Curtains, a Blogiversary, and thoughts on quality

Finally, we got my living room curtains hung yesterday. It was after much cajoling and a few threats that my husband got to work on them so the light was not right that late in the day but you'll get the idea.

You may already know that against my better judgement I bought ready-made curtains from JCPenney. I had bought curtains there before and thought the quality was very good for the price. Now I'm not so sure.

I got Chris Madden faux silk panels that are lined and interlined.

First the good things: They were on sale and I use credit card points to get store gift cards, so they were nearly free.

The faux silk facing material looks nice.

The rod pocket was a consistent and correct size.

Now on to the problems: The lining and interlining were were of very low quality.

There were no corner weights.

Worst of all the interlining was not cut or sewn in straight which makes it so that it stretches and will not lie flat and wrinkles while ironing.

I wish it was easy to convey to you the difference in construction and quality but its rather a matter of feel.

I am satisfied with the overall look for now. My husband hates the fact that they "break" on the floor. I wish I had made them myself. If I had more 2 year old free time I would have but I use that time for frivolous things like bathing.

The other quality issue concerned the trim I used. I got it at, of all places Walmart. It worked out to $1 a yard.

Are you sensing the "you get what you pay for" theme?

Well lets just say one of the 3 yard rolls was not and since my panels were 108 inches that was a problem.

On a more positive note I love the hardware I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

I got Cambria adjustable rods and these clear acrylic finials.

In all I like what I got for the money but it will gnaw at me that the quality is not that of every other window in my house as they are all custom. My short stint helping out in a drapery workroom has spoiled me forever.

So eventually I will pony up the hundreds of dollars and get some proper curtains for that room.

In other news, today is my two year anniversary blogging, albeit not entirely under this header. I started out with Good Taste Good Tasting with the idea of a food AND design blog.

Not so good.

I mean to resume posting over there about food only but its somewhere farther down on the "to do" list.

I am going to go bask in "doneness" of my living room. It is basically as done as anything ever is in my house. I do want to change the coffee table and add a few other small touches but to the untrained or not crazy, design obsessed eye, it looks done.