Good entertaining etiquette says that the perfect hostess should always be the first to spill a little something on the tablecloth so that if any of her guests have a “tiny mishap” they will not feel uncomfortable.
Over the years, I have been having friends and family over for many meals but I have never put to practice this rule of perfection, most of all because I like to set and decorate my table with dishes and table-linen I carefully choose. So I am waiting impatiently to use this new tablecloth that promises to improve with every spill and stain.
The Underfull Tablecloth was exhibited by Norwegian designer Kristine Bjadaal at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2010 and as yet is just a prototype. It looks like a regular white tablecloth but hides a pretty surprising secret – a hidden pattern that only appears when wet. White wine? red wine? soup? Instead of leaving just an ugly stain they now leave in their wake patterns of butterflies and flowers.
And if the stains don’t come out after washing, they just become part of the pattern and with each new spill the hidden pattern is just revealed more. Now I can be a perfect hostess and encourage my guests to stain the tablecloth and enjoy a little dining magic. The Underfull Tablecloth is really full of surprises!
smart!!!!
Extremely smart, and so creative!