Placemats vs. Table Runners vs. Tablecloths: What’s Best for Your Dining Table?

Decorating a dining table might seem quite easy. After all, we could simply spread a colourful table cloth and it would appear pretty. At best, we can use a few placemats too for that added effect.

That’s the way most Indians think when it comes to the best décor for their dining table.

Actually, there’s nothing quite wrong with this line of thinking, considering that Indians in general don’t usually dine on tables for various reasons. However, if you’re among those who indeed do so, I can assure you that decorating a dining table isn’t as simple as spreading a tablecloth and tossing in a few placemats for effect.

Far from it.

There are several considerations that should actually go into decorating a dining table. In this article, I will guide you on how to decorate a dining table, should you own one and whether to use table runners, tablecloths and placemats for the purpose.

Let’s start

Type of Dining Table Shape

Broadly speaking, Indians own either a square or rectangular dining table, though in odd cases, some might own round ones too. This means the décor for each of these shapes would have to be different, needless to say.

Next, foldable dining tables are very popular across India, especially in urban areas where people are forced to dwell in cubbyhole apartments. At such apartments, there’s barely any space for a full-fledged four-seater wooden dining table and chairs to be accommodated.

Therefore, dwellers make do with foldable dining tables that can be tucked away neatly in some corners of the kitchen or wall mounted ones that can be extended when needed.

Thirdly, light and inexpensive plastic dining tables are very common in India. That’s because they’re low maintenance and can be installed and folded when not needed. While such tables are superb in every way, they pose a challenge: they’re prone to stains and scratches.

And finally, if you’re fortunate to live in a larger apartment or house, it's most likely you’ll have a proper dining table. Nowadays, dining tabletops come in an assortment of materials. For example, the dining table at my villa is of heavy-tinted tempered glass. You could have tabletops of wood, rattan or any other material.

Therefore, the first step towards decorating a dining table is to identify the type of dining table you own. That would help decide the best décor.

Understanding Placemats Vs Tablecloths Vs Table Runners

I’m sure most of you’re aware of placemats, tablecloths and table runners. However, I will hazard a brief description here for those uninitiated.

Placemat:

Square, round or rectangular mats that can accommodate a large dining plate or even a cooking utensil. 

They serve three purposes: aesthetic look for the dining table, protecting table cloth or tabletop and in some cases, advertising for restaurants.

Placemats are made of paper or cardboard, plastic, cloth, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), jute, reed or river grass, bamboo or other wood. They can also be used to place hot vessels with food while protecting the tabletop and tablecloth.

Explore Here Our Collection Of PVC, Cotton, Bamboo & Rivergrass & Faux Leather Placemat.

Tablecloth

These are square, rectangular or round pieces of decorative fabric, plastic, PVC, paper or other materials that cover the table top and some parts of the dining table. They’re meant to give an aesthetic look to the dining table and in some cases, uniformity to the décor as in party halls and venues.

We also have a disposable plastic tablecloth that needs no maintenance. Tablecloth, other than aesthetics, is meant to blend with the overall décor of the home and conceal any scratches and stains on the tabletop.

They also protect the tabletop from scalding and staining if needed. They also conceal scratches and stains or chips and dents, cracks or other marks on a dining table top.

Explore PVC Table Cloth, Cotton Table Cloth, and Elastic Table Cloth Collection     

Table Runners

These are a bit rare in India and often used at plush hotels, clubs and such venues or those who know their uses. Table runners have an interesting history that dates back to the Middle Ages.

During this time, people used tablecloths to cover their tables, but they needed a way to protect these tablecloths from spills and stains caused by lively and careless guests.

To address this, housekeepers came up with the idea of using long, narrow pieces of cloth to cover the center of the tablecloth. These pieces, known as table runners, were easier to clean and helped keep the tablecloth underneath in good condition.

Now that you’re better aware of the purposes of tablemats or placemats, tablecloths and table runners, let’s see which ones are better for your home or venue.

Explore Collection of Matching Table Runner and Table Mats Set

Which One is Better for Me?

Knowing the type of dining table is of utmost importance and matters a lot for décor purposes. Here are some common reasons why knowing the dining table matters.

Folding Tables

If you own a foldable dining table, obviously, the décor would have to be easily removable and foldable for storage. It can’t be kept permanently. In such cases, you might have to opt for a disposable plastic tablecloth, which is fairly economical. If you prefer foldable ones, look for waterproof and leakproof type since they would protect the folding table from stains and scalding from hot vessels.

Plastic Tables

Plastic tables are very susceptible to stains and scalding from spilt food and hot utensils. Since Indian foods are fat-rich, oils with spice can react with the plastic to leave indelible and permanent stains. In such cases, I recommend using a cloth or fabric tablecloth for your dining table. Also use jute or bamboo placemats for placing plates and food-laden utensils.

Ornate Dining Tables

Should you be those fortunate to have large dining tables that’re ornate by themselves, use table runners. That way, the décor of your dining table gets highlighted and it also gains a very stylish look with the table runner. You can use fitting or matching placemats for placing plates and vessels. Some folk combine a table cloth, table runner and placemats. This too is fine but could prove pricey and a bit heavy on maintenance.

Glass Top Dining Tables

For glass top dining tables such as mine, I recommend all three- placemats for plates, a superb anti-slip tablecloth and a wonderful matching table runner. That way, the glass top remains clean. Also, guests and diners don’t get a glimpse of what lies below the glass top of your dining table.

In Conclusion

Basically, decorating a dining table with placemats, tablecloth and table runners depends mainly on the type of table, its size and the occasion too. Personally, we decorate the dining table only when hosting people on special occasions. The above information should help you decide on what best suits your needs and dining table.