Wee Birdy

Top tea sets: Tina Tsang's Blaue Blume

Blaue Blume dessert stand, £128.50, from Hidden Art Shop.

Blaue Blume teacup, £32.95, from Hidden Art shop.

Blaue Blume milk jug, and Blaue Blume sugar bowl, both £34.95, from Hidden Art Shop.

Tina Tsang’s perfectly eccentric Blaue Blume ceramics range is just what the Madhatter ordered for his tea party. The British designer’s range developed from casting rare one-off pieces of vintage lace to “solidify the texture of lace on ceramics”. With saucy legs serving as handles, the range quite literally turns the very British practice of prim ladies taking afternoon tea on its head. The dessert stand is brilliantly mad and is just crying out for some delicate iced fancies, scones and finger sandwiches. Available from Hidden Art Shop.

Top tea sets: Patricia Urquiola for Rosenthal

Small Tea Pot by Patricia Urquiola, £75, from the Design Museum.

Cup and saucer by Patricia Urquiola, £25, from the Design Museum

 
Sugar Bowl by Patricia Urquiola, £35, and Creamer by Patricia Urquiola, £30, from the Design Museum.

I love the amazing new ceramic tea range by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola for Rosenthal, which is currently on show at the Design Museum. The exquisite detail on the handles is evocative of the almost honey-comb pattern of the open holes in lace or paper doilies. So very suitable for partaking in an avant-garde afternoon tea. Ship in some clotted cream from Devon and away you go! The range is available to purchase from the Design Museum shop. Perfect for Christmas presents, too.

Patricia Urquiola – Purely Porcelain
10 October – 25 January 2009
The Design Museum
Shad Thames
London SE1 2YD
Tel. 020 7403 6933
Nearest tube: London Bridge
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