After choosing Squarespace, and before actually beginning to design a website, people often look at the Squarespace templates page with a blank stare.
‘Uhhh … which template do I choose? How do I decide? Can I see more examples?’
This is generally followed by intense Googling.
Whether you’re DIYing or getting a designer to create your new Squarespace website, it’s good to have some inspiration to get the creative juices flowing and see what’s possible with Squarespace.
Enter: the top Squarespace website example & Squarespace template design inspiration series!
I’ve scoured the web for the best in Squarespace site design, and compiled them here.
Oh, and since Squarespace 7.1 is fairly new as of writing this, most of the examples in this post will have all been built on 7.0!
But not to worry!
When Squarespace released the new version of their platform, they did away with different template families.
Meaning each and every single template in the shop can achieve the exact same design, and has all the same features and functions available to them!
Giving you wayyyyy more freedom (and less stress over picking the right template)!
So regardless of which platform you are using, gather up as much inspiration from this post as you fancy, because chances are it can be done in 7.1 too!
New to Squarespace?
You can sign up for a free trial of Squarespace here and I also got ya a little off the price, use code PAIGE10 for 10% off your first year. (Yes, that’s an affiliate link!)
If you’re still in need of a little more guidance before getting started on your Squarespace site…
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Best photography websites built on Squarespace (with examples!)
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Complete list: All fonts that are in both Squarespace & Canva
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My fav Squarespace 7.1 features that help you build your website faster
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Squarespace template comparison chart for 7.0 and 7.1 (updated!)
Squarespace website Examples & template inspiration • Photographer Edition
LIVE SITE: Grace Gatto Photography
Template: Brine Family
Designed by: Pais & Haze Creative Co
So having absolutely gorgeous photos to work with definitely makes a Squarespace designer’s job easier, but Pais & Haze still deserve a massive pat on the back for perfectly capturing the “wild love” vibe that Grace Gatto Photography was going for.
All without being too busy or taking anything away from the photography itself!
Loving the simple navigation, high contrast buttons, and the little bit of earthy texture sprinkled over ample amounts of “white space” to let the photographer’s work take the spotlight.
LIVE SITE: Meghan O’Sullivan Photography
Template: Brine Family
Designed by: Emma Rose Company
If you’re looking for that timeless, soft and airy inspiration for your photography biz’s new online home, then look no further than this gorgeous design by Emma Rose Company.
The hint of blue backgrounds, not-quite-black text, and barley there borders add interest to this site without taking the eye away from what matters – Meghan’s stunning photography and all her glowing subjects!
Bride-to-be or mom-to-be, this soft, inviting site makes you feel instantly at home.
LIVE SITE: Amber Garret Photography
Template: Brine Family
Designed by: 23 & 9 Creative
Talk about niching down, this creative photography site is all about capturing your love while you get hitched in Vegas!
I love how the overlapping images and text in the banner area totally scream “road-trip” and that the color palette and imagery used on the homepage is the perfect balance between playfulness & romance.
And I’m always a fan of an “as seen here” section seamlessly worked into the design!
LIVE SITE: Stephanie Loren Photography
Template: Brine Family
Designed by: Emma Rose Company
Another light & airy piece by design goddess Emma Rose company, only this one with a slightly more modern & playful feel.
(Take note: the image you choose for your banner image can totally change the whole look & vibe of your site so make it an intentional one!)
This design makes you feel like Stephanie Loren is totally a photographer-turned-best-friend type.
LIVE SITE: Jeremy Blode Photography
Template: Brine Family
Designed by: Paradise Studio
Moody love is in, y’all!
And Paradise Studio, together with Jeremy Blode Photography are bringing us the ultimate in moody, dramatic romance with this design.
(With a tasteful little nod to the bride’s soft feminine side!)
The overlapping images, logo, and background in the banner area make give off a total modern scrapbooking and storytelling vibe.
LIVE SITE: Jennifer Haese Photography
Template: Avenue
Designed by: Kiki & Co Creative
Looking for something a little classic? This design feels simple yet regal with it’s ornate borders, deep navy thumbnail buttons, and a touch of gold.
That and alll the whitespace make this design a win!
(Because every bride deserves to feel like royalty on her wedding day, right?)
LIVE SITE: Anni Graham Photography
Template: Brine family
Designed by: Drop Cap Design
This design by drop cap design is full of whimsy, and that deep green textured background section has it feeling like something out of an old English fairytale!
And apparently this tone on tone look with it’s arched image frames is the new “minimal,” based on what I’ve been seeing around the web as I hunt for Squarespace’s best kept secrets!
LIVE SITE: Taylor Gray Photography
Template: Brine family
Designed by: hygge design Co
Any Southern Belle’s out there? This light and airy seaside inspired site is totally staying true to this talented NC photographer’s roots!
Right down to the monogram style logo and beach glass color palette, and dainty bevelled borders, this design is sure to win over the hearts of many a southern bride.
LIVE SITE: Lena Peterson Photography
Template: Bedford family
DIY’ed
Lena Peterson knows the power of black and white images, and she’s totally rolling with it for this DIY’ed photography site!
Her design choices fit perfectly with her moving tagline “emotional imagery for the brave at heart,” and this full-width banner image alone should be enough reason for photographers everywhere to want to make the switch to Squarespace to put their work on display!
LIVE SITE: Jessi Nichols Photography
Template: Pacific family
Design Studio: Broad & Main
Film-loving brides everywhere are swooning over this design. It’s a bit different than the long-scrolling designs we are used to seeing, and together with Broad & Main, Jessi has left her beautiful photography to do the storytelling.
I love the split navigation, and soft font colors with just enough contrast to stand out but not distract.
Also loving how the images have been arranged and layered just to look like a real stack of printed film!
LIVE SITE: Hailey Pierce Photography
Template: Brine Family
Designed by: Pais & Haze
Pais & Haiz has done it again with this gorgeous site for photographer Hailey Pierce!
Featuring lots of leather & tulle, some perfectly placed polaroids, and all the intimate moments set to dramatic sweeping backgrounds, this design is sure to capture the hearts of adventure-seeking couples!
LIVE SITE: Catharine O’Hara
Template: Marquee family
Designed by: Go Live HQ
Paris in spring anyone?
Together this Go Live HQ, this talented photographer has totally nailed the cutesy destination wedding game!
She’s keeping it bright and fresh with sprigs of greenery, and a little touch of elegance with gold flake elements in place of buttons!
Oh, and my still-captured screenshot does not do her lovely animated backgrounds any justice, so be sure to visit the site live to see it really come to life!
LIVE SITE: Blush Photography
Template: York family
Design Studio: Julian Deschutter
Blush photography is all about the free-spirited bride, and Designer Julian Deschutter has perfectly captured that wind-in-your-hair vibe with this Squarespace site design.
The perfectly imperfect hand-lettered logo, combined with high contrast images and background give it the perfect pop of boldness, without needing to introduce a lot of color.
And don’t forget to peep those cute little custom branded icons in her galleries section at the bottom!
Update: There’s been SO many amazing Squarespace photographer sites built since this post originally went live! Be sure to check out the updated post with even more example sites!
LIVE SITE: Andrea Pesee
Template: Montauk family
DIY’ed
Ok, so this next Squarespace photography site example is everything sweet and good.
Sometimes, design is just as much about what you leave out as what you put in!
Keeping things simple has made this site the perfect white canvas to show off Andrea’s gorgeous work.
LIVE SITE: Dakota & Co
Template: Brine
DIY’ed
Taking it way over to the other end of the spectrum, sometimes bold design choices are what will speak to your ideal audience!
And that’s just what Branding Photographer Dakota & Co has embraced here with this eclectic, modern magazine inspired design!
Bold color blocking, overlapping images, and eye-catching text overlays are what make this high energy design!
LIVE SITE: Emily Burney
Template: Brine family
DIY’ed
I love a good textured background, and Emily Burney has hers placed perfectly to draw attention to the most important detail of this DIY’d site…her raving reviews!
Photographer or not, every business needs to think about how they can be incorporating these client-winning testimonials into their design!
LIVE SITE: DeRay and Simcoe Photographers
Template: Pacific family
Design Studio: Go Live HQ
Ready for a bit of a brand & site design evolution?
This is the original lovely design created in Squarespace in partner with Go Live HQ! Still just as timeless and elegant as ever!
Still, every biz needs a refresh from time to time, right?
So here’s a little Squarespace before and after inspiration so you can see which one speaks to you most!
Before
AFter
LIVE SITE: Kelley Palmer Photography
Template: Brine family
Design Studio: Meg Summerfield
This darling design put together by Meg Summerfield for Kelly Palmer Photography is just as fresh and sweet looking as the newborn babes it features!
I like the roomy, stand-alone design of the main navigation. Almost like a whole new section to itself, which sets it apart from the sleek, skinnier navigation areas on a lot of the other site examples we are seeing.
I also love the soft and playful dotted pattern overlapping the sections half-way down the page.
A fun use of texture that you could easily incorporate on your site using a pattern and colors that suits your own brand vibe. The possibilities are endless!
LIVE SITE: EMILY OUD
Template: Brine
DIY’ED
This is a perfect example of how to seamlessly blend your brand voice & vibe with your visual design.
I’m convinced that if you separated these two aspects of Emily’s site, threw them in a random pile with other people’s work, then asked someone who has never heard of her before to match up her website words with her design choices…
They would guess it right. every. time.
She’s all about nostalgia, and bringing you back to how you felt when the photo in the moment the photo was captured.
And I’d say she nailed it with her site design!
LIVE SITE: Crimson Photos
Template: Marquee family
DIY’ed
Another example of just how impactful black and white imagery can be on a site design!
I especially love the little “active link” color change detail in the main navigation!
(Which you can customize without the use of custom coding or CSS in Squarespace, btw!)
I hope this has given you all the inspiration you need to get started on your own site design!
If you could use a hand making sure your design choices will speak to the exact person you hope to reach, and that you have everything you need on your site to make it easy for them to take the action you are hoping they will (*ahem* book or buy your thing), then be sure to snag your FREE copy of my Squarespace Pre-Design Workbook & Checklist.
The exact checklist I use to help me properly gather and prep all my content before I ever sit down to design a site!
Get the freebie!
Squarespace Pre-Design Workbook & Checklist
