THE DINING ROOM TABLE By: Ann Davis
It is the official gathering place for all family dinners, holiday events and social occasions. It the one of the first important pieces of furniture you purchase for your home. It is the table you all want to be invited to you after you graduate from the kid's table. It is the grown up table - the table that says you have arrived - as an adult, a homeowner and a newlywed. So after you have spent all that time, money and interest in picking out your dining room table, what is the first thing you do when you have guests for dinner? You cover it up!
First with a custom made table pad and then with a tablecloth. But how much time money or interest have you spent on the tablecloth. If you are like most people very little of all three. You usually find some ill fitting - uninteresting tablecloth in the hall closet that maybe has a stain that needs to be hidden by a strategically placed plate. Now let's do this one more time- you bought a beautiful table that when people come to visit you must cover up so that the only thing they see is the fabric that you put over it. You see where I am going with this don't you? In reality you should spend more time, thought and money on the tablecloth since on the occasions when company comes over this is all they will ever see of your beautiful table. I know tablecloths are confusing! The size, the shape, the cleaning, the stains and the ironing not to mention the color or pattern.
Here's the easy fix.
Size and shape:
Choose the shape of your table: round, rectangle or oval.
Measure the width and length or diameter of your table. The tablecloth should hang approximately 10 inches down from each side so that you need to add 20 inches to the width and 20 inches to the length (20" to the diameter) for the correct size.
Cleaning, Stains and Ironing.
Choose a polyester fabric as they clean well and need little or no ironing. Pre-treat any stains with some laundry detergent (Wisk). For greasy stains such as butter or gravy just mix a degreaser (Simple Green at Home Depot) with 50% water and spray before washing. Even if you send it out for pressing always wash your tablecloth at home. Now you know you are giving the dry- cleaner a clean tablecloth and all they are doing is the pressing it for you. This way when you open up the tablecloth on the day of the party there are no surprise stains.
Do not use bleach on anything but whites and even then use with caution - bleach is not your friend and should always be mixed with 50% water.
Color and Pattern.
Have one tablecloth that is your standard. It should be a neutral tone that doesn't fight with the room or your china. It is your practical, good for any function tablecloth. It is a canvas upon which you can build upon.
Once you have one great standard properly sized tablecloth you can add runners or toppers to accent that cloth or you can build your wardrobe of tablecloths in different patterns and colors. Dress your table in style.
THE TABLECLOTH! It is the largest flat surface and the easiest and least expensive way to change the entire atmosphere in your dining room. Be fun be bold and choose a cloth that is daring and inspiring. Perhaps a runner with a leopard print to go over the standard cloth. A striking black and white damask print or even flirty colorful and patterned napkins. If your china is white or ivory all the better - but for a few dollars you can invest in a set of white china that will let you do any tablecloth regardless of the pattern. You don't have to match the room each time - let your tablecloth make a fabulous statement. Remember the tablecloth it is all your guests will ever see of your dining room table.
Set your table with imagination. Let our tablecloths inspire you!
Set your table with imagination...let tablecloths inspire you!
Custom tablecloths made for you. www.bestdressedtables.com
Reprinted from:
Feast Your Eyes
Gourmet Catering
Newsletter March 2008
It is the official gathering place for all family dinners, holiday events and social occasions. It the one of the first important pieces of furniture you purchase for your home. It is the table you all want to be invited to you after you graduate from the kid's table. It is the grown up table - the table that says you have arrived - as an adult, a homeowner and a newlywed. So after you have spent all that time, money and interest in picking out your dining room table, what is the first thing you do when you have guests for dinner? You cover it up!
First with a custom made table pad and then with a tablecloth. But how much time money or interest have you spent on the tablecloth. If you are like most people very little of all three. You usually find some ill fitting - uninteresting tablecloth in the hall closet that maybe has a stain that needs to be hidden by a strategically placed plate. Now let's do this one more time- you bought a beautiful table that when people come to visit you must cover up so that the only thing they see is the fabric that you put over it. You see where I am going with this don't you? In reality you should spend more time, thought and money on the tablecloth since on the occasions when company comes over this is all they will ever see of your beautiful table. I know tablecloths are confusing! The size, the shape, the cleaning, the stains and the ironing not to mention the color or pattern.
Here's the easy fix.
Size and shape:
Choose the shape of your table: round, rectangle or oval.
Measure the width and length or diameter of your table. The tablecloth should hang approximately 10 inches down from each side so that you need to add 20 inches to the width and 20 inches to the length (20" to the diameter) for the correct size.
Cleaning, Stains and Ironing.
Choose a polyester fabric as they clean well and need little or no ironing. Pre-treat any stains with some laundry detergent (Wisk). For greasy stains such as butter or gravy just mix a degreaser (Simple Green at Home Depot) with 50% water and spray before washing. Even if you send it out for pressing always wash your tablecloth at home. Now you know you are giving the dry- cleaner a clean tablecloth and all they are doing is the pressing it for you. This way when you open up the tablecloth on the day of the party there are no surprise stains.
Do not use bleach on anything but whites and even then use with caution - bleach is not your friend and should always be mixed with 50% water.
Color and Pattern.
Have one tablecloth that is your standard. It should be a neutral tone that doesn't fight with the room or your china. It is your practical, good for any function tablecloth. It is a canvas upon which you can build upon.
Once you have one great standard properly sized tablecloth you can add runners or toppers to accent that cloth or you can build your wardrobe of tablecloths in different patterns and colors. Dress your table in style.
THE TABLECLOTH! It is the largest flat surface and the easiest and least expensive way to change the entire atmosphere in your dining room. Be fun be bold and choose a cloth that is daring and inspiring. Perhaps a runner with a leopard print to go over the standard cloth. A striking black and white damask print or even flirty colorful and patterned napkins. If your china is white or ivory all the better - but for a few dollars you can invest in a set of white china that will let you do any tablecloth regardless of the pattern. You don't have to match the room each time - let your tablecloth make a fabulous statement. Remember the tablecloth it is all your guests will ever see of your dining room table.
Set your table with imagination. Let our tablecloths inspire you!
Set your table with imagination...let tablecloths inspire you!
Custom tablecloths made for you. www.bestdressedtables.com
Reprinted from:
Feast Your Eyes
Gourmet Catering
Newsletter March 2008