Tableware for the holidays
home4less | November 3, 2008
Another year draws to an end, but not without a bang as the consecutive cold-weather holidays arrive. This year will be my first in entertaining family and guests, so I have begun looking for tableware in particular to adorn the bare dining table.
I started out looking for table runners as it seems like a good idea to shield the table’s surface from potentially hot serving bowls and plates.
I found this bamboo-constructed table runner at Overstock for $19.99. I like the natural materials and thought that it would probably hold up well to potential spills with a simple wipe. Though the red and black contrasting colors caught my eye immediately, I’m not sure how it would work in the dining room which so far seems to boast nothing but neutrals.
I’ve always loved Good Orient’s products. Their table runners are all made of silky materials in vibrant color choices. I believe most of the textile products are hand-made and are usually at very reasonable prices. Of course, most of the available runners follow suit with the store in that they are more for an Asian-themed decor. I don’t mind this too much if it were what I was going for, or I could choose something with a more subtle print. I liked the colors in this Wine Red runner. It seems to be on sale for $9.59 which is incredibly affordable for something like this. It is a bit on the fancy side and I would be hesitant for it to get ruined during dining. There isn’t anything wrong with fancy, but I would be afraid of cleaning it without ruining the nice fabric.
So, I found this mirrored table runner for $19.99. It isn’t quite as long as the previous runners, so it would probably serve more as a centerpiece for the table than an actual runner in the traditional sense. Still, I like that since it is constructed of glass, it would be easy to wipe clean.
Bed Bath and Beyond seems to have their site themed around creating the perfect table setting. I found this traditional jacquard print for $14.99. It’s a little dark for my tastes, but it has a classic, elegant look to it and seems to be machine washable as well. It is part of the Walden collection with matching place mats and table cloth as well. I’m not particularly fond of the table cloth as the repetitious pattern feels a bit heavy, but I think the runner and place mats wouldn’t be as overwhelming together or on their own. They have a ton of choices for Christmas as well, but I wanted something that I could continue to use throughout the year.