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A table runner is the hardest-working piece on a dining table, but the wrong size makes even a pretty one look lost. This guide keeps the choosing simple — length first, then width, then fabric — and then shows the 13 runners worth buying for each job: the everyday linen, the farmhouse staple, the velvet for dressed-up dinners, and the seasonal swaps from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Get the size right once, and every runner after that is a colour decision.
Last updated: 2 November 2026
In this guide — 15 sections
- Short Answer
- Are Table Runners Out of Style in 2026?
- Start with Length
- The 13 Best Table Runners, Compared
- Width Is About Balance
- Match the Fabric to Your Life
- Best Everyday Table Runners
- Boho, Macramé and Tassels
- Velvet and Dressed-Up Table Runners
- Seasonal Swaps: Fall Now, Christmas Next
- Round, Square and Extendable Tables: The Exceptions
- Layering: Over a Cloth, Under a Centrepiece
- Make Your Own: Patterns and the DIY Route
- Care: Keeping a Runner Looking New
- Frequently Asked Questions
Short Answer
Measure your table, add 12 to 20 inches, and buy that length — a runner should drop 6 to 10 inches over each end, or sit deliberately inside the ends, never hover in between. Width: about one third of the table’s width (12 to 14 inches standard). If you only buy two, make it the boho rustic runner with tassels for everyday farmhouse tables, and the burgundy cheesecloth runner for Christmas. On a tight budget, the fall maple leaves lace runner is the best-seller in our research.
Top 3 Quick Picks
🏆 Best Christmas Drape: Burgundy Cheesecloth Runner
🌾 Best Farmhouse Staple: Boho Runner with Tassels
✨ Best Real Linen: Solino Home 100% Linen
Are Table Runners Out of Style in 2026?
It is the most-asked question on this topic, and the honest answer is no — the search data says the opposite. Google Trends shows “christmas table runner” interest climbing right now, from 13 in the week of October 4 to 41 by November 1, toward the late-November peak it hit last year. The rising related searches are styling-led: “winter table runner” up 180%, “vintage christmas table runner” up 110%, “christmas dining table decor” up 200%. People are not abandoning runners; they are searching for the next one.
What changed is how a runner is worn: the stiff formal runner on a matching cloth has faded, and the 2026 look is softer and longer, on bare wood — cheesecloth pooled, woven cotton with tassels, velvet for the evening. Every top seller in the buying data follows that pattern.
Start with Length
A runner should hang over each end by about 6 to 10 inches. Measure your table, add 12 to 20 inches, and that is your runner length. No overhang looks fine too, if deliberate — the in-between lengths are what look accidental. One exception: sheer cheesecloth runners are sold long on purpose, to drape and pool rather than hang straight.
| Your table | Table length | Runner to buy |
|---|---|---|
| 4-seater | 48 inches | 72 inches |
| 5–6 seater | 60 inches | 72–84 inches |
| 6-seater | 72 inches | 84–92 inches (90 is the common buy) |
| 8-seater | 84 inches | 96–108 inches |
| 10-seater / events | 96 inches | 108–120 inches |
| Cheesecloth drape (any table) | — | 120 inches, pooled on purpose |
Standard sizes cluster at 72, 90, 108 and 120 inches: a 90-inch runner on a 72-inch table gives a 9-inch drop each end, right in the sweet spot. Between sizes, go longer — a short runner cannot be stretched.
What are some good holiday runners for tables?
The holiday runners that earn their drawer space do one of two jobs: pattern or richness. Tartan and plaid are the pattern route — instantly Christmas without a single novelty print. The richness route is colour: burgundy in velvet or cheesecloth, deep green velvet, or a gold gauze that catches candlelight. Each of those styles appears in the picks above, chosen because it works two ways at the table: dressed up with candles and greenery for the day itself, or left plain for the whole season.
How to make a table look Christmassy?
Start with the runner — it is the line everything else arranges itself along — then build one centrepiece cluster rather than scattering small decorations: greenery or pinecones, something with height like candles, and one metallic note. Echo the runner’s colour once more at each setting, in a napkin or a charger, and stop there. A Christmas table looks festive because of repetition and restraint, not quantity: a tartan or burgundy runner, lit candles and a single repeated colour will read as Christmas from the doorway.
The 13 Best Table Runners, Compared
| Pick | Best for | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Maple Leaves Lace Runner, 13×72 | Fall & Thanksgiving | Check Price |
| Terracotta Cheesecloth Runner, 120in | Cheesecloth drape | Check Price |
| Artoid Cotton Linen Runner, Beige | Everyday linen-look | Check Price |
| Solino Home 100% Linen Runner | Real linen splurge | Check Price |
| Boho Rustic Runner with Tassels, 72in | Farmhouse everyday | Check Price |
| Macramé Runner with Tassels | Boho & macramé | Check Price |
| Serape Fringe Runner | Fiesta & colour | Check Price |
| Burgundy Velvet Runner | Velvet — jewel tone | Check Price |
| Green Velvet Runner | Velvet — Christmas | Check Price |
| Beige Gold Gauze Runner, 120in | Dressed-up sheer | Check Price |
| Burgundy Cheesecloth Runner | Christmas drape | Check Price |
| Christmas Tartan Runner | Christmas classic | Check Price |
| Burlap Runners, 2 Pack | Rustic events | Check Price |
Width Is About Balance
Aim for a runner about one third the width of your table. On a standard 36 to 40 inch wide table, that means 12 to 14 inches, leaving room for place settings both sides. Wider runners — the 17 to 20 inch cheesecloth and velvet styles here — are a different look, where the runner nearly becomes a cloth and the settings sit on it. A narrow runner accents the table; a wide one dresses it.
Your centrepiece should be narrower than the runner, so the runner frames it. A centrepiece base wider than the runner makes it disappear and the table read as cluttered.
Match the Fabric to Your Life
Linen-look fabrics forgive wrinkles and suit everyday meals; flatter weaves feel formal. If kids eat at the table daily, choose a washable mid-tone runner and save the pale ones for guests. The four fabrics that matter in 2026: Linen and cotton-linen are the everyday default — matte, forgiving, washable. Cheesecloth is the draped, romantic one: sheer gauze sold extra-long, scrunched and pooled rather than laid flat, and it dominates the current best-seller lists. Burlap and jute bring rustic texture for farmhouse and outdoor tables. Velvet is the evening fabric, changing tone as light moves across it.
One fabric question we checked and can close: ruffles barely exist as runners — our batch found a single ruffle result, and it was a velvet ruffle tablecloth, not a runner. If you love the look, buy the ruffle as a cloth and layer a plain runner over it.
2. Best Cheesecloth Drape — Terracotta Cheesecloth Table Runner, 120 Inch
Cheesecloth is the fabric story of the season, and this is its headline act: 7K+ bought in the past month at 4.7 stars from 4.4K ratings. The 120-inch length is deliberate — you drape it down the centre, let it wrinkle and pool at the ends, and run your centrepiece along it. Terracotta is autumn’s colour, warm against wood and white plates.
Because it is sheer, the table shows through — that is the look, not a flaw — and its wrinkles are the texture you are paying for. It runs from Halloween through Thanksgiving; in December, the burgundy drape (pick 11) takes over.
Pros
- 7K+ bought in the past month — the drape look, proven
- 120 inches pools properly on any table
- 4.7★ from 4.4K ratings
Cons
- Sheer — no protection for the table surface
- Arrives wrinkled by design; do not iron the character out of it
13. Best Burlap Value — Burlap Table Runners, 2 Pack, 13×108
A buying warning first: the top of the “burlap table runner” search is a 40 x 15 ft gardening fabric roll — not a runner, and excluded from this guide. These are the real thing: two finished burlap runners, 13×108 inches each, $14.80 the pair. That length suits 8-seat tables, buffets and long joined tables at family events.
Burlap’s texture does the decorating — enamel, wildflowers and plain white plates all sit happily on it. Shake it out outdoors before first use: new burlap sheds fibres and carries an earthy smell that airs off in a day.
Pros
- Two finished 108-inch runners, $14.80
- Real rustic texture — the farmhouse and outdoor default
- 2.1K ratings at 4.4★
Cons
- Sheds fibres and smells earthy at first — air before use
- Coarse weave is not kind to delicate glassware bases
What are the different types of table runners?
Runners fall into a few broad types, and the fabric section above is really a tour of them. Everyday runners are flat-weave linen or cotton-linen in neutral colours — the ones that live on the table year-round. Soft, wide cheesecloth runners are the draped type, pooled and gathered rather than laid flat. Handcrafted types — macramé, burlap and fringed serape styles — bring the texture. Then there are the dressed-up types, velvet above all, and the seasonal prints that come out for fall and Christmas and go back in the drawer in January.
Best Everyday Table Runners
An everyday runner lives on the table through homework, laptops and Tuesday dinners, so the tests differ: mid-tone colours, washable fabric, and a price that does not make a gravy stain a tragedy. These three pass.
3. Best Everyday Linen-Look — Artoid Mode Beige Rustic Cotton Linen Table Runner, 13×72
This is the runner the fabric rules above point to: a cotton-linen blend in a forgiving beige mid-tone, 13×72 — the exact one-third width and standard length for a 6-seat table. Its embroidered hollow edge detail lifts it above a plain weave without adding a pattern, and the cotton-linen line repeats across the research at a consistent 4.5 stars from 1.5K ratings.
Its sales are modest next to the seasonal picks — everyday beige is a quiet purchase, not a trend — but that is the point. Buy it once, wash it often, and let the seasonal runners show off.
Pros
- Textbook size: 13×72 for standard 6-seat tables
- Mid-tone beige hides everyday life
- 4.5★ from 1.5K ratings across a consistent range
Cons
- Linen blends crease — a quick press keeps it smart
- Quiet seller compared with the seasonal picks
4. Best Real Linen — Solino Home 100% Linen Table Runner, Light Natural, 14×72
Almost everything called “linen” in this category is a blend or a linen-look weave. This Solino Home runner is the genuine article — 100% linen, 14×72, undyed light natural — with 7K ratings, the deepest review pool of any runner here. Real linen softens with every wash instead of wearing out, and its slubbed texture is what the look fabrics imitate.
At $39.99 it costs four to six times the blends, with a fraction of their monthly sales — a considered purchase. Buy it if your table is bare wood, your style is quiet, and you plan to keep the same runner for years. If creases bother you, pick 3 is your runner.
Pros
- The only certified 100% linen in the research
- 7K ratings — the deepest-proven quality here
- Softens with washing; a years-long keeper
Cons
- $39.99 — four to six times the blend prices
- Linen creases; that texture is the deal you make
5. Best Farmhouse Staple — Boho Table Runner with Tassels, Rustic, 12×72
With 10.8K ratings at 4.7 stars, this woven rustic runner is the most-reviewed in our entire batch — the farmhouse default. The weave has real texture, the tassels finish the drop at each end, and 2K+ bought in the past month says it is still the first runner farmhouse tables buy. The batch also lists it in 48, 60, 90 and 108-inch lengths.
The cream colourway is the versatile one — it takes fall pumpkins, Christmas greenery and spring flowers without changing. Keep plates and serving boards on the woven centre, not the tassels.
Pros
- 10.8K ratings at 4.7★ — the most proven runner here
- Five lengths in the family — 48 to 108 inches
- Texture and tassels style the table alone
Cons
- Cream shows stains; this is a wash-often runner
- Tassels sit in the drop zone — keep dishes off the ends
What are some modern table runners?
Modern runners have moved away from stiff, shiny and heavily patterned. The current look is natural fibre — linen, cotton, jute — in a soft neutral, with the interest coming from texture: a fringe, a tassel, a loose weave. They sit longer and softer on a bare table rather than lying starched over a cloth. If your old runner is satin or brocade with a busy print, that is the dated end of the shelf; the picks in this guide are the modern end.
Boho, Macramé and Tassels
The boho end of the market is about knotwork and fringe — runners that are almost textiles first and table dressing second. They suit bare wood and informal centrepieces, and make a plain table feel collected rather than bought. Two stand out: true macramé, and the one burst of real colour in this guide.
6. Best Macramé — Macramé Table Runner, Cream Beige with Tassels, 12×71
This is real macramé — knotted cotton cord in cream beige with tassels — not a print pretending. It holds 4.6 stars from 2.6K ratings. The open knotwork textures a table so well that even weekday plates look styled, and at 12 inches wide it keeps the one-third rule.
Two honest catches: crumbs fall through open weave, so this is a spot-clean runner; and at 71 inches it sits an inch under the standard 72 — centre it carefully on a 60-inch table. On bare wood, nothing else here competes.
Pros
- Genuine knotted macramé, not a print
- 4.6★ from 2.6K ratings
- Texture styles the table on its own
Cons
- Open weave lets crumbs through; spot-clean life
- 71 inches — a touch under the standard 72
7. Best for Colour — Serape Table Runner, 14×84, Fringe Cotton
Every other runner here whispers; this one sings. The serape’s woven stripes and cotton fringe bring instant fiesta — 800+ bought in the past month at 4.7 stars from 1.8K ratings, and at $7.59 it is one of the cheapest picks. The 14×84 size suits 6-seat tables properly.
Style it with plain terracotta, white or wood — the runner is the pattern, colour and centrepiece in one, so everything else should quiet down. For Cinco de Mayo and summer birthdays, it is the buy.
Pros
- Instant colour and pattern for $7.59
- 4.7★ from 1.8K ratings; 800+ bought monthly
- 84-inch length suits 6-seat tables properly
Cons
- Bold stripes dominate — no neutral blending
- Fringe needs the same keep-dishes-clear care as tassels
Velvet and Dressed-Up Table Runners
For the evening table, velvet is the fabric: it absorbs light, deepens every colour near it, and makes plain plates look like an occasion. Readers already know the jewel-tone story from our burgundy velvet Christmas ornaments guide — a velvet runner is how that colour arrives at the table. Alongside the velvets sits the celebration sheer: a gold-thread gauze made for candlelight. One honest note: the velvet range’s colour listings share one ratings pool in the data (926 ratings), so judge the fabric by that pool and the colour by your table.
8. Best Velvet — Burgundy Red Velvet Table Runner
The best-selling velvet runner in the batch — 1K+ bought in the past month — and the colour is the reason: burgundy makes gold, cream and candlelight look richer. It holds 4.7 stars across its 926-rating pool. Run it on bare dark wood with gold cutlery and the table is dressed in one move.
Velvet housekeeping is real: crumbs show, and the nap marks where hot dishes sat, so use trivets and brush it one way before guests. The batch also lists 2-pack and 4-pack versions.
Pros
- 1K+ bought in the past month — the velvet best-seller
- Burgundy plus gold is a complete evening look
- 4.7★ across the range’s ratings pool
Cons
- Shows crumbs and pressure marks; trivets required
- Colour listings share one ratings pool in the data
9. Best Christmas Velvet — Green Velvet Table Runner
From the same velvet range, the green is the Christmas colour: 600+ bought in the past month and climbing. Deep green velvet under gold chargers, pine and berries is the complete festive table. It holds the range’s 4.7 stars from the shared 926-rating pool.
Choose it over the tartan pick below when your Christmas style is rich rather than cosy-cabin. Multi-packs exist for extended tables. Same care rules as pick 8.
Pros
- The dressed-up Christmas colour — green and gold
- 600+ bought in the past month, rising with the season
- Multi-pack versions listed for long tables
Cons
- Shares the velvet range’s single ratings pool
- A strong seasonal colour outside December
10. Best Sheer Sparkle — Artoid Mode Beige Gold Gauze Table Runner, 120 Inch
The party trick of the guide: a sheer beige gauze shot through with metallic gold foil, sold at the full 120-inch drape length. Two thousand buyers a month use it as the layering section describes — pooled over a cloth or bare wood so the gold catches candlelight. At 4.6 stars from 1.5K ratings and $6.99, it is the cheapest transformation here.
Being sheer, it protects nothing — the table underneath is part of the show, so use it on good wood or a clean cloth. No hot dishes on the foil; fold to store.
Pros
- Gold foil gauze turns plain tables into party tables
- 2K+ bought in the past month; 4.6★ from 1.5K ratings
- Full 120-inch drape for $6.99
Cons
- Sheer — zero surface protection
- Foil finish is delicate; fold to store
Seasonal Swaps: Fall Now, Christmas Next
A runner is the cheapest seasonal change a dining room can make — one layer swaps, and Thanksgiving becomes Christmas. The buying data shows the handover in real time: fall styles top the sales chart today, while Christmas runners climb weekly, as the Trends data described. Buy the fall one for this month and the Christmas one before the late-November peak, and keep a lit centrepiece on top — our ceramic Christmas tree guide covers the centrepiece of the season, and the garland ideas guide handles the greenery.
1. Best for Fall — Fall Maple Leaves Lace Table Runner, 13×72
The best-selling runner in our entire batch right now is this one: 8K+ bought in the past month, more than any other pick here. A cream lace runner carrying maple leaves, in the standard 13×72 size, — the Thanksgiving table in a single purchase. It holds 4.7 stars from 1.8K ratings.
Lace dresses the table up for the holiday meal while staying light enough for everyday November dinners. The limits are seasonal: the maple-leaf design has a window, and cream lace near gravy needs a calm hand.
Pros
- 8K+ bought in the past month — the batch’s top seller
- Thanksgiving-ready in the standard 13×72
- 4.7★ from 1.8K ratings
Cons
- Maple-leaf design is a seasonal window, not year-round
- Cream lace near gravy is a risk you manage, not avoid
11. Best Christmas Drape — Christmas Cheesecloth Table Runner, Burgundy
December’s answer to pick 2: the same draped cheesecloth, in the burgundy that defines this year’s jewel-tone Christmas. Its numbers are the strongest of any seasonal pick — 8K ratings at 4.7 stars, 3K+ bought in the past month while the season is still warming up. Pool it down the table, run pinecones, berries and candles along it, and the centrepiece work is done.
It pairs with the burgundy velvet story — velvet ornaments on the tree, cheesecloth on the table, one colour carrying the room (our vintage Christmas decorations guide works the same palette the nostalgic way). Same sheer caveat: it decorates, not protects.
Pros
- 8K ratings at 4.7★ — the deepest-proven Christmas pick
- 3K+ bought in the past month, ahead of the peak
- Burgundy carries the jewel-tone room by itself
Cons
- Sheer — no table protection
- Burgundy is a commitment if your scheme is red-and-green classic
12. Best Classic Christmas — Softalker Christmas Tartan Table Runner, Red, 13×70
The traditional counterpoint to the burgundy drape: a red tartan check that is Christmas in a single layer. One thousand-plus buyers a month choose it for the classic red-and-green table. At 13×70 it is cut for standard 6-seat tables.
Honesty requires the caveat: 4.3 stars from 778 ratings is the softest score among our Christmas picks — plaid prints live or die on how straight the check is woven, and reviews suggest it varies. For the safest Christmas rating here, pick 11 has it.
Pros
- The classic tartan look for $7.99
- 1K+ bought in the past month
- Standard 13×70 size for 6-seat tables
Cons
- 4.3★ — the lowest rating among the Christmas picks
- 70 inches is short for extended holiday tables
Round, Square and Extendable Tables: The Exceptions
On a round table, a runner runs across the diameter — the same add-12-to-20-inches rule applies to that measurement. On a small round table it can swallow the setting, so use a centrepiece mat instead, or cross two short runners under the centrepiece only. For an extendable table, buy the runner for the extended length: a runner sized for the everyday setup looks lost the one day the table is fully open, which is usually the day guests are sitting at it. A long runner on the un-extended table can be folded back under itself at one end and still look deliberate.
Square tables go one step further: a single runner reads as a stripe, so cross two in an X under the centrepiece or choose a wide 17 to 20 inch style. The search data is full of “table runner for round table” and “table runner sizes” for a reason — the exceptions are where most buying mistakes happen, and both are solved by measuring the dimension the runner will cross.
Layering: Over a Cloth, Under a Centrepiece
A runner alone on bare wood is the modern, everyday look. Over a tablecloth it turns formal — and the rule is contrast: a darker or textured runner over a plain cloth, never two competing patterns. Whatever the layering, the centrepiece sits on top of the runner, which acts as its stage. Keep it narrower than the runner and low enough to see faces over; the runner carries the table’s length. It is the same layering instinct we teach for sofas in our guide to layering throw pillows and blankets like a designer — a calm base, one texture, one hero piece. Browse our table and dining decor collection for the cloths and centrepieces that pair with these runners.
And the placemat question, since it comes up constantly: yes, placemats work with a runner. Settings sit either side of a standard 12 to 14 inch runner, so mats overlap its edges slightly or sit clear — both fine. What does not work is a mat centred on the runner itself. On wide 17 to 20 inch runners, mats sit fully on the runner — deliberate, and good.
How to make a table runner look good?
Three fixes solve almost every sad-looking runner. First, centre it properly — an off-centre runner reads as an accident, not a style. Second, fix the length using the rules in the length section: a clear drop at both ends, or a runner that clearly ends inside the table, never the awkward in-between. Third, give it one job to do: stage a single centrepiece cluster on it, or leave it completely bare as a stripe of texture. A runner with nothing on it and a runner carrying one good centrepiece both look deliberate; a runner with six small unrelated objects does not.
What are some modern ways to use a table runner?
The dining table is only the first home for a runner. The modern uses: across a sideboard or console under lamps and frames, down a coffee table to anchor a tray, over a plain cloth when a formal table needs a stripe of colour or texture, and across the foot of a bed as a budget stand-in for a bed scarf. Cheesecloth runners get borrowed for weddings and parties as table drapery, and a spare runner under a centrepiece on a round table solves the round-table problem from the exceptions section above.
Make Your Own: Patterns and the DIY Route
A large share of searches for this topic are not shopping at all — they are pattern searches: runner patterns, quilted and crochet runners, Christmas kits. If you sew, a runner is the kindest first project there is: two straight seams, no fit, and this guide’s size rules are your pattern dimensions — table length plus 12 to 20 inches, cut 13 to 15 inches wide, and hem. Quilted runners want thin batting; crochet works up fastest in chunky cotton cord.
The honest maths: DIY wins on fit and fabric, not price — a metre of decent linen costs roughly what pick 3 costs finished. Make yours for that fabric, that exact length for an odd table, or the making itself. For Christmas, start in November.
How can I make a homemade table runner?
The simplest homemade runner is a no-sew one: cut a length of linen, cotton or burlap using the length rules in this guide — table length plus 12 to 20 inches — and finish the edges with iron-on hemming tape. If you sew, a basic machine hem on the same rectangle is an evening’s work, and tassels or a fringe can be stitched along the two short ends. Crocheters and knitters have the deepest bench of all: runner patterns are a long-standing category, which is why the pattern searches for table runners are so crowded every autumn.
Care: Keeping a Runner Looking New
Everyday cotton and cotton-linen runners go in a normal wash — that is why they are the everyday picks. Wash cool; iron linen blends while slightly damp. Cheesecloth wants the opposite: hand-wash or leave it — its wrinkles are the product. Velvet brushes one way and never takes a hot dish without a trivet. Burlap shakes out outdoors and spot-cleans only; macramé spot-cleans too, and stores flat.
Storage decides how long seasonal runners live. Fold lace and gauze, keep velvet uncrushed, and store the fall and Christmas swaps flat in one box — the swap then takes two minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are table runners out of style in 2026?
No. Google Trends shows “christmas table runner” searches climbing from 13 in early October to 41 by November 1, toward last year’s late-November peak, with “winter table runner” up 180% and “vintage christmas table runner” up 110%. What changed is the style: long, soft, textured runners on bare wood.
Does a table runner have to be longer than the table?
For the classic look, yes: table length plus 12 to 20 inches, a 6 to 10 inch drop at each end. A runner ending inside the table also works if centred and clearly deliberate. Avoid the in-between length that almost reaches the ends — that reads as a mistake.
Can you use a table runner without a tablecloth?
Yes — the most common modern way, and it shows off a table you like. One adjustment: use mats or trivets under hot dishes, since no cloth layer buffers the wood.
Should you use a table runner over a tablecloth?
Yes, for the formal version. Keep the contrast rule: a darker or textured runner over a plain cloth — velvet or tartan over cream — and never two competing patterns.
Do you use placemats with a table runner?
Yes. With a standard 12 to 14 inch runner, settings sit either side and mats overlap its edges slightly or sit clear. With wide 17 to 20 inch runners, mats sit fully on the runner. Never centre a mat on the runner itself.
What are the standard table runner sizes?
Lengths cluster at 72, 90, 108 and 120 inches; widths at 12 to 14 inches standard, 17 to 20 for wide cheesecloth and velvet styles. A 72-inch 6-seat table wants an 84 to 92 inch runner; 90 is the common buy.
What size table runner do I need for a 6-seater table?
Most 6-seater tables are about 72 inches long, so add 12 to 20 inches and look for a runner of 84 to 92 inches. For width, a 36 to 40 inch wide table takes a 12 to 14 inch runner.
What can I use instead of a table runner?
The closest alternatives: a tablecloth (full coverage, more formal), a centrepiece mat or tray alone (the round-table fix), placemats down the centre, or a folded throw used like a runner. Each gives up something — the cloth hides the table, the mat loses the line.
What is the point of a table runner?
Three jobs: it draws a line down the table that organises settings and stages the centrepiece; it protects the centre strip from serving dishes and candle wax; and it is the cheapest seasonal change in the room.
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