Margins are the white spaces surrounding the text block on a page. They frame the layout, keep the text away from the edges and the fold, and contribute greatly to the balance of a page.
Where to see it
Margins are visible in any open book, where you can distinguish the head margin at the top, the foot margin at the bottom, the inner margin along the fold and the outer margin along the edge. In the classical tradition, the foot margin is the most generous, while on the web, margins are set with the CSS margin and padding properties.
Why this detail matters
Often seen as empty space, margins nonetheless play an essential role in layout:
- They give the text room to breathe and make it more pleasant to read, keeping it from looking stuck to the edges of the page or screen;
- Their proportions shape the overall impression: generous margins evoke luxury and calm, narrow margins density and efficiency;
- In print, they protect the content from trimming inaccuracies and from the binding, which can swallow part of the text along the fold.
Related term
The grid is the invisible structure that organizes the page; margins set its outer limits.