Use the design library from Claude, Cursor, and other AI tools
Ask your AI assistant for design references in plain language, and get real, professionally described examples from the library — inside the conversation you're already having.
What is MCP, in one paragraph
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants use external tools — the same way a browser extension extends your browser. This library runs a hosted MCP server, so any MCP-capable assistant (Claude, Cursor, and others) can search the catalog, read the written descriptions and tags, pull up similar references, and work with color palettes. You connect it once; after that it's just part of your assistant's vocabulary.
What this lets you do
You: I'm designing a landing page for a developer tool — dark, editorial, oversized type. Show me references.
Claude: Searching the inspiration library… Here are 6 matching references. The strongest is a dark SaaS hero using a 12-column grid with a display serif at around 180px and a single accent color — its description notes the move worth stealing is the asymmetric column split. [links and descriptions follow]
You: Find me brand identities in this palette: #1A1A2E, #E94560.
Claude: Using the library's palette tools… These identity systems use closely related palettes. Each comes with its tagged style and mood, so you can match the direction, not just the colors.
You: I liked that second reference — show me more like it.
Claude: Pulling similar items… 5 more references share its layout structure and typographic scale.
What your assistant can retrieve
- Search the full catalog with natural-language queries plus structured filters (style, color, typography, mood, industry)
- The complete written description of any reference: layout, hierarchy, type treatment, color use, and the key takeaway
- Similar references to any item
- The library's facet vocabulary, for building precise queries
- Color palette tools: analyze a palette, generate one, suggest pairings
Which tools work
Claude (claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code), Cursor, and any other MCP client. The server lives at https://mcp.vasa.works/mcp.
How to connect
- Create a free account and open your account page — your personal API key is there.
- Add the server in your AI tool. For clients with OAuth support, you can connect directly and approve in the browser — no key pasting.
- Ask your assistant for design references. That's it.
Free vs Pro
Connecting is free. A free account includes 50 tool calls per month — browsing the library's vocabulary doesn't count against it — and Pro is unlimited. When a free quota runs out, your assistant gets a friendly note with the reset date, not an error. Plans on the pricing page.
Privacy
The server receives only the tool calls your assistant makes — search queries, item ids, palette values — tied to your API key for metering. Your conversation itself never reaches us; it stays between you and your AI provider.
Common questions
- What is MCP?
- MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants use external tools — the way a browser extension extends a browser. Inspiration by VASA Works runs a hosted MCP server, so MCP-capable assistants like Claude and Cursor can search the design library, read its written descriptions and tags, fetch similar references, and work with color palettes from inside a conversation.
- Is the MCP free to use?
- Connecting is free. A free account includes 50 tool calls per month, and browsing the library's facet vocabulary doesn't count against the quota. Pro accounts have unlimited MCP access. When a free quota runs out, the assistant receives a friendly note with the reset date rather than an error.
- Which AI tools can connect to the library?
- Any MCP client: Claude (claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code), Cursor, and others. The server lives at https://mcp.vasa.works/mcp. You connect with a personal API key from your account page, or via the built-in OAuth flow where the client supports it.
- What data does the MCP server see?
- Only the tool calls the assistant makes — search queries, item ids, palette values — tied to your API key for metering. The conversation itself never reaches the server; it stays between you and your AI provider.
- Can the AI design something from the references?
- Your assistant can use the references and their written descriptions as context for its own work — layout analysis, direction writing, its own generations. The library supplies the references and the vocabulary; what the assistant builds from them is up to the assistant.