Most people skip one step, so the AI has to guess what "good" looks like, and guessing gives you the default generic result. The fix is a taste file: a short brief you hand the AI before it builds anything. Fill this in once, reuse it forever, and your pages start looking designed instead of default.
Copy this template and fill in the blanks
My taste file
Colors: my main color is [hex], my accent is [hex], background is [hex]. Never use pure black text, use [hex] instead.
Fonts: headings in [font], body in [font]. Headings are bold and a bit oversized. Body stays calm and readable.
Spacing: give things room to breathe. Generous padding, clear gaps between sections. Never cram.
Feel: [calm and trustworthy / bold and punchy / warm and personal]. Not corporate, not busy.
Sites I admire: [paste 2 or 3 links]. Notice their spacing and restraint, not their exact colors.
Avoid: stock-photo hero images, rainbow gradients, tiny cramped text, more than two fonts.
Colors: my main color is [hex], my accent is [hex], background is [hex]. Never use pure black text, use [hex] instead.
Fonts: headings in [font], body in [font]. Headings are bold and a bit oversized. Body stays calm and readable.
Spacing: give things room to breathe. Generous padding, clear gaps between sections. Never cram.
Feel: [calm and trustworthy / bold and punchy / warm and personal]. Not corporate, not busy.
Sites I admire: [paste 2 or 3 links]. Notice their spacing and restraint, not their exact colors.
Avoid: stock-photo hero images, rainbow gradients, tiny cramped text, more than two fonts.
How to use it
Paste the whole taste file in first. Then ask for the build.
Using the taste file above, build me a simple one-page site for [what it's for]. Keep it to one screen of scrolling.
Tweak in plain English
More space between the sections. Make the headline bigger. Soften the accent color.
How to use this: Same tool, same amount of time, completely different result. The taste file is the difference between "made by AI" and "made by me, faster." Save your filled-in version and reuse it on every project.