Place Mats

by admin on 08/10/09 at 4:38 pm

It is that time of year when the evenings are getting longer and with Christmas not too far away people’s thoughts turn to dinner parties and having guests round. But whether you are simply sitting down to tea or entertaining a room full of guests, having a set of placemats is important to protect your dining table.

There are various types of place mats on the market so here is our quick guide to placemats and coasters:

Leather Placemats

Not only are they durable and hard wearing, leather placemats add a touch of elegance to any table. Simple in design they are a classic for any table in any home.

Available as the real thing in bonded leather or go for the black faux leather placemats which are extremely good imitation but much more practical as they are very easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth and heat resistant up to 80 degrees.

Linen Placemats

Linen Placemats offer the most versatility for any busy household. Easy to to throw in the washing machine if they get dirty but elegant enough to display at a dinner party. Partner them with a table runner and you have a beautiful combination that will certainly get your guests talking. Linen tablemats are usually available in a variety of colours and designs but be careful to check that they are colour fast as some of the cheaper designs might spoil your white wash.

Melamine Placemats

Melamine mats are perfect for everyday dining. Stain and scratch resistant, these mats will take heat up to 145 degrees. The see-through melamine coating enables manufacturers to create wonderful ranges of styles and designs.

Specific Placemat Ranges to look out for:

Linum Tablemats

Linum Tablemats and Napkins

Linum are a Swedish company that are renowned for their quality tablemats and napkins. You certainly can’t go wrong with their range of pastel coloured placemats and “country style” fabrics.

You only have to look at the detail around the stitching and mitred corners to appreciate the attention to details that goes in to making these beautiful mats and napkins.

Made from 100% ribbed cotton, Linum Place Mats are suitable for hot washing at 60 degrees. Most of the mats measure 34 x 44 cm and are available in packs of four.

Gone Rural Placemats

Gone Rural Fair Trade Placemats & Coasters

The placemats are fully approved by the International Fair Trade Association and are made from 100% sustainable Swaziland mountain grass. Available in a variety of colours including brown, red and natural the Gone Rural Placemats combine the latest European design with the age-old tradition of grass weaving.

The women work from home allowing them to care for their children at the same time as having a regular source of income.

Available in two different sizes the larger mats are 36cm in diameter and the smaller ones measure 28cm. Accompanying Gone Rural Coasters are sold in packs of six.

Inspire Faux Leather Placemats

Inspire Placemats

The Inspire Brand is one of those companies that seem to have the blend absolutely spot on between innovation, beauty and functionality.

Influenced by the latest designer trends from around the world, their collection of placemats and coasters has a unique, bespoke look; making Inspire work well in any style of home.

Inspire Tablemats are available in variety of styles to suit any dining table whether you are looking for contemporary, high fashion or a traditional and classic look.

Choose from a range of faux leather, cotton or ethnic wood.

Lifestyle Coloured Glass Placemats

Lifestyle Coloured Glass Placemats

New in from Lifestyle are this fabulous range of coloured glass placemats and coasters. The perfect choice for any contemporary kitchen or dining room, the Lifestyle Coloured Glass Placemats are made from toughened glass and have four non slip silicone feet that protect the table or work surface.

Heat resistant up to 200 degrees a simply clean with a damp cloth is all that is needed to keep them looking pristine.

The placemats are packed in 2’s and measure 30 x 20cms and the coasters are packed in 4’s and measure 10 x 10cms.

Poole Pottery Placemats

Poole Pottery Placemats

Poole Pottery has long been renowned for excellence in design and commitment to developing innovative collection and now they have launched a range of placemats to accompany their dinnerware, your dining table decoration will be complete.

Each placemat features an individual piece of art that is also available in their pottery range. The high quality Poole Pottery Placemats are packaged in chic black boxes with silver writing making them a superb gift for any occasion.

They are stain and heat resistant up to 100 degrees and may be wiped clean with a damp cloth.

The square placemats are packed in 4’s and measure 28 x 28cms and the coasters also packed in 4’s and measure 10.5 x 10.5cms.

Jersey Pottery Placemats

Jersey Pottery Melamine Placemats

Add a touch of “the traditional” to your dining table with Jersey Pottery Placemats. Choose from a range of designs featuring Game Birds or Fruits de Mer, each originally painted by the artist Richard Bramble. All the placemats are available individually, so you can select your favourites to make up a set, or buy a couple and start collecting.

Each mat measures 28cm in diameter and being made from melamine is extremely hard wearing and heat resistant. There are a range of coasters and porcelain plates to co-ordinate.