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

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – scroll to the bottom to see who won!*** Looking for a quick way to add warmth and atmosphere to a chilly room? Air & Water offers a variety of electric fireplaces and heating solutions for the home. This giveaway featured several model options so the winner could … Read more

These days, everyone seems to be embracing tighter budgets, and John and I are no exception. We’ve always leaned toward being thrifty—sharing an appetizer and an entree at a nice restaurant or clipping coupons for oil changes—but with costs rising it’s even more important to stretch our dollars. Over the years we’ve developed a set … Read more