The Patterned Tablecloth is Back — and It's Better Than Ever
One look at our "saved" folder on Instagram and you'd be surprised at how many images of patterned tablecloths there are. It seems, at least according to our feeds, they are popping up everywhere.
And for good reason: How better to set the scene for a memorable dinner party — be it lovely and mild, raucous and wild, or somewhere in between — than with a vivacious tablecloth teeming with flora and fauna, ikats, paisleys, tile motifs...or all of the above?
As popular as it is now, the patterned tablecloth is by no means new. During the Victorian era, hosts topped their tables with opulent textiles like damasks and tapestries in deep, saturated shades.
With the turn of the 20th century came technological advances in colorfast printing on textiles, which ushered in a wave of brighter, more graphic patterned tablecloths with a much more casual style.
Deeper into the 20th century as international air travel facilitated continent hopping, textiles with a decidedly global beat became increasingly fashionable.
Tastemakers of all stripes, from designers to socialites, favored tablecloths of a hand-crafted nature (think block-printed or embroidered), often with a nod toward the Middle and Far Eastern textile traditions.
Although they fell out of favor for a minute (or so), these middle-of-the-20th-century textiles are very much the grandparents to the scene-setting, old-world-artistry-inspired table toppers that are having a moment today.
And, given the recent revival of decorating with fearless color, patterned wallcoverings, and chintz, it's not altogether surprising to see tastemakers once again looking to patterned tablecloths as a a foundation for spectacular table settings.
"When I design a house, I begin with a rug. When I design a party, I begin with a patterned tablecloth," says Rebecca Gardner of Houses and Parties, a Savannah- and New York-based interiors and event design company.
"Just like an overstuffed chintz sofa, a patterned tablecloth with a generous break is comfy and welcoming. I think that patterned tablecloths show – and require – extra effort and say, 'Here's your table. I picked it just for you. Have a great time.' "
"I make custom tablecloths for most of my events, casual and formal. This is an important component of my 'anti-rental' platform," says Gardner. "With certainty, they are cotton or linen — never slimy or shiny."
"Patterned tablecloths are such a fun way to make a major maximalist statement," says New York-based interior designer Cece Barfield Thompson, who recently launched a tabletop collection for her CeCe Barfield Home Collection. To celebrate the launch and her collaboration with Markarian to curate the August 2019 Christie's Interiors Sale, the designer set the table with a custom-made tablecloth using Braquenie's iconic "Le Grand Genois" tree of life fabric.
In her day-to-day life at home with young children, however, Thompson notes she uses a lot of block-printed Indian textiles as tablecloths. "They're all cotton, which makes them easy to launder; they protect furniture and hide stains, which makes them so family friendly; and they are so joyful!"
Its functionality not withstanding, use of a tablecloth at all has at times been reserved for fancier affairs only, with simple placemats or runners preferred for casual entertaining.
Which makes the recent resurgence in patterned tablecloths all the more exciting: Thanks to gutsy color, reimagined riffs on timeless patterns, and the wider availability of printed cotton table linens like Barfield Thompson mentioned, today's tablecloths suit casual suppers just as well as they do formal holiday fetes.
Lake Forest, Illinois-based designer Shelley Johnston notes that the patterned tablecloth helps facilitate a dialogue between the casual and formal elements on her table.
"When I set a table, I want it to feel inviting and never too formal. It's all about a mix that tells a story — casual, block-print patterned tablecloths with fine china, colored glasses with crystal stemware, potted plants with fresh flowers. Creating this juxtaposition gives a table a relaxed elegance."
Scroll through our gallery below to pick the perfect tablecloth for your next dinner party.
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