Placemats or a table runner? How to choose, and when to use both

4 min read

Placemats and runners do different jobs. Placemats mark out each place and keep plates off the table. A runner anchors the center, where serving dishes, candles and flowers sit. Knowing which job you need done makes the choice easy.

Placemats on their own

Choose placemats alone for everyday dinners, for round tables, and whenever the table itself is beautiful enough to show. Four placemats on a bare walnut or marble top look deliberate and uncluttered. Our openwork designs, such as Nishat Garden and Jaal Leaf Lace, let the surface show through the pattern.

A runner on its own

A runner by itself suits a sideboard, a console, a coffee table or a buffet line. On a dining table it works when you want a centerpiece but no formal settings, for a relaxed lunch or a table that is mostly for show between meals.

Both together

For a dinner party, use both. Lay the runner down the center first, then place the mats at each setting. It is fine for the edge of a placemat to overlap the runner slightly on a narrower table.

The easiest way to get it right is to use one design throughout. Four of our patterns come as both placemats and a runner: Sheesh Mahal, Morpankh, Gulnar Bloom and Chinar Leaf. If you would rather mix, pair a busy pattern with a quiet one: the woven Chatai runner under plain round settings, or a single-bloom placemat alongside the Pankha runner.

A simple rule

Let one piece be the star. If the runner is bold, keep the placemats quiet, and the other way round. Two statement pieces compete; one statement and one supporting piece look planned.