Case Study: A Sample Church Website Layout Based on Wire & Twine’s Design Grid

I found this rockin’ website called Wire and Twine and saw a lot of potential for using the layout for a church website. So I took a screenshot of it and starting hacking away.

To see a printable look with notes of how I thought the layout could be used, click here to download a PDF.

See the before and after screenshots below …

Here’s the before …

wire and twine screenshot

Here’s the after …

sample church website template layout

>> Download a printable PDF report here of the before and after and how a church could use this layout for inspiration to build a rockin’ cool church website.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

[Note:This sample mockup/case study is not meant to encourage simple copying of graphical elements from another site. It is designed just to show you how the grids or another site design could be used as inspiration for your own site. I did not change much of the graphical elements in my “after” screenshot, simply to get it up faster … you should always use your own images or buy them from places like Istockphoto.com.]

January 19, 2007 · Filed Under Rockin' Web Sites, Web Site Design

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3 Responses to “Case Study: A Sample Church Website Layout Based on Wire & Twine’s Design Grid”

  1. matt on January 19th, 2007 11:23 am

    id just like to point out some major copyright infringements with “borrowing” another layout.

    There is nothing new anymore. Just re-works, and variations on old designs, and accepted layouts. While the wire & twine layout is clean, and simple, anything resembling its design and look would get one in hot water.

    I do enjoy looking to other sites for ideas. I try to borrow several different ways.

    1. Layout. The positioning of navigation, images, & content is pretty much free reign these days. The 2 column boxed model is pretty standard.As well as home page with large image, and 3 sub boxes. I think apple did it 6 years ago, and someone probably before them i am sure.

    2. graphical look. mimicking a look that is in, is okay. Just dont copy actual elements from other sites, or attempt to duplicate too closely.

    Never borrow layout and graphical look from the same site. you would be asking for trouble.

    Side note: Why do we as churches, and ministries try so hard to make our sites look good, by copying the secular industry? I’d encourage other designers, churches & ministries to shoot for being unique. Having a great design does not require mimicking another site.

  2. Cory Miller on January 19th, 2007 11:34 am

    Matt, good points …

    I should have but forgot to mention that you should NOT simply cut and paste graphical elements. What I intended to do with this was simply do a fast tweak as a teaching tool to show how a church could use a similar layout.

    Their layout looked so good I instantly saw potential for using the base “grid” idea for a church. I.e. I love the big expansive photo, the email signups, etc. …

    And I reiterate what you’ve said … there is nothing new under the sun. I’ve seen so many knockoffs of the Apple website to prove that. (See the dozen or so CSS galleries to prove that.)

    The point here of this case study is to help show churches potential … and ideas and inspirations for their sites.

    And unique is great and I encourage it … but not every church has the resources (i.e. money) to pay for rockin’ designs that you and other top-notch designers do. :-)

  3. bartondad on January 19th, 2007 12:58 pm

    Cory I has some questions about a website. I am in a small rural community but would like our website to rock however we are short on $$ and our webmaster is not real creative. I have some questions about pricing and maintaining a template. Could you email me since I tried but failed to get through to you via email.

    BTW, I thought the quick take on the wire and twine website made the point and was cool for just a few hours work.

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