PAST ISSUES

INTERIORS ARCHIVE: 529: Trend spotting Trina O'Hara takes us on a tour of international furniture fairs to find the top Japanese designers at work today. 521: Child's play Trina O'Hara checks out the design celebrities hatching playful furniture and accessories for kids. 517: Personal Effects In celebration of the centennial of his birth, Trina O'Hara looks at the life and enduring legacy of Japanese-American designer Isamu Noguchi. 513: Seeing the light Trina O'Hara ponders the latest interior design trend and finds the answer is clear. 505: Lights of fancy Trina O'Hara checks out the contemporary chandeliers and whimsical lighting sculptures fast becoming fine art across the city. 501: Natural causes 493: Living rooms Inspired by the diverse lifestyles of this teeming metropolis, design experts Kyoko Asakura and Jaume J. Nasple-Baulenas have compiled an intriguing look inside the city's private homes. Tama Miyake Lung talks to the authors of Tokyo Houses. 489: Living in the past Art editor John McGee reveals three Tokyo stores that specialize in finding the best of what's old in Japanese antiques. 485: Monochrome marvels Black and white are back in fashion and making their mark in the interior design scene. Martin Webb reports on how to get the look for less. 481: Cut and paste Scrapbooking has swept America, where it's big business, and now it's catching on in Japan. Chris Betros attends a "cropalong." 477: Moss cause A sprinkling of moss can transform any windowsill into a miniature Zen temple. Hanna Kite offers some tips for bringing a little tranquility home. 469: Ikebana for idiots With a plethora of rules and schools, Ikebana can be intimidating, not to mention time-consuming. But who says busy people have to miss out on this ancient art form? Georgia Jacobs gives you the basics on no-fuss flower-arrangement. 466: A dyeing breed Winning fans from New York to Tokyo, designer Akiyoshi Yaezawa is putting a traditional stamp on modern accessories using a 17th-century hand-dyeing and painting process. Krista Wilson reports. 457: Party of five Matt Wilce lays out five luscious looks for New Year. 449: Thought out Designers create spaces but they also like to inhabit them. SuperDeluxe offers a place to drink and think for the design community—and of course their friends 445: Design on Tokyo A trio of interior design events is on its way to bring style into our Tokyo living rooms 439: Setting pretty Matt Wilce lays the table with styles for summer. 435: Tropical haven Asian furnishings are finding their way to flats across the city 431: Wed white and blue Treasures of traditional Japanese design, blue and white are the perfect foil for Tokyo's sweltering summers 427: Have a ball Who says you need tickets to catch a piece of World Cup action? 423: Collection point Nishi-Ogikubo's 65 pre-loved furniture stores make up Tokyo's great antique oasis 419: Flower power Bring your gloomy flat back to life with seasonal flowers. 415: On the mend Tokyo's fix-it men can have your furniture back in form 411: Phone home Panasonic unveils the e-lifestyle of the near future 407: Launch Pad Sputnik Pad lands in Jingumae 399: Interiors Retrospective  395: Interiors Kitchenware flare 391: Interiors Ideé is one of Tokyo’s most established interiors stores 387: Inner sanctum The days of sitting on the tatami floor are over 383: Life in style Tokyo's embraces ultra-modern design 367: Wealthy workplaces Put feng shui to work at work 364: Healthy homes The ancient Chinese art of feng shui

Setting pretty

Matt Wilce lays the table with styles for summer.

It's summertime and the living might be easy, but that's no reason not to put on a spread when you set the table. With a myriad of styles out there-everything from rustic bamboo and Asian accents to retro glass and rainbow picnic-ware-tables are set to get a chic overhaul this August.

Retro active
The '60s live again, and retro glassware is big this season-think Pucci prints and geometric color. Find it everywhere from Franc Franc and Loft to select shops and flea markets. If you're having friends swing by after getting groovy with Goldmember, break out the funky glassware and join the retro revival.

Lilac glass bowl from Three Minutes Happiness (¥300). Tall retro glass (¥250), small retro glass (¥150), small glass bowl (¥250) and cotton striped place mat (¥200) all from Loft. Random stripe cup from Parallel House (¥680).

Bamboozled
Everything Asian is hot this summer, and bamboo-alive or dried-is proving to be a must-have interior accent. From candles to cups, the stylish stalks are adding a cooling natural touch to tables citywide. Hollowed out bamboo dishes are perfect for piling up soba, or filled with ice they make a practical way to serve sashimi.

Bamboo candle from Karako (¥750). Bamboo chopsticks rest (¥100), bamboo "zaru" mat (¥100) and chopsticks all from 100 Yen Plaza (¥100). Bamboo-covered serving dish from J Period (¥1,680). White porcelain soba cup from Harajuku Togasha (¥250). Antique chabudai table Togo Shrine Market (¥10,000).

Water table
Summer matsuri are awash with goldfish, and the bright orange fish are a popular seasonal motif. Everything from dishes to napkins is inscribed with piscine designs, so liven up your table with some colorful finny-shing touches. Also big this summer are ceramic floating ornaments. Mix them with floating plants or candles or try them on their own for a simple, cooling centerpiece.

Goldfish motif cloth from Loft (¥700). Blue and white bowl (¥700), large ceramic ball (¥200), small ceramic balls (¥150), floating ceramic turtle (¥380) all from Tokyu Department Store. Glass bamboo chopstick rest from Karako (¥350).

Monochrome meals
Basic but stylish, black and white lend an air of sophistication and minimalism to any occasion. Check out Harajuku Togasha for everything from gravy boats to chargers and tea cups in pristine white. Mix and match shapes and textures to create simple yet interesting settings that smack of social savoir-faire.

White pasta dish from Harajuku Togasha (¥700). Rectangular black ceramic dish from J Period (¥700). Black glass chopstick rest from Karako (¥215)

Kitchen kaleidoscope
Summer's the season of picnics and BBQs, and bright durable tableware is a must for outdoor entertaining. With a whole spectrum of colors and styles to choose from at reasonable prices, creating a chromatic spread needn't leave you in the red.

Cherry tomato soy sauce container from Loft (¥200). Yellow lunch mat (¥100 for 2), blue mouse pad (¥100), salad fork and spoon (¥100 each), green checked napkin (¥300 for 2), orange star ice tray (¥200) and green plastic beaker (¥100) all from Three Minutes Happiness. Yellow plastic bento fork from Loft (¥100).

Laying the blues
A timeless tradition in Japan, blue and white tableware never goes out of fashion. Try mixing materials and textures by putting high colored glass with glazed. Look for inexpensive cotton place mats and napkins or convert an old obi into a table runner.

Blue glazed dish (¥1,100), blue cotton tenugi cloth (¥700), blue cut glass (¥250) and place mat (¥200) all from Loft. Glazed ceramic spoons from Doubleday (¥220 each).

Address book:
Karako has three locations in Tokyo: Sesame Jiyugaoka Bldg, 1-25-9 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku. Tel: 03-3717-5965; Kichijoji KS Bldg, 1-8-4 Minami-cho, Kichijoji, Mushashino-shi. Tel: 0422-40-1655; Aqua City S401, 1-7-1 Odaiba, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-3599-5081.

Shibuya Loft, 21-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya. Tel: 03-3462-3821.

Doubleday, inside Kichijoji Loft, 1-10-1 Honcho, Kichijoji. Tel: 0422-23-6233.

Tokyu Department Store, Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-3111. www.tokyu-dept.co.jp

J Period, Decks, 1-6-1 Daiba, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-3599-2031.

Parallel House, Shibuya Parco Up;s, Koendori, Shibuya. Tel: 03-5457-1030.

Three Minutes Happiness, Koendori, Shibuya. Tel: 03-5459-1815.

Harajuku Togasha, 1-11-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-3796-3013.

Photos by Matt Wilce