Learning Resources
If you specifically want to set apart or spruce up a table, take a look at the Table AutoFormat feature, which provides built-in border, shading, and color schemes. The schemes are great because the designs are unified and professional, and they save you the hassle of manually applying separate effects.
To apply a Table AutoFormat scheme, first select the table you want. Then click through and make your choices in the Table AutoFormat dialog box (Table menu). The preview shows you exactly what your choice will look like. If you feel creative, or if you find a style that you like but want to change a piece of it, you can modify it.
You can also use Table AutoFormat as you're creating a new table: in the Insert Table dialog box (Table menu, Insert command), click AutoFormat.
Tip You can add stripe patterns to a table without applying an entire AutoFormat scheme.