For those of us with kids or a nostalgia streak, consider the stainproof, indoor-outdoor tablecloth. There are a lot examples out there—look for oilcloth, treated cotton, and chalk cloth yardage—but even so, finding lightly coated (PVC and phthalate-free) fabrics in patterns we'd want to live with takes some digging. Here are five favorites in Scandinavian shades of blue.
Above: Linen-cotton Sill Oilcloth, Marianne Nilsson's midcentury herring pattern by Almedalhs of Sweden, $45 per meter from Scandinavian Design Center.
Above: Aqua Dash Oilcloth from RosenbergCPH; 125 KR ($18.70) for 19.5 by 59 inches. (We also like the Tile Blue Oilcloth from RosenbergCPH.)
Above: Marimekko's classic Unikko Blue Oilcloth is available from Textile Arts for $59 per yard. Photograph via Jennifer Hagler of A Merry Mishap.
Above: Alvar Aalto's 1954 Siena fabric from Artek comes in blue and white, and four other combinations—and in cotton, coated cotton, and canvas. Go to Artek for details.
Above: Swedish company Himla makes a coated linen Urban Oilcloth available in several solid colors (shown above in Sky); £20 ($31.33) per meter from the Swedish Fabric Company.
More ideas? Take a look at 7 Romantic Summery Linen Tablecloths. Also consider the painter's drop cloth and see Megan's Object Lesson on Classic Cotton and Linen Stripes
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