Something Doesn’t Feel Right

Hi friends,

I wanted to write something a little more personal this month.
Because something big in AI is shifting.

And it’s a big deal for the world of interior designers.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen breakthroughs in AI — particularly in what’s known as Visual Reasoning.
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In simple terms, this means AI is starting to “see” and “think” in ways that feel more human.

Not just recognizing what’s in an image, but starting to understand how and why things relate visually.

Until now, most AI tools in design have felt... clunky.
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We had to settle for fantasy renders that didn’t include real materials — or put a chair where you didn’t want one. The tools weren’t built for designers — they were built for viral demos.

But with advances in Visual Reasoning, we’re stepping into a new era of seeing:

• Tools that understand spatial context.
  
  
• Tools that see materials not just as color or texture, but as part of a composition.
  
  
• Tools that support the way designers think — visually, compositionally, spatially.

Still, many designers are understandably scared.

I’ve spent two decades in design, building homes for tech billionaires and celebrities, and I truly believe the future is about to become incredible for designers.

So I want to zoom out a little — beyond the tech.

We will say, “Something doesn’t feel right” far more often than we would ever say, “The wall is 4% too wide.”

We say ''feel'' because under all of this lies a deep psychological truth:

Design is emotional before it’s logical.

Our aesthetic decisions are rooted in our limbic system — the emotional core of the human brain.

We don’t think in lists or spreadsheets.
We think in scenes. Mood. Atmosphere. Vibes.

We imagine spaces. We feel materials. We dance with light.

And we don’t always play it safe.
We take risks. We clash products. We change our minds.
We stumble into happy accidents.

Collectively — and clumsily — our emotions shape the next trends.

So the tools we use in the future should honor that.

And when technology starts to align with how we actually think and feel —
That’s when it becomes powerful.
Not just faster, but better.
Not just more productive, but more creative.

That’s what excites me about the moment we’re in.

AI isn’t replacing designers.
But it is removing the friction from idea to visualization.
Helping us see options faster. Organize ideas better.
So we can spend less time administrating — and more time creating.

Making space for the deeper, more human part of the work:
Designing something that feels right.

At MattoBoard, this is the future we’re building toward.

Thanks for being on this ride with us.We’re building for the long haul — and we’re just getting started.

Here is my more in-depth review of the latest OpenAI o4 Visual Reasoning Model.

Here is my interview with the Business of Home podcast.

And also check out our tips on AI design tools here.

You can join our AI Design Council focus groups here.

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— Guy

Founder, Mattoboard

PS. I share small ideas with huge impact design & psychology in my micro-newsletter for designers at SMALLHUGE.com. Sharpen your thinking in 1min reads.

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