Curtain Debacle

I've always been a wood blinds type of person, but since my house came with curtains the look has grown on me.  The color hasn't but the look has.

So I started my search for replacement curtains.  Four panels, at least 47" x 84".  And that's when I learned curtains are expensive.  Especially when multiplied by four.  That's when I got the bright idea (or borrowed a bright idea from may favorite blog, Young House Love ) to attempt to dye my current curtains.  The idea of having brand new matching curtains for the low, low price of $3.49 was too good to pass up.  I headed to JoAnn's and bought iDye in Silver Grey.

Not only was it cheap, but I could do it in the washing machine!  Brilliant idea, right?  Yeah, so I took the thermal backing off my silk panels...

...started up my hot wash cycle, threw in white vinegar per the instructions, and after about an hour I had....

A heap of wrinkled curtains that are still brownish green.  I don't know where it all went awry.  It was sad but since I was only out $3.49 I consoled myself with the fact that I will now have the fanciest drop cloths in town. 

After running all around town last Sunday and falling in love with one set, I was reminded that curtains are expensive.  Doing my living room with these Z Gallerie curtains would have set me back over $200.

They would have looked fabulous but I really didn't want to put that much money into curtains, of all things.  Enter Garden Ridge.  What a crazy store.  They have a little bit of everything.  Including these appetite killing snack items:

I found an awesome bench that I'll share with you tomorrow and then I found the Holy Grail...AFFORDABLE CURTAINS.  For the price of one Z Gallerie panel I was pretty much able to get all four panels at Garden Ridge.  Now they are not as cool but at least they are not brownish green.  They are dark grey and seem to do the job.

I still need to switch out my sheer panels from greenish to white but at least I'm making progress.  And don't start worrying that my entire living room is going to be shades of grey.  That pillow is just a teaser of my pops of color that have yet to be added.