Are you tired of cookie-cutter websites blending into the digital background? While grids provide structure and ease of navigation, they can often stifle creativity and uniqueness. So, many designers choose broken grid layouts for their custom website designs in Adelaide. It is where traditional design rules are bent and sometimes shattered, creating visually stunning and memorable web pages.
In this guide, we will show you how to master the art of the broken grid, infusing your site with personality and flair. Get ready to break free from the mundane and elevate your custom web design game!
I. Grid Layout vs Broken Grid Layout
A grid layout in web design organises page content like text, images, and buttons into structured columns of equal width aligned within specific boundaries. It’s more a conceptual framework than a rigid method. This system divides a page into 12 columns, each 60 pixels wide, separated by 20-pixel “gutters.” While these grids provide structure and predictability, experts sometimes prefer to break from convention to create unique, standout custom website designs in Adelaide.
A broken grid layout, on the other hand, is a web page design that deviates from the conventional grid structure. It can involve altering column widths and row sizes, overlapping and stacking elements, using animations, or other methods that go beyond standard grid guidelines. Like traditional grids, broken grids are not bound by strict rules, allowing for various creative approaches.
II. How to Create a Broken Grid Web Design?
Breaking the grid doesn’t mean discarding all grid concepts. Often, subtle variations on established techniques can add significant visual appeal. The best approach to a broken grid design is to start by building a page within a grid system like 960, then use CSS or graphical tools to adjust the grid’s styling and create something unique.
You might prefer sketching ideas first or experimenting without a plan; either way, it’s easier to start from a pre-built grid than to style everything from scratch. Here are some ways to transform traditional grids:
Varied Alignment
An easy method to create a broken grid layout is by embracing asymmetry and altering the vertical alignment of elements. This involves placing elements within a grid and changing column widths, defying users’ expectations of left, right, or center-aligned text and images.
Layering
Layering involves making page elements overlap each other, leading users to perceive them as related and adding depth. Implementing layers can be tricky at first without appearing chaotic, so sketching, adjusting, and experimenting are crucial for a cohesive look.
Containers
Instead of overlapping page elements, you can place related text, icons, and buttons inside an image or block element. This approach uses the block element to contain and unite its child elements, naturally breaking up the grid while keeping content organized. For example, some containers enclose multiple elements like images, text, links, and solid colours. Despite overlap and asymmetry, it’s clear which elements are related.
Whitespace
Whitespace is a crucial aspect of custom website design in Adelaide. Without sufficient space between content blocks, web pages can become confusing and overwhelming. In your grid experiments, don’t hesitate to increase whitespace to emphasize key content. Exaggerated margins can draw focus to featured elements, offering a spacious alternative to traditional grid layouts.
For instance, a visual portfolio site might use a minimalist design with off-centred images and ample white background to highlight featured artwork and avoid the typical row-column format.
Gutters
Grid systems usually create gutters by adding margins to each column. For example, the 960 grid system has a 10-pixel margin on each side of the columns, creating 20-pixel-wide gutters. Gutters are essential for adding whitespace and reducing clutter in most grid-based websites, but you can experiment with them for different effects or eliminate them altogether.
Illustration
Contrary to what you might have learned in childhood colouring books, it’s acceptable to stray outside the lines as long as your illustrations are purposeful and aesthetically pleasing. Drawings that extend beyond the confines of a grid or overlap other elements can introduce welcomed variation to the neat borders your visitors expect.
For example, an Italian seafood brand utilises illustration creatively by featuring animated illustrations of sea life that move in parallax and extend across column boundaries. This approach adds an enjoyable touch to what might typically be considered a mundane subject matter, making the custom website designs in Adelaide as engaging as possible for its audience.
Final Word:
Broken grid layouts offer a refreshing departure from traditional grid structures without completely abandoning the fundamental concept. By embracing subtle adjustments and creative liberties, designers can inject new life into website layouts while maintaining a sense of organization and coherence.
However, it’s important to remember that while breaking the grid, adherence to core web design principles remains paramount. Your website should prioritise simplicity, mobile responsiveness, accessibility, easy navigation, and consistency in aesthetic choices. Ultimately, you can stand out without sacrificing a pleasing user experience.
For professional help, you can consider reaching out to Make My Website, one of the best agencies for custom website development Adelaide, and many other locations in Australia. Good luck!
