Apr 14 2008

Tablecloths — a fashion parade for your table

Published by dodo at 10:33 pm under Decoration, Furniture, Texture

Thoughts of an attractive table setting usually start with a freshly laundered tablecloth which is carefully spread over the table. Sometimes that’s as far as the table decorations get — which is a shame, because with a few tucks and a bit of imagination, just a tablecloth on its own can provide your table with an effective “outfit”.

There are a few basic rules which will help you to make the most of your tablecloth.

The tablecloth must fit the table.

This makes sense, because nothing is more detrimental to the effect of a table than a cloth which is too small. On the other hand, your guests won’t enjoy fighting to disentangle their legs from acres of cloth hanging down from the table. It should still be possible to sit comfortably at a fully clothed table.

The tablecloth must match the crockery.

A white tablecloth provides a perfect background for table design. The crockery or other decorative items can then add highlights. Coloured or patterned cloths must be a good match with the crockery — either with harmonising colours and patterns or as a planned contrast, but match it must.

Kitchen EssentialThe tablecloth must suit the occasion.

A celebratory table can be very effective when dressed with gleaming taffeta or moire fabrics. Rustic decorations are strengthened by coarse linen or hessian tablecloths. Gentle pastel tones emphasise thoughtful occasions, whereas you can cheerfully use lots of colours and contrasting patterns in the tablecloth for happy celebrations.

The tablecloth must suit the surroundings.

Avoid clashes of style! Your guests don’t just see the table; they also see the surroundings — the furniture, the walls, the fabrics and pictures. Particularly daring attempts at table ‘decoration with paper, paint or foil instead of a cloth may well be very effective, but they must suit the ambience in the room, otherwise they seem artificial.

And finally — the tablecloth must suit you.

Additional tips on tablecloth use:

For an elegant table you should hide the sharp edges of the table under the tablecloth. Cover the table with quilting, which encloses the edge of the table (you can possibly use a sewn-in elastic border). Sharp edges are then a thing of the past and your table is more streamlined.

You can easily give a buffet table a little extra height by building up different levels on the table with cardboard boxes, and then spreading the tablecloth over them. It’s quick and easy to do, looks good, and at the same time makes the buffet treats much easier for your guests to see.

Exotic as a geisha

Give your tablecloth its marching orders! If you want to treat your guests to a banquet from the Far East, simply use crepe paper instead and place it in strong geometric designs on the table. The ends are stiffened with lengths of cane, which emphasise the impression of the East. If crepe paperseems too simple to you, lengths of fabric or genuine Japanese paper will achieve the same effect. This type i’5 decoration can also be used very effectively on a low coffee table. For once you can bring your guests to their knees without a qualm! Then letthe exotic charm of Far Eastern culture shine through in your other decorations — in the flower arrangements, for example, where fans of ikebana will be able to really give full reign to their skills.

Draped like a scarf

Would you like to show off the lovely wooden or glass-topped table in your house? Then don’t hide it under a tablecloth! Drape a piece of cloth over the table like a scarf, or arrange it in the centre of the table. It will create a good spot of colour which will emphasise the natural effect of yourtable. If you want to have several dashes of colour and use the contrasts to heighten the effect of the table decorations, then you can spread several different coloured lengths of fabric over the table, either side by side or interwoven.

Gathered like a summer dress

This little trick is quick to do, but none the less striking, especially for long tables with a deep fall of tablecloth. Gather the cloth in the centre and secure the gathers with a safety pin. Then, depending on the time of year and the occasion, you can fasten on green leaves or flowers, a big bow or a decorative ball. A tablecloth gathered in this way is particularly suited to a buffet table.

If you want to dress a very long buffet table or a large round table in this way, gather the overhanging cloth evenly in several places and secure in the same way as before. The resulting festoons recall celebration tables from the Baroque era.

Adorned like a bride

Do you like tulle? If so, then take a long strip of it and fasten it around the table in loops to make a garland.

Secure the tulle to the tablecloth at several points, either with safety pins or by tacking the two fabrics together. You should ensure that the colours in the tulle and the tablecloth gotogether. The effect becomes really special if you fasten ivy or flowers at the points where the garland issecured.

If you haven’t got enough tulle to make a garland, as an alternative you can use smaller pieces to make big bows which can then be attached to the sides of the tablecloth.

You can achieve a more breezy and informal effect by using lots of brightly coloured tulle bows, including a few neon colours, fastened at random across the cloth. However, don’t go mad; too many bows and garish colours are more likely to annoy your guests than interest them.

More Help'n Tips: buffet, buffet table, cloth, colours, decorations, effect, guests, lengths of fabric, several, suit, table, tablecloth, tulle.

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