Independent design exploration
Independent explorations of desktop layouts and hero treatments for a café whose existing site was a mobile menu gateway.
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Table for Tous had a mobile menu gateway but no desktop version. I independently explored how food, interiors, typography and illustration could introduce the café on desktop. This was not commissioned by the café.
The studies explore how an opening, a café introduction and visit intentions could work together on desktop.
Proposed content hierarchy across the desktop studies.
The photographic opening puts pastries and coffee at the centre of the page. Menu and reservation concepts sit alongside the introduction so the visual story has an action, rather than ending at atmosphere.
Warm peach and cream surfaces, brown serif typography and line illustrations carry the hospitality theme beyond the hero. Repeated illustration and heading treatments give the lighter studies a visual rhythm alongside the darker photographic opening.
Separate cards distinguish dine-in, delivery and takeaway. That keeps the next action concrete within the broader introduction, while the business would need to approve the service copy and confirm live destinations.
The pastry-led hero uses deep contrast and a bold serif headline. Lighter studies use peach surfaces, brown type and line illustrations to give supporting sections a warmer rhythm.
Large serif headings lead the first impression; smaller supporting copy and repeated actions carry the practical information.
Colour roles: Espresso, Peach, Cream, Pastry.
Three repeated cards separate dine-in, delivery and takeaway in the ordering study.
Line illustrations give supporting content a consistent visual voice.
Menu and reservation concepts sit beside the introduction rather than disappearing into navigation.
Examples are drawn from the independent desktop studies. Proposed service actions are illustrative.
The existing mobile gateway offers direct menu access. The desktop ordering study introduces a reservation action for dine-in. That changes the task, so any further development should first decide which route the visitor needs most.
I explored light and dark hero treatments, illustrated sections and ways to present visit intentions on desktop. The result is a set of independent visual studies showing different balances of food photography, typography and café character.
The darker hero gives the headline a more consistent background than the lighter photographic alternative. A complete direction would still need to resolve menu access versus reservation intent, using the café’s actual service information.