Night Elf Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 My only living area is an L-shaped combo: kitchen, eat-in area, and living room. We have a dining room table in the kitchen area. I'd much prefer a less bulky looking table but we can't afford a new one at the moment. Do you use a tablecloth on your kitchen table? Is that too "grandma'ish"? My grandma always kept a vinyl thing on her table, with a fuzzy lining on the inside. I remember trying a fabric one many years ago and it always slipped down on one side. Am I tablecloth challenged? :tongue_smilie: Which type should I use to give an informal, kitchen, sort-of-country-cottage look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I have had cloth tablecoths for over a year. I have three. That seems to be enough to rotate according to laundry needs. I switch them out every 2-3 days. I used the vinyl with fuzzy backs for a few years, too, and the main reason I stopped is b/c they do get holes and tears easily. Also, wiping them down was sometimes gross :) I'm happy with cloth. It's not the neatest looking thing. Once we have one meal it looks crumby (not crummy) and needs to be shaken outside. Yeah, it slides here and there, and my 2yr old sometimes gets a hold of it. Oh well. I just figure it's another one of those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 We don't use tablecloths - we use place mats. (And we take them off when we do school.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 We don't use tablecloths - we use place mats. (And we take them off when we do school.) And we don't always use placemats either. I fully accept the fact that I will be refinishing my table at some point in the future. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 I used to use placemats. But I'm trying to hide the whole table and as much of the legs as possible. It's a big dark wood rectange with wide black chunky legs. It just seems to make the room feel heavy. It's really designed for a dining room, not an eat-in kitchen. I wish now I hadn't left my white farmhouse kitchen table at my old house for the new owners. That really would have been perfect in here. Of course, I have no idea where I would store this big table I'm currently using. Blah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Which type should I use to give an informal, kitchen, sort-of-country-cottage look? Have you looked into oilcloths? http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/products/products-for-the-home/country-home-decor/Table-Linens/f54330.html?searchid=7MA1GGFD&feedid=googleproductsearch&jt=1&js=100&jsid=21345&jcp=Google%20Product%20Search&gdftrk=gdfV21961_a_7c336_a_7c1760_a_7c54330_d_FRT_d_90_d_OBL I think Amazon has them, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in FL Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I would use the French provencal style tablecloths - they make coated ones that can be wiped clean between washings but are not vinyl/flannel backed. I don't have a particular website - I saw some at a festival years back - but you can google for an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I only have a dining room table, but I don't like formality all the time, so I use tablecloths that are a little less formal. I LOVE the red or blue checked kind--but they aren't appropriate for the room (it has a crystal chandelier, for goodness' sake! blech:glare:) I have. I think if the surrounding room is more casual, a nice check, floral or even fruit table cloth is lovely and homey, regardless of the kind of table you have. I don't like the plastic/flannel or the oilcloth--just regular cotton does it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I love tablecloths. But, I had a large piece of clear plastic (sold at JoAnn's fabrics in the home dec department and notthat expensive) that is rather thick cut to the length of my table plus a few inches. I think the plastic was either 60 or 90" wide. I use this under my cloth tablecloths at all times because it protects the top from spills (i.e. the kids) that do not get cleaned up post haste. I have 10 tablecloths, some are homemade, and rotate them out regularly for washing. I also have table runners that I've quilted for different holidays. I'll be breaking out a beautiful red and cream one this week for Valentine's. I am not a fan of the gingham check look and never buy picnic tablecloths. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 My choice is a bit unconventional but I love it. We use a heavy weight clear vinyl tablecloth. I always had problems with cloth sliding on my old table and since it was just a chepa laminate we didn't use anything because I didn't care what happened to it. Last year we were able to purchase a brand new Amish made table. I wanted to enjoy the beauty of the wood (it's hickory) and not just cover it up because what's the point of having a pretty table if you can't see it. This is where I got it from, we ended up using the 30 gauge weight. http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/vinyl-and-leather/clear-vinyl.htm They have samples that you can order for minimal cost. I thought I would use a lighter weight one as my tablecloth and bought the heavy one just for extra project during science experiments etc but it drapes much better than I thought and so we just use it. It's nice that I can just trim it to whatever shape and size table that I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 My favorite: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/products/products-for-the-home/country-home-decor/Table-Linens/f54176.html Unfortunately, my cats think they are a jungle gym, so we use placemats and put them away right after meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
journeytolily Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Table pads are great to use under tablecloths. They help protect the table from heat, or spills. They also keep the tablecloth from sliding around. You can find them on amazon.com, and I think Lillian Vernon sells them. Not sure what stores may have them, but you could check places like Walmart and Target. Veronica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 TEN tablecloths?! I can't even find one that I like. Where do you guys find your's? Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 It's a big dark wood rectange with wide black chunky legs. It just seems to make the room feel heavy. Can you paint the legs white? Or a some color lighter than black--maybe that would lighten the look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I don't use tablecloths except for more formal ocassions. I use placemats instead. The tricky thing with buying tablecloths is finding ones that are wide enough to hang at least 12" on the sides. I can usually find the length, but the width...ugh. Less of a drop looks skimpy. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 I love this board! You guys have given me some options to look at. I wouldn't have looked farther than walmart. And I certainly wouldn't have thought to get more than one. :) Painting might be an option if it were only the legs, but all the chairs are black except for the seat which matches the top of the table. I bought this table specifically for the dining room in our last home. Sometimes, furniture just doesn't transition from one home to another. DH said I could buy the farmhouse table set if I want. Walmart has it for $250, then either freecycle our old one or give it to Goodwill. But if I could change the look with just a tablecloth, that would be the wiser choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I love tablecloths! I mostly collect vintage, so I buy from estate and yard sales, thrift stores, and antique malls. Here's a few websites I like: http://search.anthropologie.com/controller?N=0&Ntk=primary&Nu=p_group_id&Np=2&Ntt=tablecloth http://www.surlatable.com/search/searchContainer.jsp?q=tablecloth&s=true http://www.worldmarket.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=tablecloth&origkw=tablecloth&sr=1 http://www.williams-sonoma.com/search/results.html?activeTab=products&words=tablecloth&cm_sp=OnsiteSearch-_-GlobalNav-_-Button Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 We use both tablecloths and placemats (not at the same time). We have 3 I've picked up at Target. The placemats I sewed myself. My grandmother uses a vinyl one under a regular tablecloth so that she has the layer of water resistance and stain protection, but still a layer of "pretty." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 That "fuzzy" lining kept it from slipping! I don't normally use a tablecloth because it would get dirty every day and I'd have to change it. I got a glass top cut to go on my table top (about a quarter inch), super rounded edges and I also use placemats. They are easier to remove and wash daily and then I can spray and wipe down the table top.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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