Themes and Design

The Layout tab in the gallery editor is where you shape how your gallery looks and feels. Every choice you make here, from colors to typography to cover style, is reflected instantly in a live preview. All changes save automatically, so you can experiment freely without worrying about losing anything.

The Layout tab

The Layout tab is split into two parts:

• Design sidebar (left side). A scrollable panel, roughly 420 pixels wide, with all your design controls stacked vertically. This is where you make your choices.
• Live preview (right side). A real-time rendering of your gallery as visitors will see it. Available on desktop only. As you change settings in the sidebar, the preview updates instantly so you can see the effect before you share.

At the top of the preview, you will find a device toggle that lets you switch between a desktop view and a mobile view. This is helpful for making sure your gallery looks great on phones too, since many of your clients will open the link on their phone first.

Design sidebar controls

The sidebar walks you through every design decision, top to bottom.

Cover image card

At the top of the sidebar, you will see your current cover image with a button to change it. This is the same focal point picker described in the Creating a Gallery page. Click to reposition the focus area so the most important part of your cover stays visible on every screen size.

Theme presets

Below the cover image, you will find the theme presets laid out in a two-column grid. Each preset is a small preview card showing the overall look. Clicking one applies a complete set of design choices at once: cover layout, colors, typography, grid style, and more. It is the fastest way to get a polished look.

CoreHue offers six preset themes:

Theme	Feel	Best for
Editorial	Magazine spread, refined	Fashion, editorial work
Cinematic	Bold, dramatic, dark	Films, moody sessions
Romantic	Soft, dreamy, warm	Weddings, engagements
Timeless	Classic, elegant	Portraits, events
Modern	Clean, contemporary	Commercial, minimalist work
Earth	Warm, natural tones	Outdoor, lifestyle

Picking a preset sets everything at once, but nothing is locked in. You can customize any individual setting afterward without losing the rest of the preset.

Cover layout options

Six different ways to present your cover, each with a small visual preview so you can see what you are choosing:

• Grand. A full-bleed, dramatic entrance. The cover image fills the entire screen edge to edge, with the title and date layered over it. This feels epic and immersive, perfect for big events or breathtaking landscape work.
• Showcase. The gallery title and event details sit at the top, with the cover image displayed prominently below. Clean and confident, it lets the image speak for itself.
• Editorial. The cover image fills the background with a subtle gradient overlay that makes the text easy to read. It feels like the opening page of a high-end magazine.
• Half. The screen splits in two: text on the left, image on the right. Balanced and modern, it gives equal weight to the title and the visual.
• Fade. The cover image dissolves softly at the bottom edge, blending into the background color. Gentle and elegant, it creates a smooth transition into the photo grid below.
• Frame. The cover image is inset with generous margins on all sides, like a framed print hanging on a wall. Refined and intentional, great for a gallery that feels curated.

Cover animations

Choose how the cover comes to life when someone first opens the gallery:

• None. The cover appears instantly with no animation.
• Fade. The cover fades in gently, easing the visitor into the experience.
• Parallax. The cover image moves at a slightly different speed than the text as the visitor scrolls, creating a sense of depth.
• Zoom. The cover image starts slightly zoomed in and slowly pulls back, drawing the eye in before revealing the full scene.

Typography options

Nine font pairings to choose from, each setting the heading and body fonts together: Modern, Serif, Display, Clean, Classic, Refined, Editorial, Warm, and Vogue. Pick the one that matches the mood of your work.

Color palette swatches

Eleven color palettes displayed as swatches you can click: Light, Gold, Ivory, Dark/Noir, Rose, Terracotta, Sand, Olive, Agave, and Sea. Each palette sets the background, text color, accent color, and overall tone of the gallery in one click.

Grid size

Two options for how large photos appear in the grid:

• Regular. A standard size that fits more photos on screen at once. Good for galleries with many images where you want visitors to browse quickly.
• Large. Bigger thumbnails that let each photo make more of an impact. Good for smaller, curated galleries where every image matters.

Grid spacing

Two options for the breathing room between photos:

• Tight. Photos sit close together with minimal gaps, creating a dense, magazine-like mosaic.
• Relaxed. More space between photos, giving each image room to breathe. Feels calmer and more intentional.

Navigation style

How chapter navigation looks on the public gallery: Icon + text, Text only, or Icon only.

Grid options

Additional grid settings let you choose between vertical and horizontal grid styles, and control how photos appear as visitors scroll: instantly, with a fade, or with a stagger effect where photos appear one by one.

Everything auto-saves

You never need to hit a save button. Every change you make in the Layout tab is saved the moment you make it. Switch tabs, close the editor, come back later. Your design is always exactly where you left it.