key-value storage for eloquent models

eloquent.php

<?php

namespace App;

// add key-value storage to models

class Eloquent extends \Eloquent {

	protected $metaClass = 'ObjectMeta';

	public function meta()
	{
		return $this->has_many($this->metaClass);
	}

	public function set_meta($key, $value)
	{
		$meta = $this->meta()->where('key', '=', $key)->first();
		if ($meta)
		{
			$meta->value = $value;
			$meta->save();
		}
		else
		{
			$metaClass = $this->metaClass;
			$meta = new $metaClass(array(
				'key' => $key,
				'value' => $value
			));
			$this->meta()->insert($meta);
		}
	}

	public function get_meta($key)
	{
		$meta = $this->meta()->where('key', '=', $key)->first();
		if ($meta)
		{
			return $meta->value;
		}
	}
	
}

objectmeta.php

<?php

namespace App;

class ObjectMeta extends \Eloquent {

	public static $key = 'key';

	public static $table = 'object_meta';

}

usage.php

<?php

$object = Object::find(1);

$object->set_meta('zef', 'side');

var_dump($object->get_meta('zef'));