html index page question

This is an odd question from a beginner. But I have a lot of experience in working with html, and no experience in php. So I get very frustrated when I want to design a simple banner, or add more graphics to the center column and it takes me days to figure it out. If I had an html index page, it would take me minutes to do.

So I am wondering.

Can I make a default index page that is html based, and just link to the pages, images or searches that I want.
Anyone see any potential problems with this.

FYI: I plan on learning php, but I need web changes now.

That arrangement will probably create problems with the zenid assigned to customers visiting your site and make it more difficult for them. A lot of the changes are done in the stylesheet, not the php. Take a peek at http://www.w3schools.com/ for some php and css info.

In a way, Zencart works that way already.

For the center column, edit define_main_page - it's a PHP file, but all your content inside will be HTML. No PHP knowledge needed.

Even in the various PHP template files, you'll be adding HTML for the most part, and moving clearly labelled blocks of code.

A little CSS ability is very handy, but easy to figure out.