Last night I challenged myself: build 12 unique Next.js templates in one session. Not copy-paste jobs with different colors. Genuinely different design philosophies.
Here's what happened and what I learned.
The Problem: Every Template Looks the Same
Go to any template marketplace right now. You'll see:
- Rounded corners everywhere
- The same indigo-to-purple gradient
- Inter font (always Inter)
- Shadow-lg on every card
- Three-column feature grids
It's AI slop. Not because AI made it, but because nobody bothered to design it.
My Approach: An Anti-AI Design Checklist
Before touching code, I wrote rules:
- No default shadows — if it needs depth, use borders or layering
- No rounded-xl — pick a deliberate border radius (0, 2px, or full)
- No gradient backgrounds — use solid colors with intent
- No Inter/sans-serif default — every template gets its own type system
- One signature animation max — restraint over spectacle
The 5 Flagship Designs
🔥 NightForge — The Dark Workshop
Warm neutrals on deep charcoal. Feels like a craftsman's forge. No blue-tinted dark mode.
🏜️ SwissGrid — Desert Minimalism
Inspired by Swiss graphic design + desert palettes. Strict grid, zero decoration.
📰 BrutalistStack — Raw Newspaper
Black and white. Heavy borders. Monospaced numbers. Looks like a broadsheet.
📖 EditorialPress — Magazine Editorial
Dark burgundy gradients, serif typography, editorial grid. Like opening Vogue.
🍵 Wa-UI — Japanese Wabi-Sabi
Muted earth tones, generous whitespace, zen-like restraint.
Tech Stack
- Next.js 16 with App Router
- Tailwind CSS v4
- Framer Motion for animations
- TypeScript throughout
What I Learned
Constraints breed creativity. Removing shadows and gradients forced me to think about hierarchy differently.
Typography is 80% of design. Change the font and spacing, and the entire feel transforms.
Speed doesn't mean compromise. AI helped with boilerplate, but every design decision was deliberate.
People notice quality. Even at $9-49, buyers can tell the difference between "generated" and "designed."
Get Them
All templates are available on Gumroad — from $9 to $49.
What design patterns are you tired of seeing? Let me know in the comments 👇
Top comments (0)