Here are a few examples of layouts I created either from scratch with HTML and CSS, or with a WordPress base with specific modifications. I would encourage you to choose a wordpress.com theme to be tweaked, as that setup allows for beginner/intermediate users to make changes without needing to rely on an expert post-site-creation.

The organizations depicted may or may not be affiliated with myself. Some are mock-up drafts, and some are actual sites I’ve worked on.