diff --git a/packages/react/src/components/DTCard.tsx b/packages/react/src/components/DTCard.tsx
index cdc029e..08bf9ff 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/components/DTCard.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/components/DTCard.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
  *
  * The progress bar is a structural element on the left edge (0 to bevel-sm).
  * It is always present. At 0 progress it shows surface color (empty bar).
- * As progress increases, accent color fills from the bottom up.
+ * As progress increases, accent color fills from top to bottom.
+ * When progress is omitted, the bar stays empty (full card, no fill).
  */
 
 import type { ReactNode, CSSProperties } from 'react';
@@ -22,8 +23,14 @@ interface DTCardProps {
   title?: string;
   /** Whether to show the accent header bar @default true when title is provided */
   showHeader?: boolean;
-  /** Progress value (0–100) for left-edge vertical progress bar @default 0 */
+  /** Dismiss callback — renders a close button in the header bar */
+  onDismiss?: () => void;
+  /** Progress value (0–100) for left-edge vertical progress bar. Omit for empty bar. */
   progress?: number;
+  /** Grow to fill available space in flex/grid containers @default false */
+  grow?: boolean;
+  /** Which area expands when grow is true @default 'body' */
+  growArea?: 'body' | 'title';
   className?: string;
   style?: CSSProperties;
   onClick?: () => void;
@@ -34,12 +41,15 @@ export function DTCard({
   variant = 'normal',
   title,
   showHeader,
-  progress = 0,
+  onDismiss,
+  progress,
+  grow = false,
+  growArea = 'body',
   className,
   style,
   onClick,
 }: DTCardProps) {
-  const shouldShowHeader = showHeader ?? !!title;
+  const shouldShowHeader = showHeader ?? !!(title || onDismiss);
   const Tag = onClick ? 'button' : 'div';
 
   return (
@@ -47,17 +57,36 @@ export function DTCard({
       className={cx(
         'card',
         getVariantClass(variant),
+        grow && 'dt-card-grow',
+        grow && growArea === 'title' && 'dt-card-grow-title',
         className,
       )}
       style={{
         ...style,
-        '--dt-card-progress': progress,
+        ...(progress != null && { '--dt-card-progress': progress }),
       } as CSSProperties}
       onClick={onClick}
       type={onClick ? 'button' : undefined}>
       {shouldShowHeader && (
-        <div className="card-title">
-          {title}
+        <div className="card-title" style={onDismiss ? { display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center' } : undefined}>
+          <span>{title}</span>
+          {onDismiss && (
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={(e) => { e.stopPropagation(); onDismiss(); }}
+              aria-label="Close"
+              style={{
+                background: 'none',
+                border: 'none',
+                color: 'inherit',
+                cursor: 'pointer',
+                padding: 0,
+                fontSize: '1.25rem',
+                lineHeight: 1,
+              }}>
+              &#x2715;
+            </button>
+          )}
         </div>
       )}
       {children}
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/bevels.css b/packages/web/src/components/bevels.css
index 526fb2d..3208c01 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/bevels.css
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/bevels.css
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 [data-brand="dt"] .card {
   --dt-card-progress: 0;
   --_card-pad: var(--space-6);
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
   position: relative;
   isolation: isolate;
   background: var(--dt-card-color, var(--color-primary));
@@ -54,7 +56,8 @@
 
 /* Card Progress Bar — structural fill area on the left edge
    Sits between the 3px frame borders, follows bottom-left bevel diagonal.
-   Gradient fills from bottom (accent) to top (surface) based on --dt-card-progress.
+   Gradient fills top-to-bottom based on --dt-card-progress so the card
+   visually "opens" as the bar descends.
    Filled portion: fully opaque accent color. Unfilled portion: semi-transparent surface.
    At 0%: all semi-transparent surface. At 100%: all opaque accent.
    Override --dt-progress-empty-opacity to control unfilled portion transparency. */
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@
       calc(var(--bevel-sm) - 3px) calc(100% - 6px),
       3px calc(100% - var(--bevel-sm)));
 
-  background: linear-gradient(to top,
+  background: linear-gradient(to bottom,
       rgba(var(--dt-card-color-rgb, var(--color-primary-rgb)), 1) calc(var(--dt-card-progress, 0) * 1%),
       rgba(var(--color-surface-rgb),
         var(--dt-progress-empty-opacity, 0.6)) calc(var(--dt-card-progress, 0) * 1%));
@@ -85,6 +88,26 @@
   z-index: 2;
 }
 
+/* Card Grow — stretch to fill available space in flex/grid containers.
+   By default the body (content area) grows. Use .dt-card-grow-title to
+   grow the header instead. */
+.dt-card-grow {
+  flex: 1 1 0%;
+  height: 100%;
+}
+
+.dt-card-grow > .card-title {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+}
+
+.dt-card-grow:not(.dt-card-grow-title) > :last-child {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+}
+
+.dt-card-grow.dt-card-grow-title > .card-title {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+}
+
 /* Card Header — storefront .card-header pattern
    Title starts at bevel-sm (past the progress bar zone) and extends to the right edge.
    Below it, the ::before dark surface shows through for the body area. */
@@ -102,7 +125,6 @@
   background: var(--dt-card-color, var(--color-primary));
   color: var(--color-bg);
   font-weight: 900;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
   letter-spacing: 0.05em;
   font-size: 1rem;
   position: relative;
@@ -125,11 +147,10 @@
   background: var(--dt-card-color, var(--color-primary));
 }
 
-/* Bottom-right bevel on card body content (img/video). Clip-path matches
+/* Bottom-right bevel on card body content. Clip-path matches
    the card's inner surface bevel so the 3px structural border is visible
-   at the diagonal corner. Badge is not clipped (it's a sibling, not img). */
-[data-brand="dt"] .card-body-flush > img,
-[data-brand="dt"] .card-body-flush > video {
+   at the diagonal corner. Badge overlays are excluded. */
+[data-brand="dt"] .card-body-flush > *:not(.dt-card-badge) {
   display: block;
   clip-path: polygon(
       0% 0%,
@@ -272,6 +293,37 @@
   color: var(--color-bg);
 }
 
+/* Mode-variant badges — bridge .mode-* vars to badge color vars */
+[data-brand="dt"] .badge.mode-normal {
+  --badge-border-color: var(--mode-normal);
+  --badge-fill: var(--mode-normal);
+  color: var(--color-bg);
+}
+
+[data-brand="dt"] .badge.mode-emphasis {
+  --badge-border-color: var(--mode-emphasis);
+  --badge-fill: var(--mode-emphasis);
+  color: var(--color-bg);
+}
+
+[data-brand="dt"] .badge.mode-warning {
+  --badge-border-color: var(--mode-warning);
+  --badge-fill: var(--mode-warning);
+  color: var(--color-bg);
+}
+
+[data-brand="dt"] .badge.mode-success {
+  --badge-border-color: var(--mode-success);
+  --badge-fill: var(--mode-success);
+  color: var(--color-bg);
+}
+
+[data-brand="dt"] .badge.mode-other {
+  --badge-border-color: var(--mode-other);
+  --badge-fill: var(--mode-other);
+  color: var(--color-bg);
+}
+
 /* ============================================================================
    Opt-in Bevel Utility Classes
    Use these for custom elements that need bevel shapes
@@ -352,7 +404,6 @@
   font-size: 0.75rem;
   font-weight: 700;
   letter-spacing: 0.1em;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
   pointer-events: none;
 }
 
@@ -369,7 +420,6 @@
   font-size: 0.75rem;
   font-weight: 700;
   letter-spacing: 0.1em;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
   background: var(--color-surface);
 }
 
@@ -508,7 +558,6 @@
   padding: 2px calc(8px + 0.2rem) 2px 8px;
   font-size: 0.75rem;
   font-weight: 700;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
   letter-spacing: 0.1em;
   background-color: var(--dt-card-color, var(--color-primary));
   color: var(--color-bg);
@@ -542,7 +591,6 @@
   font-weight: 600;
   font-size: 0.875rem;
   letter-spacing: 0.05em;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
   cursor: pointer;
   transition: background-color var(--transition-fast),
     color var(--transition-fast),