A Table Cloth That Encorages Spills

The Underfull Table Cloth turns messes into masterpieces.

When I was a kid, I was a bit clumsy; in fact, I was so clumsy that my family nicknamed me "The Spiller." At least once a week, "The Spiller" was sure to strike -- no grape juice or surface was safe.

The Underfull Table Cloth by Norwegian designer Kristine Bjaadal, recently exhibited at the 2010 Stockholm Furniture Fair, brings back memories about my childhood clumsiness. With this table cloth "The Spiller" would become a hero rather than villain because red wine and grape juice are this table covering's best friends.

The table cloth itself appears to be just an unassuming, white damask cloth, but once saturated with colored liquid, it quickly becomes a more artful piece. The spill reveals the secret of this table cloth: A hidden pattern of butterflies.

Designer Kristine Bjaadal says she chose butterflies for the conceptual design because, "The butterfly pattern resembles the tablecloth itself; butterflies always come as a surprise, they are soundless and suddenly come into view, as if out of out of thin air."

Bjaadal explains her choice of an interactive design, "I try to make the user sense another human being behind the products, and to give him positive experiences with the products over time. To invite him to connect his own stories and memories to the products, so that they will be filled with sentimental value." Says Bjaadal, "I see this as an important task in a society where we seem to have an increasingly superficial relation to the objects we surround ourselves with."

Although it is crafted from special textiles and technology, the table cloth can be used just like any other. Because it's so fun to spill on it, you won't have to throw it in the washing machine after every use!

You can watch a video of the spilling process here. This tabletop textile is still a concept, but Bjaadal hopes to find a manufacturer soon.