Floral flourishes
Go all out and set a real scene in your room taking inspiration from famed florist Thierry Boutemy who has made displays for made displays for Kim Kardashian and Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette as well as fashion houses such as Vionnet, Lanvin, Dries van Noten and Hermès, where he filled beautiful curiosity cabinets with exotic blooms.
Last summer he brought his theatrical flourish to Summerhill & Bishop's Portland Road store where he set grasses, vines and green leaves atop a structure that resembled a Victorian pulley-operated drying rack. To this he added candyfloss feathers by the bucketload. Beneath this is a table set with an avocado green and gold linen cloth, Bernadette's Falling Flower, from about €688, and a selection of tableware from the brand including red and white wine glasses, about €14.50 each and large porcelain bowls, about €395 each. summerillandbishop.com
Wild but bite sized
Head to Debenhams where the wild murals of Lucy Tiffney, famed for her wild, painterly mural wallpapers, rugs and throws, become bite-sized in the form of pretty plates, cook cake stands and brilliant biscuit tins. Pictured is a cake stand, €42; three-tier cake rack, €45; serving plate, €38; tea pot; €38; stacking mugs, €35 for a set of four; side plates, €22 per pair and butter dish, €25. All are available online as is a cool collection of storage tins, €22, for a set of three, and a snackable biscuit tin, €22. debenhams.ie
For the birds
While its still a little early in the season to hear the sound of the cuckoo, Wedgewood pay homage to the bird in this classic tea service, which takes its inspiration from a design from its 19th century archives. The fine bone china, which has a burnished gold edge, features Chinese flowers and birds with the cuckoo having pride of place, and a sound of summers past, when the cry could be heard in most counties. The cup and saucer sets, €60, come in the softest pastel washes of blue, green, peach or pink while a set of four tea plates costs €130 and a sugar and cream set, €80. There are two cake stands; a two-tier one, €110 while the three-tier design costs €160. There are two teapots, a one litre size for sharing, €150 and a smaller tea for one, €110. The collection is stocked in Arnotts, Brown Thomas, House of Ireland, Kilkenny, Blarney Woollen Mills and House of Fraser. wedgewod.eu
Box of curious creatures
Succulent sweetmeats such as Turkish Delight and candied fruits will add visual interest to the table especially if you invest in some crazy talking point pieces such as those designed by the LA-based artists the Hass Brothers, Simon and Nikolai. Last year the pair collaborated with Elad Yirfrach of L'Objet on some of the most covetable creatures on the planet. Pictured is a lazy Susan catchall, about €430, and Lynda creature box that houses a set of four cake plates, about €1,071. The range also includes a Djuna coffee or tea press, about €394, all ex delivery. The collection is also available at Harrod's Knightsbridge store. l-objet.com
Tea in store
Steal the ever-so glamorous style of Brown Thomas's newly launched afternoon tea service. The savouries are served on a clear stand that cleverly echoes the façade of the shop front, designed by Conor Dunbar, head of creative and visual merchandising at the luxe store. It costs €45 per head and includes delectables such as smoked duck crostini, Lambay Island crab mille feuille, coronation chicken fingers and smoked salmon and cucumber, from a menu put together by Johnnie Cooke. The stand isn't currently for sale but here's hoping it will be some time in the future. brownthomas.com
Vintage finds
Part of the attraction of afternoon tea is that it offers an excuse to use the good articles in your home; those items that may have been passed down from grandparents or other family members and spend most of their time gathering dust. Keep an eagle eye out when you visit charity shops, antiques stores and also online auctions. Avoca is another good place to hunt. The scalloped edge dish and the mini glass cake stand, pictured, are from past collections and used by the food firm to show off its range of confections which are priced from from €3.95 to €5.50 at the Patisserie Bar at Avoca, Ballsbridge. They have also used mini LSA Glass cake stands and tops, €53 each, to show off their cupcake range. A box of eight cupcakes starts from €8.50. avoca.ie
China to the bone
If you have a family member that likes to drink his or her tea from a fine bone china cup and saucer then whisk them off to The Heritage in Killenard, outside Portarlington, where afternoon tea is served in the Galleria using Aynsley China teacups and saucers, part of its Cottage Garden range. The treat, which includes macaroons, tarts, and scones with clotted cream and jam, by pastry chef Pamela Kavanagh costs €32 per person and a vegan option has recently been added. Guests can add a glass of bubbly for €8.50. theheritage.com; belleek.com/en/Aynsley/
Ancient inspiration
The Pharos tea set riffs on the black and white tights worn by Alice in some illustrated versions of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The set, about €536, through UK-based Micucci Interiors, comprises two, hand-crafted, porcelain mugs that when assembled atop the modular teapot form the shape of the lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the ancient wonders of the world and those of the Portuguese coastal landscape from where the firm Vista Alegre hails from. Hand-finished with 24-karat gold accents when not in use it becomes a sculptural object that can sit on a shelf or in a glass cabinet. micucci.co.uk
Bunnykins
If you fancy serving tea with an early Easter theme then head to Sostrene Grene to gather some of the gorgeous items that drop on March 12th. There are no mad March hares in situ here but instead the place is as overrun with lapin-themed decorations as the Fr Ted episode with the angora bunnies. Choose from honeycomb shapes that can act as place names to bird and egg ornaments in pretty pastel shades that you can marry with your flavours of your cakes and tarts choices. sostrenegrene.com
A slice of humour
Have fun with your tea party people by serving up slices of cake, finger sandwiches and pastries on these ceramic plates from Rockett St George. The retro fonts and traditional patterns with a twist, not to mention the choice words on some of the plates make them perfect to serve up a slice of humour. A set of four costs about €45, ex delivery. rockettstgeorge.co.uk
