diff --git a/components/search-modal.tsx b/components/search-modal.tsx
index 4b3303b..54ea09d 100644
--- a/components/search-modal.tsx
+++ b/components/search-modal.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use client';
 
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 import { FontAwesomeIcon } from '@fortawesome/react-fontawesome';
 import { faMagnifyingGlass, faXmark } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
 
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ export function SearchModal({ isOpen, onClose }: SearchModalProps) {
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!isOpen) return;
 
+    let link: HTMLLinkElement | null = null;
+    let script: HTMLScriptElement | null = null;
+
     // Load Pagefind UI dynamically when modal opens
     const loadPagefind = async () => {
       if (pagefindUIRef.current) {
@@ -26,18 +30,19 @@ export function SearchModal({ isOpen, onClose }: SearchModalProps) {
 
       try {
         // Load Pagefind UI CSS
-        const link = document.createElement('link');
+        link = document.createElement('link');
         link.rel = 'stylesheet';
         link.href = '/pagefind/pagefind-ui.css';
         document.head.appendChild(link);
 
         // Load Pagefind UI JS
-        const script = document.createElement('script');
+        script = document.createElement('script');
         script.src = '/pagefind/pagefind-ui.js';
         script.onload = () => {
           if (searchContainerRef.current && (window as any).PagefindUI) {
             pagefindUIRef.current = new (window as any).PagefindUI({
               element: searchContainerRef.current,
+              bundlePath: '/pagefind/',
               showSubResults: true,
               showImages: false,
               excerptLength: 15,
@@ -75,6 +80,20 @@ export function SearchModal({ isOpen, onClose }: SearchModalProps) {
     };
 
     loadPagefind();
+
+    // Cleanup function to prevent duplicate initializations
+    return () => {
+      if (link && link.parentNode) {
+        link.parentNode.removeChild(link);
+      }
+      if (script && script.parentNode) {
+        script.parentNode.removeChild(script);
+      }
+      if (pagefindUIRef.current && pagefindUIRef.current.destroy) {
+        pagefindUIRef.current.destroy();
+        pagefindUIRef.current = null;
+      }
+    };
   }, [isOpen]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -102,9 +121,12 @@ export function SearchModal({ isOpen, onClose }: SearchModalProps) {
 
   if (!isOpen) return null;
 
-  return (
+  // Use portal to render modal at document body level to avoid z-index stacking context issues
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return null;
+
+  return createPortal(
     <div
-      className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-start justify-center bg-black/50 backdrop-blur-sm pt-20 px-4"
+      className="fixed inset-0 z-[9999] flex items-start justify-center bg-black/50 backdrop-blur-sm pt-20 px-4"
       onClick={onClose}
     >
       <div
@@ -153,7 +175,8 @@ export function SearchModal({ isOpen, onClose }: SearchModalProps) {
           </div>
         </div>
       </div>
-    </div>
+    </div>,
+    document.body
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/styles/globals.css b/styles/globals.css
index 91fef2e..a0c7c9a 100644
--- a/styles/globals.css
+++ b/styles/globals.css
@@ -267,47 +267,59 @@ body {
   }
 }
 
-/* Pagefind Search Styles */
-.pagefind-ui__search-input {
-  @apply w-full rounded-lg border border-slate-200 bg-white px-4 py-3 text-slate-900 placeholder:text-slate-400 focus:border-blue-500 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-200 dark:border-slate-700 dark:bg-slate-800 dark:text-slate-100 dark:placeholder:text-slate-500 dark:focus:ring-blue-500;
+/* Pagefind Search Styles - Use CSS variables to override defaults */
+:root {
+  --pagefind-ui-scale: 1;
+  --pagefind-ui-primary: #2563eb;
+  --pagefind-ui-text: #0f172a;
+  --pagefind-ui-background: #ffffff;
+  --pagefind-ui-border: #e2e8f0;
+  --pagefind-ui-tag: #f1f5f9;
+  --pagefind-ui-border-width: 1px;
+  --pagefind-ui-border-radius: 0.5rem;
+  --pagefind-ui-font: var(--font-system-sans);
 }
 
-.pagefind-ui__search-clear {
-  @apply rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-sm text-slate-500 hover:bg-slate-100 hover:text-slate-700 dark:text-slate-400 dark:hover:bg-slate-700 dark:hover:text-slate-200;
-}
-
-.pagefind-ui__results {
-  @apply space-y-4;
-}
-
-.pagefind-ui__result {
-  @apply rounded-lg border border-slate-200 bg-white p-4 transition-all hover:border-blue-300 hover:shadow-md dark:border-slate-700 dark:bg-slate-800 dark:hover:border-blue-600;
-}
-
-.pagefind-ui__result-link {
-  @apply text-blue-600 hover:text-blue-700 dark:text-blue-400 dark:hover:text-blue-300;
-  text-decoration: none;
+.dark {
+  --pagefind-ui-primary: #60a5fa;
+  --pagefind-ui-text: #f1f5f9;
+  --pagefind-ui-background: #0f172a;
+  --pagefind-ui-border: #475569;
+  --pagefind-ui-tag: #334155;
 }
 
+/* Enhanced text colors for better readability */
 .pagefind-ui__result-title {
-  @apply mb-2 text-lg font-semibold text-slate-900 dark:text-slate-100;
+  color: var(--pagefind-ui-text) !important;
+}
+
+.dark .pagefind-ui__result-title {
+  color: #f8fafc !important;
 }
 
 .pagefind-ui__result-excerpt {
-  @apply text-sm text-slate-600 dark:text-slate-300;
+  color: #475569 !important;
 }
 
+.dark .pagefind-ui__result-excerpt {
+  color: #cbd5e1 !important;
+}
+
+.pagefind-ui__result-link {
+  color: var(--pagefind-ui-primary) !important;
+}
+
+.dark .pagefind-ui__result-link {
+  color: #93c5fd !important;
+}
+
+/* Additional custom styling for highlights */
 .pagefind-ui__result-excerpt mark {
   @apply bg-yellow-200 font-semibold text-slate-900 dark:bg-yellow-600 dark:text-slate-100;
   padding: 0.125rem 0.25rem;
   border-radius: 0.25rem;
 }
 
-.pagefind-ui__message {
-  @apply text-center text-sm text-slate-500 dark:text-slate-400;
-  padding: 2rem 0;
-}
-
-.pagefind-ui__button {
-  @apply rounded-lg bg-blue-600 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-blue-700 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 dark:bg-blue-500 dark:hover:bg-blue-600;
+.pagefind-ui__search-input:focus {
+  @apply ring-2 ring-blue-500 dark:ring-blue-400;
 }
\ No newline at end of file