diff --git a/cms/static/sass/partials/_variables.scss b/cms/static/sass/partials/_variables.scss
index 933c377ed5..69912569b1 100644
--- a/cms/static/sass/partials/_variables.scss
+++ b/cms/static/sass/partials/_variables.scss
@@ -37,190 +37,190 @@ $f-monospace: 'Bitstream Vera Sans Mono', Consolas, Courier, monospace;
 
 // +Colors - Utility
 // ====================
-$transparent: rgba(0,0,0,0); // used when color value is needed for UI width/transitions but element is transparent
+$transparent: rgba(0,0,0,0) !default; // used when color value is needed for UI width/transitions but element is transparent
 
 // +Colors - UXPL new pattern library colors
 // ====================
-$uxpl-blue-base: rgb(0, 117, 180); // wcag2a compliant
-$uxpl-blue-hover-active: rgb(6, 86, 131); // wcag2a compliant
+$uxpl-blue-base: rgb(0, 117, 180) !default; // wcag2a compliant
+$uxpl-blue-hover-active: rgb(6, 86, 131) !default; // wcag2a compliant
 
-$uxpl-green-base: rgb(0, 129, 0); // wcag2a compliant
-$uxpl-green-hover-active: rgb(0, 155, 0); // wcag2a compliant
+$uxpl-green-base: rgb(0, 129, 0) !default; // wcag2a compliant
+$uxpl-green-hover-active: rgb(0, 155, 0) !default; // wcag2a compliant
 
-$uxpl-pink-base: rgb(194, 56, 125); // wcag2a compliant
-$uxpl-pink-hover-active: lighten($uxpl-pink-base, 7%); // wcag2a compliant
+$uxpl-pink-base: rgb(194, 56, 125) !default; // wcag2a compliant
+$uxpl-pink-hover-active: lighten($uxpl-pink-base, 7%) !default; // wcag2a compliant
 
-$uxpl-grayscale-x-back: rgb(245, 245, 245); // UXPL grayscale, x-back
+$uxpl-grayscale-x-back: rgb(245, 245, 245) !default; // UXPL grayscale, x-back
 
-$uxpl-primary-accent: rgb(14, 166, 236);
+$uxpl-primary-accent: rgb(14, 166, 236) !default;
 
 // +Colors - Primary
 // ====================
-$black: rgb(0,0,0);
-$black-t0: rgba($black, 0.125);
-$black-t1: rgba($black, 0.25);
-$black-t2: rgba($black, 0.5);
-$black-t3: rgba($black, 0.75);
-$black-t4: rgba($black, 0.85);
+$black: rgb(0,0,0) !default;
+$black-t0: rgba($black, 0.125) !default;
+$black-t1: rgba($black, 0.25) !default;
+$black-t2: rgba($black, 0.5) !default;
+$black-t3: rgba($black, 0.75) !default;
+$black-t4: rgba($black, 0.85) !default;
 
-$white: rgb(255,255,255);
-$white-t0: rgba($white, 0.125);
-$white-t1: rgba($white, 0.25);
-$white-t2: rgba($white, 0.5);
-$white-t3: rgba($white, 0.75);
+$white: rgb(255,255,255) !default;
+$white-t0: rgba($white, 0.125) !default;
+$white-t1: rgba($white, 0.25) !default;
+$white-t2: rgba($white, 0.5) !default;
+$white-t3: rgba($white, 0.75) !default;
 
-$gray: rgb(127,127,127);
-$gray-l1: tint($gray,20%);
-$gray-l2: tint($gray,40%);
-$gray-l3: tint($gray,60%);
-$gray-l4: tint($gray,80%);
-$gray-l5: tint($gray,90%);
-$gray-l6: tint($gray,95%);
-$gray-l7: tint($gray,99%);
-$gray-d1: shade($gray,20%);
-$gray-d2: shade($gray,40%);
-$gray-d3: shade($gray,60%);
-$gray-d4: shade($gray,80%);
+$gray: rgb(127,127,127) !default;
+$gray-l1: tint($gray,20%) !default;
+$gray-l2: tint($gray,40%) !default;
+$gray-l3: tint($gray,60%) !default;
+$gray-l4: tint($gray,80%) !default;
+$gray-l5: tint($gray,90%) !default;
+$gray-l6: tint($gray,95%) !default;
+$gray-l7: tint($gray,99%) !default;
+$gray-d1: shade($gray,20%) !default;
+$gray-d2: shade($gray,40%) !default;
+$gray-d3: shade($gray,60%) !default;
+$gray-d4: shade($gray,80%) !default;
 
 // These define button styles similar to LMS
 // The goal here is consistency (until we can overhaul all of this...)
-$btn-lms-border: #d2c9c9;
-$btn-lms-background: #f1f1f1;
-$btn-lms-gradient: #d9d1d1;
-$btn-lms-shadow: #fcfbfb;
-$btn-lms-shadow-hover: #fefefe;
-$btn-lms-background-hover: #e4e4e4;
-$btn-lms-gradient-hover: #d1c9c9;
-$btn-lms-shadow-active: #cac2c2;
+$btn-lms-border: #d2c9c9 !default;
+$btn-lms-background: #f1f1f1 !default;
+$btn-lms-gradient: #d9d1d1 !default;
+$btn-lms-shadow: #fcfbfb !default;
+$btn-lms-shadow-hover: #fefefe !default;
+$btn-lms-background-hover: #e4e4e4 !default;
+$btn-lms-gradient-hover: #d1c9c9 !default;
+$btn-lms-shadow-active: #cac2c2 !default;
 
-$blue: rgb(0, 159, 230);
-$blue-l1: tint($blue,20%);
-$blue-l2: tint($blue,40%);
-$blue-l3: tint($blue,60%);
-$blue-l4: tint($blue,80%);
-$blue-l5: tint($blue,90%);
-$blue-d1: shade($blue,20%);
-$blue-d2: shade($blue,40%);
-$blue-d3: shade($blue,60%);
-$blue-d4: shade($blue,80%);
-$blue-s1: saturate($blue,15%);
-$blue-s2: saturate($blue,30%);
-$blue-s3: saturate($blue,45%);
-$blue-u1: desaturate($blue,15%);
-$blue-u2: desaturate($blue,30%);
-$blue-u3: desaturate($blue,45%);
-$blue-t0: rgba($blue, 0.125);
-$blue-t1: rgba($blue, 0.25);
-$blue-t2: rgba($blue, 0.50);
-$blue-t3: rgba($blue, 0.75);
+$blue: rgb(0, 159, 230) !default;
+$blue-l1: tint($blue,20%) !default;
+$blue-l2: tint($blue,40%) !default;
+$blue-l3: tint($blue,60%) !default;
+$blue-l4: tint($blue,80%) !default;
+$blue-l5: tint($blue,90%) !default;
+$blue-d1: shade($blue,20%) !default;
+$blue-d2: shade($blue,40%) !default;
+$blue-d3: shade($blue,60%) !default;
+$blue-d4: shade($blue,80%) !default;
+$blue-s1: saturate($blue,15%) !default;
+$blue-s2: saturate($blue,30%) !default;
+$blue-s3: saturate($blue,45%) !default;
+$blue-u1: desaturate($blue,15%) !default;
+$blue-u2: desaturate($blue,30%) !default;
+$blue-u3: desaturate($blue,45%) !default;
+$blue-t0: rgba($blue, 0.125) !default;
+$blue-t1: rgba($blue, 0.25) !default;
+$blue-t2: rgba($blue, 0.50) !default;
+$blue-t3: rgba($blue, 0.75) !default;
 
-$pink: rgb(183, 37, 103); // #b72567;
-$pink-l1: tint($pink,20%);
-$pink-l2: tint($pink,40%);
-$pink-l3: tint($pink,60%);
-$pink-l4: tint($pink,80%);
-$pink-l5: tint($pink,90%);
-$pink-d1: shade($pink,20%);
-$pink-d2: shade($pink,40%);
-$pink-d3: shade($pink,60%);
-$pink-d4: shade($pink,80%);
-$pink-s1: saturate($pink,15%);
-$pink-s2: saturate($pink,30%);
-$pink-s3: saturate($pink,45%);
-$pink-u1: desaturate($pink,15%);
-$pink-u2: desaturate($pink,30%);
-$pink-u3: desaturate($pink,45%);
+$pink: rgb(183, 37, 103) !default; // #b72567;
+$pink-l1: tint($pink,20%) !default;
+$pink-l2: tint($pink,40%) !default;
+$pink-l3: tint($pink,60%) !default;
+$pink-l4: tint($pink,80%) !default;
+$pink-l5: tint($pink,90%) !default;
+$pink-d1: shade($pink,20%) !default;
+$pink-d2: shade($pink,40%) !default;
+$pink-d3: shade($pink,60%) !default;
+$pink-d4: shade($pink,80%) !default;
+$pink-s1: saturate($pink,15%) !default;
+$pink-s2: saturate($pink,30%) !default;
+$pink-s3: saturate($pink,45%) !default;
+$pink-u1: desaturate($pink,15%) !default;
+$pink-u2: desaturate($pink,30%) !default;
+$pink-u3: desaturate($pink,45%) !default;
 
-$red: rgb(178, 6, 16);  // #b20610;
-$red-l1: tint($red,20%);
-$red-l2: tint($red,40%);
-$red-l3: tint($red,60%);
-$red-l4: tint($red,80%);
-$red-l5: tint($red,90%);
-$red-d1: shade($red,20%);
-$red-d2: shade($red,40%);
-$red-d3: shade($red,60%);
-$red-d4: shade($red,80%);
-$red-s1: saturate($red,15%);
-$red-s2: saturate($red,30%);
-$red-s3: saturate($red,45%);
-$red-u1: desaturate($red,15%);
-$red-u2: desaturate($red,30%);
-$red-u3: desaturate($red,45%);
+$red: rgb(178, 6, 16) !default;  // #b20610;
+$red-l1: tint($red,20%) !default;
+$red-l2: tint($red,40%) !default;
+$red-l3: tint($red,60%) !default;
+$red-l4: tint($red,80%) !default;
+$red-l5: tint($red,90%) !default;
+$red-d1: shade($red,20%) !default;
+$red-d2: shade($red,40%) !default;
+$red-d3: shade($red,60%) !default;
+$red-d4: shade($red,80%) !default;
+$red-s1: saturate($red,15%) !default;
+$red-s2: saturate($red,30%) !default;
+$red-s3: saturate($red,45%) !default;
+$red-u1: desaturate($red,15%) !default;
+$red-u2: desaturate($red,30%) !default;
+$red-u3: desaturate($red,45%) !default;
 
-$green: rgb(37, 184, 90); // #25b85a
-$green-l1: tint($green,20%);
-$green-l2: tint($green,40%);
-$green-l3: tint($green,60%);
-$green-l4: tint($green,80%);
-$green-l5: tint($green,90%);
-$green-d1: shade($green,20%);
-$green-d2: shade($green,40%);
-$green-d3: shade($green,60%);
-$green-d4: shade($green,80%);
-$green-s1: saturate($green,15%);
-$green-s2: saturate($green,30%);
-$green-s3: saturate($green,45%);
-$green-u1: desaturate($green,15%);
-$green-u2: desaturate($green,30%);
-$green-u3: desaturate($green,45%);
+$green: rgb(37, 184, 90) !default; // #25b85a
+$green-l1: tint($green,20%) !default;
+$green-l2: tint($green,40%) !default;
+$green-l3: tint($green,60%) !default;
+$green-l4: tint($green,80%) !default;
+$green-l5: tint($green,90%) !default;
+$green-d1: shade($green,20%) !default;
+$green-d2: shade($green,40%) !default;
+$green-d3: shade($green,60%) !default;
+$green-d4: shade($green,80%) !default;
+$green-s1: saturate($green,15%) !default;
+$green-s2: saturate($green,30%) !default;
+$green-s3: saturate($green,45%) !default;
+$green-u1: desaturate($green,15%) !default;
+$green-u2: desaturate($green,30%) !default;
+$green-u3: desaturate($green,45%) !default;
 
-$yellow: rgb(237, 189, 60);
-$yellow-l1: tint($yellow,20%);
-$yellow-l2: tint($yellow,40%);
-$yellow-l3: tint($yellow,60%);
-$yellow-l4: tint($yellow,80%);
-$yellow-l5: tint($yellow,90%);
-$yellow-d1: shade($yellow,20%);
-$yellow-d2: shade($yellow,40%);
-$yellow-d3: shade($yellow,60%);
-$yellow-d4: shade($yellow,80%);
-$yellow-s1: saturate($yellow,15%);
-$yellow-s2: saturate($yellow,30%);
-$yellow-s3: saturate($yellow,45%);
-$yellow-u1: desaturate($yellow,15%);
-$yellow-u2: desaturate($yellow,30%);
-$yellow-u3: desaturate($yellow,45%);
+$yellow: rgb(237, 189, 60) !default;
+$yellow-l1: tint($yellow,20%) !default;
+$yellow-l2: tint($yellow,40%) !default;
+$yellow-l3: tint($yellow,60%) !default;
+$yellow-l4: tint($yellow,80%) !default;
+$yellow-l5: tint($yellow,90%) !default;
+$yellow-d1: shade($yellow,20%) !default;
+$yellow-d2: shade($yellow,40%) !default;
+$yellow-d3: shade($yellow,60%) !default;
+$yellow-d4: shade($yellow,80%) !default;
+$yellow-s1: saturate($yellow,15%) !default;
+$yellow-s2: saturate($yellow,30%) !default;
+$yellow-s3: saturate($yellow,45%) !default;
+$yellow-u1: desaturate($yellow,15%) !default;
+$yellow-u2: desaturate($yellow,30%) !default;
+$yellow-u3: desaturate($yellow,45%) !default;
 
-$orange: rgb(237, 189, 60);
-$orange-l1: tint($orange,20%);
-$orange-l2: tint($orange,40%);
-$orange-l3: tint($orange,60%);
-$orange-l4: tint($orange,80%);
-$orange-l5: tint($orange,90%);
-$orange-d1: shade($orange,20%);
-$orange-d2: shade($orange,40%);
-$orange-d3: shade($orange,60%);
-$orange-d4: shade($orange,80%);
-$orange-s1: saturate($orange,15%);
-$orange-s2: saturate($orange,30%);
-$orange-s3: saturate($orange,45%);
-$orange-u1: desaturate($orange,15%);
-$orange-u2: desaturate($orange,30%);
-$orange-u3: desaturate($orange,45%);
+$orange: rgb(237, 189, 60) !default;
+$orange-l1: tint($orange,20%) !default;
+$orange-l2: tint($orange,40%) !default;
+$orange-l3: tint($orange,60%) !default;
+$orange-l4: tint($orange,80%) !default;
+$orange-l5: tint($orange,90%) !default;
+$orange-d1: shade($orange,20%) !default;
+$orange-d2: shade($orange,40%) !default;
+$orange-d3: shade($orange,60%) !default;
+$orange-d4: shade($orange,80%) !default;
+$orange-s1: saturate($orange,15%) !default;
+$orange-s2: saturate($orange,30%) !default;
+$orange-s3: saturate($orange,45%) !default;
+$orange-u1: desaturate($orange,15%) !default;
+$orange-u2: desaturate($orange,30%) !default;
+$orange-u3: desaturate($orange,45%) !default;
 
 // +Colors - Shadows
 // ====================
-$shadow: rgba($black, 0.2);
-$shadow-l1: rgba($black, 0.1);
-$shadow-l2: rgba($black, 0.05);
-$shadow-d1: rgba($black, 0.4);
-$shadow-d2: rgba($black, 0.6);
+$shadow: rgba($black, 0.2) !default;
+$shadow-l1: rgba($black, 0.1) !default;
+$shadow-l2: rgba($black, 0.05) !default;
+$shadow-d1: rgba($black, 0.4) !default;
+$shadow-d2: rgba($black, 0.6) !default;
 
 // +Colors - Application
 // ====================
-$color-draft: $gray-l3;
-$color-live: $blue;
-$color-ready: $green;
-$color-warning: $orange-l2;
-$color-error: $red-l2;
-$color-staff-only: $black;
-$color-gated: $black;
-$color-visibility-set: $black;
+$color-draft: $gray-l3 !default;
+$color-live: $blue !default;
+$color-ready: $green !default;
+$color-warning: $orange-l2 !default;
+$color-error: $red-l2 !default;
+$color-staff-only: $black !default;
+$color-gated: $black !default;
+$color-visibility-set: $black !default;
 
-$color-heading-base: $gray-d2;
-$color-copy-base: $gray-l1;
-$color-copy-emphasized: $gray-d2;
+$color-heading-base: $gray-d2 !default;
+$color-copy-base: $gray-l1 !default;
+$color-copy-emphasized: $gray-d2 !default;
 
 // +Timing
 // ====================
@@ -235,46 +235,46 @@ $tmg-f3: 0.125s;
 
 // +Archetype UI
 // ====================
-$ui-action-primary-color: $blue-u2;
-$ui-action-primary-color-focus: $blue-s1;
+$ui-action-primary-color: $blue-u2 !default;
+$ui-action-primary-color-focus: $blue-s1 !default;
 
-$ui-link-color: $blue-u2;
-$ui-link-color-focus: $blue-s1;
+$ui-link-color: $blue-u2 !default;
+$ui-link-color-focus: $blue-s1 !default;
 
 // +Specific UI
 // ====================
 $ui-notification-height: ($baseline*10);
-$ui-update-color: $blue-l4;
+$ui-update-color: $blue-l4 !default;
 
 // +Deprecated
 // ====================
 // do not use, future clean up will use updated styles
-$baseFontColor: $gray-d2;
-$lighter-base-font-color: rgb(100,100,100);
-$offBlack: #3c3c3c;
-$green: #108614;
-$lightGrey: #edf1f5;
-$mediumGrey: #b0b6c2;
-$darkGrey: #8891a1;
-$extraDarkGrey: #3d4043;
-$paleYellow: #fffcf1;
-$yellow: rgb(255, 254, 223);
-$green: rgb(37, 184, 90);
-$brightGreen: rgb(22, 202, 87);
-$disabledGreen: rgb(124, 206, 153);
-$darkGreen: rgb(52, 133, 76);
-$lightBluishGrey: rgb(197, 207, 223);
-$lightBluishGrey2: rgb(213, 220, 228);
-$error-red: rgb(253, 87, 87);
+$baseFontColor: $gray-d2 !default;
+$lighter-base-font-color: rgb(100,100,100) !default;
+$offBlack: #3c3c3c !default;
+$green: #108614 !default;
+$lightGrey: #edf1f5 !default;
+$mediumGrey: #b0b6c2 !default;
+$darkGrey: #8891a1 !default;
+$extraDarkGrey: #3d4043 !default;
+$paleYellow: #fffcf1 !default;
+$yellow: rgb(255, 254, 223) !default;
+$green: rgb(37, 184, 90) !default;
+$brightGreen: rgb(22, 202, 87) !default;
+$disabledGreen: rgb(124, 206, 153) !default;
+$darkGreen: rgb(52, 133, 76) !default;
+$lightBluishGrey: rgb(197, 207, 223) !default;
+$lightBluishGrey2: rgb(213, 220, 228) !default;
+$error-red: rgb(253, 87, 87) !default;
 
 
 //carryover from LMS for xmodules
-$sidebar-color: rgb(246, 246, 246);
+$sidebar-color: rgb(246, 246, 246) !default;
 
 // type
 $sans-serif: $f-sans-serif;
 $body-line-height: golden-ratio(.875em, 1);
 
 // carried over from LMS for xmodules
-$action-primary-active-bg: #1AA1DE; // $m-blue
-$very-light-text: $white;
+$action-primary-active-bg: #1AA1DE !default; // $m-blue
+$very-light-text: $white !default;