This month I'm loving... Tray chic from Christine Misiak. Christine rescues ‘homeless’ teapots, trays and cups from charity shops, flea markets and car boot sales and gives them a new lease of life by recycling, restyling and resurfacing them. The ‘Original Recycled Tea Sets’ (below in black and turquoise) are one-off works of art, re-use at its most elegant. The 'Old/New' sets (right) blend the charm of antique style with contemporary sensibilities and the 'New Handle' sets are made by adding modern handles to 'pre-loved' tea sets.

This is my favourite kind of eco design, sleek and stylish with nary a whiff of world-weary earnestness or raggle taggle gypsy – though I can't get enough of Waterson:Carthy singing the song, I don't bring that gypsy vibe home (I got my fill of macramé at summer camp in '75, thanks all the same).

 

Christine graduated with a degree in Three Dimensional Design from Northumbria University and within weeks won the Peter Walker award for innovation in product design at the 2007 New Designers exhibition. She'll be at the New Designers: One Year On show in July at Islington's Business Design Centre. All Christine's work is made to order, so let her know which designs tickle your fancy.

And to ensure a truly green cuppa make sure you serve fairtrade tea. Three teas from Equal Exchange top the ratings at Ethiscore.org (a great source of ethical info) including the regular organic tea, organic rooibos and (of course) green tea.  

 

 

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