Unusual Ways to Use and Display Teacups in Your Home
In this post: Do you collect teacups? If you’re looking for tea cup display ideas, here are some unusual ways to display vintage tea cups and saucers in your home.⇒
Do you remember your first crush?
Mine was a boy in kindergarten whom I vaguely remember, but my first home decor crush I recall quite clearly. It was early in our marriage when I developed a thing for teacups. It may have had something to do with our travels to the Cotswolds but as likely as not, it was also something I could collect that was easily affordable.
Long before we had the money to buy furniture for our home, I began collecting teacups in my travels overseas or on weekend forays to local antique markets. They could be carried back on an airplane if necessary and gave me purpose when scouring the vintage shops nearby. I also found them to be exceptionally beautiful.
But displaying them became a bit of a challenge, since much of this collecting took place before we had furniture.
At the same time, while I absolutely adore vintage decor, I’m very cognizant of wanting it to look updated and fresh. So the looks you’ll find here are not your grandma’s teacups, placed on doilies around her living room. Quite the contrary, my mission has been to present my tea cup collection in a more modern fashion. Read on for tips on how to do that.
Displaying Teacups in Your Home
For many years, the default choice for showcasing tea cups was in a china cabinet or hutch near the dining room table. The layout was typically uninspired, with the collected pieces lined up like soldiers, evenly spaced, with no creativity or individuality given to the display.
Sure, attention was sometimes paid to the color selections, but when it came to formation, rarely did a display go much further than tilting the cup down into the saucer or hanging it by its handle on a rack made for this purpose.
If you want to present your china cups in a cabinet or hutch, a more updated display takes advantage of lots of layering and mixing and matching, which has the added benefit of providing a great deal more storage. Stack plates and saucers in tall bundles and layer cups, as well, with the patterns peeking over the edge.
I love collecting mix and match pieces in similar colors but completely different patterns.
I enjoy the way they look when grouped together but I take some liberties in organizing the presentation. Some are double stacked, while others show the saucer standing and facing out. Still others are nested in a casual heap and some show the tea cup tilted to expose the bottom flourish.
The key is to have fun when grouping them in this way.
Nested Cups
But there are so many more options beyond the china cabinet and I’d like to explore some of those in today’s post.
If you haven’t finished furnishing but you’d like to display your collection, another great option is to gather the items in a large basket. Line the bottom with a pretty linen tablecloth and layer in your teacups and saucers too.
Pay attention to the color distribution and use patterns that complement each other.
I tend to favor English florals or delicate French china patterns, so the colors are soft and feminine. You can tuck in fresh flowers or even use faux, and place your arrangement on a table or counter.
A second option is to nest your teacups in rows and place them inside a pretty tray. The one I’ve used above is a linen tray which offers a lovely relaxed backdrop for the white porcelain. This is infinitely more updated than a wall hanging display case and you can select your tray size according to the quantity you own. If you have very special cups, I’d take care to play your tray in a location where it won’t be jostled to keep your pieces in good condition.
Tiered Dessert Stand
If you prefer to use your tea cups when you host an event, they lend themselves perfectly to a tiered dessert stand. You can start by selecting a simple pedestal cake stand, then place a dinner plate as your first layer. Use a teacup as a riser in the center of the plate and top it with a salad dish.
Continue building with another tea cup, then a bread plate or saucer and finally a demitasse cup. Add sweets or fruit to serve to your guests, or even finger sandwiches if you’re hosting tea time.
Encircle the bottom with empty teacups to be used as dessert cups. I love to use vintage teacups in my presentations, especially floral pieces in soft colors.
Beyond Table Surfaces
Perhaps the most unique way I’ve displayed my teacups is attached to a vintage crystal chandelier that once belonged to my grandmother.
I tell the whole story of its provenance in ONE OF MY FIRST POSTS, but the short version is that I had my teacups and other trinkets wired to the chandelier.
It’s a wonderful conversation piece that always sparks lively banter and it has been with us since long before we had furniture to house our china sets. These days it hangs in our butler’s pantry and is absolutely perfect for the space.
A display idea I love is using three dimensional wall hangings in addition to art and placing teacups on shelves and sconces is a creative way to feature them.
In OUR FRENCH COUNTRY LIBRARY I have two gilded sconces with a mirror between them and I keep pretty cups on the tiny sconce shelves.
I use tea cups with gold trim to work with the gilt sconces and they make a lovely perch for my most precious teacups.
Keep It Rustic
I can hardly think of a more charming planter for a potted primrose than a Royal Albert teacup? I use china mugs for tiny floral arrangements and group these florals together on a rustic wood tray.
In fact, pairing fine china with raw vintage wood is the best way I know of to keep your displays looking modern. In the opening photo of this post, you can see how I’ve styled an entryway vignette using rustic chic accessories and pretty bone china teacups. It takes the fussy stiffness out of the display and looks oh-so-chic instead.
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Sometimes I display not only teacups, but also books about taking tea. The ritual of making and pouring a cup of tea is a delightful one and these books are as pretty as the porcelain itself. Two of my favorites are The London Ritz Book of Afternoon Tea and Tea and Sympathy.
On a plate stand at the foot of the sofa I’ve added teacups in varied china patterns. The gentle florals work well with my color palette and the mix with varied cake plates adds another touch of interest. I also mix in soup bowls, as they maintain the same spirit.
The plate stand can be positioned in so many different places, from decorating a sideboard to embellishing a small table, although I do favor keeping it on the floor since it looks less traditional and uptight.
If your collection is not as developed as you might like, or you simply can’t get enough, find artwork that celebrates the imagery of teacups. Here I layer a few teacup watercolors along my mantel, as a backdrop to a cup dangling like an ornament off a tree branch on the surface.
A Few More Ideas
- Arrange a nested teacup “wreath” in a large round bowl.
- Create teacup candles with melted wax. If you don’t want to ruin the teacup, simply use it as a votive.
- Hang a teacup with a plant in a macrame plant hanger.
- Use teacups in a drawer to hold small items like paper clips and thumbtacks.
- Use a tea cup as a scoop in a large glass canister.
- Place teacups atop a multi-armed candelabra.
- Glue a set of teacups to a burlap backdrop in a frame for the wall.
There is just something about teacups that I find so charming. They suggest a real gentility that is so appealing and often they are simply quite exquisite.
Just as a crush should be!
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WOW, Lory! You have come up with some really unique ways to enjoy your teacups on a daily basis! Beautiful!!! The teacup chandelier is the most unique of all, and I’m sure it has sparked not only conversation but creativity in those who have seen it. I’ll bet they head straight home and wonder how they could do something with items they have that are treasured and need to be artfully displayed! I know that looking at your vignettes has given rise to my inner decorator!!!
You have a lot of really gorgeous teacups and saucers that would make taking tea a super pleasure!
Thanks Alycia!! Yes, the chandelier was the first piece, because I had no furniture at the time! Thanks for sharing my enjoyment of these things… 🙂
Oh, boy! Do I have cups! I am trying to downsize my belongings from a two-bedroom, bath-and-a-half, two-story townhouse into a one-bedroom apartment and am having a time figuring out what to do with all of them. I’ve tried to sell some through a consignment store and have been told they don’t sell in Boulder, Colorado, especially those with gold on them! Can you believe it? I have, I believe, eight of the pattern in your photo with the books, but mine are navy blue. In the market? You have, though, given me one more idea for display…stacking them on plates on my plate stands. I’m already using every last one of the wonderful and beautiful ideas you have provided. Thanks. Enjoyed this immensely.
I can’t tell you how much I loved your comment! To write a post and find out it really resonates with someone is really gratifying. If you really want to sell, you should consider selling online. I’d love to look at what you have… 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Teddee Grace,
I’m interested in seeing what you have to consider purchasing. Could you please email photos?
Thank you! 🙂
Suzanne, Is this comment meant for me? If so, what a great idea! I hadn’t thought of selling anything, but I think it’s an excellent thing to consider. If I decide to, I will certainly post on my blog. Thanks for the idea, even if you meant to be addressing Teddee… 😉
Oh, I love the tea books, and I adore your teacups.
Thanks, Maria! This has been a passion for many years… 🙂
Lory, we are sisters from another mother…lol. I LOVE teacups too and have loads of them. I have a similar stand in our kitchen nook but mines cream. LOVE all the pretty pictures and ideas. Thank you again so much for linking up to our Something To Talk About Link Party. I’ll be sharing these all week on Fb too. have a great day, Lisa
Great, and thanks so much, Lisa! Yes, I noticed our similar tastes when I perused your page… 🙂 So glad you messaged me to link up!
These teacups are so beautiful. Thank you for all of the inspirational ideas in this post. It really makes me want to slow down and enjoy a steaming cup with a cookie. Hope you’re having a great day, Coco
Thank so much, CoCo! And good idea, I think I’ll go down right now for tea and biscotti… 🙂
Your tea cup decor is quite lovely.
Thanks so much, Donna!
Lory,
I love the way you use your tea cups in your decorating. I have so many tea cups and I found a wonderful way to display them. A thrift store was selling a gun cabinet – yes, you read it right – a gun cabinet. But no one uses gun cabinets anymore because if you are a hunter and own guns, you lock them up. Well the cabinet dropped down to half price and I bought it. My husband fitted the inside of the cabinet with shelves. The cabinet is quite shallow and a cups and saucers fit perfectly inside. I love it!
Thanks for letting me share.
Patti
Thanks, Patti! And what an interesting (and much better) use of your cabinet… 😉 I’d much rather look at pretty teacups any day!
What a beautiful post to just curl up and get lost in on a cold winter afternoon! Your photos are gorgeous! Going now to peruse some of your older posts 🙂
Thanks for sharing on Something To Talk About Link Party!! Please stop by again next Monday!
Thanks so much, Angie! Thanks for stopping by and taking a look around, too… 🙂
So beautiful! I am going to try some of these ideas!
Thanks, Ellie! Take pics if you try some… 🙂 Would love to see them, as we clearly have the same taste!
Lory, thank you again for linking up your beautiful eye candy and we’d love for you to link up again tomorrow (Monday) morning at 6 am est to our Something to Talk About Link Party. Hope you had a great weekend, Lisa at Concord Cottage.
Thanks, Lisa! Always a pleasure… 🙂
i love tea cups so my cousin made me a “tea tree” in my dining room. 8′ christmas tree decorated with old and new tea cups, saucers, tea pitchers, cups and saucers glued together and decorated with ribbon and pearls. bows and lace on tree also. it is beautiful almost ready to put up another one.
i have collected old family heirlooms also and put them up.
Wow, that tree sounds amazing! Have you got it posted anywhere? I’d love to see it… 🙂
Your collection is just beautiful and unique Lory, thank you for sharing it and your ideas on display. I too have the weakness, at last count I had 213 tea cups and a handful of pots. Like you I display them everywhere and anywhere I can. In the foyer they are displayed on my open shelving with coats and such. In the dining room they are displayed on an antique iron rack I inherited from my great grandmother along with other favorite memorabilia to do with tea. I have them in the cd rack, on cornices over my windows, in the TV cabinet, on tables and dressers as small object catchers. My favorite way to display though is to find a special antique silver fork. I heat up the prongs and then bend the two outside prongs out and up to hold the plate then I curl the two inside prongs to hold the cup. Drill a hole on the neck and hang them on the walls – they look awesome this way because they seem to almost float there. Thank you again for sharing I really love your cups from Paris 🙂
Thank you so much! You display idea sounds wonderful… 🙂 And wow, 213 cups!! Well done! I do love to see other people’s collections too. Thanks for visiting!
Lory, so many wonderful ideals. I loved the teacup chandelier, that would be such a cute ideal for the garden as well. I have quiet a few teacups and I think you have motivated me to pull them out of the china cabinet and display them. I live in an old house with lots of dark wood and I have never thought how beautiful they looked against dark wood. Again thanks for the inspiration.
My pleasure, Sandy! Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to comment. I have enjoyed collecting teacups for quite some time. I just find them to be so beautiful. So glad to know others agree… 🙂
A lovely post on teacups Lory! I always admire them, but I don’t have very many myself. I’m interested in seeing the post on the chandelier, but I couldn’t find it. Anyway, you have a lovely style.
Oh, thank you so much, Florence! You can find the post if you just click on the word “here”, but you can also just go to this link: https://designthusiasm.com/vintagechandelier/
Lovely post, always enjoy them. My tea cups not too many but are very special to me, came from my grandmother who came to use from England they were divided up between 3of my sisters. Very fragile and in a hutch in my finding room thank you for your blog look forward to reading it God bless and happy spring
Thank you for your sweet comment, Marilyn! Even a small grouping looks lovely.
But if you like, you can also add to your collection. It’s one of my favorite things to find in an antique shop because they’re always so pretty but not very expensive… 🙂
What beautiful photos in your e-book!
Thank you so much, Judith!
I loved this article as I too love teacups. I like to imagine how much pleasure they brought their owners before I acquired them. I made a beautiful wreath for my front door and wired a small teapot, teacup, pair of gloves and a small silver spoon on it. I usually hang it in the summer and it makes me happy every time I pull up to my house and see it! Thanks for sharing, Cynthia
Thank you, Cynthia, and your wreath sounds lovely! I did teacups on a Christmas tree one year. They are just so pretty, aren’t they? 🙂
Lory, I love your ideas for teacup display! I too collect them and have 1 or 2 that you also have. The teacup chandelier is an amazing idea ! I may try that. Would you believe I don’t even like tea but love teacups. Hot cocoa is good in teacups too! If I find a tea that is very spicy or fruity I may drink it. Any ideas?
Thank you and for many years I wasn’t a tea lover either… LOL! But then I discovered Earl Grey and that’s my favorite. Although that might have more to do with the fact that it reminds me of England than the taste… 😉 Maybe give it a try.
Forgot to mention the cute display you have in your kitchen. Also the artwork is so pretty!
Thank you!!
I have always been drawn to tea pots and inherited the tea cups. I sold several tea pots but it’s hard to part with Mom’s cups. They aren’t serving any purpose in the drawers and you have given me some grand ideas! Your collection is so beautiful.
Thank you and I’m glad you got some ideas. I didn’t keep every last teacup from my mom and grandma’s collections. I selected the ones that most spoke to me or worked together and that was enough… 🙂
What lovely ideas! Thank you so much for posting. I will be doing the basket display.
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that!!
Having grown up in Charleston, SC, where tea and bread pudding and tea houses were common, I have always been a huge fan! Fast forward to marriage and my husband brings me my first full grown up tea set from Brighton, England. The beautiful Asian Pheasants that is light blue and gorgeous! He continued and brought me tea sets from Germany, Russia, etc., through the years, so I have full sets of teapots, 6-8 cups and saucers, creamers, sugar bowls displayed in a corner cabinet piece. But like you, I have a few, not as many, mismatched cups and saucers that I fell in love with, too.
THANK YOU for all the wonderful ideas! I LOVE your basket centerpiece! That will be beautiful for my spring dining room table. I appreciate your unique ideas for styling teacups and will definitely be using them.
Hester and Cook, out of Nashville and Franklin, TN, have unique chandeliers, some of which use teacups in their design. One of the owners uses silver spoons and knives as well as teacups in designing them. I was fascinated when shopping there! Online they are hesterandcook.com.
Thank you for such a brilliant and useful post!
What a lovely collection it sounds like you have! And how nice that you use them for such meaningful events!! So glad the post resonated with you… 🙂
I forgot to mention that I don’t just collect tea sets for no reason. I use them for prayer and tea bridal and baby showers where everyone gets to be super girlie and genteel and have tea and scones, etc., while the bride or mother-to-be opens their gifts and the gift giver offers up a prayer for different topics the bride or mother-to-be has given us that are hung on a lovely white painted branch so everyone can choose to pray over a topic they are comfortable with.
So many lovely ways of displaying tea cups. Thanks for all your beautiful ideas!
Thanks for the kind words!
I cannot believe this post! I am so excited. Last year I had an old secretary painted white. I moved and could not decide where to place it. The only place, since I downsized, was in a large bedroom upstairs. I decided to display my mother’s tea cup collection (with matching plates) in the upper part of the secretary. Now I see you made it “okay” to display them that way. Thank you! I love your ideas, I am a faithful reader!
So glad to hear that!! See – great minds think alike! 😉
I loved seeing the different ways of displaying teacups. I also love teacups so your ideas were most helpful
Thank you