Table cloth or not

Come D- day I set the table with place mats, flower vase, plates, glasses...then...oops! What about the table cloth? I had to strip the table and lay it all over again.

White is the automatic choice for table linen and the checked one at that because when you go to the fabric shops around town and restaurants they mainly have checked patterns but this doesn’t have to be so. Flowered patterns on material like satin can be used as well and in different colours.

There is something that a table cloth adds, it is classic and formal. It creates the impression that you have gone to extra lengths to prepare for your guests making them feel really special. Think of tables at a wedding dinner or having a meal at a high end restaurant, you feel pampered.

However, table cloths may be a little extra work; they need to be changed often. You find that you are constantly worrying about accidental spills on them and dirty finger prints.

Table mats on the other hand are a more contemporary option for table dressing and are less labourious.

All you have to do is bring them out when needed and when you are done, wipe them down and you are good. Most young adults prefer this option.

Depending on the kind of life style you live or the kind of household you have either option may turn out to be the right one for you.

If you are the dash in dash out busy kind of person, then table cloths should be a remote thought also if you have a household with a toddler who is likely to pull at it anytime thereby losing a few plates in the process, delete the idea!

This topic is rather contentious and I always find myself on the other end of the question about which one is the best option but for me the answer lies in the up bringing, age, life style and personal preference of an individual, once we have these investigated then we have our answer.