How to Choose the Best Table Placemat?
Table of Contents
Top Best Table Placemats Based on Reviews and Price
Why You Need a Good Table Placemat?
Are you planning a dinner with friends or family and covering the dining room table with table cloths? You have plans for wine glasses, china dishes, and of course silver cutlery too. But on the decorated table, something is missing! Placemats! They give the table a perfect look, helps keep food warm, and protect the table from scratches and stains. Most importantly, they will offer a stylish decoration to the table setup.
Find here some of the most useful tips and criteria for choosing the perfect placemats.
8 Things to Consider Before Buying a Table Placemat
1. Placemat VS Tablecloth? Which Should You Choose?
There are times when it is better to use table placemats over the tablecloth and vice versa. The decision often goes beyond the decoration but functional purposes.
Tablecloths
The tablecloths are timeless. That is, you can use them at any time of the year and for any celebration, from dinner with friends to Christmas. In addition, you can use them together with placemats and table runners. However, one of the disadvantages of tablecloths is that they get dirty easily. Although, today there are several alternatives for washable fabrics or even plastics with very beautiful designs. It still goes without saying that tablecloths are an ideal alternative if you need to cover a surface completely. They also help give a uniform look to several tables.
Placemats
The individual table clothes, the placemats, are easier to use. They are easy to clean, especially the plastics, which you can clean just by wiping them with a damp cloth. Another great advantage of the individual ones is that they adapt to the shapes and the number of seats. Also, the materials they are made of are often thicker than table cloths. They help resist heat, ensuring foods in plates and dishes stay warm for long. Placemats are believed to be for more everyday or informal occasions.
However, there are fabric materials that will look super good at elegant dining. The number of diners present can also be a problem when not having as much space on the table. The placemats are also ideal if the tablecloths do not reach the tablespace adequately. They can be used to mark each diner’s eating space. Also, you can play with its shapes and textures. For example, for the day, you can opt for plastic square or rectangular ones. And for the night, you can choose fabric ones. You can even combine two styles and give more dynamism to your table decoration.
2. The Choice of Table Placemats Material
The choice of materials, whether wicker, plastic, or fabric, is very important. This is both for the practical and aesthetic effect of the placemat. The most common materials are:
Polyester Table Placemats
It is machine-washable, making it relatively easy to care for. It’s better to air-dry them. If you must iron it, it must be on medium temperature. If you must wash it with other fabric items, only wash it together with table runners and tablecloths.
Cotton-Polyester Table Placemats
It is also machine washable. You can use the dryer in normal function. It can be ironed at a medium-high temperature if there are wrinkles.
100% Cotton Table Placemats
It is machine washable. Although when used in the dryer, it tends to shrink the fabric. So, we recommend that you only sun-dry it. They require a very hot iron to remove wrinkles.
Linen Table Placemats
This natural fabric is perfect for placemats with elegant drapes and rich textures. It requires a specific wash for delicate fabrics. And the best thing is that there is no need for iron-pressing for a more casual effect. They are suitable for formal uses.
Laminated or Vinyl Table Placemats
They can be used both indoors and outdoors, and their strong point is maintenance. You can simply wipe them with a damp cloth to keep them in perfect condition. Avoid cleaning them with abrasive products that can wear down their surface.
Paper Placemats
The paper placemats are perhaps the most widely used for performance and price. They are very comfortable and functional both for use and for storage. They are made from 100% cellulose fibers. You can dispose of them after use.
Air-laid Placemats
Air-laid placemats are non-woven fabric placemats. This type of table placemat is of high quality. The air-laid softwood pulp material gives these placemats characteristics similar to those of fabric. Fine dining restaurants and 5-star hotels are already starting to scrap old fabric placemats to use this product.
Novotex Placemats
Novotex placemats are star products. They are made of cotton fabric impregnated with phenolic resins through the molding process. It can be washed in the machine and has great insulation properties. Their quality/price balance makes them one of the most popular placemat products.
3. Shape and Standard Dimensions of Table Placemats
Oval shape: For an oval placemat, the best is a dimension of 45 x 30cm (L and B).
Keystone shape: Like a diamond or truncated triangle design, the best dimensions for this shape is 40 x 31cm (LxB).
Rectangular placemats: For a rectangular table, the best is a length of about 37cm and a width of about 32 cm.
Rounded bevel rectangle: Due to the cut corner edges, this shape has a little bigger area than the rectangular ones. The best dimensions are 43.5 x 29.5cm (LxB).
Square and bevel square: For a square or bevel square placemat, the best is a dimension of 35cm (L and B).
Round placemats: A round placemat with a diameter of about 37 cm is usually perfect.
Flower shapes: For flower designs, choose placemats with the same diameter as the round placemats.
4. Where Would You Use the Table Placemats?
The placemat is suitable for formal and informal settings. It’s great for a family gathering, where it is required to cover additional tablespaces. In this case, they look great when you need to have a serving tray or a plate in the center of it.
- Formal Settings: For professional settings, such as in executive meetings, choose placemats customized with a brand’s logo, name, or icon. These can be disposable or reusable. Linen and faux leather are the most used materials for formal placemats.
- Everyone at the Table: Houses with children are coming and going of laughter, crying, and games throughout the day. And that is also a common thing at the table! In these cases, it is best to have individual plastic placemats that can be easily washed. As for the design, try fun and colorful one that is attractive to children.
- For a Warm Table That Invites Dialogue: if you want to create a cozy and pleasant atmosphere, get natural fiber placemats. You can find designs made of braided or crossed fibers.
5. The Customizability of the Table Placemats
The table placemats can be personalized and made to be totally artisanal. With them, you can create special combinations according to the occasion. For example, you can personalize the Novotex placemats with illustrations or appropriate messages.
So, each member of the family can have their own. Special orders have to be placed for personalized placemats. Some manufacturers may ask you to upload pictures and details of family members or brand you want the materials to feature. Alternatively, if you’re a DIY person, you can trust yourself with this task. You can use a design template or embroider users’ details on already purchased plain models.
6. The Designs of the Table Placemats
At the table, the personality of space is reflected through the colors, decorative items, and the utensils used. For this reason, it is very important to pay attention to the decorative effects of the placemats. Most placemats have the main function of protecting the table. But, in addition, they are the perfect way to achieve a point of originality.
Whether round, square, lace trim, or plain – placemats are available in many designs. The designs and materials of placemats are not only endless but also the colors. You can let your dining table shine with bright yellow, white, bright red, or ivory placemats.
7. Functionality Over Designs
Of course, the design, colors, and appearance of the table placemats are important. They help you elegantly cover your table. But they must follow the maxim: “form follows function”. That means: functionality first, then design. Therefore, materials that can either be easily and quickly cleaned, or those that can be washed should be chosen. Also, they must be able to resist moisture and heat. And if you need placemats which can include all of these qualities (functionality and decoration), they may come pricey.
8. Choose Placemats You Can Use Every Day
Unlike the disposable table placemats or tablecloths, the reusable placemats have the advantage of being durable. You can use them every day and everywhere without them losing their functional properties. The best table placemats for everyday use are fabric or vinyl ones. You can consider other materials.
However, note that for a model to be reusable, they have to be stain-resistant and easily cleaned. Machine-washable fabric materials, plastic, wicker, and faux leather materials are options to look at.
Conclusion
Table Placemats are decorative and practical all-rounder! They protect the dining room table from all stains and crumbs that bounce around! Don’t forget the standards on sizes, depending on the shape or design you choose.
For more affordable, easy to clean, and suitable for the family, you can choose the classic plastic placemats. Remember that you must have as many placemats as there are family members.
Are you looking for a more sophisticated placemat? The color black and wicker material, without a doubt, is a sure hit and will inspire elegance. They will add extra style to any table. Just put some decorative napkins and voila!
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