There are four table textile pieces whose names get mixed up. They cannot stand in for one another; knowing what each one does makes both shopping and setting the table easier.
What is a placemat (supla)?
A placemat — called supla or amerikan servis in Turkish — is a single-person mat placed under the dinner plate. The Turkish word comes from French and means “under the plate”. It protects the table from heat, scratches and stains and marks each person's place at the table. The small piece placed under a glass is a coaster.
Placemat
A single piece laid under the plate. It has two jobs: it keeps the hot plate from touching the table, and it visually marks out each person's space. It is an alternative to a tablecloth — the two are usually not used together, you choose one.
Coaster
A small 15x15 cm piece. It stops condensation from a cold glass soaking into the wood and a hot cup from leaving a mark. Used in the same pattern as the placemat, the table looks like a set; in a different pattern, it looks scattered.
Table runner
A long strip laid lengthwise down the middle of the table. It belongs to the table, not to a person: it gathers the jug, bread basket and candle holder in the middle onto one line. It is used with placemats — the runner in the middle, the placemats on either side. It can also be laid over a tablecloth.
Cushion cover
Part of the seating area, not the table; but in the same pattern it creates a visual link between the dining room and the living room. It has a zip, and the inner cushion is bought separately.
Which one is enough on its own?
For everyday use, placemats + coasters are enough for most tables. For a dinner party, add a runner. For those who want all four, our table setting sets come ready in the same pattern.
Which piece goes with which?
The pieces cannot replace each other, but not every table needs all of them. Practical pairings:
- Placemats + coasters: the core of the everyday table. They mark each place, protect the table and make clearing up quick.
- Placemats + runner: a line in the middle, personal places on either side. Preferred for dinner parties and crowded tables.
- Runner on its own: when the table is beautiful and no personal places are needed — for example on a coffee table for two.
- Tablecloth + runner: the cloth covers the surface, the runner pulls the middle together. Placemats are usually not used in this layout.
The only pair not used together is tablecloth and placemat: both do the same job, so you choose one.
Which should you buy first?
If you are starting from scratch, buy in this order:
- Placemats — as many as there are people. The most useful piece.
- Coasters — the same number; they end the problem of marks on wooden and glass tables.
- Table runner — pulls the middle of the table together and makes a difference at dinner parties.
- Cushion cover — not part of the table, but in the same pattern it connects the dining area and the seating area.
For those who want all four, the table setting sets come with this order already in place: the set for 4 has 11 pieces, for 6 has 15 and for 8 has 19.
Sizes at a glance
- Coaster: 15x15 cm
- Table runner: 40x140 cm and 45x138 cm
- Cushion cover: 40x40 cm, in some collections 43x43 cm
The size is written in every product's name, so there is no need to look for it.
Material differences: which ones go in the machine?
Even within one collection, care differs between pieces. Placemats and coasters have a laminated surface — they do not go in the machine and wipe clean with a damp cloth. Table runners and cushion covers are 100% polyester and machine wash on a 30 °C delicate cycle. A set contains both kinds of care side by side; throwing everything into the machine as soon as you open the box damages the surface of the laminated pieces.
Other pieces whose names get mixed up
A few more table textile names are often confused:
- Tablecloth: covers the whole table and hangs over the edges. Because it does the same job as a placemat, the two are not used together.
- Table runner: not a cloth but a strip. It does not cover the table; it sets a line in the middle. It can also be laid over a tablecloth.
- Charger plate: not a textile but a plate. It goes on the placemat, and the dinner plate goes on top of it.
- Napkin: personal; it sits on the plate or to the left of the fork and is not a mat.
How often should they be replaced?
It depends on how often they are used. Placemats and coasters used every day wear fastest, because their laminated surfaces dull over time. Runners wear less because no plates are placed on them. Cushion covers are replaced not because they wear out but because you want a change of pattern — since the cover is sold separately, there is no need to change the inner cushion.
Are coasters really necessary?
The coaster is the piece most often skipped, yet the glass is what does the most concrete damage to a table. Condensation on the outside of a cold glass leaves a white ring when it soaks into wood; a hot cup leaves a heat mark in the same spot. Once these marks are in the surface, wiping will not remove them; they need sanding and varnish.
A placemat protects the area under the plate, but the glass stands outside the placemat — so using a placemat does not prevent glass marks. The two do different jobs and together they protect the table fully. A 15x15 cm size is more than enough for most glass and cup bases.
What changes on a glass or wooden table?
On a wooden table the priority is protection: moisture and heat do the most harm to wood, so placemats and coasters are used together. On a glass table the issue is appearance rather than protection — glass shows fingerprints and stains, and because the underside is visible, the neatness of the edges shows. On laser-cut models the edge is sealed, so they look clean on glass too.
Related articles
- Placemat sizes: how many centimetres for which table?
- How to clean laminated placemats and wash cushion covers
- How to set a table: where does each piece go?
- Cushion cover sizes: 40x40 or 43x43? How to choose the inner cushion
- How long should a table runner be? Runner size by table length
- Table textiles for a trousseau or housewarming gift: what to buy and how many pieces?
Products related to this article
What each piece does — designs
Designs of the pieces compared in this article:
- Loya Floral — Placemat
- Marakes Moroccan Tile — Placemat
- Mila Bird & Floral — Placemat
- Mona Pomegranate & Gold Border — Placemat
- Noor Basmala & Lanterns — Placemat
- Palm Palm Tree — Placemat
- Pink Zebra — Placemat
- Rio Peacock & Fruit — Placemat
- Royal Blue Floral & Birds — Placemat
- Ruby Flower Bouquet & Pomegranate — Placemat
- Safari Leopard — Placemat
- Safi Iznik Tile & Rose — Placemat
- Sole Sun & Floral — Placemat
- Vita Burgundy Checkerboard & Japanese Garden — Placemat
- Viva Striped Floral — Placemat
- Zen Birds & Fruit — Placemat