Custom category.php file for DSWI ADS site. Wireframe can be viewed here: http://cnickerson.com/wireframe/category-wireframe.png

Custom category.php for DSWI

<?php
/**
 * The archive template file.
 *
 * WARNING: This template file is a core part of the
 * Theme Blvd WordPress Framework. It is advised
 * that any edits to the way this file displays its
 * content be done with via hooks, filters, and
 * template parts.
 *
 * @author		Jason Bobich
 * @copyright	Copyright (c) Jason Bobich
 * @link		http://jasonbobich.com
 * @link		http://themeblvd.com
 * @package		Theme Blvd WordPress Framework
 */

get_header();
?>

	<div id="sidebar_layout" class="clearfix">
		<div class="sidebar_layout-inner">
			<div class="row grid-protection">

				<?php get_sidebar( 'left' ); ?>

				<!-- CONTENT (start) -->

				<div id="content" class="<?php echo themeblvd_get_column_class('content'); ?> clearfix" role="main">
					<div class="inner">
							<?php themeblvd_content_top(); ?>
						<div class="cat-block">
							<h1 class="entry-title"><?php single_cat_title(); ?></h1>
							<?php if ( category_description() ) : // Show an optional category description ?>
	            <div class="archive-meta clearfix">
								<?php echo category_description(); ?>
							</div>
	            <?php endif; ?>
							<h2><?php single_cat_title(); ?> Articles</h2>
							<!-- Start the current category post list -->
							<div class="post_list post_list_paginated archive">
								<?php
									$args = array(
									'category'          => get_queried_object_id(), // Current category id
									'category__in'      => array( get_queried_object_id() ), // Only posts that are direct children of the current category
									'orderby'           => 'post_date',
									'order'             => 'DESC',
									);
									$cat_posts = get_posts( $args );

									if($cat_posts) :
									echo '<ul class="topics-ul fa-ul">';
										foreach($cat_posts as $post) : setup_postdata($post); ?>
										<li class="topics-li"><i class="fa-li fa fa-check"></i><a href="<?php the_permalink();?>"><?php customTitle(34) // custom length for title ?></a></li>
										<?php endforeach; // foreach($cat_posts)
									echo '</ul>';
									endif; // if($cat_posts)
								?>
							</div><!-- .post_list -->
							<!-- End the current category post list -->
						</div><!-- .cat-block -->

							<!-- Show More Topics and output grid of subcategories if current category has children -->
							<?php
								$term = get_queried_object();
								$children = get_terms( $term->taxonomy, array(
								'parent'    => $term->term_id,
								'hide_empty' => false
								) );
								if($children) { // get_terms will return false if tax does not exist or term wasn't found.
									?>
									<div class="subcat-wrap">
										<div class="row">
											<div class="col-xs-12">
												<h2>More <?php single_cat_title(); ?> Topics</h2>
											</div>
											<div class="subcat-grid">
										<?php $this_category = get_category($cat); ?>
											<?php
											$id = get_query_var('cat');
											$args = array(  'parent' => $id );

											foreach (get_categories($args) as $cat) : ?>
												<div class="col-sm-6">
													<!-- Header for the categories -->
													<div class="row"><!-- nested row -->
														<div class="col-xs-9 col-sm-8">
															<h2><a href="<?php echo get_category_link($cat->term_id); ?>"><?php echo $cat->cat_name; ?></a></h2>
															<!-- List 4 posts from each subcategory -->
															<?php $cat_id= $cat->term_id;
															$args = array( 'cat' => $cat_id, 'posts_per_page' => 4 );
															$posts = get_posts($args);
															if($posts) :
																echo "<ul>";
																foreach($posts as $post) : setup_postdata($post); ?>
																<li><a href="<?php the_permalink();?>"><?php customTitle(34) // custom length for title ?></a></li>
																<?php endforeach; // foreach($posts)
																echo "</ul>";
															endif; // if($posts) ?>
														</div><!-- .col -->
														<div class="col-xs-3 col-sm-4">
															<!-- Category image -->
															<?php if (function_exists('z_taxonomy_image_url')) { ?>
																<a href="<?php echo get_category_link($cat->term_id); ?>"><img src="<?php echo z_taxonomy_image_url($cat->term_id); ?>" /></a>
															<?php
																}
															?>
															<!-- End Category image -->
														</div><!-- .col -->
													</div><!-- .row - nested row-->
													<div class="row">
														<!-- All Topics Link -->
														<div class="col-xs-12">
															<p class="more-link">
																<i class="fa fa-angle-double-right"></i>
																<a href="<?php echo get_category_link($cat->term_id); ?>">All <?php echo $cat->cat_name; ?> Topics</a>
															</p>
														</div><!-- .col -->
													</div><!-- .row -->
												</div><!-- .col -->
												<?php endforeach; ?>
											</div><!-- .subcat-grid -->
										</div> <!-- .row -->
									</div><!-- .subcat-wrap-->
									<!-- end the subcategories -->
							<?php
							}// if($children)
							?>

						<?php themeblvd_content_bottom(); ?>
					</div><!-- .inner (end) -->
				</div><!-- #content (end) -->

				<!-- CONTENT (end) -->

				<?php get_sidebar( 'right' ); ?>

			</div><!-- .grid-protection (end) -->
		</div><!-- .sidebar_layout-inner (end) -->
	</div><!-- #sidebar_layout (end) -->

<?php get_footer(); ?>