On Simplicity in Design

There’s a temptation when building a personal site to make it impressive. Animations, gradients, parallax scrolling, 3D elements. But impressive to whom?

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.

The best personal websites I’ve encountered share a common trait: they get out of the way of the content. Paul Graham’s site is pure text. Dan Abramov’s blog is a white page with words. Lee Robinson’s site is centered text with generous whitespace.

Typography Does the Work

When you strip away visual complexity, typography becomes your entire design system. The right serif font at the right size with the right line height creates a reading experience that feels deliberate and considered.

Choose one serif for body text, one sans-serif for headings, and one monospace for code. That’s your entire type system.

Whitespace as a Feature

Empty space isn’t wasted space. It’s breathing room. It guides the eye, separates ideas, and creates a rhythm to the page. A cramped page with great content still feels exhausting to read.

The Speed Advantage

Minimal design has a practical benefit too. Fewer assets means faster loads. No JavaScript animations means no layout shifts. A 50KB page loads instantly on any connection.

For a personal site, speed is respect for your reader’s time.