Lifestyle brand Afternoon Tea LIVING has released a new tableware series called HAPPY TEA TIME, on sale since July 8 (Wednesday) at Afternoon Tea LIVING stores nationwide and the Afternoon Tea official online store.
The series features hand-drawn-style designs decorated with colorful flowers and motifs, paired with soft, rounded forms. It adds a splash of color to the table and brings a little extra enjoyment to everyday meals and tea time.
Tableware Trends: Pottery Markets and the Mini-Plate Boom
Rising summer heat has boosted time spent at home, and setting a nice table has become one of many people's everyday pleasures.
Tableware remains a consistently popular category both in Japan and abroad. Amid the recent popularity of pottery markets and small "mamezara" dishes, table items are increasingly seen as a simple way to brighten up a meal. On social media, more people are photographing plates from directly overhead to highlight their design, reflecting a growing interest in tableware. The intensifying summer heat has also played a role, as more people spend time at home to avoid the heat and cook for themselves more often instead of eating out. Alongside a growing interest in healthy eating, many people now want to make everyday meals more satisfying, treat them as a small daily pleasure, or plate food in ways that look as good as they taste — and care for tableware is becoming part of that everyday enjoyment.
Source: Cleo Inc., "Five Key Points on Changing Dinner Tables Amid a Longer Summer and Rising Prices, and Strategy Hints for a Hot Autumn"
Against this backdrop, the new HAPPY TEA TIME tableware series is well suited to anyone who wants their everyday dishware to look good, or who wants to make time at home this summer a little more enjoyable. Bringing these pieces into the kitchen adds a small touch of enjoyment to everything from plating meals to tea time.
The pieces also lend themselves well to table photography: try photographing the mugs, with their distinctive silhouettes and handles, from the side, and the plates, with their ruffled edges and hand-drawn floral patterns, from directly overhead, to bring out both the food and the tableware's design.
Product Lineup
Mug
A playful mug featuring heart- and circle-shaped handles. It combines cute looks with everyday usability, making tea time more enjoyable, and comes in a wide range of sizes so you can pick your favorite.
① Yellow (150ml) — ¥1,100
② White (220ml) — ¥1,650
③ Pink (250ml) — ¥1,650
④ Green (300ml) — ¥1,650
⑤ Blue Ribbon (400ml) — ¥1,650
Creamer (200ml)
A generously sized creamer with a refreshing color palette. It also makes a nice interior accent when used to hold a single stem of flowers.
¥1,320 (tax included)
Plate M
Featuring a gently wavy rim and a hand-drawn floral accent, this plate works well on the table, as a decorative piece, or even as an accessory tray.
¥1,980 each (tax included)
Plate L
A large-size plate featuring a hand-drawn floral design, sized well for both main dishes and one-plate meals.
¥2,200 each (tax included)
Oval Plate
A relaxed oval shape in a generous size, ideal for dishes like curry or pasta. It's microwave-safe for easy reheating and dishwasher-safe for simple cleanup.
¥2,420 (tax included)
Bowl
The S size has a wavy rim, perfect for small side dishes or fruit. The M size takes the mug's rounded shape without a handle and gives it extra height, making it a good fit for yogurt or dessert. The L size features a design reminiscent of blooming flowers and is large enough for generous servings of acai bowls or salad.
① S size — ¥1,100 (tax included)
② M size — ¥1,320 (tax included)
③ L size — ¥1,870 (tax included)
