From Saint Petersburg to your tea room
The old tea routes yield exceptional wares — not only tea leaves but the vessels and surfaces that cradle them. On a sourcing trip to Saint Petersburg, we found a small atelier run by a third-generation cabinetmaker who built custom tables for local tea enthusiasts blending Russian black teas with gongfu rituals. The use of Baltic black walnut — slow-grown, kiln-dried for stability — paired with a copper tray forged by a metalsmith in the same courtyard, made for a marriage of utility and quiet luxury. After months of back‑and‑forth on dimensions, the curve of the rim, and the exact gauge of copper, the 120 cm table became the first international piece in tea.furniture’s collection. Each table is signed and numbered, bearing the maker’s mark and a short provenance card. The first ten units were inspected one by one, ensuring the drainage slot aligned to the millimetre and the oil‑and‑wax finish felt like warm silk. The result is a table that doesn’t just hold your teaware — it anchors the entire room.