Table Linens: Part I

I'm seriously thinking of doing a linen registry. I have to check but I'm sure Leontine Linens offers such a service. Jack and I moved in together while we were dating so we have accumulated many a nice pot and kitchen appliance over the years. What we don't have and need is nice linens. The term linen gets tossed around quite a bit; it encompasses a wide range of fabrics including Linen itself. Prior to the rise and expansion of the use of cotton, most kitchen and bedroom textiles were made out of Linen and the term linen... just stuck. It's made out of flax which makes it durable, highly absorbable and crisp (especially when bleached white). It's soft to the touch and oh so lovely.

People play with quantities and colors quite a bit when it comes to creating a table linen set. I've been told by several design consultants to not be afraid to mix colors and patterns and make a bold statement. If you have your formal china pattern picked out then you can coordinate your linens to match or coordinate your china pattern. Yes... match. The famed linen establishment E. Braun & Co among others can embroider the exact design of your china pattern. Talk about service but it will cost you a pretty penny!

Image Source: A setting by E. Braun & Co that matches the Bernadaud "Constance" collection

For a more formal setting I love the look of a billowing crisp white linen hemstitched table cloth with matching napkins. For casual dining we will probably do a mix of color and pattern. A piece of advice given to me that I thought I'd share was to bring in measurements for your dining/kitchen table so that the tablecloth and runner are the appropriate size and shape. A good rule of thumb is to not let them overhang more than 12 inches on the side.

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I think Runners are practical and fashionable; a must have for the table linen trousseau. You can lay one down the center of the table to create a spot for serving dishes and centerpieces while adding style to your table.

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Here's a lovely monogramed dinner napkin design from Leontine Linens. If your adverse to monograms then you can with a solid color, a pattern or slightly embellished with hemstitching or embroidery. Dinner napkins are typically 20 inches square.

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For Part II I'll do a little post on antique linen kitchen towels and my favorite Madeira cocktail napkin designs by Marghab!