Wabi-Sabi

STYLEKIT_STYLE_REFERENCE
style_name: Wabi-Sabi
style_slug: wabi-sabi
style_source: /styles/wabi-sabi

# Hard Prompt

## When To Use
Use this when you want AI to generate code with strict style consistency. It is the safest default for production UI.

## How To Use
- Copy the full prompt into ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or another coding assistant.
- Append the concrete product/page requirement after the prompt.
- After generation, check the forbidden rules and interaction states before accepting the output.

Strictly follow the style rules below and maintain consistency. No style drift allowed.

## Requirements

- Prioritize style consistency first, then creative extension.
- When conflicts arise, treat prohibitions as the highest priority.
- Self-check before output: verify colors, typography, spacing, and interactions still match this style.

## Style Rules

You are designing in Wabi-Sabi style.
- Warm paper-toned backgrounds: #f7f3ec, #f2ede4
- Ink-like text color: #3a3a3a
- Muted natural accents: moss green #8a9a7b, tea brown #b5a78c
- Always use serif fonts (font-serif)
- Extreme whitespace: py-32, large gaps between sections
- Ultra-thin borders: border-[#d4cdc5]/30
- Slow transitions: duration-500 or longer
- No bold colors, no heavy shadows, no decorative elements
- Embrace asymmetry and imperfection
- Think "zen garden" and "ceramic pottery"

Animation & Interaction Rules:
- Absolute Stillness: The core of Wabi-Sabi is tranquility. Absolutely no translate (displacement), scale (scaling), or spring animations. Elements must remain still like stones.
- Shadowless Void: Abandon all box-shadow for modern depth. Layer hierarchy is expressed only through generous whitespace and very faint border lines.
- Dust Breathing: All interactions must be extremely slow. Use duration-1000 or longer transitions (e.g., duration-[1500ms]) with ease-in-out. Let background color deepening look like natural light slowly dimming.
- Ink Fading: On hover, text color should not change abruptly but transition through opacity changes (e.g., from opacity-60 slowly to opacity-100), simulating ink appearing through time.

---

# Wabi-Sabi Design System

> A digital expression of Japanese Wabi-Sabi aesthetics, celebrating the beauty of imperfection, the elegance of natural aging, and the zen of extreme whitespace, conveyed through ink tones, tea hues, and paper textures.

## Design Philosophy

Wabi-Sabi is the deepest philosophical concept in Japanese traditional aesthetics.

Core principles:
- Beauty of imperfection: cracks, wear, and irregularity are gifts bestowed by time
- Ma (space): whitespace is not emptiness, but meaningful space
- Natural decay: the process of growth, aging, and fading is itself beautiful
- Depth in simplicity: discovering profundity in ultimate simplicity
- Ichigo ichie: this moment is the only one, never to be repeated

---

## Token Dictionary (exact class mapping)

### Border
```
Width: border
Color: border-[#d4cdc5]/30
Radius: rounded-none
```

### Shadow
```
sm: shadow-none
md: shadow-sm
lg: shadow-md
hover: hover:shadow-sm
focus: focus:ring-1 focus:ring-[#8a9a7b]/20
```

### Interaction
```
Hover translate: (none)
Hover scale: (none)
Hover opacity: (none)
Transition: transition-opacity duration-1000
Active: active:opacity-80
```

### Typefaces
```
Heading: font-serif font-light tracking-wide
Body: font-serif font-light
Mono: font-mono font-light
```

### Type scale
```
Hero: text-3xl md:text-5xl lg:text-6xl
H1: text-2xl md:text-4xl
H2: text-xl md:text-2xl
H3: text-lg md:text-xl
Body: text-sm md:text-base
Small: text-xs
```

### Spacing
```
Section: py-24 md:py-32 lg:py-40
Container: px-8 md:px-16 lg:px-24
Card: p-8 md:p-10
Gap sm: gap-6
Gap md: gap-10
Gap lg: gap-16
```

### Color roles
```
Background primary: bg-[#f7f3ec]
Background secondary: bg-[#f2ede4]
Background accent: bg-[#8a9a7b]/10, bg-[#b5a78c]/10, bg-[#8b6f4e]/10
Text primary: text-[#3a3a3a]
Text secondary: text-[#8a8278]
Text muted: text-[#b5a78c]
Button primary: bg-transparent border-b border-[#3a3a3a]/30 text-[#3a3a3a]
Button secondary: bg-transparent border-b border-[#d4cdc5] text-[#8a8278]
```

---

## [FORBIDDEN]

These classes are banned in this style. Check for them before returning code:

### Banned classes
- `bg-black`
- `bg-gray-900`
- `bg-slate-900`
- `font-black`
- `font-extrabold`
- `font-bold`
- `border-4`
- `border-[3px]`
- `border-[4px]`
- `shadow-lg`
- `shadow-xl`
- `shadow-2xl`
- `rounded-2xl`
- `rounded-3xl`
- `rounded-full`
- `bg-gradient-to-r`
- `bg-gradient-to-b`
- `text-6xl`
- `text-7xl`
- `text-8xl`

### Banned patterns
- matches `^bg-(?:black|gray-9|slate-9)`
- matches `^font-(?:black|extrabold|bold)$`
- matches `^shadow-(?:lg|xl|2xl)$`
- matches `^bg-gradient`
- matches `^animate-(?:bounce|spin|pulse)$`
- matches `^text-(?:[6-9]xl|\dxl)$`

### Why they are banned
- `bg-black`: Wabi-sabi uses warm paper tones, not pure darkness
- `font-black`: Only light and extralight weights convey wabi-sabi restraint
- `shadow-lg`: Shadows must be minimal or absent for quiet aesthetic
- `bg-gradient-to-r`: No gradients; use flat, natural tones
- `animate-bounce`: No energetic animations; only slow fades allowed

> WARNING: if your code contains any of the above, replace it before shipping.

---

## [REQUIRED]

### Every button must include
```
bg-transparent
transition-colors
duration-500
```

### Every card must include
```
transition-colors
```

### Every input must include
```
bg-transparent
focus:outline-none
```

---

## [COMPARE] Wabi-Sabi wrong vs right

The wrong examples below stand for generic library defaults that were never adapted to this style. Do not read them as visual suggestions.

### Button

[WRONG] **Wrong** (generic component library default, do not copy):
```html
<button class="{GENERIC_LIBRARY_BUTTON_DEFAULT}">
  Click me
</button>
```

[CORRECT] **Right** (uses this style's tokens):
```html
<button class="bg-transparent transition-colors duration-500 bg-transparent border-b border-[#3a3a3a]/30 text-[#3a3a3a]">
  Click me
</button>
```

### Card

[WRONG] **Wrong** (generic card, not adapted to this style):
```html
<div class="{GENERIC_LIBRARY_CARD_DEFAULT}">
  <h3>{TITLE}</h3>
</div>
```

[CORRECT] **Right** (uses this style's card tokens):
```html
<div class="transition-colors p-8 md:p-10">
  <h3 class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-lg md:text-xl">{TITLE}</h3>
</div>
```

### Input

[WRONG] **Wrong** (generic input, not adapted to this style):
```html
<input class="{GENERIC_LIBRARY_INPUT_DEFAULT}" />
```

[CORRECT] **Right** (uses this style's input tokens):
```html
<input class="bg-transparent focus:outline-none" placeholder="{PLACEHOLDER}" />
```

---

## [TEMPLATES] Wabi-Sabi page skeletons

These skeletons use this style's tokens only. Replace `{PLACEHOLDER}` values, but keep every token in place:

### Navigation
```html
<nav class="bg-[#f7f3ec] text-[#3a3a3a] border border-[#d4cdc5]/30 px-8 md:px-16 lg:px-24">
  <div class="flex items-center justify-between max-w-6xl mx-auto gap-10">
    <a href="/" class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-lg md:text-xl">
      {LOGO_TEXT}
    </a>
    <div class="flex gap-10 font-serif font-light text-xs">
      {NAV_LINKS}
    </div>
  </div>
</nav>
```

### Hero section
```html
<section class="bg-[#8a9a7b]/10 text-[#3a3a3a] py-24 md:py-32 lg:py-40 px-8 md:px-16 lg:px-24">
  <div class="max-w-4xl mx-auto">
    <h1 class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-3xl md:text-5xl lg:text-6xl">
      {HEADLINE}
    </h1>
    <p class="font-serif font-light text-sm md:text-base max-w-xl">
      {SUBHEADLINE}
    </p>
    <button class="bg-transparent transition-colors duration-500 bg-transparent border-b border-[#3a3a3a]/30 text-[#3a3a3a]">
      {CTA_TEXT}
    </button>
  </div>
</section>
```

### Card grid
```html
<section class="bg-[#f7f3ec] text-[#3a3a3a] py-24 md:py-32 lg:py-40 px-8 md:px-16 lg:px-24">
  <div class="max-w-6xl mx-auto">
    <h2 class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-xl md:text-2xl">{SECTION_TITLE}</h2>
    <div class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-10">
      <!-- Card template - repeat for each card -->
      <div class="transition-colors p-8 md:p-10">
        <h3 class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-lg md:text-xl">{CARD_TITLE}</h3>
        <p class="font-serif font-light text-sm md:text-base text-[#b5a78c]">{CARD_DESCRIPTION}</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</section>
```

### Form input
```html
<input class="bg-transparent focus:outline-none" placeholder="{PLACEHOLDER}" />
```

### Footer
```html
<footer class="bg-[#f2ede4] text-[#8a8278] py-24 md:py-32 lg:py-40 px-8 md:px-16 lg:px-24">
  <div class="max-w-6xl mx-auto">
    <div class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-3 gap-16">
      <div>
        <span class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-lg md:text-xl">{LOGO_TEXT}</span>
        <p class="font-serif font-light text-xs">{TAGLINE}</p>
      </div>
      <div>
        <h4 class="font-serif font-light tracking-wide text-lg md:text-xl">{COLUMN_TITLE}</h4>
        <ul class="font-serif font-light text-xs">
          {FOOTER_LINKS}
        </ul>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</footer>
```

---

## [CHECKLIST] Wabi-Sabi post-generation self check

**Before returning code, verify every token and rule below. Fix any violation before delivering:**

### Token check
- [ ] Button includes: `bg-transparent transition-colors duration-500`
- [ ] Card includes: `transition-colors`
- [ ] Input includes: `bg-transparent focus:outline-none`

### Forbidden check
- [ ] Not using `bg-black`
- [ ] Not using `bg-gray-900`
- [ ] Not using `bg-slate-900`
- [ ] Not using `font-black`
- [ ] Not using `font-extrabold`
- [ ] Not using `font-bold`
- [ ] Not using `border-4`
- [ ] Not using `border-[3px]`

### Style rule check
- [ ] Use warm paper-toned backgrounds bg-[#f7f3ec] bg-[#f2ede4]
- [ ] Ink color as primary text color text-[#3a3a3a]
- [ ] Extreme whitespace and spacing py-32 px-8
- [ ] Use serif fonts font-serif
- [ ] Ultra-thin divider lines border-[#d4cdc5]/30

### Style drift check
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use vivid colors or high saturation
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use heavy shadows or thick borders
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not densely arrange elements
- [ ] Does not violate: Do not use decorative animations or bounce effects

### Delivery check
- [ ] Responsive layout holds on phone, tablet and desktop with no horizontal overflow
- [ ] Every interactive element has a visible focus state, an accessible name and a reduced-motion path
- [ ] Text contrast meets WCAG AA and colour alone never carries state
- [ ] The result is still recognizable at a glance as Wabi-Sabi

## Absolute Bans (Match and Refuse)

If any of the following patterns appear, it is a style violation — rewrite without exception.

- use vivid colors or high saturation
- use heavy shadows or thick borders
- densely arrange elements
- use decorative animations or bounce effects

## Self-Check (Verify Before Shipping)

If any item fails, the style has drifted — fix before shipping.

- [ ] No purple-to-blue gradients
- [ ] No overused fonts (Inter, Roboto, Geist, Fraunces, Plus Jakarta Sans)
- [ ] No nested cards (cards inside cards)
- [ ] No gray text on colored backgrounds
- [ ] Body text contrast meets WCAG AA (>= 4.5:1)
- [ ] No bounce or elastic easing curves
- [ ] Animations have a prefers-reduced-motion fallback
- [ ] Body text line length capped at 65-75 characters
- [ ] No side-stripe accent borders (border-left/right > 1px)
- [ ] No gradient text (background-clip: text)
- [ ] No glassmorphism used as the default surface treatment
- [ ] No tiny uppercase tracked eyebrow labels above every section heading
- [ ] do not use vivid colors or high saturation
- [ ] do not use heavy shadows or thick borders
- [ ] do not densely arrange elements
- [ ] do not use decorative animations or bounce effects