Challenges

1. Maintaining Authenticity with a Modern Look: One challenge was balancing Sonrisa’s traditional, homegrown charm with a clean, modern design that appeals to a wide audience. The website needed to feel true to Curaçao's culture without becoming too visually heavy or difficult to navigate.

2. Combining High Aesthetics with Functionality: Another key challenge was achieving a visually rich design that didn’t sacrifice usability. High-quality images and text overlays required careful placement to prevent the site from feeling cluttered.

3. Making the Booking Process Intuitive: Given that the website’s purpose is to drive reservations and event bookings, it was crucial to create a seamless, clear process that’s accessible to users of all ages and tech skills.

Solutions

1. Embracing a Clean, Tropical-Inspired Design: To keep authenticity while ensuring a modern look, I used subtle tropical elements and a warm color palette to ground the design in local culture. Earthy tones and deep shades were paired with bright button colors to create focal points, ensuring a pleasant and organized aesthetic.

2. Prioritizing Layout Structure and White Space: To make the design aesthetically pleasing without sacrificing function, I used a grid layout and sufficient white space to make each section feel airy and distinct. This allowed for high-quality visuals without overwhelming the user.

Target

The target audience for Sonrisa’s website includes both Curaçao locals and tourists who are interested in exploring the island’s culinary heritage. With this in mind, the website was designed to appeal to a broad range of users. From those familiar with Curaçao's Krioyo cuisine to new visitors excited to experience something unique. To cater to both groups, the design needed to balance an inviting, culturally authentic aesthetic with straightforward navigation and accessibility.

Main Tasks

The primary tasks for this project were to create an intuitive user experience and visually striking design that would drive customer engagement. Key tasks included:

1. Using design elements, photography, and typography to bring the warm, welcoming feel of the restaurant to an online setting.

2. Designing a responsive experience to ensure seamless access on both desktop and mobile devices, as many users will likely be browsing on the go.

Research + Design

The research phase began with a deep dive into competitor restaurant websites and an analysis of user behavior specific to the food and hospitality industry. Through user research, we identified key motivations for visiting a Krioyo restaurant: the promise of authentic flavors, an enjoyable ambiance, and ease of making reservations or event bookings.

Using these insights, I developed a user flow focused on simplicity and engagement. Each step of the design process aimed to align Sonrisa’s unique selling points—authenticity, warmth, and local charm—with a layout that felt both intuitive and visually captivating. I chose an earthy, tropical-inspired color palette that reflects Curaçao’s natural beauty, while typography choices offered a blend of boldness and readability.

Moodboard

Color Palette 

For the Sonrisa restaurant website, I aimed to choose colors that would evoke the warmth, culture, and vibrancy of Curaçao while creating a polished, inviting online experience.

• Background

  The soft, light background color creates an open and inviting feeling that lets the colorful images and other design elements stand out without overpowering the viewer. It reflects the bright, airy atmosphere typical of a tropical setting and subtly reminds users of sand and sunlight.

• Buttons

  I chose a bold, warm orange for the buttons to represent Sonrisa’s lively, welcoming nature. Orange is energetic and eye-catching, encouraging users to click while conveying a sense of warmth and enthusiasm. This color is also reminiscent of Curaçao’s sunsets, adding a subtle local touch that aligns with the restaurant's island feel.

• Header Text

  A deep brown was selected for headers to provide a sense of stability and tradition, which aligns with Sonrisa’s authenticity and heritage. This rich, grounded color draws the eye to important titles and information without overwhelming the page, adding contrast and readability while reinforcing a connection to Curaçao's earth tones.

  
  

• Body Text

  The body text color is a warm brown, chosen to make the text easy on the eyes and fit with the natural, grounded look of the overall design. By avoiding stark black, this color keeps the tone friendly and accessible, helping the website feel relaxed and approachable while still professional.

Typography

• Bebas Neue (Headings): This bold, sans-serif font adds a modern feel while making titles and important information stand out. Its strong presence complements Sonrisa’s energetic brand identity.

• Raleway (Body Text): A clean, elegant sans-serif font, Raleway is highly readable and adds a refined touch to the overall design, balancing bold headings with a contemporary, approachable feel.