Another day, another design trend! Bento grid layouts are the subject this time around. They’re bold and beautiful. Plus, they satisfy those with a need for symmetry.
So, what exactly is a Bento layout? Think of it as a puzzle. Different-sized containers fit together to create a seamless look. Inspired by Japanese culture, it’s popping up all over the web.
There’s good reason for Bento’s growing popularity. You can use these layouts in a multitude of ways. Everything from listing blog posts to product features is possible. They’re also perfect for dashboard screens.
We should also mention the role that the evolution of CSS has played. Both CSS Grid and Flexbox make these layouts easier to build. No hacks or workarounds are necessary!
With that, here’s a look at 8 beautiful Bento grid layouts.
Complex Bento CSS Grid Layout
CSS Grid packs a lot of power into a tiny bit of code. For example, this complex grid layout requires only 43 lines of CSS. The layout is both efficient and naturally responsive. Therefore, you won’t have to play around with media queries.
See the Pen Complex Bento Layout
Bento-Style Responsive Dashboard
Here’s a gorgeous dashboard layout that benefits from Bento. The layout offers a great way to display relevant content. Everything is neatly organized and easy to follow. The use of photography and color makes this example stand out.
See the Pen Responsive Dashboard | Bento Style by Ecem Gokdogan
Bento Design Concept Layout
This page layout is a different take on the Bento aesthetic. There’s a sidebar featuring in-page navigation. Clicking a button expands it. Meanwhile, the content container maintains a consistent height.
See the Pen bento design concept by Abhishek Bhardwaj
Bento-Box-V1.0.1
Bento layouts also benefit from minimalism. This layout features fewer bells and whistles. Notice the use of white space and legible typography. The animated charts catch your eye without being overwhelming.
See the Pen Bento-Box-V1.0.1 by Gwenaël Guiraud
Sticky Bento on Scroll
This “sticky” presentation adds special effects to the mix. Watch how certain elements stick as you scroll. The idea is that you can go beyond static grids. Bento can be fun, too!
See the Pen Sticky Bento on Scroll ✨ by Jhey
Bento Grid Using CSS Flexbox
Let’s check out another fun example using Flexbox. This grid has a neon look and includes cool hover effects. Bonus points here for maintaining legibility and responsiveness.
See the Pen bento grid – challenge (Chrome +111) by EaterUsr
Card-Based Layout with Gradient Borders
Here’s an example for those wanting to stand out from the crowd. This card-based layout features animated borders, “wipe” effects, and beautiful hover styling. The layout remains clean – even with all those goodies.
See the Pen Cards (gradient border) by Dan
CSS Grid & :has() Grid Layouts
We can achieve a lot with the CSS :has() pseudo-class. This example uses it to adjust the layout as boxes are added and subtracted. Watch as the layout maintains perfect symmetry throughout.
See the Pen Always great grid – CSS grid + :has() + view transitions by Adam Argyle
Use Bento Grids to Keep Your Layout Nice and Tidy
The idea of using Bento aesthetics in web design isn’t new. However, older CSS layout techniques made them difficult to build. That’s no longer the case.
Perhaps the best part is that modern CSS does all the dirty work. We don’t need to compute complex calculations. CSS Grid and Flexbox can do this for us.
That leaves us free to experiment. The examples above demonstrate what is possible. And you can get as creative as you like.
Want to see more Bento grid examples? Check out our CodePen collection!
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