rem;
    }

    .cf-step {
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 0.45rem;
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.6rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.08em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--muted);
      transition: color 0.3s;
      white-space: nowrap;
    }

    .cf-step.active {
      color: var(--gold);
    }

    .cf-step.done {
      color: rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.5);
    }

    .cf-step-num {
      width: 1.55rem;
      height: 1.55rem;
      border: 1px solid currentColor;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      flex-shrink: 0;
      transition: background 0.3s;
    }

    .cf-step.active .cf-step-num {
      background: var(--gold);
      border-color: var(--gold);
      color: #000;
      font-weight: 700;
    }

    .cf-step.done .cf-step-num {
      background: rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.15);
    }

    .cf-step-divider {
      flex: 1;
      height: 1px;
      background: var(--mid);
      margin: 0 0.6rem;
    }

    /* Progress bar */
    .cf-progress {
      height: 2px;
      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
      margin-bottom: 2rem;
    }

    .cf-progress-fill {
      height: 100%;
      background: var(--gold);
      transition: width 0.4s ease;
    }

    /* Panels */
    .cf-panel {
      display: none;
      flex-direction: column;
      gap: 1.2rem;
    }

    .cf-panel.active {
      display: flex;
    }

    /* Form groups */
    .form-row {
      display: grid;
      grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
      gap: 1rem;
    }

    @media (max-width: 480px) {
      .form-row {
        grid-template-columns: 1fr;
      }
    }

    .form-group {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      gap: 0.4rem;
    }

    .form-group label {
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.6rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.1em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--muted);
    }

    .form-group input,
    .form-group select,
    .form-group textarea {
      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03);
      border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
      color: #fff;
      font-family: 'Syne', sans-serif;
      font-size: 0.9rem;
      padding: 0.78rem 1rem;
      outline: none;
      transition: border-color 0.25s, background 0.25s;
      border-radius: 0;
      width: 100%;
      box-sizing: border-box;
      -webkit-appearance: none;
      appearance: none;
    }

    .form-group input::placeholder,
    .form-group textarea::placeholder {
      color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.18);
    }

    .form-group input:focus,
    .form-group select:focus,
    .form-group textarea:focus {
      border-color: var(--gold);
      background: rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.04);
    }

    .form-group input.error,
    .form-group select.error,
    .form-group textarea.error {
      border-color: #e05555;
    }

    .form-error-msg {
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      color: #e05555;
      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
      display: none;
    }

    .form-error-msg.visible {
      display: block;
    }

    /* Select arrow */
    .select-wrap {
      position: relative;
    }

    .select-wrap::after {
      content: '\f078';
      font-family: 'Font Awesome 6 Free';
      font-weight: 900;
      position: absolute;
      right: 1rem;
      top: 50%;
      transform: translateY(-50%);
      color: var(--gold);
      font-size: 0.55rem;
      pointer-events: none;
    }

    .select-wrap select {
      padding-right: 2.5rem;
      cursor: pointer;
    }

    .form-group select option {
      background: #1a1a1a;
      color: #fff;
    }

    /* Service pills */
    .service-pills {
      display: flex;
      flex-wrap: wrap;
      gap: 0.5rem;
    }

    .service-pill {
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.06em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      padding: 0.38rem 0.8rem;
      border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
      color: var(--muted);
      cursor: pointer;
      transition: border-color 0.2s, color 0.2s, background 0.2s;
      user-select: none;
    }

    .service-pill:hover {
      border-color: rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.4);
      color: rgba(214, 168, 82, 0.75);
    }

    .service-pill.selected {
      border-color: var(--gold);
      color: var(--gold);
      background: var(--gold-dim);
    }

    /* Textarea char count */
    .textarea-wrap {
      position: relative;
    }

    .char-count {
      position: absolute;
      bottom: 0.6rem;
      right: 0.75rem;
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.52rem;
      color: var(--muted);
      pointer-events: none;
    }

    .textarea-wrap textarea {
      padding-bottom: 1.8rem;
      resize: vertical;
    }

    /* Nav buttons */
    .cf-nav {
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: space-between;
      margin-top: 0.5rem;
      gap: 1rem;
    }

    .btn-cf-back {
      background: none;
      border: 1px solid var(--mid);
      color: var(--muted);
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.62rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.1em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      padding: 0.7rem 1.2rem;
      cursor: pointer;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 0.45rem;
      transition: border-color 0.2s, color 0.2s;
    }

    .btn-cf-back:hover {
      border-color: var(--gold);
      color: var(--gold);
    }

    .btn-cf-next,
    .btn-cf-submit {
      background: var(--gold);
      border: none;
      color: #000;
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.62rem;
      font-weight: 700;
      letter-spacing: 0.12em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      padding: 0.85rem 1.75rem;
      cursor: pointer;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 0.55rem;
      transition: background 0.25s, transform 0.2s;
      white-space: nowrap;
      margin-left: auto;
    }

    .btn-cf-next:hover,
    .btn-cf-submit:hover {
      background: #e8b85a;
      transform: translateY(-1px);
    }

    /* Success */
    .form-success {
      display: none;
      flex-direction: column;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      text-align: center;
      padding: 3.5rem 2rem;
      gap: 1rem;
    }

    .form-success.visible {
      display: flex;
    }

    .success-icon {
      width: 4rem;
      height: 4rem;
      border: 1px solid var(--gold);
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      color: var(--gold);
      font-size: 1.5rem;
      margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
    }

    .form-success h3 {
      font-family: 'Syne', sans-serif;
      font-size: 1.6rem;
      font-weight: 800;
      color: #fff;
    }

    .form-success p {
      color: var(--muted);
      font-size: 0.85rem;
      line-height: 1.6;
      max-width: 300px;
    }

    /* Map */
    .map-wrap {
      margin-top: 6rem;
      border-top: 1px solid var(--mid);
      position: relative;
    }

    .map-wrap::before {
      content: 'Our Location';
      font-family: 'Space Mono', monospace;
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.15em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--gold);
      position: absolute;
      top: -0.75rem;
      left: 0;
      background: var(--dark);
      padding-right: 1rem;
    }

    .map-wrap iframe {
      width: 100%;
      height: 360px;
      display: block;
      border: none;
      margin-top: 2.5rem;
      filter: grayscale(100%) invert(88%) contrast(88%);
    }
  

/* ── v8 connect enhancements ── */
:root {
  --gold: #E8C84A;
  --gold-dim: rgba(232, 200, 74, 0.14);
}

.ci-item {
  transition: color 0.25s, padding-left 0.25s, background 0.25s;
  border-radius: 4px;
}
.ci-item:hover {
  padding-left: 6px;
  background: rgba(232,200,74,0.03);
}

.ci-icon {
  border-color: rgba(232,200,74,0.35) !important;
  transition: background 0.25s, border-color 0.25s, box-shadow 0.25s;
}
.ci-item:hover .ci-icon {
  background: rgba(232,200,74,0.1);
  border-color: var(--gold) !important;
  box-shadow: 0 0 12px rgba(232,200,74,0.2);
}