diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py
index 06de449..22b750d 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py
@@ -6,16 +6,28 @@ import os
 
 static_dir = 'static'
 components_dir = os.path.join(static_dir, 'components')
-
+to_compile = [
+    ('notebooks', 'style.less'),
+    ('tree', 'style.less'),
+    ('auth', 'style.less')
+]
 
 def css(minify=True):
     """generate the css from less files"""
+    for subdir, filename in to_compile:
+        _compile_less(subdir, filename, minify=minify)
+
+
+def _compile_less(subdir, filename, minify=True):
     if minify not in ['True', 'False', True, False]:
         abort('minify must be Boolean')
     minify = (minify in ['True',True])
-
     min_flag= '-x' if minify is True else ''
     lessc = os.path.join('components', 'less.js', 'bin', 'lessc')
+
+    source = os.path.join(subdir, 'less', filename)
+    target = os.path.join(subdir, 'css', filename.replace('.less','.min.css'))
+    subdir = os.path.join(static_dir, subdir)
     with lcd(static_dir):
-        local('{lessc} {min_flag} less/style.less css/style.min.css'.format(**locals()))
+        local('{lessc} {min_flag} {source} {target}'.format(**locals()))
 
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/auth/less/variables.less b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/auth/less/variables.less
index ab895c5..7e01b2a 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/auth/less/variables.less
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/auth/less/variables.less
@@ -1 +1 @@
-// Bootstrap customizations specific to this page.
+// Our global less variables for this page go here
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/base.less b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/base.less
index d0f0249..77a557b 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/base.less
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/base.less
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Our base less styles. This should be @import'ed by the main .less
 // files of each page. This file should not itself be compiled to css.
 
-@import "../../../components/bootstrap/less/bootstrap.less";
+@import "../../components/bootstrap/less/bootstrap.less";
 @import "variables.less";
 @import "mixins.less";
 @import "flexbox.less";
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less
index 084d40f..8d706e0 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/less/variables.less
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
-// Our customizations to bootstrap no here.
+// Our customizations to bootstrap go here.
 
 @textColor:             @black;
+
+// Our own global variables for all pages go here
+
+@corner_radius:					4px;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/notebooks/less/variables.less b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/notebooks/less/variables.less
index 910d296..b4c18fe 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/notebooks/less/variables.less
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/notebooks/less/variables.less
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 // Bootstrap customizations specific to this page.
 
-@corner_radius:					4px;
+
+// Our own global variables for this page
+
 @notebook_background: 			white;
 @cell_selected_background: 		darken(@notebook_background, 2%);
 @cell_background: 				darken(@notebook_background, 3.2%);
@@ -8,4 +10,4 @@
 @light_border_color:			darken(@cell_selected_background, 17%);
 @borderwidth:					1px;
 @fontBaseColor:					black;
-@baseFontSize:					30pt;
+