Dining Table Linens

1. We might as well admit it: we're not natural-born cooks. But we have found that with the quick addition of a dining tablecloth, we can trick more than a few taste buds and transform a daily routine into a lasting family ritual.

2. Ready to rescue all of us who are slightly-less-than domestically inclined, dining tablecloths are a great way to perk up an otherwise plain dinner. Whether your dining table is regal or ready for the donation bin, dining table linens will give it an air of easy eleganc.

3. First things first, you'll want to size up your table. Typically, dining tablecloths drop 6 to 10 inches from the edge of the table.

4. To figure out the exact measurements for your future dining table linen, add about 12 to 20 inches to the length and width of your table.

5. Pick your shape. Rectangle tablecloths can cover oval and rectangular dining tables, while an oval dining table cover will work best on an oval table, and the same goes for a round tablecloth and a square tablecloth.

6. Feeding a family? Then you may want to consider heavy-duty cotton or poly-cotton blend dining table linens that can be easily washed and reused (especially after that infamous spaghetti night).

7. Dining table runners are a lovely decorative piece to top off your dining table linens. A dining table runner runs the length of your table and ranges from a few inches to a few feet wide. Adding a runner is a great way to accent the design scheme of the surrounding room.

8. Sure, paper napkins are great for a backyard BBQ, but after you've slaved in the kitchen for hours, you might want something a little less paper and a little more presentable. Give your dining table linen an air of sophistication with the simple addition of cloth napkins with napkin rings.

9. Let your dining table cover, placemats, and napkins shine by adding a spot of color. We've got green, pink, purple, and red tablecloths, as well as beige, black, gray, blue, and ivory tablecloths. These colors and even more linen colors will wake up an otherwise lifeless dining room. They're the perfect way to turn your feast from frumpy to funky.

10. Remember those cute laminated pictures you used to eat on as a kid? Well, modern dining table placements are now elegant, handsome, and durable. (We promise: not a one will have the solar system or the presidents printed on the front.)