Bento Grid Generator for CSS Layouts

Arrange cells visually, adjust their spans and gaps, then copy a CSS Grid starting point for your own layout.

Preset Templates

Grid Settings

Responsive Preview

Live Preview

Featured
Item 1
Item 2
Section
Item 3
Item 4
code.css
.bento-grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);
  gap: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}

.bento-item-1 {
  grid-row: span 2;
  grid-column: span 2;
  background-color: #f5f5f7;
  border-radius: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}
.bento-item-2 {
  grid-row: span 1;
  grid-column: span 1;
  background-color: #e8e8ed;
  border-radius: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}
.bento-item-3 {
  grid-row: span 1;
  grid-column: span 1;
  background-color: #d2d2d7;
  border-radius: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}
.bento-item-4 {
  grid-row: span 1;
  grid-column: span 2;
  background-color: #f5f5f7;
  border-radius: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}
.bento-item-5 {
  grid-row: span 1;
  grid-column: span 1;
  background-color: #e8e8ed;
  border-radius: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}
.bento-item-6 {
  grid-row: span 1;
  grid-column: span 1;
  background-color: #d2d2d7;
  border-radius: 16px;
  padding: 16px;
}

What a Bento Grid Is Good For

A bento grid is a layout made from related cards with deliberately varied sizes. It can help a dashboard, portfolio, or feature page group information without forcing every item into the same rectangle. The useful part is the hierarchy: the most important content gets more space, while supporting details stay easy to scan.

This tool helps you sketch that structure with CSS Grid. It does not guarantee a conversion, performance, or accessibility outcome; those depend on the content, assets, and implementation around the grid.

Start with the Layout Rules

Before exporting code, decide what should stay fixed and what should change at smaller widths. The controls above map to three practical CSS Grid decisions:

Flexibility

Give priority cards more columns or rows, but keep the pattern simple enough that people can still predict where to look next.

Responsiveness

Use the preview as a planning aid. Review the generated breakpoints and make sure the reading order still makes sense on a narrow screen.

Clean Code

The export is a starting point. Name areas clearly, remove unused rules, and test the result with your real content before shipping it.

A Practical Workflow

Build the rough structure first, then move the generated CSS into your project:

  1. 1Choose the number of columns and rows that fits the content you need to show.
  2. 2Select cells and adjust their spans to establish visual priority.
  3. 3Set gaps and padding, then review the preview at both wide and narrow widths.
  4. 4Copy the CSS or Tailwind output and adapt class names, breakpoints, and content semantics in your codebase.

Export Notes

You can set colors for individual cells and switch between CSS and Tailwind-oriented output. Use the color controls for a quick mockup, then replace temporary colors with your project's design tokens.

The preview is intentionally lightweight. It is there to help you reason about placement; it is not a substitute for testing with the images, labels, keyboard flow, and data density used by the finished page.

Performance and Accessibility

CSS Grid is a layout tool, not an SEO feature. Use meaningful headings, a logical DOM order, descriptive links, and correctly sized media. Those choices make a grid easier for people and search engines to understand.

Keep layout shifts down by reserving space for images and embeds. Test the final page on the devices and widths your audience uses rather than assuming an exported layout will perform well everywhere.

When Not to Use a Bento Grid

Avoid a varied-card layout when the content needs to be compared row by row, such as pricing tables, inventory, or dense reports. A simple list or table is often easier to scan and more resilient when labels become longer.

Use a bento grid when the cards have different importance but still belong to one task or story. Keep the number of visual treatments limited so the layout feels intentional rather than busy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the generator support Tailwind CSS?

Yes. Use the Tailwind tab to copy utility-oriented output, then adjust it to match your project configuration.

Does the exported layout work on mobile?

The tool includes a responsive preview, but you should still test the exported layout with real content on the screen sizes you support.

Why start with a generator instead of writing Grid by hand?

It can make an initial grid structure quicker to explore. The generated code should still be reviewed, simplified, and tested as part of your own implementation.

Can I customize cell colors?

Yes. You can choose a color for each cell in the preview. For production, replace those values with your design-system tokens where possible.

Ready to Build Stunning Bento Grids?

Use the editor above to explore a card hierarchy, then adapt the exported layout to the content and design system in your project.

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