The governing principle
Function dictates form.
A beautiful website that fails to explain the business is a failure of design. Structure comes first; visual character earns its place by making the business easier to understand and act on.
The visitor should understand what the business does, who it serves, and why it matters without decoding the page.
Hierarchy determines what is seen first, what earns emphasis, and what can wait until the visitor is ready for it.
Every page should resolve toward a useful decision — explore, understand, contact, book, buy, or continue.