diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts b/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts
index a02e5c3f861..e97434d1ade 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts
@@ -288,4 +288,10 @@ const grid = {
 	centreRule,
 } as const;
 
+// ----- Types ----- //
+type ColumnPreset = keyof typeof grid.column;
+
+// ----- Exports ----- //
+
+export type { Line, ColumnPreset };
 export { grid };
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/lib/articleArrangements.ts b/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/lib/articleArrangements.ts
index 2cf5fb6843f..ef3b4eb3fbd 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/lib/articleArrangements.ts
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/lib/articleArrangements.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { css, type SerializedStyles } from '@emotion/react';
 import { from, until } from '@guardian/source/foundations';
-import { grid } from '../../grid';
+import { type ColumnPreset, grid, type Line } from '../../grid';
 
 export type LayoutType = 'standard' | 'showcase' | 'media';
 
@@ -13,156 +13,173 @@ export type Area =
 	| 'body'
 	| 'right-column';
 
+// Breakpoint must stay in sync with the keys of `from` / `until` from
+// @guardian/source/foundations. If those change, this type needs updating too.
 type Breakpoint = 'mobile' | 'tablet' | 'desktop' | 'leftCol';
 
-const breakpointQueries: Record<Breakpoint, string> = {
-	mobile: until.tablet,
-	tablet: from.tablet,
-	desktop: from.desktop,
-	leftCol: from.leftCol,
-};
+// Rows config
+const tabletStandardRows: Rows = [
+	['title'],
+	['headline'],
+	['standfirst'],
+	['media'],
+	['meta'],
+	['body'],
+];
 
-// Raw CSS overrides per area per breakpoint. Entries are only needed when an area
-// deviates from the default: centre column, single-column mobile layout with areas
-// in DOM order (media → title → headline → standfirst → meta → body → right-column).
+const desktopStandardRows: Rows = [
+	['title', 'right-column'],
+	['headline', 'right-column'],
+	['standfirst', 'right-column'],
+	['media', 'right-column'],
+	['meta', 'right-column'],
+	['body', 'right-column'],
+];
 
-type AreaCss = Partial<Record<Breakpoint, string>>;
-type LayoutCssMap = Partial<Record<Area, AreaCss>>;
+const mediaRowsUntilDesktop: Rows = [
+	['title'],
+	['headline'],
+	['media'],
+	['standfirst'],
+	['meta'],
+	['body'],
+];
 
-const standardCss: LayoutCssMap = {
-	title: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 1;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 1; ${grid.column.left}`,
-	},
-	headline: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 2;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 1;',
-	},
-	standfirst: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 3;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 2;',
+// Breakpoints not listed here inherit browser default flow (no grid-row applied)
+const furnitureRowArrangements: Record<LayoutType, ArrangementDefinition> = {
+	standard: {
+		tablet: tabletStandardRows,
+		desktop: desktopStandardRows,
+		leftCol: [
+			['title', 'headline', 'right-column'],
+			['standfirst', 'right-column'],
+			['meta', 'media', 'right-column'],
+			['meta', 'body', 'right-column'],
+		],
+	},
+	showcase: {
+		desktop: desktopStandardRows,
+		leftCol: [
+			['title', 'headline'],
+			['standfirst'],
+			['meta', 'media'],
+			['meta', 'body', 'right-column'],
+		],
 	},
 	media: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 4;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 3;',
-	},
-	meta: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 5;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 3 / span 2; ${grid.column.left};`,
-	},
-	body: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 6;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 4;',
-	},
-	'right-column': {
-		desktop: `grid-row: 1 / span 6; ${grid.column.right};`,
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 1 / span 4; ${grid.column.right};`,
+		mobile: mediaRowsUntilDesktop,
+		tablet: mediaRowsUntilDesktop,
+		desktop: [
+			['title'],
+			['headline'],
+			['media', 'right-column'],
+			['standfirst', 'right-column'],
+			['meta', 'right-column'],
+			['body', 'right-column'],
+		],
+		leftCol: [
+			['title', 'headline'],
+			['meta', 'media', 'right-column'],
+			['meta', 'standfirst', 'right-column'],
+			['meta', 'body', 'right-column'],
+		],
 	},
 };
 
-const showcaseCss: LayoutCssMap = {
-	title: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 1;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 1; ${grid.column.left}`,
-	},
-	headline: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 2;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 1;',
-	},
-	standfirst: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 3;',
-	},
-	media: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 4;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 2; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-end',
-		)}`,
-	},
-	meta: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 5;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 2 / span 2; ${grid.column.left};`,
-	},
-	body: {
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 6;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 4;',
-	},
-	'right-column': {
-		desktop: `grid-row: 1 / span 6; ${grid.column.right};`,
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 3 / span 2; ${grid.column.right};`,
-	},
+// Columns config
+const furnitureColumnDefaults: ColumnArrangementMap = {
+	title: { leftCol: 'left' },
+	meta: { leftCol: 'left' },
+	['right-column']: { desktop: 'right' },
 };
 
-const mediaCss: LayoutCssMap = {
-	title: {
-		mobile: 'grid-row: 1;',
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 1;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 1; ${grid.column.left};`,
-	},
-	headline: {
-		mobile: 'grid-row: 2;',
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 2;',
-		leftCol: 'grid-row: 1;',
+// Array form means [gridLineStart, gridLineEnd] — used for custom-width spans
+const furnitureColumnArrangements: Record<LayoutType, ColumnArrangementMap> = {
+	standard: furnitureColumnDefaults,
+	showcase: {
+		...furnitureColumnDefaults,
+		media: {
+			leftCol: ['centre-column-start', 'right-column-end'],
+		},
 	},
 	media: {
-		mobile: 'grid-row: 3;',
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 3;',
-		desktop: `grid-row: 3; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-start',
-		)};`,
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 2; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-start',
-		)};`,
-	},
-	standfirst: {
-		mobile: 'grid-row: 4;',
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 4;',
-		desktop: `grid-row: 4; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-start',
-		)};`,
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 3; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-start',
-		)};`,
-	},
-	meta: {
-		mobile: 'grid-row: 5;',
-		tablet: 'grid-row: 5;',
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 2 / span 3; ${grid.column.left};`,
-	},
-	body: {
-		desktop: `grid-row: 6; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-start',
-		)};`,
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 4; ${grid.between(
-			'centre-column-start',
-			'right-column-start',
-		)};`,
-	},
-	'right-column': {
-		desktop: `grid-row: 3 / span 4; ${grid.column.right};`,
-		leftCol: `grid-row: 2 / span 3; ${grid.column.right};`,
+		...furnitureColumnDefaults,
+		media: {
+			desktop: ['centre-column-start', 'right-column-start'],
+		},
+		standfirst: {
+			desktop: ['centre-column-start', 'right-column-start'],
+		},
+		body: {
+			desktop: ['centre-column-start', 'right-column-start'],
+		},
 	},
 };
 
-const layoutCssMaps: Record<LayoutType, LayoutCssMap> = {
-	standard: standardCss,
-	showcase: showcaseCss,
-	media: mediaCss,
+// Types
+type Rows = Area[][];
+
+type ArrangementDefinition = {
+	mobile?: Rows;
+	tablet?: Rows;
+	desktop?: Rows;
+	leftCol?: Rows;
+};
+
+type BreakpointColumns = Partial<
+	Record<Breakpoint, ColumnPreset | [Line | number, Line | number]>
+>;
+
+type ColumnArrangementMap = Partial<Record<Area, BreakpointColumns>>;
+
+const breakpointQueries: Record<Breakpoint, string> = {
+	mobile: until.tablet,
+	tablet: from.tablet,
+	desktop: from.desktop,
+	leftCol: from.leftCol,
 };
 
+/**
+ * Returns the CSS `grid-row` value for an area at a given breakpoint, or null
+ * if the area doesn't appear in that breakpoint's row config.
+ *
+ * Consecutive row appearances are collapsed into a single span, e.g. rows
+ * [2, 3, 4] becomes "2 / span 3".
+ */
+const getRowValue = (area: Area, rows: Rows): string | number | null => {
+	const indices = rows
+		.map((areas, i) => (areas.includes(area) ? i + 1 : null))
+		.filter((i): i is number => i !== null);
+
+	if (indices.length === 0) return null;
+
+	return indices.length > 1
+		? `${indices[0]} / span ${indices.length}`
+		: (indices[0] ?? null);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Returns the `grid-column` CSS string for a column config entry — either a
+ * named preset (e.g. 'left', 'right') or a custom [start, end] line pair.
+ */
+const getColumnStyle = (
+	colOrSpan: ColumnPreset | [Line | number, Line | number],
+): string =>
+	Array.isArray(colOrSpan)
+		? grid.between(colOrSpan[0], colOrSpan[1])
+		: grid.column[colOrSpan];
+
 /**
  * Returns the Emotion CSS needed to position a single grid item — its
  * default column, its row at each breakpoint, and any column overrides.
  * The grid item _must_ be inside a {@link grid} module container.
  *
- * All items default to the centre column. Per-breakpoint overrides for
- * `grid-row` and `grid-column` are applied on top via media queries,
- * looked up from the plain CSS maps defined in this file.
+ * The output is built from three layers, applied in order (later wins):
+ * 1. **Default column** — all items start in the centre column.
+ * 2. **Row placement** — `grid-row` values per breakpoint, read directly
+ *    from {@link furnitureRowArrangements}.
+ * 3. **Column placement** — column overrides per breakpoint from
+ *    {@link furnitureColumnArrangements} (e.g. `meta` shifts left on wide screens).
  *
  * @param area - The named piece of article furniture to position (e.g. `'headline'`, `'body'`).
  * @param layoutType - See {@link LayoutType}. Determines which CSS map to use for lookups.
@@ -175,20 +192,30 @@ export const gridItemCss = (
 	area: Area,
 	layoutType: LayoutType,
 ): SerializedStyles => {
-	const areaOverrides = layoutCssMaps[layoutType][area] ?? {};
+	const layoutRowConfig = furnitureRowArrangements[layoutType];
+	const areaColumnsConfig =
+		furnitureColumnArrangements[layoutType][area] ?? {};
+
+	const rowPlacementCss = (
+		Object.entries(layoutRowConfig) as [Breakpoint, Rows][]
+	).flatMap(([breakpoint, rows]) => {
+		const rowValue = getRowValue(area, rows);
+		if (rowValue === null) return [];
+
+		return css`
+			${breakpointQueries[breakpoint]} {
+				grid-row: ${rowValue};
+			}
+		`;
+	});
 
-	const breakpointCss = Object.entries(areaOverrides).map(
-		([bp, styles]) => css`
-			${breakpointQueries[bp as Breakpoint]} {
-				${styles}
+	const columnPlacementCss = Object.entries(areaColumnsConfig).map(
+		([breakpoint, colOrSpan]) => css`
+			${from[breakpoint as keyof typeof from]} {
+				${getColumnStyle(colOrSpan)};
 			}
 		`,
 	);
 
-	// All items default to the centre column; breakpoint entries above
-	// override grid-row and grid-column as needed.
-	return css`
-		grid-column: centre-column-start / centre-column-end;
-		${breakpointCss}
-	`;
+	return css([grid.column.centre, rowPlacementCss, columnPlacementCss]);
 };