A Showcase of Different Styles of Table Linen

(Please ignore the bad lighting/editing or white cut-offs done on the images in this article, as the images were taken from a very old and classical book from my library)

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Table Linen

More than simply protecting a tabletop, table linen also provides a convenient way of introducing an element of colour, pattern, and texture to a room.

Pieces of fabric have long been used not only as practical coverings for protecting the tops of fine-quality tables, but also as a means of dressing up everyday furniture, in order to turn it into something special.

Historically, textiles of exotic origins, such as small Turkish carpets or shawls from Kashmir, were often used for this purpose.

When the table was in use, the fine textile was protected by a top, easily washable tablecloth, such as a square of white cotton.

Tablecloths and napkins are quick to make and require only the simplest of stitches. They can be produced from an enormous range of suitable fabrics, from delicate nets and silks, to heavyweight velvet. This chapter demonstrates how to make plain and decorative tablecloths and napkins in a variety of styles and shapes.

Choosing a Style

Table linen does not need to be restricted to the dining-room. It can also be used to set a style for all types of table. Plain, linen or cotton tablecloths are practical and elegant, and can be enhanced with trimmings, while patterned fabrics can be chosen to coordinate with a rooms style.

The shape to which you make up a tablecloth is a matter of personal taste. Dinning-room and kitchen tablecloths are, however, a comfortable length when they rest on the knees of diners.

Dressing tables look good if covered with a long piece of fabric, while display tables can be dressed with two or more layers of contrasting materials in different lengths.

Easy Elegance

The most smoothly elegant way of dressing up a dining-room table is to use a starched, pure white, linen or cotton tablecloth, complete with a set of coordinating napkins.

Position the tablecloth so that the drop is equal on all four sides above the chairs and, if possible, allow any decorative features of the table to be seen below the drop of the tablecloth. If you need to protect a table surface, use an underlay in the form of a second, smaller table cloth.

Cheerful and Informal

One of life's great pleasures is eating al fresco. Garden furniture can be made to look welcoming with loose-fitting tablecloths and cheerful napkins. Choose fabrics in bright colours and bold patterns for a lively effect outdoors. Ensure that the fabrics you use are washable, and do not leave them out in the sun for prolonged periods, since they will fade.

Simple and Restrained

For a tablecloth that is informal and smart, gingham check is an ideal fabric choice. Woven in lightweight cotton, it gives a country look, and is effective when used in kitchens as well as in informal dining-rooms.

Layered Effects

When dressing a round table with layers of fabric, it is often best to use a flounced underlying fabric with a rich texture and dark colour, in conjunction with a contrasting square of white fabric. For a fully fitted effect, particularly appropriate to display tables, you can make piping around the circumference to create a recess for a glass cover.

Practical and Striking

Since the kitchen can be one of the most heavily used rooms in the home, the kitchen table may benefit from a robust, practical tablecloth. Durable and easy to wipe down, plasticized tablecloths can look vivid and graphical, and provides splashes of colour and pattern.

Decorative and Distinctive

When laid over an unused table, a tablecloth can assume a purely decorative character, and can provide a welcome splash of colour and texture to an otherwise austere room. Here, clean white-painted walls and hard, plain-tiled-floors are lifted by a simple, checked tablecloth that is coolly decorative. The rectangular cut and neat pattern of the fabric create an uncluttered effect, and the open weave adds softness.