diff --git a/blocks/columns/columns.css b/blocks/columns/columns.css
index 472e99b9..4b09aeea 100644
--- a/blocks/columns/columns.css
+++ b/blocks/columns/columns.css
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
   .columns > div {
     align-items: center;
     flex-direction: unset;
-    gap: 32px;
+    gap: var(--padding-vertical) var(--padding-horizontal);
+    padding: var(--padding-vertical) var(--padding-horizontal);
   }
 
   .columns > div > div:nth-child(1) {
diff --git a/blocks/columns/columns.js b/blocks/columns/columns.js
index 22747504..823c6c18 100644
--- a/blocks/columns/columns.js
+++ b/blocks/columns/columns.js
@@ -1,22 +1,18 @@
-export default function decorate(block) {
-  const id = `gen${crypto.randomUUID().split('-')[0]}`;
-  block.id = id;
+import {
+  addCssVariables,
+} from '../../scripts/lib-franklin.js';
 
+export default function decorate(block) {
   const columns = block.querySelectorAll(':scope > div > div');
   const columnCount = columns.length;
   // following line regex matches partition sizes separated by dashes like 1-2-3
   const columnPartionRegex = /^\d{1,}(?:-\d{1,})*$/;
   const columnPartions = [...block.classList].find((c) => columnPartionRegex.test(c))?.split('-') || [];
 
-  let variables = '';
+  const variables = {};
   for (let i = 0; i < columnCount; i += 1) {
     const partition = columnPartions.length > i ? columnPartions[i] : 1;
-    variables += `--column${i}-flex: ${partition};`;
+    variables[`column${i}-flex`] = partition;
   }
-
-  const style = document.createElement('style');
-  style.textContent = `#${id} {
-    ${variables}
-  }`;
-  block.parentNode.insertBefore(style, block);
+  addCssVariables(block, variables);
 }
diff --git a/blocks/grid/grid.css b/blocks/grid/grid.css
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d7f192a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blocks/grid/grid.css
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+.section.grid {
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: var(--grid-template-columns, unset);
+  grid-template-rows: var(--grid-template-rows, unset);
+}
+
+.section.grid .element {
+  grid-column: var(--grid-column-start-position, auto) / var(--grid-column-end-position, auto);
+  grid-row: var(--grid-row-start-position, auto) / var(--grid-row-end-position, auto);
+  width: 100%;
+  max-width: unset;
+  background-color: var(--background-color, transparent);
+  color: var(--text-color);
+  margin: auto;
+}
+
+.section.grid .element .image-wrapper {
+  margin: 0;
+  padding: 0;
+}
+
+.section.grid .element img {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+.section.grid .element p {
+  margin: 0;
+  padding: var(--padding-vertical) var(--padding-horizontal);
+}
diff --git a/blocks/grid/grid.js b/blocks/grid/grid.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fafdfefc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blocks/grid/grid.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import {
+  addCssVariables,
+} from '../../scripts/lib-franklin.js';
+
+export default function decorate(block) {
+  const elements = [...block.querySelectorAll(':scope > div')];
+
+  const columnTemplate = elements.find((e) => e.dataset.gridColumns)?.dataset.gridColumns;
+  const rowTemplate = elements.find((e) => e.dataset.gridRows)?.dataset.gridRows;
+  if (columnTemplate || rowTemplate) {
+    const variables = {};
+    if (columnTemplate) {
+      variables['grid-template-columns'] = columnTemplate;
+    }
+    if (rowTemplate) {
+      variables['grid-template-rows'] = rowTemplate;
+    }
+    addCssVariables(block, variables);
+  }
+
+  elements.forEach((e) => {
+    e.classList.add('element');
+
+    const [[startColumnPosition, startRowPosition], [endColumnPosition, endRowPosition]] = e.dataset.gridPosition.split(/\s*\/\s*/).map((p) => p.split(/\s*-\s*/));
+
+    addCssVariables(e, {
+      'grid-column-start-position': startColumnPosition,
+      'grid-row-start-position': startRowPosition,
+      'grid-column-end-position': endColumnPosition,
+      'grid-row-end-position': endRowPosition,
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/scripts/lib-franklin.js b/scripts/lib-franklin.js
index 80b042e0..a5e00564 100644
--- a/scripts/lib-franklin.js
+++ b/scripts/lib-franklin.js
@@ -329,43 +329,70 @@ export function readBlockConfig(block) {
   return config;
 }
 
+export function addCssVariables(element, variables) {
+  if (!element.id) {
+    const id = `gen${crypto.randomUUID().split('-')[0]}`;
+    element.id = id;
+  }
+
+  const style = document.createElement('style');
+  style.textContent = `#${element.id} {
+    ${Object.keys(variables).map((k) => `--${k}: ${variables[k]};`).join(' ')}
+  }`;
+
+  element.parentNode.insertBefore(style, element);
+}
+
+export function decorateSection(section) {
+  const wrappers = [];
+  let defaultContent = false;
+  [...section.children].forEach((e) => {
+    if (e.tagName === 'DIV' || !defaultContent) {
+      const wrapper = document.createElement('div');
+      wrappers.push(wrapper);
+      defaultContent = e.tagName !== 'DIV';
+      if (defaultContent) wrapper.classList.add('default-content-wrapper');
+    }
+    wrappers[wrappers.length - 1].append(e);
+  });
+  wrappers.forEach((wrapper) => section.append(wrapper));
+  section.classList.add('section');
+  section.dataset.sectionStatus = 'initialized';
+  section.style.display = 'none';
+
+  /* process section metadata */
+  const sectionMeta = section.querySelector('div.section-metadata');
+  if (sectionMeta) {
+    const meta = readBlockConfig(sectionMeta);
+    Object.keys(meta).forEach((key) => {
+      if (key === 'style') {
+        const styles = meta.style.split(',').map((style) => toClassName(style.trim()));
+        styles.forEach((style) => section.classList.add(style));
+      } else {
+        section.dataset[toCamelCase(key)] = meta[key];
+      }
+    });
+    sectionMeta.parentNode.remove();
+  }
+
+  if (section.dataset.textColor || section.dataset.background) {
+    const variables = {};
+    if (section.dataset.textColor) {
+      variables['text-color'] = section.dataset.textColor;
+    }
+    if (section.dataset.background) {
+      variables['background-color'] = section.dataset.background;
+    }
+    addCssVariables(section, variables);
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Decorates all sections in a container element.
  * @param {Element} main The container element
  */
 export function decorateSections(main) {
-  main.querySelectorAll(':scope > div').forEach((section) => {
-    const wrappers = [];
-    let defaultContent = false;
-    [...section.children].forEach((e) => {
-      if (e.tagName === 'DIV' || !defaultContent) {
-        const wrapper = document.createElement('div');
-        wrappers.push(wrapper);
-        defaultContent = e.tagName !== 'DIV';
-        if (defaultContent) wrapper.classList.add('default-content-wrapper');
-      }
-      wrappers[wrappers.length - 1].append(e);
-    });
-    wrappers.forEach((wrapper) => section.append(wrapper));
-    section.classList.add('section');
-    section.dataset.sectionStatus = 'initialized';
-    section.style.display = 'none';
-
-    /* process section metadata */
-    const sectionMeta = section.querySelector('div.section-metadata');
-    if (sectionMeta) {
-      const meta = readBlockConfig(sectionMeta);
-      Object.keys(meta).forEach((key) => {
-        if (key === 'style') {
-          const styles = meta.style.split(',').map((style) => toClassName(style.trim()));
-          styles.forEach((style) => section.classList.add(style));
-        } else {
-          section.dataset[toCamelCase(key)] = meta[key];
-        }
-      });
-      sectionMeta.parentNode.remove();
-    }
-  });
+  main.querySelectorAll(':scope > div').forEach((section) => decorateSection(section));
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/scripts/scripts.js b/scripts/scripts.js
index f6d84985..bd9af7ce 100644
--- a/scripts/scripts.js
+++ b/scripts/scripts.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   loadFooter,
   decorateButtons,
   decorateIcons,
+  decorateSection,
   decorateSections,
   decorateBlocks,
   decorateTemplateAndTheme,
@@ -30,6 +31,22 @@ function buildHeroBlock(main) {
   }
 }
 
+function buildGrid(main) {
+  const gridElements = main.querySelectorAll('.section[data-grid-position]');
+  gridElements.forEach((e) => {
+    e.classList.remove('section');
+    delete e.dataset.sectionStatus;
+    e.removeAttribute('style');
+  });
+  const grid = document.createElement('div');
+  grid.classList.add('block', 'grid');
+  grid.dataset.blockName = 'grid';
+  grid.dataset.blockStatus = 'initialized';
+  main.insertBefore(grid, gridElements[0]);
+  decorateSection(grid);
+  grid.replaceChildren(...gridElements);
+}
+
 /**
  * load fonts.css and set a session storage flag
  */
@@ -55,6 +72,14 @@ function buildAutoBlocks(main) {
   }
 }
 
+function decorateImages(main) {
+  main.querySelectorAll('picture').forEach((i) => {
+    if (i.parentElement.tagName === 'P' && i.parentElement.children.length === 1) {
+      i.parentElement.classList.add('image-wrapper');
+    }
+  });
+}
+
 /**
  * Decorates the main element.
  * @param {Element} main The main element
@@ -67,6 +92,8 @@ export function decorateMain(main) {
   buildAutoBlocks(main);
   decorateSections(main);
   decorateBlocks(main);
+  decorateImages(main);
+  buildGrid(main);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/styles/styles.css b/styles/styles.css
index a0d8b819..b3b7d4f3 100644
--- a/styles/styles.css
+++ b/styles/styles.css
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 
   /* nav height */
   --nav-height: 64px;
+  --padding-horizontal: 32px;
+  --padding-vertical: 16px;
 
 }
 
@@ -229,23 +231,6 @@ main img {
 }
 
 main .section {
-  padding: 64px 16px;
-}
-
-@media (min-width: 600px) {
-  main .section {
-    padding: 64px 32px;
-  }
-}
-
-@media (min-width: 900px) {
-  .section > div {
-    max-width: 1200px;
-    margin: auto;
-  }
-}
-
-/* section metadata */
-main .section.highlight {
-  background-color: var(--highlight-background-color);
+  background-color: var(--background-color, transparent);
+  color: var(--text-color);
 }