A user interface (“UI”) control framework enables UI controls to be declaratively created inline with the HTML markup without having to write boilerplate JavaScript that would usually be needed with conventional UI control models. The UI control framework is architected to sit on top of existing WinJS (Windows Library for JavaScript) functionality and encapsulates behaviors that are common across many control implementations so that a single instance of a UI control template may be used to stamp out multiple control instances. The UI control framework separates layout from the “code behind” in the backing controls so that data binding can be implemented abstractly without explicit knowledge of the layout of the control and any of its child controls. The markup provides “anchor points” that allow the code to have direct access to a child control. Custom expando HTML attributes are utilized that place named properties on control instances.