Design systems aren't just about colors and fonts. They're about identity, emotion, and consistency across every pixel. I experimented with AI to build a texture-based component library, and the results revealed something fascinating.
Hi, my name is Tom Smykowski, I'm a staff full-stack engineer. I build and scale SaaS platforms to millions of users, working end-to-end from system architecture to frontend to mobile. On this blog I explore how AI changes the way we build software and design user interfaces.
Developing design systems isn't trivial. A design system runs an entire company's frontend and because of that has to be precise and allow teams to build consistent user interfaces.
One thing that people get wrong about design systems in general is that it's only about colors and styles. In fact, a proper design system is built first by defining what the company is, who the users are, what value is provided, and what attributes and emotions surround it.
We have several design trends that compete, mix, and blend. We have minimalism, Bootstrap style, Tailwind style, and Material Design style. But there's also something new emerging: aimorphism.
Aimorphism blends basic styles with the most average, mediocre aesthetic. It shouldn't really surprise anyone knowing how AI works. I decided to experiment with textures to see if they could break through this mediocrity.
The results were surprising. Marble textures on buttons created an unexpected nostalgic feeling. Glass hover animations composed well with the stone aesthetic. But AI kept trying to add its signature mediocrity through accent rails and glow effects.