Teacups

Teacups are everyday little luxuries: the warm tea in your hands, a cup that fits perfectly in your grip, and a motif that matches your mood. At Dims Studio you'll find a wide selection of teacups and tea mugs in stoneware and ceramic from Bloomingville, Bloomingville MINI, anna + nina and Rice, among others, ranging from calm plain stoneware cups to colourful cups with animals, lemons and fun quotes. Here's a guide to types, materials, sizes and brands, so you can find the teacup that suits you.

Types of teacups: from the classic cup to the large tea mug

A teacup isn't just a teacup. The range spans from small, elegant cups to large, sturdy mugs, and the type matters for which tea suits best and how the cup is used day to day.

Teacup with handle

The classic teacup with a handle is the most common type in the range. It comes in both stoneware and ceramic, often with a painted or printed motif, and works just as well for an afternoon cup of tea as for morning coffee. Most of Bloomingville's and anna + nina's cups belong to this type.

Tea mug: the large and sturdy alternative

A tea mug is a larger version of the teacup, often without a saucer, and suited to generous amounts of herbal tea, rooibos or a long afternoon with a book. Mugs like Ninka in green and orange stoneware from Bloomingville belong to this category, where volume and heat retention are the focus. See also our range of tea mugs for more large mugs.

Espresso cup and small cup

For stronger drinks and smaller portions, you'll also find espresso cups in the range, such as Paula's espresso cup in pink and orange stoneware. They're smaller than the ordinary teacup and work well for a quick cup in the morning or to style a kitchen cabinet alongside the larger cups.

Motif cups: animals, quotes and fruit

A large part of the range, particularly from anna + nina, consists of cups with illustrative motifs: dogs such as dachshund and French bulldog, animals such as leopard and black swan, quotes such as Shut Up and Workaholic, and fruit motifs such as lemon. They work well as a playful detail on the breakfast table or as a personal gift.

The types compared

Type	Characteristics	Best for
Teacup with handle	Classic size, often with saucer	Afternoon tea, everyday use
Tea mug	Large, sturdy, high volume	Herbal tea, rooibos, long tea breaks
Espresso cup	Small, compact	Strong tea or coffee in a smaller portion
Motif cup	Illustration, animal or quote	Personal style, gift idea

Materials: stoneware and ceramic

Most teacups at Dims Studio are made from either stoneware or ceramic. The material affects weight, heat retention and look, so here's the difference.

Stoneware

Stoneware is a dense, durable type of ceramic fired at high temperature. It gives an earthy, sturdy cup that holds heat well, making stoneware an obvious choice for a long cup of tea. Most of Bloomingville's cups, such as Amalia, Milani, Ninka, Savanna and Willa, are made from stoneware, often with a hand-painted or glazed finish that gives each cup its own look.

Ceramic

Ceramic is a broader term covering several firing methods, and is used in the range mainly for the more illustrative, colourful cups, including many of anna + nina's motif cups such as Leopard, Puddel and Amour. Ceramic gives a smooth, often glossy surface well suited to detailed prints and illustrations.

Hand-painted finish

Several of the cups, particularly from the Bloomingville MINI series, have a hand-painted finish where colour and pattern are applied manually. This means there can be small natural variations from cup to cup, which is part of the charm of handmade ceramics and stoneware over machine-made alternatives. If you choose several cups with the same hand-painted finish for a set, you should therefore expect them to resemble each other in colour and shape without being entirely identical down to the smallest detail. This is also why two cups of the same model can feel slightly different in the hand, even if bought at the same time.

Caring for teacups in stoneware and ceramic

• Most cups in the range are dishwasher safe, but always check the individual item's description if the cup has a hand-painted or gilded detail.
• Avoid sudden temperature changes, such as pouring boiling water into a cup that's just come out of the fridge, as this can crack the glaze.
• Wipe hand-painted cups with a soft cloth if you want to preserve the colours as long as possible.
• Store the cups so they don't knock against each other in the cupboard, as the glaze can chip or scratch over time.

Colours and patterns: how to choose the look

Beyond type and material, colour and pattern are often what decide whether a teacup feels like "your" cup. The range spans widely, from plain stoneware in earth tones to strongly illustrative motifs, and here are a few directions you can go.

Plain and calm

If you want a calm look that suits most kitchens, the plain stoneware cups from Bloomingville are a safe choice. Colours such as green, orange, blue and pink recur across several models, so you can easily put together a set that matches without being identical.

Patterned and spotted

Several of the Bloomingville MINI and Bloomingville cups have stripes, dots or simple graphic patterns, giving a playful yet still cohesive look. This type of cup works well if you want to break up an otherwise calm interior with a single splash of colour.

Illustrative and storytelling

anna + nina's cups represent the most storytelling part of the range, where a single motif, such as a dog, a quote or an animal, carries the whole cup's look. They work best as standalone cups with personality rather than as part of a matching set, and are therefore ideal if you collect cups or want to give a gift with a specific theme.

How to build a teacup collection

Many customers start with one or two cups and expand the collection over time. Here are a few tips for doing it with style.

• Choose a stoneware base. Start with two to four plain stoneware cups from Bloomingville in related colours, so you always have a calm starting point.
• Add one or two motif cups. A single cup from anna + nina with an animal or a quote gives the collection personality without taking over.
• Mix sizes deliberately. It's good to have both a medium teacup for everyday use and a larger tea mug for long afternoons with herbal tea.
• Think in pairs for guests. Buy two matching cups if you often have guests over for tea or coffee, so you can serve consistently without mixing too much.
• Let the collection grow slowly. Because many of the cups are hand-painted, new additions will never look entirely identical to the old ones, which gives the collection a natural, lived-in feel over time.

Sizes: from espresso to a large mug

The size of the teacup affects which tea it suits and how long the drink stays warm.

Small cup, around 100 to 150 ml

A small cup suits stronger tea, such as green tea or Japanese tea, where a smaller amount is often preferred. The espresso cups from Paula belong to this category.

Medium cup, around 200 to 250 ml

The medium cup is the most common size in the range and suits classic black tea, Earl Grey and most everyday situations. Most of Bloomingville's and anna + nina's cups fall into this category.

Large mug, 250 ml and up

A large tea mug suits herbal tea, rooibos and long tea breaks, where you want to avoid topping up several times. The Ninka mug in green and orange stoneware is an example of this size.

Teacups for the kitchen, breakfast table and gift

Where and how you use the teacups affects which type and motif suits best.

The everyday teacup in the kitchen

For the everyday cup of tea in the kitchen, a sturdy stoneware cup like Milani or Savanna is a safe choice, as it handles daily use and the dishwasher well. It's a good idea to keep a few different cups on an open shelf so you can vary according to mood.

The breakfast table and afternoon tea

For the breakfast table or an afternoon tea with guests, it makes for a festive look to serve several different motif cups, so each guest gets their own. Combine with a cake plate or a carafe for a complete setting.

Teacups as a gift

A teacup with a fun motif or quote, such as Shut Up or Workaholic from anna + nina, is an obvious small gift for a colleague or friend who loves their daily cup of tea or coffee. An espresso cup or a single motif cup is also easy to wrap as a small token.

Brands behind the teacups

The range brings together teacups from several brands, each with its own look. Here's an overview of the ones you'll find at Dims Studio.

Bloomingville

Bloomingville is behind the majority of stoneware cups in the range, including Amalia, Milani, Ninka, Paula, Savanna, Willa, Shine, Reeha and Okayama. What they have in common is a Scandinavian design language with calm colours and a crafted finish that's often hand-painted or glazed. See the full range under Bloomingville cups.

Bloomingville MINI

Bloomingville MINI offers a smaller, more playful series with cups such as Regnbue, Agnes, Millie, Cherry, Isvaffel and Sunshine. The motifs are often simple and colourful, with details such as fruit, rainbows and ice cream, and several of the cups are hand-painted.

anna + nina

anna + nina contributes the most illustrative part of the range: dogs such as Dachshund, Labradoodle, Corgi and French Bulldog, animals such as Leopard and Black swan, and quote cups such as Shut Up, Workaholic, Hangover and Fuck It. The style is humorous and graphic, and the cups work well as personal collectibles.

Rice

Rice contributes a smaller selection of cups, including Oval Clover, Blomster and Merci, all in ceramic with a soft, colourful look that matches the brand's well-known playful style.

Creative Collection

Creative Collection is behind a few individual cups in the range, such as Citron and Berrie, both made from stoneware with an everyday, light motif.

Which teacup should you choose? Our recommendations

Situation	Our recommendation
Everyday tea or coffee in the kitchen	Sturdy stoneware cup from Bloomingville, e.g. Milani or Savanna
A long afternoon with herbal tea	A large tea mug like Ninka in green or orange stoneware
Fun gift for a colleague	A quote cup from anna + nina, e.g. Shut Up or Workaholic
Afternoon tea with guests	Several different motif cups, so each guest gets their own
Strong green tea or espresso	A small cup or espresso cup, e.g. Paula espresso cup
Gift for the dog lover	The Dachshund, Labradoodle or Corgi cup from anna + nina

Frequently asked questions about teacups

What's the difference between a teacup and a tea mug?

A teacup is typically smaller and often has a saucer, while a tea mug is a larger, sturdier version without a saucer, meant for more generous amounts of tea. Tea mugs suit herbal tea and rooibos well, while the teacup works best for classic black tea or Earl Grey.

Which material is best for teacups: stoneware or ceramic?

Both materials work well for tea. Stoneware is denser and often holds heat better, while ceramic gives a smoother surface well suited to detailed motifs and illustrations. The choice is therefore more about look and weight than function.

Can the teacups go in the dishwasher?

Most cups in the range are dishwasher safe, but always check the individual item's description. Cups with hand-painted or gilded details are best washed by hand to preserve the finish as long as possible.

How big is an ordinary teacup?

An ordinary teacup typically holds between 200 and 250 ml. Espresso cups are smaller, often around 100 ml, while tea mugs can hold 250 ml and up.

Which cup suits green tea?

Green tea, particularly Japanese tea, is often drunk from a smaller cup without a handle, ideally around 100 to 150 ml. This gives a more concentrated taste experience and suits the smaller portions green tea is typically drunk in.

Can the teacups be used for coffee?

Yes, most teacups in the range work just as well for coffee as for tea. Many customers use them interchangeably for both, and several of the cups, such as the Mor and Far cups from Bloomingville, are directly intended as versatile everyday cups.

Which brands are behind the teacups at Dims Studio?

The range brings together cups from Bloomingville, Bloomingville MINI, anna + nina, Rice and Creative Collection, each with its own look, from calm stoneware cups to colourful motif cups.

Why do some cups have variations in colour and glaze?

Several of the cups are hand-painted or hand-glazed, which gives natural variations in colour and finish from cup to cup. This is part of the crafted look and means no cup is entirely identical to another.

Is a teacup a good gift?

Yes, a teacup with a personal motif or quote is an easy and cosy gift. anna + nina's cups with animals or fun quotes work well as a small token, while a classic stoneware cup from Bloomingville suits those who prefer a calmer look.

How do I avoid my stoneware cup cracking?

Avoid sudden temperature changes, such as pouring boiling water into a cup that's just come out of the fridge, as this can crack the glaze over time. Let the cup reach room temperature before pouring in hot liquid.

What's the difference between a teacup and a coffee cup?

In practice, there's often no functional difference, and many of the cups in the range are used for both. See also our range of coffee cups and coffee mugs if you're looking for more alternatives.

Can I find teacups in ceramic at Dims Studio?

Yes, a large part of the range, particularly from anna + nina and Rice, is made from ceramic. See the full range under ceramic cups.