How To Build a Website That Looks Exactly Like a Reference Website

3. Themes and Templates Are the Foundation

The majority of websites you see online are built on a pre-designed theme with varying levels of customization.

If your reference website is built on:

• A WordPress theme

• A Shopify theme

• A Wix template

And you use the same theme, you’re already 60–70% of the way to matching the look.

This is why identifying the theme or template used by a reference website is such a powerful first step.

Once the same theme is installed:

• Layout sections align naturally

• Spacing and responsiveness match

• Typography behavior is consistent

At that point, the site no longer needs to be “recreated”—it just needs to be configured correctly.

4. Step One: Identify the Theme Used by the Reference Website

There are several ways to determine what theme or template a website is using:

1. View Page Source

   • Right-click → “View Page Source”

   • Look for references to theme folders or template names

2. Use Browser Developer Tools

   • Inspect CSS and file paths

   • Many themes expose their names in stylesheets

3. Platform-Specific Clues

   • Shopify themes often include theme names in metadata

   • WordPress themes usually appear in the /wp-content/themes/ directory

Once the theme is identified, the same theme can be installed on your own site, giving you a near-identical base structure.

5. Step Two: Match the Customization Settings

This is where most people underestimate how precise web design really is.

Every visual element on a website is defined by numbers:

• Font size (px, em, rem)

• Line height

• Color values (HEX, RGB, RGBA)

• Padding and margin

• Section width

• Background overlay opacity

Because everything is numeric, design can be replicated extremely accurately.

6. Using Chrome “Inspect” to Read Design Data

Modern browsers like Chrome make this process straightforward.

With Inspect Element, you can see:

• Exact font family used

• Font size and weight

• Text color and hover color

• Section padding and margin

• Background colors and gradients

• Overlay opacity values

• Video and image containers

For example:

• If a heading is font-size: 56px

• And section padding is 120px 0

• And background overlay is rgba(0,0,0,0.45)

You can apply the exact same values to your own website.

That’s why two websites can look nearly indistinguishable even if the content is different.

7. Layout Structure Is Reusable

Most modern themes rely on reusable layout blocks:

• Hero/banner sections

• Two-column content sections

• Image + text layouts

• Call-to-action sections

• Grid-based services or product displays

If the same theme is used and the same layout blocks are arranged in the same order, the structure will naturally match.

This is especially true for:

• WordPress builders like Elementor or Gutenberg

• Shopify section-based themes

• Wix visual editors

8. Images and Backgrounds: What Can and Can’t Be Copied

This is where legal and ethical considerations matter.

You cannot directly reuse:

• Licensed stock photos

• Custom brand photography

• Copyrighted background videos

However, you can:

• Use licensed stock images with proper rights

• Create original photos

• Use AI image tools to generate similar vibe visuals

For example:

• Same color mood

• Same composition style

• Same emotional tone

This allows the website to feel visually similar without violating any copyrights.

9. Typography and Color Systems Matter More Than Images

Many people think images define a website’s look, but in reality:

• Typography

• Spacing

• Color hierarchy

are far more important.

Matching:

• Font families

• Heading sizes

• Paragraph spacing

• Button styles

• Hover animations

will make two websites feel almost identical, even with different images.

10. Platform Differences Still Matter

Even if two platforms look similar, there are differences:

• WordPress offers deeper design control

• Shopify is optimized for eCommerce structure

• Wix and GoDaddy favor simplicity over deep customization

An experienced developer will choose the right platform based on:

• Functionality needs

• Customization depth

• Long-term scalability

This ensures the final result matches not just visually, but structurally.

11. How Close Can You Really Get?

In real-world practice:

• 90–95% visual similarity is very realistic

• 100% pixel-perfect duplication is usually unnecessary and risky

The goal is:

• Same visual experience

• Same professional feel

• Same usability quality

Not copying someone else’s brand or content.

12. Why Professional Experience Matters

Knowing how to:

• Identify themes

• Read CSS values

• Rebuild layouts efficiently

• Match visual hierarchy

is what separates a professional developer from trial-and-error builders.

This experience saves:

• Time

• Budget

• Frustration

And produces predictable results.

13. How Bel Oak Marketing Helps

Bel Oak Marketing specializes in building websites based on reference sites.

Clients simply:

• Share a reference website

• Explain what they like about it

• Clarify platform and goals

From there:

• The theme is identified or matched

• Layouts are recreated

• Custom styles are applied with precision

• Visual consistency is carefully controlled

The result is a website that looks and feels exactly like what inspired it, while remaining original, legal, and fully customized for the client’s brand.

14. A Reference Website Is A Smart Design Strategy

Wanting your website to look like a reference website is not a shortcut—it’s a smart design strategy.

Because modern websites are built on:

• Themes

• Templates

• Numeric design systems

Replicating a look is not guesswork. It’s a technical process.

With the right platform, the right theme, and the right customization approach, building a website that looks nearly identical to a reference site is absolutely achievable.

And when done properly, it leads to faster development, clearer expectations, and better results.