How many times when purchasing a ready-made theme you were dreaming about the freedom to use, tweak and redistribute it in a variety of ways, without any limitations? Now, all WordPress users have the full right to decide on how to work with a chosen product for free, without the need to pay for extra licenses.
The number of premium GPL WordPress themes is growing at a fast speed. In this blog post, we will not review any premium designs. A free GPL WordPress theme dubbed Kustrix is in the focus of our attention. So, please welcome a new freebie from TemplateMonster.
Kustrix Lite is an analog of a premium WordPress template baring a similar name. The theme looks similar to the premium equivalent.
The functionality of the freebie is somewhat different. However, it features everything that you need to get started with a fashion or beauty blog.
Let’s start our review with the design of the template. Kustrix Lite is built in a clean, minimalist style. The layout is developed with a smart use of whitespace, which helps you draw the users’ focus of attention to the content that you share. The theme’s header features a set of social sharing options, guiding the users to your official social media profiles with a click.
The main navigation panel is not sticky. Still, it features a drop-down functionality, which makes it easier to come across the necessary piece of content with a click. With the intention to captivate the audience with the most trending topics, the theme’s header is pre-loaded with a page-width slider. The element is fully editable. You can manage the images, texts, buttons, and animation in a variety of ways.
The theme features a two-column layout structure. Thus, you can share the latest blog updates and a set of additional navigation elements in a user-friendly manner. Each blog post includes a pack of social sharing icons on both the preview and article pages. The theme is integrated with a commenting system. Search bar, tags cloud, archives, categories drop-down menu, recent posts, latest comments, and a calendar widget remain accessible to the users in the right sidebar. A back-to-top button is also included.
This is how the theme is designed. To take a closer look at it and check out how the pages perform on your own, browse live demo.
Now, let’s take a look at the features pre-loaded into the template.
WordPress Live Customizer
This is the functionality that is added to both the free and premium GPL WordPress themes from TemplateMonster. This is a simple and intuitive customization tool that allows you to apply quick changes to the theme’s layout without touching a line of code. All modifications are displayed live, without waiting for the page reloads. Here are the elements that can be managed with the help of WordPress Live Customizer: theme color schemes, menus, sidebars, header and footer, blog, and general site settings.
Smart Slider
We have already spoken about this element in the beginning of the post. Now, let’s take a closer look at it.
One of the peculiarities of GPL WordPress templates is that they are not pre-loaded with images. So, you will need to upload your own visual content after the theme’s installation.
Smart Slider widget is added to both premium and free GPL WordPress themes from TemplateMonster. By default, the theme features a page-width slider orientation. However, you can change it for a different one via Appearance >> Widgets in the theme’s dashboard.
Custom Post Types & Google Fonts Integration
In addition to the possibility to create versatile pages by means of WordPress Live Customizer, you will have the freedom to create custom (new) post types. These are image/gallery/link/audio/video/quote/aside/status posts. Define their features, labels and other elements, and bring your posts live right away.
To create your publications more personalized, the theme is pre-loaded with a pack of Google web fonts. Font size, color, weight, and font family can be managed with a usable live customization tool.
Blog Layout Variations
Kustrix Lite gives you the freedom to choose from 3 blog layouts: blog layout with the right sidebar/left sidebar/without sidebars. On top of that, you will have the freedom to manage presentation of your blog posts with the help of a set of blog settings. These include the possibility to choose from page-width and small featured images, the possibility to enable/disable display of the post author/publish date/categories/tags/comments.
Widget Areas
You can find a number of flexible widgets in the theme’s settings. Go to WordPress Live Customizer, click Appearance >> Widgets, and you will be introduced to the entire selection of widgets that are pre-loaded into the them. Tag cloud, calendar, archives, Facebook Like Box, Twitter Feed, and other widgets can be accessed with a click.
It goes without saying than Kustrix Lite is a fully responsive WordPress theme. It is also optimized to run flawlessly across a variety of the popular web browsers. SEO-friendly, the theme is also retina ready. WPML support ensures that your blog or personal website will sound well in a number of languages.
With the purpose to enhance the visual presentation of your web resource, the template includes carousel sliders, audio and video support. The web audience will feel the ease of reaching you out online. A built-in contact form is added for the purpose. Newsletter subscription form is also included. Our Team, Portfolio, Services, Testimonials, and other custom WordPress post types are added. A section with user testimonials is also provided to grow the credibility of your online business.
As you can see, Kustrix Lite is pre-loaded with all elements needed to build a fully-featured fashion or beauty blog. You can also use it for any other business niche. A selection of modification options and WordPress Live Customizer will enhance and speed up the theme’s customization.
So, go ahead, download this GPL WordPress theme for free, and do not forget to share your reflections about it below this review 😉