Step 3 · Day 3
Build it plainly
One typeface, one spacing system, one accent colour, and a layout you can maintain. Phone first.
Constraints make it look designed
Pick:
- One typeface for everything, two at most (one for headings).
- One spacing scale: a few sizes used everywhere, never values made up on the spot.
- One accent colour for links and buttons. Everything else stays neutral.
These three decisions do most of what people call “good design”. They also make the site easy to change later, because there is nothing special to remember.
Use what you can maintain
A website builder, a template, a static site written with an AI assistant: all fine. The test is simple: next month, can you add a project without help and without breaking anything? If the answer is no, pick the simpler option.
Phone first
Most visitors arrive from a link on their phone. Build each page so it reads well on a narrow screen first: one column, text large enough, buttons easy to tap. Then let it breathe on a wide screen.
Real text only
Pour in the words you wrote yesterday. No placeholder text: it hides problems. If a line looks wrong in the layout, it is usually the line that needs to change.
Done when
Every page exists with its real text, it reads well on your phone, and there is nothing on the site you could not change yourself.
Step 3 is done when
0 of 3Tick each one once it is true for your project, then move on.
Step 3 done.