Do you hate your tablecloths? Do they make you think of hours of ironing, only to have to repeat it all again when someones spilled the gravy?!
If so, then breath a sigh of relief, for the traditional heavy English tablecloth has been eclipsed by the arrival of the French! Or should I say the French tablecloth?
Provence Tablecloths
With a society that enjoys spending long mealtimes together as a family chatting and enjoying food – the French enjoy eating without the hassle of all that ironing.
Visit any French market and you’ll find the tablecloth seller.
Selling brightly colored country-style Provence table linens and napkins – these are not the 100% cotton, hard-to-iron creations that we English are so used to. These polyester cotton mixes have a look of cotton, but are easy to wash and dry and require just a light touch with the iron.
French Tablecloth
Prices are also lower than the traditional Damask table linen – often less than half the price.
Instead of investing in one tablecloth for special occasions, it becomes possible to ring the changes and have different tablecloths for different occasions.
The other wonderful invention is their “anti-tache” or cotton enduit, a finish that makes them resistant to spills and stains. Not only are they easier to wash, but you’ll have to do so less often.
With their wonderful range of colors and patterns, it’s possible to find something to match in with the décor of any room.
Jacquard Table Linens
If you still enjoy the more traditional touch, there’s a wide range of jacquard table linen available in the shops and markets of France.
You’ll notice that they tend to use them for decorative purposes – particularly on round tables.
A plain colored, circular cloth will be placed over the table, draped down to the ground. A second, square-patterned tablecloth is placed over this giving a very elegant and decorative effect.