How to Set Up Linens for a Buffet

Table linens can be placed on a buffet to cover up an unsightly table or just enhance the overall food presentation. Typically, a normal table cloth is considered a little skimpy when it comes to buffet linens. Unless the buffet table has a beautiful frame and legs, you will probably want to cover them up with a buffet skirt. Once you have all the correct linen pieces, setting them up on a buffet table is a snap. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Place the table topper on the buffet and smooth out any wrinkles. Table toppers are similar to tablecloths, except that they tend to have a shorter drape. When arranging the table topper, ensure that the edges hang evenly on all sides. Ideally, you want your topper to be at least 5 or 6 inches longer and wider than the table. This will allow you to tuck it into the table skirt without extra hassle.

2

Place the table skirt around the buffet table's frame, tucking in the edges of the topper as you go. The table skirt should hang all the way to the ground, covering up the legs of the table.

3

Place the runner on the center of the table, allowing the edges to hang over the table skirt. If your table is long and narrow, the runner should lie so that the edges hang off the narrow ends of the table. With square tables, the runner is traditionally long and narrow. Place it in the center of the table. With round tables, square runners are traditional. Just place it in the middle of the table, allowing the corners to hang off the edge. Runners are purely decorative and are meant to stand out from the rest of the linens. For this reason, they are usually a different color than the table topper or skirt.

4

Examine your linen arrangement. If your linens are either to small or too large, they will become a nuisance when people are getting food. If they are too large, you might be able to fix the problem with a few safety pins and some duct tape. If they are too small, you will either need to find a different table or purchase larger linens.

5

Arrange the napkins at the head of the buffet table. There are several different ways to place them. If you are using disposable napkins, stack them neatly into a pile. If you have a lot of them, make several stacks. With cloth napkins, you should wrap the silverware into them and place the bundles in a basket or other container.