Tablecloths can add elegance to any dining table, but it’s important to choose the right style and design to avoid a cheesy or outdated look. While some may think tablecloths are kitschy or old-fashioned, they can actually be a stylish and versatile addition to your home decor. In this article, we’ll explore different ways to make tablecloths look elegant and offer suggestions for finding the perfect one for your kitchen.
Repairing vs. Covering
Before diving into the world of tablecloths, it’s important to consider whether repairing the marks and discoloration on your mid-century teak veneer table is worth the effort. If you genuinely love the table and want to showcase its natural beauty, it might be worth investing in repairs. However, if you’re open to covering it with a tablecloth, there are plenty of options available to create a stylish and elegant look.
Choosing the Right Tablecloth
When it comes to tablecloths, it’s all about finding the right colors and patterns that harmonize with the room’s overall aesthetic. To avoid a dated or cheesy look, consider the following tips:
1. Stick to Harmonious Colors: Choose a tablecloth that complements the colors in the room. If you have bold walls or furniture, opt for a neutral or subtle patterned tablecloth. Conversely, if your space is more neutral, you can experiment with bolder colors and patterns.
2. Consider the Material: High-quality materials can add a touch of luxury to your table. Look for tablecloths made from fabrics like linen or cotton sateen for a sophisticated appearance.
3. Mix and Match: Don’t be afraid to mix different patterns and prints. For example, pairing a checkered tablecloth with striped napkins can create a visually interesting and stylish look.
Tablecloth Recommendations
If you’re looking for eye-catching patterns and unique designs, consider the following tablecloth brands:
1. Svenskt Tenn: This brand offers beautiful tablecloths, including a classic checkered cotton option. Their designs are timeless and can effortlessly blend with different color schemes.
2. Cabana: Known for their stunning floral patterns, Cabana’s Benaki Collection is inspired by elements from the Benaki Museum of Athens. This collection offers intricate and vibrant designs that can add a touch of elegance to your table setting.
3. Carolina Irving & Daughters: Their Black Vine Tablecloth, inspired by Elizabethan blackwork embroidery, provides a striking backdrop for any fall dinner party. The graphic pattern offers a modern twist on a traditional design.
4. East London Cloth: This company offers made-to-measure tablecloths lined with cotton sateen for added structure and drama. Their tablecloths are customizable to fit your table perfectly, ensuring a polished and elegant look.
Unique Tablecloth Ideas
If you want to veer away from traditional tablecloths, consider these unique options:
1. Vintage Chintz: Look for old chintz fabrics on websites like eBay. You can purchase scraps and have a local seamstress make custom tablecloths that fit your table perfectly. Vintage chintz fabrics add a touch of nostalgia and charm to your dining space.
2. Antique Fabrics: Explore antique dealers or online marketplaces for unique and unusual fabrics that can be repurposed as tablecloths. For example, a late 18th-century French curtain in soft blue and faded yellow gingham check can make a stunning and unexpected tablecloth.
3. Silk and Linen Blends: Fabrics like silk and linen blends offer a luxurious and rich look. Look for panels with bold stripes in dark indigo, green, and terracotta colors. These colors are perfect for the upcoming fall season.
Tips for Sizing and Styling
When it comes to tablecloth sizing, it’s best to opt for a larger size that generously drapes over the table. The hem of the tablecloth should ideally reach the floor or hang around 30 cm from the table’s edge. This provides an elegant and sophisticated look.
Lastly, don’t limit the use of tablecloths to only special occasions or dinner parties. Whether you’re hosting a dinner for a large group or enjoying a meal alone, the simple act of laying down a tablecloth instantly creates an inviting and festive atmosphere.
In Conclusion
Tablecloths don’t have to be cheesy or old-fashioned; with the right choice of colors, patterns, and materials, they can add a touch of elegance to any dining table. Whether you opt for classic patterns, modern designs, or unique vintage textiles, tablecloths offer endless opportunities for creating a stylish and sophisticated look. So next time you want to elevate your dining experience, don’t hesitate to lay down a beautiful tablecloth and enjoy the instant transformation it brings.
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I inherited a mid-century teak veneer table that I would like to use in my kitchen. The veneer is quite marked and discolored. I’m thinking about repairing it, but I was wondering if I could cover it with a tablecloth. How do I make this look elegant and not cheesy and dated?
I don’t think tablecloths have to be kitschy or old-fashioned. However, I would start by saying that if you love your inherited table, it would be worth repairing the covering because you may not want to have the table covered permanently.
Personally, I really enjoy changing it at home. We have two dining tables downstairs: one, in our kitchen, is small and round with a dark red marble top; the other, in our dining room, is an old oak farmhouse number, delightfully marked and worn by time. I love the materials these tables are made from, so most of the time I leave them bare. This way I can appreciate its natural beauty.
A dinner with friends offers a good excuse to dress my table. I have a selection of tablecloths: plain, striped, checkered, small prints and large prints. I like a tablecloth to match everything going on in a room: without wanting to appear too intense, the colors and patterns should harmonize.
A recent addition to my collection is very beautiful. cotton clothes from Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm (I have made products with this company in the past). The pattern is a classic chocolate brown check, which for me pairs well with our dining room’s Pompeian red walls and bright grass green dining chairs. I’m not generally drawn to gingham, but I enjoy it on my table; Like a stripe, it goes with anything.
If you’re looking for an eye-catching pattern, Cabana always does a stellar job, particularly in the floral department. Cabana’s Benaki Collection is a partnership with the Benaki Museum of Athens, inspired by elements from their collection. Wonderfully, a percentage of sales will go to the museum, supporting its ongoing work to preserve and celebrate the arts in Greece. I like him a lot ioánina tablecloth of the collection, which is inspired by a 19th century textile. It features a vibrant and quite dizzying mix of floral patterns based on the work of an original weaver.
Or look at Carolina Irving & Daughters. I love the trio Black Vine Tablecloth; Its graphic pattern would provide a striking backdrop for any fall dinner party. The design is inspired by Elizabethan blackwork, a type of embroidery usually woven with black thread that originated in Tudor England.
I mentioned East London Cloth in a recent column about curtains, but I must also write about their tablecloths, because they seem state of the art to me: made to measure, the company tablecloths they are lined in cotton sateen (adding, he says, “structure, fullness and drama”) and made to the exact dimensions of one’s table.
I note that in the past they also made tablecloths adorned with bullion fringes. Now I know you’re worried that tablecloths will look old-fashioned, so instinct tells you not to rush into stocks with gold bullion, but I have to say I’m a big fan: it’s a glamorous look.
Of course, any piece of fabric can serve as a tablecloth. I bought scraps of old chintz on eBay before and a local seamstress turned them into fabrics that fit perfectly on my small round kitchen table (they needed seams in the middle). But you don’t necessarily have to go this more personalized route if you can find a piece of fabric large enough for your table.
Individual curtains can look great. The dealer Katharine Pole, for example, sells a late 18th-century French curtain for a four-poster bed in a very soft blue and faded yellow. gingham check. I can see this unusually hued fabric working brilliantly as a tablecloth. Or how about another of Pole’s fabrics, a silk and linen blend panel With dark indigo, green and terracotta stripes? Perfect colors for the next season.
As for size: big is best. Sometimes new tablecloths will be offered in some sizes, and I think it’s best to err on the side of big and generous. It doesn’t make much sense for a cloth to fall right over the edge of a table; Its hem should reach the floor, or at least hang a good 30 cm from the table.
However, I don’t save my tablecloths just for dinner parties and neither should you. Whether it’s a dinner for 10 people or a toast for one, there’s something instantly uplifting and uplifting about the simple act of throwing down a tablecloth: it suggests a good time is about to happen.
If you have any questions for Luke about design and lifestyle, email him at lukeedward.hall@ft.com. Follow him on Instagram @lukeedwardhall
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