How to Choose the Right Tablecloth Size
A tablecloth is the fastest way to change how a room feels, and the fastest way to regret a purchase if the size is wrong. Too short and it looks like a mistake. Too long and it ends up in your lap. Here is how to get the size right, plus a few ideas for dressing the rest of the table.
Step 1: Measure the table, not the seating count
Measure the length and width of the tabletop, or the diameter if it is round. Write the numbers down. Seating counts are a poor guide, because tables that seat the same number of people can differ by several inches.
Step 2: Choose your drop
The drop is the fabric that hangs over each edge. For everyday meals, a drop of 6 to 12 inches looks tidy and stays out of the way. For a dressier table, 10 to 15 inches reads as more formal. Add twice your drop to each tabletop measurement. For example, a 60 x 36 inch table with an 8 inch drop needs a cloth of about 76 x 52 inches.
Round, square or rectangular?
On a rectangular table, the long drop and the short drop should feel balanced, so measure both. A round table suits a round cloth, though a square cloth turned on the diagonal gives a softer, layered look. Whichever you pick, add the same drop all the way around.
Dress the rest of the table
Once the cloth is down, the small pieces do a lot of work. A set of napkins like the Choose the Life You Love cotton twill napkin adds a clean accent without needing matching dinnerware. In the kitchen, the Make Peace tea towel and the Let Today Be Enough apron keep the same calm message going from table to counter.
Before you order
Our Find Your Rhythm tablecloth lists its available sizes on the product page, so measure your table first and match it to the chart. Every item here is made to order, which means a wrong size cannot be returned, so a minute with a tape measure is worth it. Production usually takes 3 to 5 business days, plus about two extra business days for non-apparel items, before shipping begins.