The Union Jack motif has suffered from overkill, especially around the Royal Wedding, but if you want something patriotic and nostalgic, Ali Miller’s United Kingdom range makes a nice change.
The design comprises a map of the UK, ships and crowns (not a Union flag in sight) and it adorns those quintessential British items, a teacup and saucer set and a teapot. The teacup and saucer cost £25 and the teapot costs £45.
They are available exclusively at Rockett St George.
New in at Dwell is the Mixed Messages Mug.
The mug comes with 150 numbers and characters so you can create your own personalised message. The end result looks rather like a ransom note, which always brings to mind a punk aesthetic. It looks as if it would hold quite a lot of tea too, which is always a good thing in our book.
The mug costs £16.95 from the Dwell website.
We've already featured some of the quirky designs from The TeaShed, now punk graphics get something of a surprising treatment with this God Save Our Grannies cushion.
Yes, the cushion offers a new take on Jamie Reid's artwork, replace the image of the Queen with a friendly looking granny. While the Sex Pistols may have been being subversive, this cushion is entirely well-meaning, part of a campaign to encourage people to have a cup of tea with an elderly person.
The design is hand screen-printed onto the cushion, which has a duck feather filling.
The cushion costs £40.
Buy it online
Though you won't perhaps get the reference at first glance, this new range of mugs uses images from Ray and Charles Eames's House of Cards.
The House of Cards was devised by the couple in 1952 and involves a series of cards that slot together. The images on the cards were taken from their own collections and were intended to be a nostalgic look at the everyday. It's those photographs which have been used to decorate this collection of mugs which are colourful and eye-catching in their own right.
The mug above shows a selection of pills while other designs feature things like cotton reels and crayons. The images were all intended to look good together, so buy a selection and your kitchen shelf will reap the rewards.
The mugs cost £14.10 each.
See the range at Made in Design
These Game Over cup and saucer sets – from newly opened webstore The TeaShed - offer a fresh take on some of your favourite retro gaming icons.
At first glance, they look like delicate white porcelain cup and saucers – albeit with a bright pattern. Peer a bit closer and you'll realise the patterns come straight out of your favourite games. The Space Invaders cup and saucer is pictured but there's also designs that use the motifs of Tetris, Pac Man and, slightly more up-to-date, Snake. Each design is available in either a blue or red colour scheme.
A fresh look at a favourite theme, a cup and saucer will set you back £15.
See them online
If you like to celebrate tradition while indulging in your cuppa, this Heritage teapot from Marks and Spencer could be the thing for you.
It's made from English earthenware and is decorated with the Union Jack on its side and lid. Add to that the description Land of Hope and Glory that's emblazoned across the side of the teapot and you've got a pretty patriotic accompaniment to your tea.
If you want to carry the look further, you can buy mugs and plates in the same range.
The teapot costs £29.50.
Buy it online
