Branding & Design Thinking in Action: How I’m Applying My UX/UI Education to Rebrand Afro Afreecanna

When I enrolled in the CareerFoundry UX/UI Design Program, I knew I was stepping into something much deeper than just digital design. The curriculum wasn’t limited to wireframes and user flows, it was a complete journey through the creative process.We studied branding, visual hierarchy, color theory, typography, layout systems, and design psychology, all crucial to crafting cohesive, meaningful visual identities. Beyond screens, we were trained to think like creative directors and brand storytellers: how to align design choices with emotion, audience behaviour, and long-term brand impact.

Through user research, visual analysis, font pairing, composition, and iterative design, the program taught me how every creative decision should serve both function and feeling.We learned to conduct competitive research, user interviews, affinity mapping, and usability testing, translating real-world human insights into elegant, strategic design systems.

But what made this education transformative for me was how I applied it beyond the classroom. I didn’t just complete assignments; I began living UX thinking, applying the same principles of empathy, structure, and aesthetics to every creative project I touched.

One of the most powerful examples of this has been the rebranding of Afro Afreecanna, my creative sanctuary and artistic retreat space in Kokrobite, Ghana.I approached the rebrand as both a UX designer and creative director, mapping out not just how people would navigate the brand, but how they would feel when they encounter it.

From the tone of voice to the spatial flow of the property, every element,color palette, typography, textures, furniture, and web experience, reflects a clear, human-centered story: a space that heals, inspires, and connects.By applying my UX education, I’ve built Afro Afreecanna as a brand that’s not just seen but experienced, visually, emotionally, and spatially.

This is just the beginning. Over the next 18 months, I’ll be sharing a deeper look into how this rebranding process unfolds, from conceptual design to physical transformation. Together, we’ll explore the rebuilding, redecorating, and real-world execution of Afro Afreecanna’s rebirth, a living design project grounded in the principles of UX, creative direction, and soulful storytelling.

When I decided to rebrand Afro Afreecanna, I approached it exactly like a UX project.I began with research, exploring who we are, what we represent, and how our audience experiences the brand both online and offline. Afro Afreecanna is not just a creative brand, it’s a philosophy of living art, wellness, and community. It’s a feeling.

The rebranding became an act of alignment:

• Aligning the visual identity (colours, type, imagery) with the soul of the brand.

• Redefining user journeys, how people discover us, feel welcomed, and experience our world.

• Designing with purpose and emotion, making every visual choice intentional, from logo placement to interior décor.

In this way, UX/UI thinking transformed into a deeper creative direction framework, one that considers not only usability but energy, beauty, and belonging.

From Approach to Execution

The rebranding of Afro Afreecanna is a long-term process, not just a logo update or website refresh, but a rebuilding of an entire ecosystem. Over the next 18 months, we’ll share this journey step by step through a series of blog posts:

• From visual storytelling and design systems

• To interior redecoration and architectural identity

• To how the brand lives as a physical experience in Kokrobite, Ghana

  
  

Every phase will translate the principles of UX, design thinking, and emotional branding into real-world creative execution.

Because at the heart of it all, whether it’s a digital interface or a beachfront home, we’re designing for humans.

Final Thought

UX taught me to ask the right questions.Branding taught me to answer them with soul.And Afro Afreecanna is where both worlds meet a living, breathing brand experience that merges function, beauty, and emotion.

This is just the beginning. The real transformation is only starting to unfold from approach to execution, from idea to real life.