We received many requests for a tutorial on Clara’s pull-string piñata, so here it is. If you’re not interested in making one, you could always turn this into a post-party drinking game—take a sip every time you see the word “piñata.” Fair warning: you might not be fit to drive afterwards. I hadn’t encountered a … Read more

I’m thrilled with our new living room couch. It’s the perfect mix of casual and elegant, and completely dog-proof. The linen-look twill slipcover gives the sofa a refined, durable appearance, while the clean lines and plush pillows strike a comfortable balance between style and function. Naturally, it makes the pricier couch in the den—one we … Read more

Remodeling a kitchen involves countless decisions, measurements, and plans — and often changes to those plans. It’s unrealistic to expect a renovation to go perfectly without a few hiccups, and our remodel was no exception. You may have already heard about our huge tile miscalculation on our podcast, but here are five other mistakes we … Read more

I recently flipped through some old Better Homes & Gardens issues and rediscovered one of my favorite quote roundups from a February edition: a short piece about choosing, using, and loving color. Paint is basically my go-to, so it’s no surprise I had earmarked the page and circled a few favorites. I thought I’d share … Read more

Remember when we tiled the floor out back earlier this month? It feels like ages ago with all the delays we ran into. The process dragged on thanks to cold weather and rain, but we finally have a (mostly) finished floor. Don’t let that light-looking grout fool you — it’s charcoal gray. I’ll explain why … Read more

We often mention random milestones in our relationship — meeting in New York City, moving to Virginia, and so on — but realized the timing of those events isn’t always clear. Wedding Week Dos felt like the perfect chance to tell our story in order: how boy met girl, they fell in love, moved south, … Read more

And now for some big news: we’re searching for a new Casa Petersik. After four and a half wonderful years in our current home, we’ve decided it’s time to sell. Why? Because we love a project and we’re genuinely excited about the idea of starting a fresh home makeover—and sharing every step of the process … Read more

A friend of mine is pregnant, and it reminded me how much fun it was to name our own children. We prefer traditional, old-fashioned names. Both of our kids are named after grandparents—one from John’s side and one from mine—so choosing names that feel established and meaningful mattered to us. I enjoyed compiling this list … Read more

When Lyzz sent in her clever DIY chalkboard door project, we were excited to share it. Here’s what she wrote: I discovered your blog about six months ago and have been hooked ever since. I read it every day and always find fresh inspiration. We decided to tackle a before-and-after project. Chalkboard paint looks great … Read more

Dude, let’s go boarding — clipboarding, that is. I’m not coordinated enough for a surfboard, skateboard, or snowboard, but this I can handle. This old clipboard came from the playroom, where I dropped it among ceramic animals and told myself, “I’ll do something cute with this later.” Then life happened and the clipboard sat there … Read more