The tree philodendron, once commonly called the hope philodendron or philodendron selloum, is one of the most rewarding houseplants to grow. This tropical, low-maintenance species delivers strong visual impact with its large, deeply lobed leaves and tall, architectural form. It’s an excellent, more forgiving alternative to a fiddle leaf fig for anyone seeking a big, … Read more

We mentioned briefly that Better Homes & Gardens’ Do It Yourself (DIY) team was here for a shoot, and now we’re filling in the rest of the story. Their crew spent two full days at Casa Petersik photographing our home for a before-and-after feature that will be run across the four 2009 DIY issues, and … Read more

Just when you thought the duplex was getting all the attention, we squeezed in some beach house updates. The backyard is slowly coming together (shed, patio, fence — I can’t wait to show it when it’s further along!), but today we’re focusing on the living room, which feels lighter, brighter, and much more beachy. This … Read more

Could you lock down your wallet for an entire year? Sherry told the story of a woman who did just that: why she committed to the challenge, the practical exceptions she allowed to make it manageable, and how her experience is inspiring us to rethink our spending — maybe even try a spending ban of … Read more

We received many emails asking for a simple dress-dyeing guide after I mentioned transforming my wedding gown for my best friend’s reception. Below is a concise, user-friendly overview of the process. For a deeper dive, consult a more detailed clothes-dyeing tutorial if you want additional tips and alternatives. Here’s how my wedding dress went from … Read more

We’re back to share phase two of our sunroom mini makeover. After painting the dark daybed white and bringing in our old guest room dresser and mirror during phase one (our “work-with-what-you-have” stage), we focused on two updates to enhance what was already working in the room: paint and curtain rods. First up, paint. We’d … Read more

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago recently contacted me with an exciting offer: a $350 credit to spend on museum-quality art. Their new photography shop features a wide selection of fine art prints and wrapped canvases drawn from the museum’s extensive collections. The images include historic photographs and illustrations, vintage trade catalog graphics … Read more

Many people prefer to keep extra toilet paper tucked away, but in our home we’ve embraced open storage — and surprisingly, it works. Both of our bathrooms display spare rolls in plain sight, blending practicality with a bit of style. In the half bath we use an $18 vase from Target to hold three extra … Read more

Here it is: the big reveal. After a week of teasing, we’re excited to share the major home improvement project that swept through Casa Petersik. No, we didn’t remove a structural wall (we tackled as many doorways as we could last year). We didn’t add a second story or an addition, and we didn’t remodel … Read more

During a last-minute Christmas shopping run with my sister-in-law, we stopped at the Target on Forest Hill Ave. We found a cute iPod dock priced at $69 for her daughter, but it turned out the store only had the display model left. The cashier offered to check another nearby Target about 15 minutes away in … Read more