Tablecloth white

Tablecloth white is the plain white cloth cover people put over a dining table when they want the surface protected or the room to look tidier. Its best use is in being neutral: it works with almost any plates, dishes, or seasonal decor, and it can make a basic table look more formal without much effort. By our assessment, the obvious weakness is just as plain: white shows stains, crumbs, and wrinkles quickly, so it asks for washing and careful handling. In practice it is less a statement piece than a backdrop, the sort of thing you notice most when it is badly fitted or badly laundered. Compared with patterned table linens it is more flexible, but it is also less forgiving, and that is the whole bargain.