Akiko Shimbo is Professor in the Department of Architecture and Environment Systems, School of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan.

• Contents: Introduction; Furniture design: sharing knowledge among craftspeople; Pattern books: communicating between producers and consumers; Forming taste and style: consumers' needs and participation; The showroom as mediator; Furniture repairs and services: building a clientele; Taste, state and the market: changing relationships between producers and consumers; Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

Akiko Shimbo is Professor in the Department of Architecture and Environment Systems, School of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan.

• Contents: Introduction; Furniture design: sharing knowledge among craftspeople; Pattern books: communicating between producers and consumers; Forming taste and style: consumers' needs and participation; The showroom as mediator; Furniture repairs and services: building a clientele; Taste, state and the market: changing relationships between producers and consumers; Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

Akiko Shimbo is Professor in the Department of Architecture and Environment Systems, School of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan.

• Contents: Introduction; Furniture design: sharing knowledge among craftspeople; Pattern books: communicating between producers and consumers; Forming taste and style: consumers' needs and participation; The showroom as mediator; Furniture repairs and services: building a clientele; Taste, state and the market: changing relationships between producers and consumers; Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.