diff --git a/demo/menu-demo.html b/demo/menu-demo.html
index fa745b2..355c620 100644
--- a/demo/menu-demo.html
+++ b/demo/menu-demo.html
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ <h1>Material 3 Menus</h1>
         <span class="spec-badge">Default (M3 Expressive)</span>
         <h2>Vertical Menu (Default)</h2>
         <p>
-          44px item height, 16px container radius, 20px icons, inset 12px rounded pill selection, and shape-morphing
+          48px item height, 16px container radius, 20px icons, inset 12px rounded pill selection, and shape-morphing
           motion. Applied by default to all <code>&lt;md-menu&gt;</code> elements.
         </p>
 
@@ -280,6 +280,41 @@ <h2>Cascading Submenu</h2>
           </md-menu>
         </div>
       </div>
+
+      <!-- 5. Slotted Icons & Avatars -->
+      <div class="card">
+        <span class="spec-badge">Slotted Content</span>
+        <h2>Slotted Icons & Avatars</h2>
+        <p>Demonstrates proper 20px spec containment for standard icons, slotted images/avatars, and SVG graphics.</p>
+
+        <div class="anchor-wrapper">
+          <md-button id="btn-slotted" color="tonal" onclick="document.getElementById('menu-slotted').show()">
+            Open Slotted Menu
+          </md-button>
+          <md-menu id="menu-slotted" anchor="btn-slotted">
+            <md-menu-item>
+              <div slot="headline">Travis Reeder</div>
+              <img slot="start" src="./images/avatar2.png" style="border-radius: 50%" alt="Avatar" />
+            </md-menu-item>
+            <md-menu-item>
+              <div slot="headline">Standard Icon</div>
+              <md-icon slot="start">settings</md-icon>
+            </md-menu-item>
+            <md-menu-item>
+              <div slot="headline">SVG Graphic</div>
+              <svg slot="start" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" height="24">
+                <path fill="currentColor" d="M12 2L2 7l10 5 10-5-10-5zM2 17l10 5 10-5M2 12l10 5 10-5" />
+              </svg>
+            </md-menu-item>
+            <md-divider></md-divider>
+            <md-menu-item>
+              <div slot="headline">Trailing Indicator</div>
+              <md-icon slot="start">folder</md-icon>
+              <md-icon slot="end">chevron_right</md-icon>
+            </md-menu-item>
+          </md-menu>
+        </div>
+      </div>
     </div>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/menu/README.md b/menu/README.md
index def76a0..885c91d 100644
--- a/menu/README.md
+++ b/menu/README.md
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ menu.close()
 
 The modern Material 3 Expressive vertical menu is enabled by default:
 
-- **Item height**: 44px
-- **Horizontal padding**: 16px
-- **Element gap**: 12px
+- **Item height**: 48px
+- **Horizontal padding**: 12px
+- **Element gap**: 8px
 - **Container corner radius**: 16px (`md.sys.shape.corner.large`)
 - **Item corner radius**: Inset pill with 12px outer corners (`md.sys.shape.corner.medium`) and 4px inner corners
 - **Icon size**: 20px (`md.comp.menus.item.leading/trailing-icon-size`)
@@ -189,10 +189,10 @@ Submenus open next to their parent item without overlapping it. Submenus automat
 | `--md-menu-container-shape`                | `4px` (baseline) / `16px` (vertical)                                | Menu surface corner radius                   |
 | `--md-menu-container-color`                | `surface-container` (baseline) / `surface-container-low` (vertical) | Background color of menu container           |
 | `--md-menu-container-max-width`            | `280px`                                                             | Maximum container width                      |
-| `--md-menu-item-one-line-container-height` | `48px` (baseline) / `44px` (vertical)                               | Height of a single-line menu item            |
-| `--md-menu-item-leading-space`             | `12px` (baseline) / `16px` (vertical)                               | Left/leading padding inside menu item        |
-| `--md-menu-item-trailing-space`            | `12px` (baseline) / `16px` (vertical)                               | Right/trailing padding inside menu item      |
-| `--md-menu-item-between-space`             | `12px`                                                              | Spacing between icons and text inside item   |
-| `--md-menu-item-icon-size`                 | `24px` (baseline) / `20px` (vertical)                               | Sizing of slotted leading and trailing icons |
+| `--md-menu-item-one-line-container-height` | `48px`                                                              | Height of a single-line menu item            |
+| `--md-menu-item-leading-space`             | `12px`                                                              | Left/leading padding inside menu item        |
+| `--md-menu-item-trailing-space`            | `12px`                                                              | Right/trailing padding inside menu item      |
+| `--md-menu-item-between-space`             | `8px`                                                               | Spacing between icons and text inside item   |
+| `--md-menu-item-icon-size`                 | `20px`                                                              | Sizing of slotted leading and trailing icons |
 | `--md-menu-item-selected-container-color`  | `secondary-container` (baseline/standard) / `tertiary` (vibrant)    | Background color of selected item            |
 | `--md-menu-item-selected-label-text-color` | `on-secondary-container` / `on-tertiary` (vibrant)                  | Label color of selected item                 |
diff --git a/menu/menu-item.js b/menu/menu-item.js
index dce9490..a7079ed 100644
--- a/menu/menu-item.js
+++ b/menu/menu-item.js
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export const menuItemStyles = css`
     );
     letter-spacing: var(--md-menu-item-label-text-tracking, var(--md-sys-typescale-label-large-tracking, 0.1px));
     min-height: var(--md-menu-item-one-line-container-height, 48px);
-    gap: var(--md-menu-item-between-space, 12px);
+    gap: var(--md-menu-item-between-space, 8px);
     padding-top: var(--md-menu-item-top-space, 8px);
     padding-bottom: var(--md-menu-item-bottom-space, 8px);
     padding-inline-start: var(--md-menu-item-leading-space, 12px);
@@ -137,12 +137,22 @@ export const menuItemStyles = css`
   }
   :is([slot='start'], [slot='end'])::slotted(*) {
     fill: currentColor;
-    font-size: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 24px);
-    width: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 24px);
-    height: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 24px);
+    font-size: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
+    width: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
+    height: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
+    max-width: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
+    max-height: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
+    box-sizing: border-box;
+    object-fit: contain;
+    flex-shrink: 0;
+  }
+  :is([slot='start'], [slot='end'])::slotted(img) {
+    border-radius: inherit;
+    object-fit: cover;
   }
   :is([slot='start'], [slot='end'])::slotted(md-icon) {
-    --md-icon-size: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 24px);
+    --md-icon-size: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
+    font-size: var(--md-menu-item-icon-size, 20px);
   }
   [slot='start'] {
     color: var(--md-menu-item-leading-icon-color, var(--md-sys-color-on-surface-variant, #49454f));
diff --git a/menu/menu.js b/menu/menu.js
index 9279a11..421ad46 100644
--- a/menu/menu.js
+++ b/menu/menu.js
@@ -1027,12 +1027,12 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
         --md-elevation-shadow-color: var(--md-menu-container-shadow-color, var(--md-sys-color-shadow, #000));
         --md-menu-container-shape: var(--md-sys-shape-corner-large, 16px);
         --md-menu-container-color: var(--md-sys-color-surface-container-low, #f7f2fa);
-        --md-menu-item-one-line-container-height: 44px;
-        --md-menu-item-leading-space: 16px;
-        --md-menu-item-trailing-space: 16px;
+        --md-menu-item-one-line-container-height: 48px;
+        --md-menu-item-leading-space: 12px;
+        --md-menu-item-trailing-space: 12px;
         --md-menu-item-top-space: 8px;
         --md-menu-item-bottom-space: 8px;
-        --md-menu-item-between-space: 12px;
+        --md-menu-item-between-space: 8px;
         --md-menu-item-icon-size: 20px;
         --md-menu-item-shape: var(--md-sys-shape-corner-extra-small, 4px);
         --md-menu-item-selected-shape: var(--md-sys-shape-corner-medium, 12px);
@@ -1117,8 +1117,8 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
         --md-menu-item-trailing-space: 12px;
         --md-menu-item-top-space: 8px;
         --md-menu-item-bottom-space: 8px;
-        --md-menu-item-between-space: 12px;
-        --md-menu-item-icon-size: 24px;
+        --md-menu-item-between-space: 8px;
+        --md-menu-item-icon-size: 20px;
         --md-menu-item-shape: 0px;
         --md-menu-item-selected-shape: 0px;
       }
@@ -1157,12 +1157,12 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
       :host([vertical]) {
         --md-menu-container-shape: var(--md-sys-shape-corner-large, 16px);
         --md-menu-container-color: var(--md-sys-color-surface-container-low, #f7f2fa);
-        --md-menu-item-one-line-container-height: 44px;
-        --md-menu-item-leading-space: 16px;
-        --md-menu-item-trailing-space: 16px;
+        --md-menu-item-one-line-container-height: 48px;
+        --md-menu-item-leading-space: 12px;
+        --md-menu-item-trailing-space: 12px;
         --md-menu-item-top-space: 8px;
         --md-menu-item-bottom-space: 8px;
-        --md-menu-item-between-space: 12px;
+        --md-menu-item-between-space: 8px;
         --md-menu-item-icon-size: 20px;
         --md-menu-item-shape: var(--md-sys-shape-corner-extra-small, 4px);
         --md-menu-item-selected-shape: var(--md-sys-shape-corner-medium, 12px);
@@ -1221,8 +1221,10 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
       }
 
       /* First child in vertical menu */
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='first']),
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):first-of-type),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='first']),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):first-of-type),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='first']),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):first-of-type),
       :host([variant='expressive']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='first']),
@@ -1236,8 +1238,10 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
       }
 
       /* Last child in vertical menu */
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='last']),
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):last-of-type),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='last']),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):last-of-type),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='last']),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):last-of-type),
       :host([variant='expressive']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='last']),
@@ -1251,8 +1255,10 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
       }
 
       /* Single child in vertical menu */
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='single']),
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):only-of-type),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='single']),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):only-of-type),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='single']),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):only-of-type),
       :host([variant='expressive']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item])[menu-position='single']),
@@ -1264,7 +1270,8 @@ export class Menu extends LitElement {
 
       /* Hover and focus morphing in vertical menu */
       :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):hover),
-      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline])) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):focus-within),
+      :host(:not([variant='baseline']):not([baseline]))
+        ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):focus-within),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):hover),
       :host([variant='vertical']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):focus-within),
       :host([variant='expressive']) ::slotted(:is(md-menu-item, md-sub-menu, [md-menu-item]):hover),