diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
index 33a3193b..c9af2cd2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardCanvas.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import TetherLayer from './TetherLayer';
 import DashboardCardLayer from './DashboardCardLayer';
 import DashboardOverlays from './DashboardOverlays';
 import DashboardEmptyState from './DashboardEmptyState';
+import DesktopWallpaper from '../desktop/DesktopWallpaper';
 import type { ClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/claudeTokens';
 import { useThemeAccent, useThemeWash } from '@/shared/styles/ThemeContext';
 import { GRAIN_URL } from '@/shared/styles/grainTexture';
@@ -238,6 +239,8 @@ const DashboardCanvas: React.FC<DashboardCanvasProps> = ({
                 : 'default',
         }}
       >
+        <DesktopWallpaper />
+
         {/* Gradient wash: the user's theme-pad stops tint the canvas, Arc-window style; intensity + grain come from the theme device; sits under the dot grid. */}
         {gradient && gradient.length > 1 && (
           <Box
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/desktop/DesktopWallpaper.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/desktop/DesktopWallpaper.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1238bcb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/desktop/DesktopWallpaper.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import Box from '@mui/material/Box';
+import { useThemeMode } from '@/shared/styles/ThemeContext';
+
+/**
+ * Monterey-style layered wave wallpaper for the desktop-shell canvas. Pure SVG so it ships with
+ * the bundle, scales to any viewport, and stays crisp; sits under the wash/grain/dot-grid layers.
+ */
+function DesktopWallpaper(): React.ReactElement {
+  const { mode } = useThemeMode();
+  return (
+    <Box
+      aria-hidden
+      sx={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, pointerEvents: 'none', overflow: 'hidden' }}
+    >
+      <svg
+        width="100%"
+        height="100%"
+        viewBox="0 0 1600 1000"
+        preserveAspectRatio="xMidYMid slice"
+        style={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, display: 'block' }}
+      >
+        <defs>
+          <linearGradient id="osw-wp-sky" x1="0.5" y1="0" x2="0.5" y2="1">
+            <stop offset="0" stopColor="#d6d3e4" />
+            <stop offset="0.55" stopColor="#c39bc6" />
+            <stop offset="1" stopColor="#b06ab8" />
+          </linearGradient>
+          <linearGradient id="osw-wp-pinkridge" x1="0" y1="0" x2="0.6" y2="1">
+            <stop offset="0" stopColor="#e4a9c6" />
+            <stop offset="0.5" stopColor="#cb9bbf" />
+            <stop offset="1" stopColor="#bd5f92" />
+          </linearGradient>
+          <linearGradient id="osw-wp-redridge" x1="0.2" y1="0" x2="0.7" y2="1">
+            <stop offset="0" stopColor="#e2547e" />
+            <stop offset="0.55" stopColor="#c33f92" />
+            <stop offset="1" stopColor="#a5349b" />
+          </linearGradient>
+          <linearGradient id="osw-wp-purple" x1="0.1" y1="0.2" x2="0.8" y2="1">
+            <stop offset="0" stopColor="#9a3bbc" />
+            <stop offset="0.6" stopColor="#7726b8" />
+            <stop offset="1" stopColor="#641dab" />
+          </linearGradient>
+          <linearGradient id="osw-wp-indigo" x1="0.15" y1="0" x2="0.75" y2="1">
+            <stop offset="0" stopColor="#6716d5" />
+            <stop offset="0.65" stopColor="#3b1a9e" />
+            <stop offset="1" stopColor="#271581" />
+          </linearGradient>
+          <linearGradient id="osw-wp-violetcrest" x1="0" y1="0" x2="1" y2="0.8">
+            <stop offset="0" stopColor="#8f35e0" />
+            <stop offset="1" stopColor="#6716d5" />
+          </linearGradient>
+          <filter id="osw-wp-soft" x="-10%" y="-10%" width="120%" height="120%">
+            <feGaussianBlur stdDeviation="7" />
+          </filter>
+        </defs>
+
+        <rect width="1600" height="1000" fill="url(#osw-wp-sky)" />
+
+        {/* Far pink ridge sweeping the right half */}
+        <path
+          d="M820,0 C980,260 1120,380 1320,330 C1450,296 1540,220 1600,150 L1600,1000 L820,1000 Z"
+          fill="url(#osw-wp-pinkridge)"
+          filter="url(#osw-wp-soft)"
+          opacity="0.9"
+        />
+
+        {/* Red-magenta ridge descending from the top-left */}
+        <path
+          d="M0,0 L560,0 C480,150 520,300 660,470 C540,650 300,640 0,720 Z"
+          fill="url(#osw-wp-redridge)"
+        />
+
+        {/* Mid magenta band bridging center */}
+        <path
+          d="M0,560 C340,430 620,520 900,660 C1120,770 1380,720 1600,600 L1600,1000 L0,1000 Z"
+          fill="#ab37ad"
+          opacity="0.85"
+          filter="url(#osw-wp-soft)"
+        />
+
+        {/* Deep purple shoulder, left */}
+        <path
+          d="M0,520 C260,470 470,560 640,740 C460,900 200,850 0,880 Z"
+          fill="url(#osw-wp-purple)"
+        />
+
+        {/* Violet crest above the foreground wave */}
+        <path
+          d="M0,830 C360,680 760,850 1060,780 C1280,730 1460,800 1600,740 L1600,1000 L0,1000 Z"
+          fill="url(#osw-wp-violetcrest)"
+          opacity="0.92"
+        />
+
+        {/* Foreground indigo wave */}
+        <path
+          d="M0,880 C320,760 720,910 1020,850 C1260,802 1470,880 1600,830 L1600,1000 L0,1000 Z"
+          fill="url(#osw-wp-indigo)"
+        />
+      </svg>
+      {mode === 'dark' && (
+        <Box sx={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, background: 'rgba(12,6,24,0.38)' }} />
+      )}
+    </Box>
+  );
+}
+
+export default DesktopWallpaper;