Gloss.ee
Enjoying a fragrant coffee from a cup you made with your own hands… sounds tempting, doesn’t it? From now on, every Tallinn resident can experience this, as last month, a unique boutique café, NUUNUU RUUM, dedicated to ceramics and pottery, opened in the Old Town on Müürivähe 28.
There’s nothing like it in any other ceramics studio in Tallinn. You enter the boutique, are offered a warming drink in a charming handmade cup, and immediately feel at home, a place you don’t want to leave. Everything here invites you to stay: pleasant lighting, warm interior tones, and handmade ceramics all around—whether cups, plates, vases, or unique home décor pieces.
Most of the ceramics on display are created by the studio owner, Tatiana Vorozhun, while some are the work of other designers. Creativity is infused in every corner of the studio. Tatiana moved to Tallinn from Belarus two years ago. With a background in economics, she initially pursued a career in finance, but numbers don’t always inspire, so she sought something that could unleash her creative potential.
She studied at an art school and engaged in painting, but it didn’t captivate her the way ceramics did. “My teacher told me that ceramics were truly my thing. It suits my personality—calmly shaping, creating with my hands, immersing myself in the process, and forgetting about the rest of the world,” she says.
The process of creating something with your own hands is one of the best ways to step away from daily worries and accumulated stress. This therapy is comparable to a trip to nature—it feels like a rebirth, giving you a fresh perspective on familiar things.
“This is genuine art therapy. People come to my workshops in small groups, and as they focus on creating, sipping tea or coffee, and chatting, they begin to open up,” Tatiana explains. “For people, crafting a plate is not just about learning a new skill but also a way to release unspoken emotions. All the accumulated stress is transferred into the emerging ceramic piece and then burned away in the kiln at high temperatures.” What could be more therapeutic?
Workshops have become incredibly popular, whether it’s cooking risotto using traditional Italian recipes, embroidery, makeup, painting with acrylics, or pottery. These workshops are relatively affordable and repay participants with an abundance of positive emotions.
NUUNUU RUUM’s studio is quite small, so it’s not suitable for large groups. But that’s a good thing because creativity thrives in silence, relaxation, and one-on-one attention from the instructor. Tatiana doesn’t take more than four participants for a workshop, and for special occasions like bachelorette parties, five is the absolute maximum.
These workshops are suitable for both adults and children. In the studio, you can spot charming children’s creations. There are no rigid programs to follow—participants can express their wishes, or Tatiana suggests what they could create. According to her, the simplest items are plates and cups, and some decorative elements can also work well for beginners.
Workshops are divided into two parts. On the first day, participants sculpt their cup or plate, which then needs to be fired in the kiln and left to rest for about a week. During the second visit, participants glaze their creation using a variety of colors. Once ready, the piece goes back into the kiln for firing at 1250 degrees Celsius. About a week later, participants can collect their finished work—or, better yet, sip coffee or tea from it right there in the studio, breathing life into it!
The entire process takes about two weeks. After all, handmade work isn’t mass production—it requires time, patience, and care. “There’s a lot of trial and error in ceramics,” Tatiana explains. “For instance, a crack might appear if air gets trapped.” In other words, good quality takes time.
Tatiana Vorozhun invites everyone to her workshops at NUUNUU RUUM, where you can create your very own ceramic items.
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