diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/gitlab-theme.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/gitlab-theme.scss
index 3f877d86a26..91ab1503439 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/gitlab-theme.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/gitlab-theme.scss
@@ -21,57 +21,66 @@
       background: $color-darker;
     }
 
-    .nav-sidebar li {
-      a {
-        color: $color-light;
+    .sidebar-header,
+    .sidebar-action-buttons {
+      color: $color-light;
+      background-color: lighten($color-darker, 5%);
+    }
 
-        &:hover,
-        &:focus,
-        &:active {
-          background: $color-dark;
-        }
-
-        i {
+    .nav-sidebar {
+      li {
+        a {
           color: $color-light;
+
+          &:hover,
+          &:focus,
+          &:active {
+            background: $color-dark;
+          }
+
+          i {
+            color: $color-light;
+          }
+
+          path,
+          polygon {
+            fill: $color-light;
+          }
+
+          .count {
+            color: $color-light;
+            background: $color-dark;
+          }
+
+          svg {
+            position: relative;
+            top: 3px;
+          }
         }
 
-        path,
-        polygon {
-          fill: $color-light;
+        &.separate-item {
+          border-top: 1px solid $color;
         }
 
-        .count {
-          color: $color-light;
-          background: $color-dark;
-        }
-
-        svg {
-          position: relative;
-          top: 3px;
-        }
-      }
-
-      &.separate-item {
-        border-top: 1px solid $color;
-      }
-
-      &.active a {
-        color: $white-light;
-        background: $color-dark;
-
-        &.no-highlight {
-          border: none;
-        }
-
-        i {
+        &.active a {
           color: $white-light;
-        }
+          background: $color-dark;
 
-        path,
-        polygon {
-          fill: $white-light;
+          &.no-highlight {
+            border: none;
+          }
+
+          i {
+            color: $white-light;
+          }
+
+          path,
+          polygon {
+            fill: $white-light;
+          }
         }
       }
+
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/header.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/header.scss
index 53ee1ed309e..4993ca7572a 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/header.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/header.scss
@@ -49,12 +49,16 @@ header {
         font-size: 18px;
         padding: 0;
         margin: ($header-height - 28) / 2 0;
-        margin-left: 10px;
+        margin-left: 8px;
         height: 28px;
         min-width: 28px;
         line-height: 28px;
         text-align: center;
 
+        &.header-user-dropdown-toggle {
+          margin-left: 14px;
+        }
+
         &:hover,
         &:focus,
         &:active {
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/sidebar.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/sidebar.scss
index c54f7b27575..d74c14ee2a4 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/sidebar.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/framework/sidebar.scss
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@
     padding: 0 !important;
   }
 
+  .sidebar-header {
+    padding: 11px 22px 12px;
+    font-size: 20px;
+  }
+
   li {
     &.separate-item {
       padding-top: 10px;
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
index 7faa8bded86..7a9859262f7 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@
                 = icon('bell fw')
                 %span.badge.todos-pending-count{ class: ("hidden" if todos_pending_count == 0) }
                   = todos_pending_count
-            - if current_user.can_create_project?
-              %li
-                = link_to new_project_path, title: 'New project', aria: { label: "New project" }, data: {toggle: 'tooltip', placement: 'bottom', container: 'body'} do
-                  = icon('plus fw')
             - if Gitlab::Sherlock.enabled?
               %li
                 = link_to sherlock_transactions_path, title: 'Sherlock Transactions',
@@ -48,6 +44,8 @@
                     = link_to "Profile", current_user, class: 'profile-link', aria: { label: "Profile" }, data: { user: current_user.username }
                   %li
                     = link_to "Profile Settings", profile_path, aria: { label: "Profile Settings" }
+                  %li
+                    = link_to "Help", help_path, aria: { label: "Help" }
                   %li.divider
                   %li
                     = link_to "Sign out", destroy_user_session_path, method: :delete, class: "sign-out-link", aria: { label: "Sign out" }
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/nav/_dashboard.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/nav/_dashboard.html.haml
index 3b1295dc3c0..a0356feef95 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/nav/_dashboard.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/nav/_dashboard.html.haml
@@ -1,49 +1,38 @@
-%ul.nav.nav-sidebar
-  = nav_link(path: ['root#index', 'projects#trending', 'projects#starred', 'dashboard/projects#index'], html_options: {class: "#{project_tab_class} home"}) do
-    = link_to dashboard_projects_path, title: 'Projects', class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-projects' do
-      %span
-        Projects
-  = nav_link(controller: :todos) do
-    = link_to dashboard_todos_path, title: 'Todos' do
-      %span
-        Todos
-        %span.count.js-todos-count= number_with_delimiter(todos_pending_count)
-  = nav_link(path: 'dashboard#activity') do
-    = link_to activity_dashboard_path, class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-activity', title: 'Activity' do
-      %span
-        Activity
-  - if koding_enabled?
-    = nav_link(controller: :koding) do
-      = link_to koding_path, title: 'Koding' do
+.nav-sidebar
+  .sidebar-header Across GitLab
+  %ul.nav
+    = nav_link(path: ['root#index', 'projects#trending', 'projects#starred', 'dashboard/projects#index'], html_options: {class: "#{project_tab_class} home"}) do
+      = link_to dashboard_projects_path, title: 'Projects', class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-projects' do
         %span
-          Koding
-  = nav_link(controller: [:groups, 'groups/milestones', 'groups/group_members']) do
-    = link_to dashboard_groups_path, title: 'Groups' do
-      %span
-        Groups
-  = nav_link(controller: 'dashboard/milestones') do
-    = link_to dashboard_milestones_path, title: 'Milestones' do
-      %span
-        Milestones
-  = nav_link(path: 'dashboard#issues') do
-    = link_to assigned_issues_dashboard_path, title: 'Issues', class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-issues' do
-      %span
-        Issues
-        %span.count= number_with_delimiter(current_user.assigned_issues.opened.count)
-  = nav_link(path: 'dashboard#merge_requests') do
-    = link_to assigned_mrs_dashboard_path, title: 'Merge Requests', class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-merge_requests' do
-      %span
-        Merge Requests
-        %span.count= number_with_delimiter(current_user.assigned_merge_requests.opened.count)
-  = nav_link(controller: 'dashboard/snippets') do
-    = link_to dashboard_snippets_path, title: 'Snippets' do
-      %span
-        Snippets
-  = nav_link(controller: :help) do
-    = link_to help_path, title: 'Help' do
-      %span
-        Help
-  = nav_link(html_options: {class: profile_tab_class}) do
-    = link_to profile_path, title: 'Profile Settings', data: {placement: 'bottom'} do
-      %span
-        Profile Settings
+          Projects
+    = nav_link(path: 'dashboard#activity') do
+      = link_to activity_dashboard_path, class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-activity', title: 'Activity' do
+        %span
+          Activity
+    - if koding_enabled?
+      = nav_link(controller: :koding) do
+        = link_to koding_path, title: 'Koding' do
+          %span
+            Koding
+    = nav_link(controller: [:groups, 'groups/milestones', 'groups/group_members']) do
+      = link_to dashboard_groups_path, title: 'Groups' do
+        %span
+          Groups
+    = nav_link(controller: 'dashboard/milestones') do
+      = link_to dashboard_milestones_path, title: 'Milestones' do
+        %span
+          Milestones
+    = nav_link(path: 'dashboard#issues') do
+      = link_to assigned_issues_dashboard_path, title: 'Issues', class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-issues' do
+        %span
+          Issues
+          %span.count= number_with_delimiter(current_user.assigned_issues.opened.count)
+    = nav_link(path: 'dashboard#merge_requests') do
+      = link_to assigned_mrs_dashboard_path, title: 'Merge Requests', class: 'dashboard-shortcuts-merge_requests' do
+        %span
+          Merge Requests
+          %span.count= number_with_delimiter(current_user.assigned_merge_requests.opened.count)
+    = nav_link(controller: 'dashboard/snippets') do
+      = link_to dashboard_snippets_path, title: 'Snippets' do
+        %span
+          Snippets