diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_colors.scss b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_colors.scss
index 0e7f22337..ecfe7b373 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_colors.scss
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_colors.scss
@@ -27,14 +27,6 @@ $osd_outer_borders_color: if($variant=='light', transparentize(black, 0.6), #3d3
 
 $tooltip_borders_color: $osd_outer_borders_color;
 
-$bubble_bg_color: if($variant == 'light', darken(white, 4%), $bg_color);
-$bubble_fg_color: if($variant == 'light', darken(#2e3436, 6%), $fg_color);
-$bubble_borders_color: if($variant == 'light', transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.75), $borders_color);
-$bubble_outer_borders_color: $osd_outer_borders_color;
-$bubble_hover_bg_color: transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.94);
-$bubble_active_bg_color: $selected_bg_color;//transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.84);
-$bubble_active_fg_color: $selected_fg_color;
-
 //insensitive state derived colors
 $insensitive_fg_color: mix($fg_color, $bg_color, 50%);
 $insensitive_bg_color: mix($bg_color, $base_color, 60%);
diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_common.scss b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_common.scss
index 0c66ff86f..5b4472a43 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_common.scss
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_common.scss
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ $cakeisalie: "This stylesheet is generated, DO NOT EDIT";
 
 $panel-corner-radius: 6px;
 $medium_radius: 9px;
+$bubble_bg_color: $bg_color;
+$bubble_fg_color: $fg_color;
+$bubble_borders_color: lighten($borders_color, if($variant=='light', 0%, 5%));
+$bubble_outer_borders_color: if($variant=='light', transparentize(black, 0.6), $borders_color);
+$bubble_hover_bg_color: transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.94);
+$bubble_active_bg_color: $selected_bg_color;//transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.84);
+$bubble_active_fg_color: $selected_fg_color;
 $_trough_color: transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.7);
 
 /* Copyright 2009, 2015 Red Hat, Inc.
@@ -731,7 +738,6 @@ StScrollBar {
   border: 1px solid $osd_outer_borders_color;
   border-radius: 12px;
   padding: 12px;
-  box-shadow: 0 3px 9px 1px transparentize(black, 0.5);
 }
 
 %bubble-entry {
@@ -746,7 +752,6 @@ StScrollBar {
   color: $bubble_fg_color;
   background-color: $bubble_bg_color;
   border: 1px solid $bubble_outer_borders_color;
-  box-shadow: 0 3px 9px 1px transparentize(black, 0.5); // to match with the notification banner but maybe no?
 
   StEntry { @extend %bubble-entry; }
   .button {
@@ -888,7 +893,7 @@ StScrollBar {
     .datemenu-displays-box { spacing: 1em; }
 
     .datemenu-calendar-column {
-      border: 0 solid transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.9);
+      border: 0 solid $bubble_borders_color;
       &:ltr { border-left-width: 1px; }
       &:rtl { border-right-width: 1px; }
     }
@@ -1378,7 +1383,7 @@ StScrollBar {
     color: $fg_color;
     background-color: $osd_bg_color;
     padding: 4px 0;
-    border: 1px solid $osd_outer_borders_color;
+    border: 1px solid $bubble_outer_borders_color;
     border-left: 0px;
     border-radius: 0px 9px 9px 0px;
 
@@ -1575,7 +1580,7 @@ StScrollBar {
 %overview-panel {
   color: $fg_color;
   background-color: $osd_bg_color;
-  border: 1px solid $osd_outer_borders_color;
+  border: 1px solid $bubble_outer_borders_color;
 }
 
 %status_text {
@@ -1594,9 +1599,9 @@ StScrollBar {
     width: 34em;
     margin: 5px;
     border-radius: $medium-radius;
-    border: none;
+    border: if($variant == 'light', none, $bubble_borders_color);
     min-height: 64px;
-    box-shadow: 0 3px 9px 1px transparentize(black, 0.5);
+    box-shadow: 0 1px 2px transparentize(black, 0.7);
     &:hover { background: $bubble_bg_color; }
     &, &:focus, &:active {
       background-color: $bubble_bg_color;
diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_drawing.scss b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_drawing.scss
index 50e834a5a..12fe656ea 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_drawing.scss
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_drawing.scss
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 
   @if $t==normal {
     background-color: $base_color;
-    border-color: $osd_outer_borders_color;
+    border-color: $bubble_outer_borders_color;
 
   }
   @if $t==focus {
diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_high-contrast-colors.scss b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_high-contrast-colors.scss
index e7c8ceb9b..af1e52f0c 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_high-contrast-colors.scss
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/_high-contrast-colors.scss
@@ -27,14 +27,6 @@ $osd_outer_borders_color: transparentize(white, 0.9);
 
 $tooltip_borders_color: $osd_outer_borders_color;
 
-$bubble_bg_color: if($variant == 'light', darken(white, 4%), $bg_color);
-$bubble_fg_color: if($variant == 'light', darken(#2e3436, 6%), $fg_color);
-$bubble_borders_color: if($variant == 'light', transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.75), $borders_color);
-$bubble_outer_borders_color: $osd_outer_borders_color;
-$bubble_hover_bg_color: transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.94);
-$bubble_active_bg_color: $selected_bg_color;//transparentize($bubble_fg_color, 0.84);
-$bubble_active_fg_color: $selected_fg_color;
-
 //insensitive state derived colors
 $insensitive_fg_color: mix($fg_color, $bg_color, 50%);
 $insensitive_bg_color: mix($bg_color, $base_color, 60%);
diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell.scss b/data/theme/gnome-shell.scss
index 3def5896c..62237fd5d 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell.scss
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell.scss
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-$variant: 'dark';
+$variant: 'light';
 
 @import "gnome-shell-sass/_colors"; //use gtk colors
 @import "gnome-shell-sass/_drawing";