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Creating Advanced Layouts in Squarespace: A Beginner's Guide to Custom CSS

Squarespace's Fluid Engine editor is a powerful tool, allowing you to drag and drop blocks to create beautiful, responsive layouts with ease. But what happens when your creative vision goes beyond the boundaries of the standard grid? You might want an image to gracefully overlap a text block, or a specific section to break out of the main page width for a dramatic, high-end look.

This is where many users feel stuck. They assume if the editor can't do it, it's impossible. The good news is that with a few simple lines of Custom CSS, you can unlock a world of bespoke design possibilities and elevate your website from a template to a truly custom creation.

This guide will teach you the single most important skill for customizing Squarespace—finding a block's ID—and provide you with copy-and-paste code snippets to solve common advanced layout challenges.

The Core Concept: Every Block Has a Secret Address

To tell Squarespace which specific block you want to change, you need its unique address. This is called the Block ID. The easiest way for a beginner to find this is by using a free browser extension.

Install a Browser Extension: Go to the extension store for your browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and search for "Squarespace ID Finder." Install the free extension.
Activate and Find: Go to your Squarespace website (while logged out, or in an incognito window). Activate the extension, and as you hover your mouse over different blocks on your page, their unique Block ID will appear. It will look something like block-yui_3_17_2_1_16....
Copy the ID: When you find the block you want to modify, simply click to copy its ID.

Now you have the "address" you need to start making custom changes. All the code below will be placed in the Website > Website Tools > Custom CSS panel.

Layout Trick #1: Creating an Overlapping Effect

This popular high-end design trick makes a page feel more dynamic and professional by having one block slightly overlap another.

The Goal: You have an image block directly above a text block with a colored background. You want to pull the image down so it slightly overlaps the colored section.

The Method: We will target the image block and use a negative margin-bottom to pull it down over the section below it.

Copy the CSS code below and paste it into your Custom CSS window:

#block-id-of-your-image-block { margin-bottom: -75px; }

How to Use It:

Replace block-id-of-your-image-block with the actual Block ID of your image that you copied in the first step.
You can change -75px to a larger or smaller negative number to control exactly how much it overlaps. Click Save and watch it happen!

Layout Trick #2: Making a Block Break the Boundaries

Want to make a single image or video span the full width of the screen for a dramatic, immersive effect, while the rest of your content stays within the normal page width?

The Goal: Make a specific block wider than the standard page layout.

The Method: We will target the block and use a combination of width and margin to force it to stretch.

Copy the CSS code below and paste it into your Custom CSS window:

#block-id-of-your-wide-block { width: 120%; margin-left: -10%; }

How to Use It:

Replace block-id-of-your-wide-block with the Block ID of the image, video, or section you want to stretch.
This code makes the block 20% wider than its container and then uses a negative margin to pull it back 10% on the left, effectively centering it and making it "break out" of the lines. You can adjust these percentages for a more or less dramatic effect.

Layout Trick #3: Adding a Custom Border to a Single Block

Sometimes you want to make a specific call-to-action, quote, or image stand out from the rest of the page. A simple border can do the trick.

The Goal: Add a clean, simple border around one specific text block.

The Method: We will target the text block and use the border and padding properties.

Copy the CSS code below and paste it into your Custom CSS window:

#block-id-of-your-text-block { border: 1px solid #000; padding: 25px; }

How to Use It:

Replace block-id-of-your-text-block with the Block ID of your text block.
You can change the border's thickness (1px), style (solid), and color (#000 is black).
The padding adds some nice breathing room between the text and the new border. Adjust the 25px value as needed.

Conclusion: You Are in Control

These simple snippets are just the beginning. By learning how to target individual blocks, you can take complete creative control over your Squarespace website, creating layouts that are truly unique to your brand.

If you love the idea of a custom-designed website but don't want the headache of learning code, you're in the right place. My entire business is dedicated to handling the technical details to create beautiful, strategic websites for clients like you.

For a free, no-pressure consultation to discuss your project, call me directly at (608) 888-3735.