Customising with the child theme

Keep file changes in Stillwater Child so parent-theme updates can replace the supplied theme files.

Start with the supplied child theme

1. Install the parent theme first.
2. Install and activate stillwater-child.zip through Appearance → Themes.
3. Keep the parent folder named stillwater. The child's Template: stillwater line depends on that name.
4. Make a backup before editing files.

The child includes style.css, functions.php, a screenshot and a minimal theme.json. Its functions file already loads the parent presentation stylesheet and then the child's stylesheet. Do not paste a second copy of those enqueue calls.

Choose the child theme before substantial Site Editor work. WordPress associates saved templates and styles with the active theme. Switching from the parent to the child later may require you to transfer or recreate those changes.

Add your own CSS

For a small visual adjustment, edit the child's style.css after its existing theme header. For example:

.wp-site-blocks .wp-block-site-title {
	letter-spacing: 0.02em;
}

Keep selectors as narrow as possible. Reuse theme variables so changes follow the selected style:

.hotel-arrival-note {
	color: var(--wp--preset--color--contrast-2);
	padding-block: var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);
}

Add hotel-arrival-note to a Group block's Advanced → Additional CSS class(es) field to use that rule. Use logical properties such as padding-inline and margin-block to keep RTL layouts working. Clear caches after changing CSS.

The supplied child stylesheet loads on the front end. For editor styling too, register the custom stylesheet with WordPress's editor-style tools in the child. For palette, typography and block-wide changes, a child theme.json is usually a better fit because it also informs the editor.

Change design settings

The child's theme.json starts with version 3 and inherits the parent's settings. Add only the settings you need. Use valid JSON and preserve the theme's palette and font slugs when replacing their values. Back up the original file and validate edits before uploading them.

Site Editor styles saved in the database can take precedence over file settings. If a file change appears to have no effect, check for a saved style override before changing more CSS.

Override templates and template parts

1. Create templates/ or parts/ inside stillwater-child/.
2. Copy only the parent file you want to change, using the same filename, such as templates/page-wide.html or parts/header.html.
3. Edit its block markup and test the affected layouts.

To override a toolkit room template in the child, create templates/single-haldane_room.html or templates/archive-haldane_room.html. Start from the room layout in the Site Editor or the toolkit's Room detail sections pattern. Keep the Post Content block so each room's description can appear.

A saved Site Editor customisation takes precedence over a file with the same template name. Export or copy the customisation, then clear it only if you want WordPress to use your file. Resetting a template removes its saved changes.

Override or add patterns

Create a patterns/ folder in the child. To override a parent pattern, copy its PHP file and keep the same Slug: value, such as stillwater/cta-booking. Edit the block markup and translatable text in the child's copy. A new pattern needs a unique slug and a valid pattern header.

Patterns already inserted into pages are independent blocks. Updating a pattern file does not rewrite existing pages. Template parts containing pattern references can pick up file changes, unless a saved template-part customisation overrides them.

Child functions supplement the parent functions. Do not copy the parent's whole functions.php or reuse its function names. Keep booking logic and other lasting site features in a site plugin. Test custom code before updating a public site.