03.4 Development
Custom blocks& theming.
01 / 04Your team should build pages from blocks we design together.
02 / 04Move them, swap them, add a new page in minutes. The design holds.
03 / 04What should never change is locked, gently.
04 / 04And the brand lives in tokens: change one, every block follows.
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What it is
Freedom to edit. No way to break it.
Custom blocks are the building pieces of the WordPress editor, designed for your brand: a hero, a pricing table, a team grid, a case study. Your team arranges them into pages, fills in the content, and the design comes out right every time.
Custom theming is the layer underneath: a hand-written theme with your colours, typography and spacing defined once as design tokens in theme.json, so every block, page and post stays consistent.
It is the middle path between a rigid site that needs a developer for every change and a page builder where anyone can redesign anything by accident. We share a few of our habits in five WordPress functions we ship on every build.
Design tokens
Change the rule, not every page.
In a well-built theme, the brand lives in a few named values in theme.json. Every block reads from them, so a change happens once and shows up everywhere. Try it.
Brand colour
Heading font
Spacing
Why not a page builder
Control where it helps, guardrails where it matters.
Our rules
What a good block library gets right.
- Few options per block. Every extra setting is a new way to make the page look wrong.
- Names your team uses. “Opening hours”, not “Info box variant 3”.
- Blocks that combine. Any block can sit next to any other and still look intentional.
- Real defaults. A new block arrives with sensible content, not empty boxes.
- Responsive on its own. Editors never have to think about mobile; the block already did.
- Accessible by construction. Headings in order, alt text asked for, contrast guaranteed by the tokens.
- Locked layouts, open content. Text and images change freely; structure changes on purpose.
- Documented. Each block has a one-line purpose and an example, inside the editor.
What you get
An editor your team will actually enjoy.
A block library
The blocks your pages actually need, designed with you, each with a few clear options.
Patterns and templates
Ready-made page layouts your team can start from: landing pages, articles, case studies.
theme.json and tokens
Colours, type, spacing and layout defined once and used everywhere, in the editor and on the site.
Locked where it matters
Template and block locking, so headers, footers and key layouts stay intact.
Editor that looks like the site
What your team sees while editing matches what visitors see.
Training and a guide
A short session and a written guide, so the team builds pages with confidence.
How we work
From one-off pages to a system.
You get a clear timeline before we start.
Audit
We collect every type of section your site uses and find the patterns behind them.
Design
The block library and tokens are designed together, so blocks combine well in any order.
Build
Blocks, patterns and templates built with native WordPress tools, tested in the editor.
Hand over
Training, documentation and a period where we watch how the team uses it and refine.
Under the hood
Native WordPress, nothing exotic.
We use the tools WordPress itself is built on, so your site keeps working through updates and other developers can maintain it.
Related
Blocks are where design meets content.
One team designs, builds and trains.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What are custom Gutenberg blocks?
Blocks built specifically for your site in the WordPress editor, such as a hero, a pricing table or a testimonial, with only the options your team needs and your design built in.
Can we keep using our current WordPress site?
Often, yes. We can introduce custom blocks and a theme.json design system step by step, or rebuild the theme if the current one is holding you back.
Will our team be able to create new pages alone?
Yes. That is the point. Patterns and blocks let them build new pages from proven layouts without a developer.
What is theme.json?
The WordPress file where a theme defines its design settings: colour palette, typography, spacing and layout. Blocks and the editor read from it, which keeps everything consistent.
Can you migrate us away from a page builder?
Yes. We rebuilt our own site from Elementor to a hand-written theme and kept every URL. We plan content migration and redirects carefully.
Do custom blocks slow the site down?
No. Each block loads only its own small styles and scripts, which is usually much lighter than a page builder.
Do we need ACF?
Not always. Native blocks cover most needs. ACF blocks are useful for structured data-heavy content, and we use them when they are the simpler choice.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the number of blocks and templates. After a short call we send a transparent proposal with the cost broken down.
Give your team the right blocks.
Tell us how your team edits the site today. One real reply within 24 hours.