Valentina Expressions

Are you still eating on a tablecloth, or do you use placemats, or do you eat on a bare table? My table is always covered with a tablecloth and only for Christmas.

This year I have looked around for inspiration in fabric stores to designs and make my tablecloth. Fashion dresses from famous designers will give me some great source for new ideas to transfer into tablecloth designs. All those opulent dresses I have seen lately, remembrance of revival Baroque and Rococo style are a real temptation for a couture tablecloth. Some fabrics come with attached ruffles, strips of fabric, furry threads, tone on tone strings, beads, lace and so much more. The fabrics look complicated to use, but they are not and often sewing is not even necessary. Just think of it as a draping technique, just cut the yardage needed for the dining table and let it hang to the floor. Velcro ands stitch witchery tape are all the saviors.

I found a company http://www.prestonbailey.com specializing in events. The couture tablecloths showing here are some of its fabulous ideas.

I love this idea below of creating paper cut-outs as runner and matching placemats. Any art and craft stores will have patterns to copy from, or even wallpaper are a source of inspiration. Trace and cut the design you like on any colored cardboard and place your cut-outs over a common tablecloth. Is that simple!

An elegant tablecloth can be made of various fabrics, from taffeta, raw silk, linen, voiles, chiffon to cotton and even upholstery material. Some time ago, I made a table carpet with a heavy Indian fabric and nice drapery trims for the edge. It was more a piece to cover the table, than to eat on. I like my table to be beautifully dressed.
One other time, I hand painted a tablecloth with napkins using a fabric painting that will allow me to wash the cloth in the machine without losing the design. I have nothing in my house that needs more care than myself.  Trims are all the rage, with a bit of fantasy,  you can truly lose yourself in the trims department.

Bare in mind two important things when creating your tablecloth: the color scheme of the table setting and the surroundings décor of the room where the table sits. Lighting is one of the major factors when designing any setting, but I will talk about that at a different time.

The pièce de résistance comes from LumiGram, a French company of fashion and décor that sells fiber optic tablecloth for only €249.00 (Euro), a snip, if you think about it! http://www.lumigram.com

You have a month from today to Christmas to produce a fabulous tablecloth and if you make something spectacular send it to me and I will post it in my blog.
Have a colorful and happy Thanksgiving.  Don’t worry about indulging, the next day is a different day. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.Valentinadesigns.com  

Copyright © 2012 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola has been a lifetime designer in fashion and interiors. Her extensive knowledge of colors and materials led her in both directions successfully. “Vogue Italy” magazine featured Valentina as the guru of staging a home in the theatrical way. Among designing and remodeling homes, designing custom-made furniture and writing books, Valentina is now teaching etiquette, table manners, table setting and life style.

Check out her latest book ©Red-A Voyage Into Colors on the subject of colors, available on
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