The key to my heart

I saw this chair on Pinterest and said, "Shut UP!!" As it is I have an unhealthy preoccupation with chairs but throw in a Greek key and well... you'd think I had Tourette's.

I know its trendy but I have a massive crush on anything with a Greek key motif.

I think I might need this

Hate the room--Love the consoles

I've got Greek key trim on my curtains in the formal living room but I am hungry for more.

What design tidbit are you crushing on?

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.

What Santa couldn't fit down the chimney

Now before you think I'm an awful ingrate... its just a title for a post about something cool I found.

I'd do just about anything for a coffee table like this, except spend $3080.

It is from Plexi-craft HERE.

The clear goodness doesn't stop there.

The King George vanity

The King George bench. Dying yet?

 The place mats are far more affordable.

Maybe Santa will fit them on his sleigh next year.

We have a DIY in progress...

"What", you ask, "is this?" They are my ready-made JcPenney curtains getting a little plastic surgery.

It is so unlike me to buy ready-made curtains but my budget has been busted and JCP has extra long drapes at a nice low price compared to custom.

I thought about this for a looooong time. I had plenty of fringe from Brimar (trade only) in the same ivory but it was too granny, I thought.
I contemplated black grosgrain on the leading edge or in a Greek key design like these from LiveLikeYou

but I am just not that confident in my skills.

Then came this Christmas post from Sanity Fair.
Greek key ribbon at Walmart!!!?

I bought both black and white. At $2 and $3 a 9 foot roll I couldn't pass it up.
I decided that the black was a little too much contrast so white it is.

It is reminiscent of sari fabrics and has just enough sparkle for me.
My newly upholstered chairs arrived recently and the combination looks great.

One down, three to go plus a date with an iron.
Now I just need to find rods I like.

What's really old is new

Although its very trendy right now, the classic Greek key motif is sure to stick around for several more millennia.

The meander motif took its name from the river Meander, a river with many twists, mentioned by Homer in Iliad. The motif is also known as Greek key or Greek fret.

Meander was an important symbol in Ancient Greece, symbolizing infinity or the eternal flow of things.

  

The motif is at once simple and intricate and has had amazing longevity in remaining stylish.

Its modern feel and classic history lends itself to eclectic decor.

It is hard not to be smitten with the pattern.

It is on really fabulous everyday objects

and a few slightly odd.

Oh well, I guess if you like it, you like it. Could be worse.

Do you have any decorative items with a Greek key motif?