Everyone Used It In The '50s –– The Quirky Tablecloth Style We Still Love

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Tablecloths and cloth napkins are household items that were once very common in American homes. Changing norms and mealtime habits, including ordering takeout and eating in front of the TV, have meant that table linens are rarely used today — except, perhaps, on special occasions. However, these items from a bygone era are often beautiful and well-made. Tablecloths from the 1950s, in particular, are becoming quite the collectibles, popular for the quaint domestic and tablescape scenes they often depict.

One reason that '50s tablecloths depicted domestic scenes may be related to the emphasis on family life during the baby boom era. This period, which followed the end of World War II, was a time of hope and prosperity in the U.S. After the trauma and loss of war, the focus shifted to family life and building the American Dream. By contemporary standards, these tablecloth designs are decidedly kitsch, with their cutesy sayings and somewhat-cartoonish illustrations. Yet this specific artistic style is increasingly admired by homeowners for its simplicity and midcentury charm.

Perhaps you remember your grandmother or mother using tablecloths printed with fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, and jars of preserves. Or maybe those same linens had food-, cookery-, and hospitality-related phrases. Count yourself lucky to have experienced this nostalgic homewares trend firsthand. These simple thrift store finds people usually overlook can end up being very valuable — and you have the upperhand of knowing exactly what to look for.

The illustrations on 1950s tablecloths celebrated domestic comforts, family food traditions, home cooking, and general prosperity. As mentioned, the depictions centered on vegetables, herbs and spices, cookware, and kitchen utensils. Dining trends that rose in popularity in the '50s, such as grilling, backyard barbecuing, and potlucks, were also often featured. During the era, similar imagery was used on wallpaper, curtains, and even at-home clothing like aprons.

There was also a fairly common trend of including printed sayings that were related to cookery and meals on tablecloths. You might come across a tablecloth with colorful, stylized images of midcentury furniture alongside phrases like "A hearty appetite maketh the best sauce" and "A good meal maketh a cheerful countenance." Another common '50s tablecloth pattern was colorful cookery images with the names of common cooking spices and herbs along the border.

Holiday-themed tablecloths were also common in the 1950s, emphasizing happy family gatherings, home cooking, and large shared meals. Kitschy imagery abounds — think candy canes, sleighs, stockings, poinsettias, and green bean casseroles. These cutesy linens can really add a lot of fun and flair to a holiday gathering. Imagine gifting the passionate hobby baker in your family a midcentury festive tablecloth to display their creations on! Such a tablecloth ranks high among the vintage Christmas decor to look for at the thrift store and can be valuable.

You'll typically find vintage household linens like tablecloths and napkins, as well as curtains and bedding, at thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, and estate auctions. You can also look at online secondhand marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, and eBay. To get the best deals, try to find estate sales in your area before they start. These kinds of items are often donated during household downsizing or after an elderly loved one passes away.

Many tablecloths of this era are made of cotton or linen, but a few synthetic textiles were quickly gaining popularity, like rayon and polyester. Vintage synthetic textiles don't always hold up as well to aging as natural fibers like linen, cotton, silk, or wool. It may also be harder to remove stains from vintage synthetic textile tablecloths if that's a concern for you. A relatively safe cleaning solution recipe to try is 1 cup Clorox ColorLoad Non-Chlorine Bleach, 1¼ cups OxiClean Odor Blasters Versatile Odor and Laundry Stain Remover Powder, and 1 cup of any liquid dish soap. Add the mixture to your washing machine alongside the tablecloth and run a delicate or gentle cycle.

Store your vintage tablecloths in plastic bins, in your linen closet, or in a dresser drawer. It's best to clean them before storing them, especially right after you use them. While it's a lovely idea to use '50s vintage tablecloths for their original purpose — to adorn your dining table — they can also be repurposed into curtains, pillow covers, cloth napkins, or even clothing. Another option is to frame them (or pieces cut from them) and hang them on the wall, or use them to wrap gifts.