Design principles
These are the principles that separate a great product from AI slop. They're simple, but they make an enormous difference. Reference them while you're building.
1. Hierarchy — One thing should be loudest
Every screen needs a clear focal point. If everything is bold, nothing is bold.
Ask yourself: when someone lands on this page, what should they see first? Make that thing bigger, bolder, or more prominent — and quiet everything else down.
Welcome to Our Product
The Best Solution for Your Team
Features You'll Love
The best solution for your team
Streamline your workflow and ship faster with tools designed for modern teams.
Get started free →Prompt tip
Tell Cursor: "Make the headline much larger and bolder. Make the supporting text smaller and lighter. I want a clear visual hierarchy."
2. Constraint — Fewer choices, not more
AI loves to give you 6 colors, 4 font sizes, and 3 button styles. A great product uses 2 colors, a clear type scale, and one button style.
The best products feel inevitable — like there was only one way they could look. That feeling comes from restraint, not variety.
Dashboard
3 tasks completed today
Last updated 2 min ago
Dashboard
3 tasks completed today
Last updated 2 min ago
Prompt tip
Tell Cursor: "Simplify the color palette to just [one color] and neutrals. Use only 3 font sizes: heading, body, and small. One button style."
3. Real content, not placeholders
Lorem ipsum and "John Doe" make everything feel fake. Real words, real names, real numbers make a prototype feel like a product.
Write the copy yourself, or tell the AI to write it as if the product already exists and has real users.
Pricing
Feature 1
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur.
$XX/mo
Feature 2
Description goes here.
$XX/mo
Pricing
Starter
For individuals and small side projects.
Free
Pro
For teams shipping real products.
$12/mo
Prompt tip
Tell Cursor: "Replace all placeholder content with realistic copy. Write as if this product has been live for a year and has real customers."
4. Spacing is a feature
AI-generated layouts tend to cram things together. Whitespace isn't wasted space — it's what makes a design feel premium.
When in doubt, add more space. Between sections, between elements, between lines of text. Let the design breathe.
Our Features
Fast performance for all your needs.
Why Choose Us
Trusted by teams worldwide since 2020.
Get Started
Sign up in seconds. No credit card.
Our Features
Fast performance for all your needs.
Why Choose Us
Trusted by teams worldwide since 2020.
Get Started
Sign up in seconds. No credit card.
Prompt tip
Tell Cursor: "Add significantly more whitespace. Double the padding between sections. Increase the line-height. Let the design breathe."
5. Steal like a designer
Professional designers don't start from a blank canvas. They look at how real products solve the same problem, then adapt those patterns.
Before you build, spend 2 minutes on mobbin.com or in the App Store. Find 2-3 apps that do something similar. Screenshot them. Paste them into Cursor and say "make it feel like this."
This is the single most effective shortcut to making something feel professional. Use it.
Prompt tip
Take a screenshot of an app you love. Paste it into Cursor and say: "Use this as inspiration for the layout and visual style. Don't copy it exactly, but match the feeling."