Designing a Digital Escape to Nature
Talya Amar
Overview
Makom Balev isn’t your average restaurant. It’s a farm-to-table experience rooted in nature, sustainability, and community. Think rolling hills, garden-picked menus, and intimate events under the stars. Our challenge? Bring that grounded, sensory-rich atmosphere online in a way that feels just as warm and immersive.
So, I set out to design a modern website that’s not just beautiful, but functional — one that tells Makom Balev’s story and gets people excited to book their next dinner or wedding surrounded by nature.
The Problem
Makom Balev had the heart, the space, and the story — but not the digital presence to match. Their old website was clunky, outdated, and didn’t reflect the experience you get when you’re actually there.
We needed a redesign that would:
Communicate the farm-to-table philosophy through visuals and voice
Make event and table bookings smooth and mobile-friendly
Balance elegance with approachability
Give users a reason to stick around and explore
The UX Process
1. Understanding the Audience
Before sketching a single frame, I spent time learning about Makom Balev’s audience:
Nature lovers who value sustainability
Couples searching for a unique, rustic wedding venue
Foodies who want authenticity over pretense
Locals looking for slow, meaningful dining
Through informal interviews with guests, a few reviews, and chatting with the owners, I surfaced some key insights:
People didn’t know the full scope of what Makom offers (farm tours, private events, etc.)
The booking process was confusing and required too many steps
Visitors expected a certain vibe — cozy, grounded, premium but not polished to sterility
2. Information Architecture
I restructured the entire site flow around the three key experiences:
Restaurant — seasonal menus, farm-to-table philosophy, gallery
Events — weddings, private dinners, farm experiences
The Farm — sustainability practices, our story, press
Everything else was built around making it easy to take action:
Book a table
Inquire about an event
Read about the seasonal ingredients
The UI Decisions
Visual Language
The entire design pulls from the natural environment. Here’s how:
Color palette: Earth tones — olive green, sand beige, off-white, and warm clay
Typography: A serif-sans combo that feels both rustic and modern
Microinteractions: Soft fade-ins, scroll reveals, and hover states that mimic nature’s rhythm — subtle and slow
Layout & Components
Hero sections are photo-led, with minimal copy
CTA buttons are bold, but spaced generously — nothing aggressive
Icons and dividers use organic linework to echo handmade signage on the farm
Prototype Testing
I built a prototype in Figma and tested it with 5 real users: one bride-to-be, one regular guest, one event planner, and two locals unfamiliar with the site.
What I learned:
Everyone wanted bigger, more immersive photos
The original menu flow was too hidden — I made it easier to find right from the homepage
Event pages needed clearer contact options — I added sticky CTAs with scroll
I made iterative changes based on this feedback, especially around the mobile booking experience.
Final Outcome
Makom Balev’s new website is more than a redesign — it’s a digital translation of a physical place that people love. The final product:
Feels calm, warm, and premium
Makes booking an event intuitive, not intimidating
Tells the farm’s story without overwhelming the visitor
Loads fast and works beautifully across devices
Impact
Since launch:
Event inquiries increased (client confirmed a noticeable bump in submissions)
Users are spending more time exploring menus and the “Our Story” section
The brand now feels aligned — from the field to the footer
Final Thoughts
This was one of those projects where UX and brand storytelling truly had to work together. Makom Balev is all about experience — so the site needed to be just that: experiential. Every spacing choice, image crop, and button style was about evoking a feeling.
Design isn’t just about screens — it’s about building trust, telling stories, and making people feel something.
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Posted May 3, 2025
A full UX/UI redesign for Makom Balev — turning a farm-to-table restaurant and event space into a warm, immersive, and high-converting online experience.
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Timeline
Jan 1, 2025 - Apr 23, 2025
Clients
Makom Balev
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