Class, here’s a secret: most “premium” looking websites aren’t using fancy tricks. They’re simply following a handful of design principles consistently. Today you’ll learn to see like a designer, and apply that eye to your own WordPress site using tools you already have in the block editor and Site Editor.
Professor’s note: On block themes, most of these changes live in Appearance → Editor → Styles, so you set them once and they apply site-wide. On classic themes, look in the Customizer or your theme’s options panel.
Space and Layout
1. Embrace white space
Cramped layouts look cheap; generous spacing looks confident. Add padding inside groups and more space between sections. When in doubt, add a little more breathing room than feels necessary.
2. Use a consistent spacing scale
Pick a small set of spacing sizes and reuse them, rather than nudging each block by random amounts. Block themes often provide spacing presets in the dimension controls, which makes consistency easy.
3. Keep line length readable
Very wide paragraphs are tiring to read. A common guideline is roughly 45 to 75 characters per line. In block themes, the layout “content width” setting controls this for you.
4. Align everything to something
Elements that share edges look intentional. Stick to consistent left alignment for body text and avoid centring long paragraphs.
Typography That Feels Expensive
5. Limit yourself to two fonts
One font for headings, one for body text, or even a single versatile family for both. Too many fonts make a site feel chaotic. WordPress includes a Font Library in the Site Editor that lets you install and manage fonts, including Google Fonts, from inside the dashboard.
6. Create a clear type hierarchy
Headings should be clearly larger or bolder than body text, and each heading level should be visually distinct. Readers skim first, so make the structure obvious. A comfortable body size (often around 16 to 20 pixels) with generous line height helps too.
Tip: Try a slightly tighter line height and letter spacing on large headings, and a looser line height on body text. That small contrast is a classic premium touch.
Colour With Confidence
7. Use a limited palette
Choose one main brand colour, one accent, and a set of neutrals for text and backgrounds. Define them in your global styles palette so every block uses the same shades. Consistency beats variety.
8. Check contrast
Light grey text on white might look sleek, but it’s hard to read. The WCAG accessibility guidelines recommend a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal-size body text. The block editor warns you when contrast is low, and free online contrast checkers make testing easy.
Warning: Never rely on colour alone to convey meaning, such as red for errors. Add text or icons too, so everyone can understand your message.
Images and Visual Details
9. Use high-quality, consistent images
Pick images with a similar style, colour tone and lighting. A mismatch of stock photo styles is a giveaway of a DIY site. Crop images to consistent aspect ratios, and compress them for speed; modern formats such as WebP and AVIF are supported in WordPress.
10. One style of icons
Mixing outline icons, filled icons and emoji looks messy. Choose one icon set and stick with it throughout.
11. Design a clear button hierarchy
Every section should have one obvious primary action. Style your primary button boldly and make secondary buttons quieter, perhaps an outline style. Set button styles globally so they match everywhere.
The Finishing Touch
12. Check it on a phone, then check again
Many of your visitors will be on mobile. Use the device preview in the editor, then test on a real phone. Look for text that’s too small, buttons too close together, and images that crop awkwardly. Adjust spacing and font sizes so the mobile view feels as intentional as desktop.
Bringing It Together in WordPress
Here’s a quick order of operations for a design refresh:
- Set global typography — choose your two fonts and base sizes in Styles.
- Define your palette — brand, accent and neutrals.
- Standardise spacing — set block gap and padding presets.
- Style elements globally — buttons, links and headings.
- Audit key pages — homepage, about, and your most visited post.
Want even more ideas? Our design secrets hub is packed with before-and-after examples, and our themes page suggests themes with strong design foundations. If you’d like help generating colour palettes or layout ideas, our AI + WordPress guides show how to use AI tools as a design assistant.
Homework
Take a screenshot of your homepage. Apply three tricks from this list: more white space, a limited palette, and a clear primary button. Take another screenshot and compare them side by side. Notice how much more polished it looks? Test your design knowledge with our quizzes.
