Elite Layouts

Premium layout patterns that define modern award-winning websites.

Quick Reference

Layout Decision Framework

By Project Type

Pattern Selection

Need adaptive components? → Container Queries
Need visual interest/variety? → Bento Grids
Need immersive storytelling? → Horizontal Scroll
Need depth/layering? → Sticky Parallax
Need all of the above? → Combine strategically

Core Grid System

12-Column Foundation

.container {
  --columns: 12;
  --gutter: clamp(1rem, 2vw, 2rem);
  --margin: clamp(1rem, 5vw, 6rem);

  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns:
    [full-start] var(--margin)
    [content-start] repeat(var(--columns), 1fr)
    [content-end] var(--margin)
    [full-end];
  gap: var(--gutter);
}

/* Full-bleed items */
.full-bleed {
  grid-column: full-start / full-end;
}

/* Content-width items */
.content {
  grid-column: content-start / content-end;
}

/* Responsive columns */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .container {
    --columns: 4;
    --margin: 1rem;
  }
}

Span Utilities

/* Column spans */
.col-span-1 { grid-column: span 1; }
.col-span-2 { grid-column: span 2; }
.col-span-3 { grid-column: span 3; }
.col-span-4 { grid-column: span 4; }
.col-span-6 { grid-column: span 6; }
.col-span-8 { grid-column: span 8; }
.col-span-12 { grid-column: span 12; }

/* Row spans */
.row-span-2 { grid-row: span 2; }
.row-span-3 { grid-row: span 3; }

/* Responsive adjustments */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .col-span-6,
  .col-span-4 {
    grid-column: span 4; /* Full width on mobile */
  }
}

Bento Grid Quick Start

.bento-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);
  grid-auto-rows: minmax(200px, auto);
  gap: 1rem;
}

/* Feature item - large */
.bento-item.featured {
  grid-column: span 2;
  grid-row: span 2;
}

/* Tall item */
.bento-item.tall {
  grid-row: span 2;
}

/* Wide item */
.bento-item.wide {
  grid-column: span 2;
}

@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .bento-grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
  }

  .bento-item.featured,
  .bento-item.wide {
    grid-column: span 2;
  }
}

See bento-grids.md for advanced patterns.

Horizontal Scroll Quick Start

CSS-Only (scroll-snap)

.horizontal-scroll {
  display: flex;
  overflow-x: auto;
  scroll-snap-type: x mandatory;
  scrollbar-width: none;
}

.horizontal-scroll::-webkit-scrollbar {
  display: none;
}

.horizontal-section {
  flex: 0 0 100vw;
  min-width: 100vw;
  height: 100vh;
  scroll-snap-align: start;
}

GSAP ScrollTrigger (pinned)

gsap.to('.horizontal-track', {
  x: () => -(document.querySelector('.horizontal-track').scrollWidth - window.innerWidth),
  ease: 'none',
  scrollTrigger: {
    trigger: '.horizontal-container',
    pin: true,
    scrub: 1,
    end: () => `+=${document.querySelector('.horizontal-track').scrollWidth}`
  }
});

See horizontal-scroll.md for complete patterns.

Sticky Parallax Quick Start

CSS Sticky Sections

.sticky-container {
  position: relative;
}

.sticky-section {
  position: sticky;
  top: 0;
  height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
}

/* Stack sections with z-index */
.sticky-section:nth-child(1) { z-index: 1; background: var(--color-bg-1); }
.sticky-section:nth-child(2) { z-index: 2; background: var(--color-bg-2); }
.sticky-section:nth-child(3) { z-index: 3; background: var(--color-bg-3); }

GSAP Pin with Animation

gsap.timeline({
  scrollTrigger: {
    trigger: '.pinned-section',
    pin: true,
    scrub: 1,
    start: 'top top',
    end: '+=200%'
  }
})
.from('.content-1', { opacity: 0, y: 50 })
.from('.content-2', { opacity: 0, y: 50 })
.from('.content-3', { opacity: 0, y: 50 });

See sticky-parallax.md for layered effects.

Container Queries Quick Start

/* Define containment */
.card-container {
  container-type: inline-size;
  container-name: card;
}

/* Base styles */
.card {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  padding: 1rem;
}

/* Respond to container width */
@container card (min-width: 400px) {
  .card {
    flex-direction: row;
    gap: 1.5rem;
  }

  .card-image {
    flex: 0 0 40%;
  }
}

@container card (min-width: 600px) {
  .card {
    padding: 2rem;
  }

  .card-title {
    font-size: 1.5rem;
  }
}

See container-queries.md for advanced patterns.

Layout + Animation Integration

Animating Grid Items

/* Prepare items for animation */
.grid-item {
  opacity: 0;
  transform: translateY(30px);
}

/* Animate with scroll-driven */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) {
  .grid-item {
    animation: revealItem linear both;
    animation-timeline: view();
    animation-range: entry 0% cover 30%;
  }
}

@keyframes revealItem {
  to {
    opacity: 1;
    transform: translateY(0);
  }
}

GSAP Grid Animation

gsap.from('.grid-item', {
  opacity: 0,
  y: 50,
  stagger: {
    amount: 0.8,
    grid: 'auto',
    from: 'start'
  },
  scrollTrigger: {
    trigger: '.grid-container',
    start: 'top 80%'
  }
});

FLIP for Layout Changes

// Before layout change
const state = Flip.getState('.grid-item');

// Change layout (filter, sort, resize)
filterItems();

// Animate the change
Flip.from(state, {
  duration: 0.6,
  ease: 'power2.inOut',
  stagger: 0.05,
  absolute: true
});

Responsive Strategy

Mobile-First Breakpoints

/* Mobile: 1 column */
.layout {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr;
  gap: 1rem;
  padding: 1rem;
}

/* Tablet: 2 columns */
@media (min-width: 640px) {
  .layout {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
    gap: 1.5rem;
    padding: 2rem;
  }
}

/* Desktop: 3+ columns */
@media (min-width: 1024px) {
  .layout {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
    gap: 2rem;
    padding: 3rem;
  }
}

/* Large: 4 columns */
@media (min-width: 1280px) {
  .layout {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);
  }
}

Fluid Layouts (No Breakpoints)

/* Auto-fit columns */
.fluid-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(
    auto-fit,
    minmax(min(100%, 300px), 1fr)
  );
  gap: clamp(1rem, 3vw, 2rem);
}

/* Fluid spacing */
.section {
  padding-block: clamp(3rem, 10vh, 8rem);
  padding-inline: clamp(1rem, 5vw, 6rem);
}

Common Layout Patterns

Hero + Content Grid

.hero-layout {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-rows: 100vh auto;
}

.hero {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  position: relative;
}

.content-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(300px, 1fr));
  gap: 2rem;
  padding: clamp(2rem, 5vw, 4rem);
}

Sidebar + Main

.sidebar-layout {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: minmax(250px, 300px) 1fr;
  min-height: 100vh;
}

@media (max-width: 768px) {
  .sidebar-layout {
    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
  }

  .sidebar {
    position: fixed;
    inset: 0;
    transform: translateX(-100%);
    transition: transform 0.3s ease;
  }

  .sidebar.open {
    transform: translateX(0);
  }
}

Masonry-Like (CSS Grid)

.masonry-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(250px, 1fr));
  grid-auto-rows: 10px;
  gap: 1rem;
}

.masonry-item {
  /* Set via JS based on content height */
  grid-row-end: span var(--row-span, 20);
}

// Calculate row spans based on content
function setMasonrySpans() {
  const grid = document.querySelector('.masonry-grid');
  const rowHeight = 10;
  const gap = 16;

  grid.querySelectorAll('.masonry-item').forEach(item => {
    const content = item.querySelector('.content');
    const span = Math.ceil((content.offsetHeight + gap) / (rowHeight + gap));
    item.style.setProperty('--row-span', span);
  });
}

Performance Considerations

Layout Containment

/* Isolate layout calculations */
.grid-item {
  contain: layout style;
}

/* Full containment for complex items */
.complex-card {
  contain: strict;
  content-visibility: auto;
  contain-intrinsic-size: 300px;
}

Avoid Layout Thrashing

// BAD: Forces layout per item
items.forEach(item => {
  item.style.width = item.offsetWidth + 10 + 'px';
});

// GOOD: Batch reads, then writes
const widths = items.map(item => item.offsetWidth);
items.forEach((item, i) => {
  item.style.width = widths[i] + 10 + 'px';
});

CSS Grid vs Flexbox

Accessibility

Skip Horizontal Sections

<a href="#after-horizontal" class="skip-link">
  Skip horizontal scroll section
</a>

<section class="horizontal-scroll" aria-label="Project gallery">
  <!-- Content -->
</section>

<div id="after-horizontal"></div>

Keyboard Navigation

// Allow arrow key navigation in horizontal scroll
horizontalContainer.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
  if (e.key === 'ArrowRight') {
    horizontalContainer.scrollBy({ left: window.innerWidth, behavior: 'smooth' });
  }
  if (e.key === 'ArrowLeft') {
    horizontalContainer.scrollBy({ left: -window.innerWidth, behavior: 'smooth' });
  }
});

Announce Layout Changes

// For dynamic layout changes (filtering)
const liveRegion = document.getElementById('live-region');
liveRegion.textContent = `Showing ${visibleItems.length} of ${totalItems} items`;

Resources

• MDN: CSS Grid
• MDN: Container Queries
• CSS Tricks: Grid Guide
• GSAP ScrollTrigger