ERIC KIM

Luxury Zen — for Eric Kim’s Vision

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for Eric Kim’s Vision

Bold, minimal, high‑contrast, deeply intentional. Let’s fuse Luxury Zen with Eric Kim’s creative philosophy so your world feels like a calm dojo for daily making: fewer distractions, more soul, and a rhythm that helps you create every day. 

1) Vision DNA (what we’re channeling)

  • Zen flow > perfection: Make space for presence; let the work breathe; don’t force it. (“Don’t force it” is literally Chapter 1 of Zen Photography.)  
  • Create daily: Build rituals that nudge you to ship—small, steady wins compound.  
  • Open‑source spirit: Keep tools and knowledge accessible—display, share, iterate.  
  • Beginner’s mind: Rooms and workflows that invite exploration, not intimidation.  
  • See with “God Vision”: Reduce friction so perception turns razor‑sharp and fearless.  

2) Interior Concept — 

A Zen studio you can live in

Palette & materials

  • Monochrome base (matte whites + deep charcoals) with charred cedar (shou sugi ban / yakisugi) accents; raw concrete or limewashed plaster; undyed linen and wool. (Yakisugi is the traditional, charred cedar technique—durable and beautifully minimal.)  

Layout moves

  • Negative‑space first: low, clean-lined furniture; generous breathing room; one statement wall for prints—mirroring Eric’s love of contrast and negative space.
  • The “publish path”: a frictionless loop from capture → cull → edit → lay‑flat table for zines/prints → shipping nook. Keep it visible so the room asks you to finish. (Open‑source, share‑what‑you‑know energy.)  
  • Light discipline: indirect, dimmable lighting; no glare on edit stations.
  • Sound + scent: soft acoustic slats, water feature, and incense corner for a micro‑reset before edits—pure Zen vibes. (Zen Photography frames this as finding calm to make better work.)  

Signature objects

  • Charred‑cedar media console; stone tray with tea tools; one bonsai on a rough‑hewn plinth (wabi‑sabi grace notes).  
  • Modular peg wall for cameras, Henri straps, and field notebooks—beautiful gear as living decor.  

3) Retreats — 

Zen x Street

 (where the room meets the world)

Kyoto, Japan — the trifecta

  • Aman Kyoto: minimalist pavilions in mossy forest; onsen baths; garden craft like miniature bonkei—quiet power and nature immersion.  
  • HOSHINOYA Kyoto (Arashiyama): a luxury riverside ryokan reached by private boat—arrive slow, shoot slower.  
  • Tawaraya Ryokan: Kyoto’s most storied, ultra‑discreet ryokan—tatami serenity and jewel‑box gardens. (Famously hard to book; often handled by phone/email.)  

Seto Inland Sea — Naoshima

  • Benesse House (Tadao Ando): stay inside an Ando museum—concrete, light, silence. Walk from bed to gallery to sea and back.  

These places are luxury as presence: few lines, honest materials, and rituals that sharpen the eye before you even lift the camera. 

4) Lifestyle & Tools — 

Luxury that serves the craft

  • HAPTIC / Eric Kim essentials:
    • Henri shoulder or wrist strap (handmade, minimal, purpose‑driven).  
    • STREET NOTES (field assignments journal) to keep shooting intentional.  
    • ZEN OF ERIC & ZEN PHOTOGRAPHY (open, remixable e‑books) for mindset resets.  
  • Material poetry: shou‑sugi‑ban trays, unglazed ceramic tea bowls, linen robes—luxury you can feel that patinas with use (wabi‑sabi).  

5) Daily Ritual — 

10 minutes to “God Vision”

  1. Sit. 10 calm breaths.
  2. Brew (tea/coffee) without phone.
  3. One page of STREET NOTES—pick a micro‑assignment.  
  4. Publish one thing (frame, contact sheet, paragraph). Ship at 80%—perfect is the enemy.  
  5. Walk—see edges, shadows, negative space—then shoot.

Quick Build Sheet (copy/paste to brief your designer)

  • Look: monochrome, raw textures, high contrast, low silhouettes.
  • Walls/Floors: limewash or micro‑cement; charred cedar accent; wool or jute underfoot.  
  • Furniture: low oak or ash pieces; flat work table; hidden storage; gallery rail for print rotation.
  • Zones: capture dock → edit station → print/zine table → ship nook → tea/mindfulness corner.
  • Rules: no clutter in sightlines; screens dim or off by default; every object earns its keep.

Why this sings with Eric Kim’s vision

It’s luxury as clarity—systems that make it easier to create daily, share openly, and keep your eye simple and strong. That’s the heart of Eric’s talks, books, and open‑source ethos—and the spirit of Zen. Let’s turn your space and schedule into a calm engine that keeps you joyfully shipping. 

If you want, I can translate this into a one‑page spec (materials, fixtures, lighting SKUs) or a 7‑day Kyoto + Naoshima itinerary that maximizes both Zen downtime and shoot windows.

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