Take it up a notch and serve your tea in style with this Black & Gold Victorian Gothic DIY Tea Set. In only a few easy steps transform some found treasures into something dark & unique.. just like you!
Every so often while out thrift shopping or garage sale hopping I come across those vintage silver or pewter tea pots and cream & sugar bowls. I think they’re beautiful. I love incorporating them into buffets… there’s something about that tarnished finish that always seems to work well with any spread I put together. They are my top go-to whenever I’m in need of a “holder” for anything… flowers, silverware, drinking straws, bread sticks, sauces, toothpicks.. whatever – you get the idea.
I adore their tarnished finish… I think it gives the pieces so much character. As much as I love to paint & refinish things, I tend to not touch pieces that already have character like that, so this project is a little unusual for me. Until now, I wouldn’t even polish these vintage gems, let alone paint them. When I was much younger I went through a phase where I spray painted everything in sight… I made some very poor decisions, and pieces that should have without a doubt remained in their original state were cheapened by my painting spree. So, let me explain why I’m breaking my rule for this project.
Long ago I came across an image on Pinterest of a solid black tea pot and cream & sugar set. As with any jet black home item, I was immediately taken by the set, and pinned the picture to my board. Unfortunately, like many of my other pins, I never did get around to buying that set. But it must’ve stowed away in the back of my mind, because last week, while I worked on the DIY Black & Gold Serving Tray, I was pondering all of the ways I could use my new tray, and thought… this would be perfect for a black tea set! An idea was born and I went right to work…
Now, while that jet black tea set I was inspired by was certainly beautiful, I wanted to go a bit further with this set. You may already know that I have been in a Black & Gold mood lately… I refinished a Victorian Desk Lamp, I made the Black & Gold Tray, and even made Black & Gold Beaded Wine Bottle Covers… so it should come as no surprise that I decided to antique this set with a touch of gold. If Black & Gold is not your thing… lucky for you, the wax I use comes in many beautiful colors!
As I mentioned, I’ve been fortunate enough to come across several of these sets while out thrifting. Each piece I come across is a little different from the one before, so I tend to buy any that I find. I admit… it’s a sickness. It reminds me of the argument I have with my husband when he asks why I have so many black shoes or black dresses. I swear they are ALL different! To be fair… when it comes to Vintage Tea Pots… I guess I don’t really have to have too many similar ones, so I was willing to take a chance on one of them for the sake of this project. Lesson is – do not spray paint your great grandmother’s cherished tea pot that has been passed down thru your family…. but if you come across an old set at a junk shop or flea market… get those suckers ready for a new life!
What you’ll need:
- Vintage Tea Pot, Cream Cup, and/or Sugar Bowl
- Painters Tape
- Black Gloss Spray Paint
- Rub ‘n Buff – Antique Gold
or the Rub ‘n Buff Multi Pack
for additional colors
or the 
for additional colors1. Clean your Tea Pieces
2. Use the painters tape to cover the opening of the spout on the tea pot and/or creamer cup…. you don’t want any food items to come into contact with a painted surface, so stick to painting the outside only
3. Lightly spray several coats of Black Gloss Spray Paint, letting each coat dry in between, until fully covered
4. Once dry, using your finger, rub a tiny amount of rub ‘n buff onto the raised designs of the tea set. Remember – A little goes a long way!
Even if you’re not a tea drinker.. this makes a great piece of decor… and STILL doubles as perfect serving pieces for a party… maybe a Gothic Alice in wonderland?!!
If you are a tea drinker… you might also enjoy these Victorian Tea Infusers from my Etsy Shop!
Utterly beautiful. You have me on the lookout for so many items during my charity shop trips – TV tray tables, bread bins, cake stands, tea sets….! Oh my!