Table Mats and Coasters

by admin on 05/06/09 at 9:20 pm

Table mats and coasters have been around ever since I can remember. Sitting up to the table at meal times, Mum would set the table with a full matching set of placemats and coasters that would protect the table from hot plates and drinks.

As the years went on, one of the table mats would get washed by accident or a coaster would simply disappear leaving us with a range of mats that no longer matched.

It is funny that for an range of tableware objects that have been around for such a long time there appears to be very little written about them. Scouring the Web for sources of interest reveals very little about their history.

According to Wikipedia the term “placemat” is derived from the idea that a mat was put at a person’s “place” or chair when they were sat at a table.

Today, placemats appear to be making a bit of a comeback. Whether you want something functional to protect your table or something more decorative to enhance your table setting then there are many different styles and colour ranges on offer.

The majority are made of paper or plastic, but with the developments in manufacturing techniques and the trend towards eco-friendly purchases you can now find all sorts of designs from faux leather to bamboo, wood and even slate.

Replacing your tablemats can also be a simple way of changing the mood of a dining table - particularly with the trend for white china dinnerware.

Check out some of the great Table Mats and Coaster designs we have at On the Table right now.