If you want to lay a beautiful table, these are the steps you need to take…
- A Mouleton protects the table from hot dishes and spills and makes the table more comfortable and stable for the diners by reducing the noise level
- A Tablecloth sits over the mouleton. Some tablecloths are ornamental. Others only serve to protect the table from scratches and stains.
Tablecloths have an ‘overhang’ or ‘drop’.
For casual dining a short drop 20-40 cm is normal.
For formal dining a longer drop is usual. Sometimes going up to the floor.
- An Overlay sits on top of the tablecloth and dresses your tablescape with an additional layer of color and texture.
Overlays are traditionally square. Shape them to suit your requirement.
They are designed to match the tablescape.
- Placemats can be of fabric, leather or other materials. Simple or very ornamental and elegant. They are sized to accommodate the chinaware, cutlery and glassware used by the individual diner.
In casual dining a table runner and placemats are often used without a tablecloth.
- Runner is a kind of very narrow tablecloth which sits in the centre of the table and generally overhangs the table at two ends only.
- Napkins are soft, absorbent, feel good are easy on the lips and the sensitive area around the mouth. They need to be very washable as food can leave all sorts of stains on them.