Magnolia Smokehouse
Hilton Hotels
Role: Lead Designer
Hilton works with a wide range of hotel owners, each with slightly different needs but often the same question: what should the restaurant be? Rather than starting from scratch every time, the goal is to create concepts that can be adapted and rolled out across different properties without losing their identity. Magnolia Smokehouse was one of those concepts.
A Southern-inspired barbecue restaurant centered on slow-smoked meats, nostalgic dishes, and a style of hospitality that feels warm and familiar. It draws from the traditions of the American South, while being designed to translate across different properties and locations.
The visual approach leans into that same balance. Something rooted in tradition, but a little more considered than most barbecue brands. Hand-drawn illustrations and textured patterns do a lot of the work, alongside typography that feels familiar without being overly stylized. It stays mostly in that Southern tone through the details, rather than anything too literal. And instead of the usual red and black, the palette shifts toward blues and earth tones, which helps it stand apart.
