Boxed Card Layout

What it covers

Boxed Card Layout is a 30 minute CSS workshop from Chris Schwartz-Edmisten that builds one specific component: three items side by side, each in a bordered box, with a background colour effect on hover. The old listing here described it as a Fluid Engine card section. It is not; it is built on Squarespace 7.1's Auto Layout Simple List section and styled entirely with CSS.

The lesson covers the HTML structure of the Auto Layout Simple List section, how to write the CSS so the component is reusable and can be saved as a saved section without touching the code again, how to nest media queries so the cards stay responsive, and how to add the hover effect to each card. Chris positions it as a natural or holistic look, and the reviews on the page are mostly for his other workshops, which tells you this is a small, focused purchase rather than a flagship.

Who it is for

Squarespace designers with beginner to intermediate CSS who are bored of the standard three column layout and want a bordered card treatment they can drop into any site. If you cannot read CSS at all, you can still paste the finished code, but the teaching will pass you by.

Format and access

One pre-recorded video with the finished CSS, hosted on Chris's site. A one time purchase gives lifetime access; it is free for Pro members. No refunds, though Chris asks unhappy buyers to email him.

Where it falls short

Thirty minutes buys one layout. The reusable CSS pattern and the nested media queries are the transferable lessons, and they are useful ones, but the component itself is something an experienced CSS designer could write in an afternoon. It also depends on the list section markup, which Squarespace can change. Buy it for the technique if you are still learning CSS, or buy Chris's Custom Layouts course if you want a broader set of building methods.

Related guide: browse every course we list in the Squarespace courses collection, and read my practical guide on how to use custom CSS in Squarespace for where the code goes and how to keep it tidy. All three Schwartz-Edmisten workshops also feature in our best Squarespace courses in 2026 roundup.