Designer Samantha Pynn shares her tips for choosing and storing tablecloths.

Tips

1. In a large room, a big, bold pattern works especially well for balance.

2. In small rooms, a lighter tablecloth will make the room feel more spacious and open.

3. Subtle colours and patterns are best for formal dining.

4. Stronger more vibrant colours are good for informal dining.

5. Mix linens for fun. They don’t have to match.

6. It’s always good to have white linens to mix with colour.

Length of overhang

1. Measure the length and width of your table. You want at least 10-12 inches of overhang.

2. For formal dinners, you can have a longer overhang, around 15 inches.

3. For a round table seating 2-4 people, the tablecloth should be 72 inches in diameter.

Storage

1. Wrap white tablecloths in tissue.

2. If you’re going to dry clean, put into clear plastic bags.

3. To get rid of wrinkles, bring the ironing board to the tablecloths and pull the cloth onto the table as it’s being ironed. Put a sheet or garbage bag on the floor as you iron to keep it from getting dirty.

4. Never store a dirty tablecloth.

5. If it’s a tablecloth you won’t use all the time, launder and fold it. Iron only when you need to use it. Don’t store it after ironing.

6. To keep heirlooms from turning colour, store them in a pillowcase.

Simions Linens by Samantha Pynn