Carmen & Don Diablo - MED, CO
Two distinct restaurant concepts, one shared approach to craftsmanship. For Carmen and Don Diablo, we developed custom menu holders designed to feel tactile, lasting and aligned with the character of each space.
THE RESTAURANTS
A shared devotion to Colombian ingredients, enduring craftsmanship and thoughtful experimentation.Carmen and Don Diablo are two distinct expressions of a shared vision: celebrating Colombia through its ingredients, traditions and craftsmanship while giving them a contemporary point of view. Carmen explores the country’s biodiversity through local ingredients, modern techniques and a refined, experimental approach to cooking, while Don Diablo places premium Colombian grass-fed beef at the center of a bold interpretation of the steakhouse. Carmen feels younger, warmer and more playful, while Don Diablo carries a more grounded and confident character, yet both are driven by the same desire to honor tradition by reimagining and elevating it. That philosophy extends beyond the food into spaces shaped by honest materials, thoughtful details and quality craftsmanship — creating environments that feel tactile, sophisticated and made to endure, preserving a connection to culture, memory and place.
THE OPPORTUNITY
An ever-changing menu that called for a premium but functional vesselCarmen and Don Diablo work with seasonal ingredients, which means their menus evolve frequently. The printed menus therefore needed to remain simple, flexible and easy to replace, while the restaurants themselves called for something more tactile and elevated at the table. The opportunity was to create a lasting object around an ever-changing menu — one that could carry the character, craftsmanship and sense of quality of each restaurant regardless of what was printed inside.
OUR APPROACH
The same language but with a unique touch designed for each restaurantWe designed a family of menu holders for both restaurants using premium Colombian leather and locally handcrafted details, creating a shared visual language while allowing each concept to retain its own personality. The leather, brass hardware and handmade construction echoed the restaurants’ appreciation for honest materials and objects made to endure.
For Don Diablo, gold-foil branding added a subtle sense of refinement and premium quality, complementing the restaurant’s confident approach to Colombian grass-fed beef.
For Carmen, the same material language became more playful and experimental through different formats and details — including a rust-finished metal board for the cocktail menu, bringing an unexpected, evolving surface into the experience.
For this client we designed:
Carmen Main Menu Holder
Carmen Cocktail Menu Holder
Don Diablo Main Menu Holder
THE INSPIRATION
The material language was inspired by Colombian leather craft, the richness of the ingredients, and the restaurants’ industrial yet refined character — a world of texture, permanence and honest materials. Leather, brass and metallic finishes helped translate that sensibility into something tactile, elevated and made to age well.
Functionality was equally important. we tested multiple constructions until finding solutions that felt refined in the guest’s hands, durable and easy to clean, while still allowing the team to change menus quickly before service.
THE PROCESS
THE RESULT
“A permanent object designed around an ever-changing menu”
Gift Certificates
Lightboxes
THE IMPACT
A lasting, tactile brand experience designed around a menu that is constantly evolvingHigher perceived quality at the table
A consistent brand presence across changing seasonal menus
Faster, easier menu changes for the restaurant team
Durable materials designed for heavy daily use
A stronger connection between the food, interiors and tabletop experience
Distinct personalities for each restaurant within one cohesive design language