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Learn to Design in Webflow : Style

In this article, we will learn how to use the Webflow Style Manager! The objective is to understand all (or almost all) the design functionalities that Webflow offers to customize its Web pages.

Published on 
4/1/2022
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Amended on 
27/3/2023
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5 min
Computer with "Intro to designer" written on the screen and a pipette

Today, we are going to learn the basics and the notions to learn how to do Webdesign in Webflow. The design part is a great advantage of Webflow compared to its competitors since it is basically a tool for web designers. Thanks to this nocode website creation tool, we can make each page of our website unique.

Understanding Webflow's responsive

Before starting, it is necessary to talk about design for mobile in Webflow. Indeed, before starting to create your website, you have to look for a platform that will allow you to design in mobile first. This is quite possible with Webflow, which allows us to make responsive and personalized designs.

In fact, Webflow works with a cascadingrules system. This system works in such a way that the design of a "superior" device type influences all those "below" it. However, a change made to one device type does not affect the design of the device types "above" it. The current hierarchy in Webflow is as follows: Desktop > Tablet > Mobile Landscape > Mobile Portrait. So, when I design the Desktop version, the modifications are also done on Tablet and Mobile. Conversely, if I make a change on Mobile Landscape, it will influence Mobile Portrait, but not Desktop and Tablet.

Learn how to use the Webflow Style Manager

The Webflow style manager corresponds to the right side panel which allows you to assign classes to the elements of your page and to style them(keyboard shortcut: "E").

Understanding the Purpose of the Selector

The Selector allows you to assign a name to an element that you select to give it a style and thus create a "Class". A "Class" is a type of selection which makes it possible to assign the same style to all the elements of this one.

It is possible to combine several classes to customise elements. We call these "Combo Classes". A "Combo Class" allows you to combine two or more classes to apply different styles to an element.

In addition to this, it is possible to change the style of an element when it is hovered, pressed or focused using the "Selector State" function.

Using the State selector for Hover, Focused and Pressed

With a good Style Guide and a Client First methodology, the Selector will save you considerable time in developing your project.

Customize the display of its elements with the Layout section

The Layout feature in the Style allows you to arrange the elements of a page in several ways:

Display: block

This layout displays the elements of the block on a new line. They occupy the entire available width.

Display: flex

This layout allows you to arrange the elements of a block horizontally or vertically. Additional options are available to justify or align the elements.

Example of the use of Flex display in Webflow

Display: grid

This layout allows you to display items in a grid. You can choose the number of columns and rows to customise the grid and therefore the display of your items.

Example of the use of the Grid display in Webflow

Display: inline

This layout allows one element to be displayed next to another without a break. The margins can be changed, but not the height or width.

Display: inline-block

This layout allows elements to be displayed side by side. The width of this element is determined by the content it contains.

Display: none

This layout simply hides the elements of your page.

Define gaps and margins with the Spacing section

In this section, it will be possible to define margins and padding between the elements of the page. More concretely, the margins define the external spacing between the border of an element and the surrounding elements. The padding defines the internal spacing between the border of an element and those inside.

Left margin

Defines the external spacing between the left border of an element and the surrounding elements.

Left padding

Defines the spacing between the left border of an element and the elements it contains.

Bottom margin

Defines the spacing between the bottom border of an element and the elements below it.

Bottom padding

Defines the spacing between the bottom border of an element and the elements it contains.

Right Margin

Defines the outer spacing between the right border of an element and the elements adjacent to it.

Right Padding

Defines the inner spacing between the right border of an element and the elements within it.

Top Margin

Defines the outer spacing between the top edge of an element and the elements above it.

Top Padding

Defines the inner spacing between the top border of an element and the elements within it.

Define the size of the elements with the Size section

The "Size" section allows you to give a defined height and width to elements. Several functionalities are present and can be defined in pixel (PX), percentage (%), emperial unit (EM), root emperial unit (REM), character width (CH), viewport width (VW) or Viewport Height (VH).

Width

Width defines the width of an element.

Height

Height defines the size of an element.

Minimum width (min w)

Min W defines the minimum width of an element.

Minimum height (min h)

Min H defines the minimum height of an element.

Maximum width (max w)

Max W defines the maximum width of an element.

Maximum height (max h)

Max H defines the maximum height of an element.

Define the position of elements in Webflow

The "Position" section of the "Style" tab will allow you to customise the positioning of your elements.

Customize texts with the Typography section

This section will allow you to change the font family, size, alignment, colour etc. of your text. Fonts are directly available in Webflow, but you can import your own fonts (custom font).

Font

Modify your font

Weight

Change the line width of your font

Size

Change the font size

Height

Change the vertical space between lines

Color

Change the text colour

Align

Change the alignment of the text

Style

Change the text decoration

There are a lot of other customisation options available, but you can fully customise your text.

Change the background with the Backgrounds section

The "Backgrounds" section allows you to modify the background of an element. Thus, it is possible to insert an image, a gradient or a fill colour for the background of an element.

Adjust the borders with the Borders section

This section allows you to style the borders of an element. You can change the style, colour or radius of the borders of an element.

Create effects with the Effects section

Finally, this last section of the "Style" tab allows you to modify the appearance of an element by adding an opacity, a certain size, a rotation, a shadow effect etc.

There you go, you now know the elements of the Style tab in more detail! You can now start designing your website. If you need help with your Webflow project, Digidop is an expert agency in this tool.

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