How to set up your afternoon tea table with Belleek teapots

The afternoon tea is one of the most popular English traditions, but do you know how it because so popular that nowadays it's a habit?

Back in 1840, Anna the seventh duchess of Bedford became hungry at four o’clock, but her dinner was around eight o’clock, so she couldn’t wait ao she just asked a cup of tea and a piece of bread with sugar and butter, later, her friends like the idea and starts to join her. This tradition starts in the upper class and then it starts to standardize among the population.

To have a good afternoon tea, you don’t need to go to a fancy place. You can also do it at home with belleek teapots, our favourite tea sets.

At 7 Interior Design, we will explain to you how you can set a good looking and inviting afternoon tea table with belleek teapots.

First step: choose a center decoration 

Depending on the season you can choose some fresh flowers, dry flowers or candles as your center decoration.  Fresh flowers are good for spring and summer and dry flowers and candles are good for winter and autumn. It will give your afternoon tea a fresh or warm smell.

The best option for me is to choose dry flowers as you can keep them longer and it also gives you an amazing smell to your environment.

Second step: the afternoon tea server

The afternoon tea server is the main element in your table, you can choose between the two-tier tea server or the three-tier tea server. I prefer choosing the three-tier, as I like to separate the sandwiches, from the spreads and sweets. But you can also choose the two-tier server just to separate the savoury from the sweets.

Besides that, I prefer to keep it classy, so the cottage garden collection from belleek tea servers is the perfect one for me.

Third step: choose the right sized teapot set

Choosing the right sized teapot is the most important decision. Depending on the number of guests you will use one or another one. But for sure you don’t want to run out of tea, spreads or sandwiches.

Consider having a look at Belleek teapots as they have a wide range of tea sets, from classic porcelain to floral design. The Shamrock teapot is definitely an option if you want something classic.

Fourth step: small details make a difference 

Besides having the main elements of the afternoon tea. It is also important to consider, the small details, they are going to make a huge difference. Smalls details are elements such as teacups and sugar and cream sets.

[caption id="attachment_266" align="aligncenter" width="366"] Shamrock teaset from Belleek[/caption]

You can combine easily combine your teacups with the teapot and server with one of the belleek afternoon tea sets, or if you want to be creative your teacups, sugar, and cream sets do not need to match the server.

Fifth step: Put the rest of the decorative elements 

The rest of the decorative elements are napkins, napkin rings, and glasses. I like to match the napkins with my afternoon tea server. In case you want a more elaborate afternoon tea party you can also bake decorative cookies, like the picture below, matching your decoration and it will be definitely delicious.