The difference between ordinary eating and dining, some say, is setting the table. While Americans tend to carry a plate to the television, fork-in-fist, Continentals still believe elegance lifts the spirit. We agree. A sweep of brilliant color enlivens any dinner table, and this striking “Best Of” tablecloth and napkins in the Alexandrie design make an impressive statement. We think it says something like, “Hooray! You’re here!” And that goes for family and close friends as well as legions of party guests. Woven of 100% cotton Damask, the cloth is decorated with stylized papyrus flowers. The Egyptian theme is as classical and tasteful as you can get, yet the colors are highly contemporary, making it easy to match this cloth with either traditional or contemporary tableware. Alexandrie table linens come from the Jacquard looms of the highly imaginative Le Jacquard Français company, whose extraordinary linens are woven still in the Vosges region of France, where the company was founded in 1871. Le Jacquard Français has become a household name in prestigious residences everywhere, and cloths like this demonstrate their trademark panache. Somehow, the food set out on a tablecloth this undeniably cheerful tastes far better.

www.le-jacquard-francais.fr