From kitchen staple to design icon: lifting the lid on the humble teapot

The British think the cuppa is their national treasure, but a new interest in tea sets among young people is bringing with it an interest in the international cultural significance of the teatime ritual.

- Alice Fisher Lifestyle Editor

Online vintage homeware marketplace Vinterior reports a six-fold increase in teapot purchases over the past six months, while sales at John Lewis are up 22%. The Ulla Floral fine teapot in a gift box is its current best-seller. A survey of 2,000 millennials by the home improvement store B&Q earlier this year found that 26% of those surveyed think teapots are back in fashion.

The trend is driven by the enduring traditional homeware aesthetic known as cottagecore. Online marketplace Etsy included the intriguing specific "French cottage" as one of its key trends for 2025 as it says searches for "French cottage decor" are up 26,000% from last year. The practice of "tablescaping", the Instagram-friendly trend for setting up intricate and artistic table placements, has also driven sales as people search for eye-catching china.

Teapots have captured artists' and designers' imagination of late. The Pet Shop Boys issued a tea set to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary created by graphic designer Mark Farrow with Duchess China while teapots were a highlight of the recent Milan design week.