diff --git a/crates/spaceshd/src/config.rs b/crates/spaceshd/src/config.rs
index 3197e5f..3a251b6 100644
--- a/crates/spaceshd/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/spaceshd/src/config.rs
@@ -4,14 +4,34 @@
 //! partial config never breaks startup.
 
 use std::path::Path;
-use serde::Deserialize;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+pub struct TerminalConfig {
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub font_family: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub font_size: Option<u16>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+pub struct AppearanceConfig {
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub theme: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub accent: Option<String>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct Config {
     /// Shell launched for plain (no-command) panels. When unset, the daemon
     /// auto-detects the user's login shell.
-    #[serde(default)]
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub default_shell: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub terminal: TerminalConfig,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub appearance: AppearanceConfig,
 }
 
 impl Config {
@@ -27,6 +47,23 @@ impl Config {
             Err(_) => Self::default(),
         }
     }
+
+    /// Persist to `~/.spacesh/config.toml`.
+    pub fn save(&self) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        let dir = crate::lifecycle::spacesh_dir()
+            .map_err(|e| std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::Other, e.to_string()))?;
+        self.save_to(&dir.join("config.toml"))
+    }
+
+    /// Persist to an arbitrary path. Creates the parent directory if needed.
+    pub fn save_to(&self, path: &Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
+        }
+        let s = toml::to_string_pretty(self)
+            .map_err(|e| std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::Other, e.to_string()))?;
+        std::fs::write(path, s)
+    }
 }
 
 /// Resolve the shell to spawn for a plain panel.
@@ -98,4 +135,41 @@ mod tests {
         std::env::remove_var("SPACESH_SHELL");
         assert_eq!(s, "/tmp/fake-shell");
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_terminal_and_appearance() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("spacesh-cfg-sections-{}", std::process::id()));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        let path = dir.join("config.toml");
+        std::fs::write(&path,
+            "default_shell = \"/bin/zsh\"\n[terminal]\nfont_family = \"Menlo\"\nfont_size = 15\n[appearance]\ntheme = \"light\"\naccent = \"teal\"\n").unwrap();
+        let c = Config::from_path(&path);
+        assert_eq!(c.terminal.font_family.as_deref(), Some("Menlo"));
+        assert_eq!(c.terminal.font_size, Some(15));
+        assert_eq!(c.appearance.theme.as_deref(), Some("light"));
+        assert_eq!(c.appearance.accent.as_deref(), Some("teal"));
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn missing_sections_default() {
+        let c = Config::from_path(Path::new("/no/such/cfg.toml"));
+        assert!(c.terminal.font_family.is_none());
+        assert!(c.appearance.theme.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn save_then_reload_round_trips() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("spacesh-cfg-save-{}", std::process::id()));
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).unwrap();
+        let path = dir.join("config.toml");
+        let mut c = Config::default();
+        c.terminal.font_size = Some(14);
+        c.appearance.accent = Some("purple".into());
+        c.save_to(&path).unwrap();
+        let back = Config::from_path(&path);
+        assert_eq!(back.terminal.font_size, Some(14));
+        assert_eq!(back.appearance.accent.as_deref(), Some("purple"));
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
 }