whew. i think that's the basics done.

app/templates/formatting.ipxe.j2

@@ -1,6 +1,33 @@
 #!ipxe
 
+{# Set background image and border #}
 console --picture {{ request.url_root }}ipxe/bg.png --left 32 --right 32 --top 32 --bottom 48
-
+{# Set colours #}
+{#
+https://ipxe.org/cmd/colour
+Colour index 	Basic ANSI colour
+0               0 (black)
+1               1 (red)
+2               2 (green)
+3               3 (yellow)
+4               15 (blue or transparent)1)
+5               5 (magenta)
+6               6 (cyan)
+7               7 (white)
+9               9 (default)2)
+##
+https://ipxe.org/cmd/cpair
+Pair index 	Usage 	                    Foreground colour index 	Background colour index
+0 	        Default colour 	            9 (default: white) 	        9 (default: black or transparent)
+1 	        Normal user interface text 	7 (white) 	                4 (blue or transparent)
+2 	        Highlighted text 	        7 (white) 	                1 (red)
+3 	        Separators 	                6 (cyan) 	                4 (blue or transparent)
+4 	        Editable text 	            0 (black) 	                6 (cyan)
+5 	        Error messages 	            7 (white) 	                1 (red)
+6 	        Help URLs 	                6 (cyan) 	                4 (blue or transparent)
+7 	        PXE menu selection 	        0 (black) 	                7 (white)
+#}
+cpair --foreground 0 --background 9 0{# Default #}
+cpair --foreground 0 --background 4 1{# UI Text #}
 {% block menu %}
 {% endblock %}

app/templates/main.ipxe.j2

@@ -1,21 +1,79 @@
 {% extends 'formatting.ipxe.j2' %}
 {% block menu%}
+{# NET ############################################################################################################## #}
+{#
+# Refresh the DHCP lease just in case.
 dhcp
-echo MAIN MENU
+#}
-
+{# ARCH DETECTION ################################################################################################### #}
 cpuid --ext 29 && set bits 64 || set bits 32
 cpuid --ext 29 && set arch x86_64 || set arch x86
-
+iseq ${platform} efi && set is_efi y || set is_efi n
+{# BASE ############################################################################################################# #}
 :main
 menu BootBox @ {{ request.url_root }}
 {% for mt in ('install', 'utilities') %}
-item --gap --   == {{ mt.upper() }} ==
+item --gap --   = {{ mt.upper() }} =
   {% for os in db.getMenu(mt) %}
 item --key {{ os['shortcut'] }} {{ os['name'] }}   ({{ os['shortcut'] }})   {{ os['desc'] }}
   {%- endfor %}
 {% endfor %}
-choose base
+choose --timeout 60 --default rescue base || goto cancel
-
+set menu-timeout 0
-echo Selected: ${base}
+goto ${base}
+{# CANCEL ########################################################################################################### #}
+:cancel
+echo iPXE canceled; continuing boot.
+goto exit
+{# REBOOT ########################################################################################################### #}
+:reboot
+reboot
+{# EXIT ############################################################################################################# #}
+:exit
+exit 0
+{# CONFIGURE ######################################################################################################## #}
+:config
+config
+goto main
+{# SHELL ############################################################################################################ #}
+:ipxe_shell
+echo To return to the menu, use the "exit" command.
 shell
+goto :main
+{# INSTALL ########################################################################################################## #}
+{%- for os in db.getMenu('install') %}
+:{{ os['name'] }}
+menu == {{ os['desc'] }} ==
+  {%- for sub_os in db.getMenu(os['name']) %}
+item --key {{ sub_os['shortcut'] }} {{ sub_os['name'] }}   ({{ sub_os['shortcut'] }})   {{ sub_os['desc'] }} (version: {{ sub_os['version'] }})
+  {%- endfor %}
+item --key < main   (<) Back to Main Menu
+choose --timeout 60 --default main install_choice || goto cancel
+set menu-timeout 0
+goto ${install_choice}
+{% endfor %}
+{# UTILITIES ######################################################################################################## #}
+{%- for u in db.getMenu('utilities') %}
+:{{ u['name'] }}
+  {%- if u['command'] %}
+    {%- if u['command'].startswith('chain ') %}
+{{ u['command'] }}
+    {%- else %}
+goto {{ u['name'] }}
+    {%- endif %}
+  {%- else %}
+menu === {{ u['desc'] }} ===
+    {%- for su in db.getMenu(u['name']) %}
+      {%- if su['name'] == 'uefi_shell' %}
+iseq ${is_efi} n && item --gap --   WARNING: Not detected as UEFI. These may not work correctly.
+      {%- endif %}
+item --key {{ su['shortcut'] }} {{ su['name'] }}    ({{ su['shortcut'] }})  {{ su['desc'] }} (version: {{ su['version'] }})
+    {%- endfor %}
+item --key < main   (<) Back to Main Menu
+choose --timeout 60 --default main {{ u['name'] }}_choice || goto cancel
+set menu-timeout 0
+goto {{'${'}}{{ u['name'] }}_choice{{ '}' }}
+  {%- endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+# END
 {% endblock %}