Journal
Process
10 min read
Framer CMS patterns we use on every build
Collections, references and filters: the exact CMS setup that lets our clients run their sites without calling us.
Theo Brandt

Collections, references and filters: the exact CMS setup that lets our clients run their sites without calling us. This is sample content — replace it with your own article in the CMS.
Starting with a blank tab
Most projects begin with a template in someone’s head. We try to start somewhere else: a walk, a photograph, a piece of music, a building. References from outside the screen give a site its own gravity.
From there we prototype in motion first. A site that moves well usually reads well, because motion forces you to decide what matters and in which order.
What we keep coming back to
Clarity beats cleverness, but cleverness earns attention. The best sites hold both: an unmistakable idea, executed with restraint, on a system that a small team can maintain for years.
Takeaways
Find the place, design the path, animate the moments that matter — and leave the rest alone.
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