I’m a constant life-tinkerer, constantly trying out different ways to be more efficient and effective. One thing that’s stuck with me is the idea of building white space into my days. Without it, it’s easy to jump from one thing to the next without stopping to reflect, to really understand what’s important. This space makes me feel so much calmer and more able to focus on the tasks at hand without a sense of overwhelm creeping in.

What is white space?

White space is the space between design elements, but also within design elements, the part of a design left blank (and no, it doesn’t actually have to be white). It can include margins, column spacing, leading and kerning (spacing between lines and letters), space around graphics or images – the choices made around each element combine to give a design an overall feeling of spaciousness or density.

Yet when I’m designing a publication, there’s always someone who asks me to add in one more graphic or block of text “because we have the space”. As in life, there are people who are afraid of white space, who feel like it is a waste.

Not me! I couldn’t love white space more. This same need for white space in my life applies to the designs I work on. Words and concepts, especially the complex content that we work with, need space to breathe too. Publications that are too cluttered quickly lose my attention – the sheer overwhelm of the content does my head in.

What white space can do for your work

• White space clearly shows your eye where to focus
• Your designs will feel more considered, nuanced (and even more professional)
• It allows your eye to rest between dense pieces of information
• Extra space gives your content a sense of lightness that is energizing (rather than draining)
• White space can help keep people engaged longer

Some great publications with white space to spare

UNAIDS is an organization that I find consistently uses white space to great effect – their publications and designs feel fresh and light and just work. Here are a few examples of publications where they make great use of white space, and why I think they work.