After

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Done…and for the record? You people are an impatient bunch. (As Colleen pointed out in the comments, I do need to live a life to have one to write about.) Get a hold of yourselves.

I spent all day yesterday taking care of details and cleaning up. I rather thought that the surprise for Joe would be totally blown if he walked up to the house and saw a burned bag of sawdust on the front garden, a ladder inside the front door, painting stuff piled in the kitchen and a fine layer of pine floor dust over every surface in the house. He had said that he would be home around dinnertime, which in our home is round about seven. I struggled with the cleaning and laundry all day…trying to make the whole house welcoming and not smelling like charred sawdust and melted garbage bag. (You would be surprised how much that smell lingers.) As I worked I wondered how to spring it on him.

A. Drag him upstairs as soon as he arrived and make him admire the whole thing. (Not bad, but smacks of impatience, reduces the element of surprise and does pressure the man a little more than necessary.)

B. Install myself in the bedroom (in the bed) to round out the perfection of the room. (This was rejected because once I thought about it, I realized that this was going to be too distracting for Joe. Very little chance that he would notice and praise the new outlets if I didn’t have my clothes on, and besides, I didn’t want to wrinkle the new duvet cover.)

C. Go into the kitchen and make dinner, allowing him to wander freely through the house and discover the renovation for himself.

I decided that was perfect and I cleaned and fussed and smoothed sheets and watched the clock all day. You wanna see the room while we wait?

Roomfin1404

See that big blank spot over the bed? Joe and I are going to go together to the AGO gift shop and buy a wonderful poster for there. I thought that Joe might like a little input in the room. Notice also, if you please, the “decorator pillows” on the bed. After careful consultation with decorating magazines, books and websites, as well as observing the rooms of others, I have come to realize that it is the presence of extra pillows on the bed that really makes a room. Extraneous throw pillows are the definitive divider between a decorated room and a regular room. (This fits right in with my idea that the difference between “getting dressed” in the morning and putting on an “ensemble” is accessories. Take a look at the next room or woman that you see and think are really put together. Accessories. The room will have pillows, the woman – a belt. )

Farside1404

A new bookcase replaces the big white thing (repurposed for yarn storage in the tiny room next door to the bedroom) curtains cover the closet opening, the now white door has hooks for our robes and towels hung on it…and though you can’t see it I stripped the metal latchbox for the door of its 100 years of paint and made it pretty again. (I also hung that funky light from ikea. My auntie Yvonne gave it to me for Christmas and I derive an unreasonable amount of pleasure from it. I can’t explain why.)

Dresserroom1404

Even the cheap tv and old dresser look great if you whack a new shelf above it and put your crap in an oval faux leather box.

(I learn so much watching an obsessive amount of HGTV.)

When I was done, I tested the bed and waited for Joe.

Mebeddone1404

(I got back up…see point B above about the futility of a woman on a bed being able to point out any details to her husband.)

Joe came in a little early and I was practically shaking with nervous excitement. Would he notice the floor?

Crapfloor0306-1

Thefloorisnew1403

Would he notice anything at all? I mean, I was sure he would notice, but would he gush? Would he be impressed? What would he think? He came in and dumped his luggage, then went into the kitchen. We talked for a minute and I resisted the urge to say “Don’t you think you want to go to the bedroom?” (Partly because I didn’t want to blow the surprise and partly because I didn’t want to lead him on.) Then he went to the computer and sat down. Then he checked email. Then I thought about hitting him with my roasting pan. GO UPSTAIRS DUDE. I stood in the kitchen sending psychic waves. GoUpstairsGoUpstairsGoUpstairs. Nothing. I asked him if he had to go to the bathroom, since you can spot the bedroom from the bathroom. He didn’t. I asked him if he wanted to put his suitcase away. He didn’t. I asked him if he would get me something from upstairs….He said he would in a while. I almost screamed. GOUPSTAIRSNOWFORTHELOVEOFWOOLICANTSTANDITANOTHERSECOND

DOYOUHAVEANYIDEAWHATI’VEBEENTHROUGH!

He didn’t go.

I finally snapped. I asked him to go upstairs. I told him to take the suitcase up. I said please. I said to go to the bedroom. He looked at me funny, realization dawning slowly over his face. Joe gave me one of those looks that says “I don’t know what’s so important to you about the upstairs but I can see that the very survival of our marriage hinges on me taking the suitcase to the bedroom so I’ll go.”, and he went. He stopped to admire the fact that I had hung a picture in the hall (What the hell. I had the drill out.) and I thought that bode extremely well for the renovation. He walked down the hall, paused for a second when he saw that the light coming from our bedroom was a different colour, then walked all the way in. He stopped. Looked around. He opened and closed his mouth once…then looked at me and said (and this is a direct quote for which I cannot be held accountable)

“Holy Shit Steph.”

Then he looked at everything. The outlets, the floor, the trim, the curtains the frames, the everything. He admired the bamboo in the square vase. He noticed that we laid 1/4 round and acknowledged that must have been very difficult. He loved the bookcase. He was impressed that I played with electricity and noticed that the ceiling was much better. He loved it. He gently mocked the decorator pillows (which I totally deserve…) then he read all of the blog entries about what I had been up to, sympathized about the sawdust fire and said it was the perfect white and what the hell is decorator white anyway, and then…at the risk of being indelicate, for while I am willing to share most everything with you my gentle readers, and I think that the business of happy adults is nothing to be ashamed of, I still believe that there are those things which are best imagined and implied…I can tell you that he closed the door (noticing that I had refurbished the metal latchbox and knob) and enthusiastically thanked me in a manner becoming my effort and station. I accepted the accolades. I asked him later, when Ken was here and we were making dinner and talking about the renovation, what his favourite thing was. (Ken, Captain-freakin-smartass asked if it was “answering a thousand questions about what his favourite thing was?” I ignored him beautifully.)

Joe replied that his favourite thing was that he had a beautiful new bedroom, a stunning floor and a restful and tranquil room to retire to when the rigours of the day and parenting teens got to be too much, and that he had gotten it all without picking up a drill, vacuuming anything or discussing which shade of paint to get until he hated the whole thing.

I think he loves it.

Tomorrow, the Representing Plan. We’re going to get this bad boy rolling, just so long as I don’t have to sand anything.

Milliehatesthepillows

(PS. I have to tell you that after this whole glorious triumph, the universe sought a little balance, as it always does. Last night I tossed my crowning glory, the decorator pillows, from the bed onto the floor. This morning, Millie-bad cat had expressed her opinion of them….on them. Duly noted, cats hate change. Gotcha.)

355 thoughts on “After”

  4. What a total triumph! Worth every bit of the work wasn’t it?
    Love the cat’s contribution (not) – that is precisely what would happen around here.

  5. Just great! (And for the record, though I checked for your next post compulsively, I did no in-comment nagging.) My own husband is gone for a rare four day business trip and I’m planning on doing some bedroom excavation myself. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

  6. Thank you.
    Just.
    Thank you.
    (my husband rates hotels by how many pillows they put on the bed — nine’s the record — but thinks it’s silly, too.)

  7. Hooray! The speechless reaction is the best, isn’t it? Except, of course, for the enthusiastic and behind-closed-doors reaction.
    Congrats on not hitting him with the roaster. (I would have done that… I’m not good at keeping surprises secret for long)

  9. Ok Im finally delurking just to tell you CONGRAGULATIONS!!! on both the great job and the perfect reaction from joe 🙂

  10. Holy Crap! I have been inspired! Goddam Debbie Travis and all her lure-I am going to effect a Harlot makeover in the boudoir- and hope for accolades from my man person!

  13. Congrats on the undertaking of that huge project and for the finish.
    And for the well deserved thanks you received afterwards.
    🙂

  14. (grin) All riiiiiiight! Great room. Great response to room. Well, other than the cat, but that’s cats.

  15. The room is beautiful…want to come to my house? Sounds like you have quite a sweetheart who greatly appreciates you…as he should!

  16. Your blog has everything. Knitting inspiration. DIY inspiration. Husband-wrangling inspiration.
    Love it!

  17. WOW. *gush gush gush* My cat does that too…LOL! Seriously, the room looks amazing and you did a really awesome job. Congrats!
    Lastly, there are some blog hawks out there…in the time it took me to read that post, the comments jumped from one to 10! In the time it takes me to post this, who knows how many more! LOL!

  19. It’s fabulously beautiful and Joe is a lucky lucky man (in more ways than one)!
    Extra pillows = stupid. They look so nice, and I have fallen into the abyss of extra pillow decorating myself, but let me tell you, it gets really old really quick having to move pillows off the bed before you get into the bed, and then moving pillows back onto the bed when you get out. Good luck with that (if the cat junk comes out – and I really don’t want to know what kind of cat junk it was, thanks for sparing us that detail. We have enough cat junk around here without having to read about other people’s cat junk)!

  22. Gorgeous! Love the color palette, the pillow mountain (very HGTV) and all your obvious hard work. Continue to enjoy your new master bed…room.

  23. Man, between you and Crazy Aunt Purl, it really is a day of weepers. What it says about me that I can get all teary about a guy’s reaction to a room renovation is… not relevant. What matters is said reaction and the beautiful accomplishment that evoked it. (And, perhaps not so secondarily, your gripping description of it.) Congratulations on a tremendous success. I hope you’re basking like crazy. You deserve it.
    (Even to the cat’s contribution… it wouldn’t be real without that.)

  24. Hurrah! What a great one for the memories 🙂 (I did not nag…but I did check back lots.) My heart was pounding as I was reading along with how Joe was’t going upstairs LOLOL; second only to the heart-swoosh I got when I read about your wedding. I sure like the white baseboards. And now…absolutely. Represent; hats at the ready to drop in the mail.

  25. I showed my husband what you had done and he replied that he was going to make a point not to leave town. 🙁

  26. Whew!
    It looks fabulous, Stephanie. But that bad cat Millie…. Oh well, at least the pillows were still onthe floor when she expressed herself.

  27. Okay – I admit, I checked back obsessively to see how it turned out! It is gorgeous!
    I have a “Golly-bad cat” that looks a lot like yours – I think they are lost sisters, Golly has about the same thing to say about change!
    What do cats know?

  28. Perfect, Stephanie. I loved the comment when he had recovered enough to make it! Worth it all – eh? And yes, I was umm, er, ah, waiting – albeit silently. Just a computer check now and then.
    Sandy

  29. Beautiful room, and great job.
    But how am I going to get the PC to the paint shop to get them to mix that colour you have on your walls for my front hall then? 🙂

  30. Now, do the Trading Places/While You Were Out and impress us with the tininess of the budget …

  31. It looks gorgeous! And you’ve inspired me never to pick up a paintbrush or sand anything. Now I know exactly how much of a pain in the butt it is and I should hire people to do it. =)

  34. You understand men all too well. lol I’m so glad that he loved it–you sure just about killed yourself getting it all done. :o) Good job!

  35. naughty Beth!
    Yes, I too have been checking semi-compulsively to get the skinny on the revelation of the surprise, when I am SUPPOSED to be packing to leave for a trip tomorrow; unfortunately, we’re all going, so unless the cat has been watching HGTV, no one’s redecorating my bedroom! Which, BTW, is very similar in age, floor, and decorating status to yours, except my husband slapped a coat of off-white paint (“Cameo”, he says; I call it off-white) over everything including the wallpaper before we moved in 12 years ago; and that’s the last thing done to our bedroom. Most everything else in the 115-year-old house, yes, but our bedroom? You know; you only sleep — or whatever — there (ahem!) after all — who looks at it (either way)?
    Love the saga, the pics, and the ROOM! Holy Sh– indeed!

  36. I’m afraid my hubby would not be at all happy if I redecorated without him. He’s loathe to change.. me getting a haircut sends him into a tailspin, therefore I live vicariously through your re-decorating adventures! Well done! and a very pretty room.

  40. The anticipation was well worth it! your story was wonderfull — gave me goosebumps as he walked to the bedroom. You are an amazing woman to do so much so quickly, and so well! I LOVE the colours, the whole package is nice, and his reaction and appreciation is perfect! You have a sweet man!

  41. It is so amazingly well done, and the reaction so perfect. I’m almost teary and slightly embarassed at how many times I checked for the outcome. You did a magnificent job.

  42. Congratulations!
    My husband went skiing for five days in February. My secret project was to refurbish the laundry room in our disgusting Michigan basement. (A term of art. People from Michigan will know what I mean.)
    While cleaning it was necessary to wear a mask and gloves. I hauled out huge garbage bags full of trash. I moved furniture and took down shelves. I scraped pounds of scary paint, primed, and painted. I bought shelves twice as big as I am and hauled them out of Lowe’s myself. I painted a big happy flower on the now-pale-blue, formerly moldy-lemon walls.
    He came home. I waited. Waited. Waited. Finally he went to the basement for a beer. I waited–and finally heard, “What the hell happened down here?”
    So worth it!

  43. Fabulous! Just fabulous. Thanks for sharing every minute with us…too fun checking in on your blog this week. I even got mu husband reading it!

  44. Woohoo, what a satisfying post! I was so curious yesterday, but surmised that you were occupied with the big reveal and probably didn’t have time to tell us about it… it was worth the wait!

  45. This is phenomenal!!! You are, as we all knew, amazing – an inspiration.
    Congrats – both on the work and on the appropriate reaction from Joe!

  46. What an awesome room and reaction. I probably would have whacked Joe with the roaster, or at list a wet dish towel, in your place. Congrats on the self control.

  48. Your “new” room looks gorgeous! Thanks for keeping us posted on it…now I feel like I’ve had a tutorial and could do something similar with my lame bedroom! Enjoy!

  49. You got me thinking crazy thoughts of doing mine now. A most excellent project done very well! This also made me think, will you knit any accessories for your new room? DO you knit accessories? Please forgive if my memory is failing (that’s normal for me). My memory allows for the Snowdrop Shawl, all the beautiful sweaters and of course the Wedding Shawl.

  50. Congratulations! It’s beautiful. And that was such a cat-like thing for Millie to do.
    I attempted a smaller renovation on our bedroom – mostly involving paint and shelves – when my husband was on a trip. He got back and didn’t even notice that the bedroom was a different color.
    I excused him since he had just been on a plane for 12 hours (but I was kind of disappointed).

  51. Stephanie, it’s just beautiful. Congratulations on a terrific job. And congratulations on picking a husband who can admire everything, enjoy what you did, and appreciate all the work that went into it.

  52. Just love your completly finished room – you deserve a SPA day for all that work! Also love Joe’s reaction to it all. Only one question . What is the TV doing in the bedroom and When do you ever get time to watch it ? GREAT job ,enjoy.

  53. What a fantastic job! It’s amazing, can you come to my house and help out with my master bedroom? My husband leaves for a two week business trip to China on Sunday, I wonder how much I can accomplish while he’s gone? Thanks for the inspiration – as always.

  55. I’m so excited, I had awaited Joe’s reaction with baited breath, it was definitely befitting the amount of work that you put into the project. It’s like getting the proper response from someone receiving a piece of your hard-worked knitting, important! One time I bought my husband a piano that he wanted while he was on a business trip & had it waiting in the living room. The living room in that house was out of the way & we didn’t go in there much. I was determined to let him “discover” it without mentioning it. It took him one week to find it. I still think I deserve an award for that.

  58. wow!!! you did such a good job, and NOTHING says male thanks and admiration like a little “hows your father” LOL!!!!
    be proud of yourself your a star!!!

  61. You realize that you just let your teens know–albeit delicately–that their parents actually have sex.
    I plan to use this knowledge as a torture device for my own daughter, who is now only four.
    Ha!

  63. I’ve been a lurker for long enough. I just wanted to say congrats on finishing the most beautiful bedroom I have ever seen! Nice reaction from Joe too. If it was anything less, I would have whacked with the roaster.

  65. The room is lovely. The belt, er, I mean pillows really do make the room. Great job! Wanna come over and help me do my living room?
    🙂

  66. Gorgeous! I would ask you to come re-do my house, but I have the feeling I would get a cyber smack. 🙂 I bet you have inspired a wave of renovation among your readers, though. I’m seriously tempted…

  67. Woo Hoo, awesome job! Are you going to be the Do It Yourself Harlot now too? 😉
    I’m so glad Joe loved it too 🙂

  69. The room is beautiful! What an amazing job you did! And a well deserved enthusiastic response from Joe! I am beaming for you!

  70. I am so happy for you that you received an appropriate response for all your hard work, that is spectacular! The room looks so totally amazing, and i especially love that you left him space to make it his, too, by leaving the poster-picking for the 2 of you to do together. It looks so tranquil, and cozy – I am so envious! GREAT JOB!!!
    If this knitting gig ever loses it’s sparkle for you, you could always start a home decorating business! Just stipulate that you don’t do floors!

  73. Wow! That is an amazing difference you made in that room!
    (I’ve been another that’s been compulsively checking for an update)

  74. The room looks wonderful! I especially love the wall color – there’s something warm and comfortable about that shade, somehow. The (pick any random color) white goes quite nicely, too 😉

  76. Fabulous!
    I can just imagine that the worst part of the whole thing was that he wouldn’t go upstairs. Glad you got your marital relations on too. =;)

  78. Okay, I know, get ahold of myself . . . a little easier now that I’ve seen the (fabulous!) room and know that Joe was suitably surprised and impressed and expressed his gratitude in a manner befitting such a gift. I, too, love HGTV (I don’t have cable. I’ve been known to go away for the weekend just to be able to stay someplace with HGTV). I think that the HGTV 30 to 60 minutes from start to “reveal” format can be blamed for our impatience to see the final result. (Okay, probably not, but it sounds better than “the most exciting thing I have to do besides see your new bedroom is buy cat food.”) Also, as a (mostly former) quilter with entire closets full of fabric stash that I would like to reduce to make way for new yarn stash, I think that decorator pillows are the BOMB. No quicker way to use up fabric stash. May I send you some new pillows for your cat to pee on?

  80. Great job. All the hard work really paid off. Glad your husband liked it too.
    Sorry that I can not get to NY and be apart of your really big show.
    Best of luck but aleast I will buy the new book.

  82. Congratulations, that’s a wonderful story for a job well done. That Joe sure is a lucky guy. Your work on the room is so inspiring, I’m almost moved to do something similar the next time my sweetie leaves town. Almost. For now, I’ll admire the HGTV-worthy images you shared with us.

  85. Whoo hoo! Way to go!!! That might win a prize for Best Reaction Ever to Unsolicited and Unexpected Home Improvement.
    I…uh, well, I admit that, freshman year, my roommate decided to rearrange the room. While I was gone at my first ballroom dance competition ever. A mere day after my partner ditched me. The same day I woke up at 6am and got home at 3am.
    Needless to say, I had a less than gracious response. I think it might have been simply bursting into tears. So, go Joe! And go you!

  86. Great work, Steph. Actually, I wondered to my friend, while we were lamenting not knowing how the renovation came out, that maybe you two hadn’t left the bedroom yet. Proof that while YOU may need a life to write about it, WE don’t need a life to read about yours.
    You did a beautiful job, and I’m inspired to rethink my color scheme. (Although now that I think about it, my duvet is the color of your walls, and my walls are the color of your duvet. Love the chocolate accents.)

  87. As far as Leslie’s comment:
    Hey, your teens do already know their parents have had sex!
    Only three times, of course….

  88. Steph, you are freakin’ amazing! That’s a pretty great room, top to bottom. I can’t believe how much work you put into that room, and how well it turned out. Bully for you!
    Also, only three more weeks till we get to see you here in the Twin Cities. Can’t wait for the fun!

  91. Ok, thank you. I won’t mention hovering at your page to see the “what Joe thinks” update. I know you have to actually HAVE Joe see it to find out what he thinks, and even then, you have to have time to write about it. But I will say that my husband and I have been laughing about your efforts, and at the same time, we’re totally jealous.
    Now to look at quarter round for our place. You are an inspiration!!!!
    p.s. did the psychic waves hurt when he didn’t get them? I mean you must have been STRAINING!!! 🙂

  92. Wow. And you deserve the accolades. You pulled off by yourself in a week what they have whole studio teams do on Queer Eye. Great job.

  95. Wow, Stephanie. A lovely room. Someone recommended a spa day, and while that is a good idea, surely some silk to spin would be better. No? YES.

  96. GORGEOUS!!!! I’ve been waiting all day not because I don’t have a life, but because I cared! 🙂 I was cheering you on all through it! I had to have the payoff, too!!!

  98. WOW! Joe’s happy, you’re happy and all of us are happy – except the cat. There has to be one “pooper” in every party 😀
    Congrats on a job wonderfully done!

  99. Tell the truth…you just needed that other book shelf for your stash and all this work was a cover! Looks wonderful!

  100. I was dying waiting for the big reveal. Only checked the blog about every 30 minutes. I, too, am impressed with the 1/4 round. We will be putting it in, and it really finishes a room. Congrats on a job well done!!

  101. I think Joe should express his gratification a few dozen more times! 😉 Brava! And, well, I’m sure Millie just wanted to see if a hairball would blend in with the new fabrics. You know, since everything else is so well color coordinated now. Meow.

  102. Only a knitter would invite a million people into her before-and after bedroom but refuse to reveal her stash!

  107. You have inspired me! And as usual, made me laugh. A lot. I spend too much time wishing that my rooms were “done”. Wishing but not doing. And you planned and budgeting and DID IT. Yet I’ll spend months knitting on a project that I may not love all that much. And to have my bedroom be more uncluttered, more peaceful, more of a retreat for my husband and my cats and myself….it’s attainable!
    And your cat…priceless!

  110. It’s Beautiful Stepanie! I a so impressed. You are a superwoman. I want to be you when I grow up!

  111. It’s gorgeous.
    But you knew that.
    I keep going around cleaning things, putting things away, taking care of stacks of paperwork. No one notices.
    I’m tempted to send DH away so I can emulate you in one room somewhere in the house. I don’t think we can afford it though. 🙁 Someday, I’ll get those nasty carpets out and hard-wood put in. Someday.

  113. It’s the perfect ending I was hoping for.
    Congratulations on a beautiful, comfortable-looking room.

  114. The room is amazing. The work involved is huge (I renovated a post-Civil war home with 12″ high ceilings. I felt your painting pain on that one). And all say is I’m glad you were thanked well. Otherwise I would have had to come up there and done some serious talking to the boy!
    Congrats on a job well done.

  117. Your bedroom looks absolutely stunning! I’m VERY impressed–can you come over to my house and fix up the office? 😉 Congrats on hard work well done! I can’t believe you had time to knit the Bohus on top of all that renovating….

  121. And after the thanking…
    After looking at the last picture but before reading the text underneath it, I was going to say the cat added the final decorator touch, little knowing how right I was.

  122. The bedroom is utterly, wonderfully magnificent. We will be redoing our kitchen in a couple of months. I do hope that we don’t have the very capable sawdust firestarters you had. I also kept checking for posts, but realize that you have a life…and we who live vicariously through you need to function on “Harlot time.”
    I also have a foolproof way to make the cat like pillows. No, really.
    Step 1: Comb cat to gather loose fur.
    Step 2: Apply Neosporin or Bactine or both as required to human attempting to gather loose fur. Check hospitalization coverage in case of bites.
    Step 3: Follow cat around and pick up clumps from floor and furniture. Safer than combing.
    Step 4: Spin excess fur into yarn.
    Step 5: Knit into a pillow.
    Step 6: Stuff with catnip.
    Step 7: Watch kitty go wild. Kitty will rip pillow apart, eat the fur, snarf up massive hairballs and act totally stoned.
    No this isn’t MY idea. Atticus and Idgie, my cats, suggested you try this. I think they were hoping that I’d be stupid enough to try it. Wait…they’re saying, “I dare you, Stephanie.”
    Again, nice work!

  123. Ok, I sorry…I nagged finally. I just couldn’t stand it any more.
    The room is absolutely beautiful Steph. Yeah, pillows and all. I bought some and hubby gleefully throws them on the floor. Where my cats sleep on them. ***sigh***
    I too am glad you resisted the urge to bang him up with the roaster. Men can be so dense sometimes. I don’t think I could have stood the suspense more the 10 mins.
    So glad he likes it (and expressed so) 🙂
    Now, about that massage?

  124. Ahhhhh, Joe – wonderful man, wonderful reaction! And a wonderful room, Steph; I’m in awe. Simply beautiful. I, too, love that light from your aunt. I’m having the most unreasonable desire to hunt down an Ikea here (I’ve never even *seen* one of their stores) and grab one for myself. 😉 The whole thing is magnificent, but the floor… Oh, the floor just knocks. Me. Out. The lovely shadings of color and knots in the pine, and it gleams like silk in that photo. Brava for everything, including the posts! (And bravo Joe. [g])

  125. the room is gorgeous and I admire your ability to handle it all. What a stressful week. But the final results are wonderful and truely amazing.

  126. Well done! I don’t know how you could have held out for so long. I am impetuous by nature and keeping those surprises secret – torture.

  127. hehehe! It looks seriously fantastic. I’m so glad Joe’s the kind of guy who appreciates that kind of effort. 🙂

  129. It’s beautiful as was Joe’s reaction.
    It actually made me cry.
    It’s so rare that mean meet our expectations let alone blow right by them.
    You done good marrying that man, Steph!

  130. Well, I was hoping at the very least that you’d be getting some after all that hard work. It’s the least that Joe could do…hee. It looks awesome. You rock the house. Literally.

  133. Your room turned out beautifully and I’m sure Joe was most appreciative of it. Congratulations!

  134. What a difference a few days make! Your renovation is fantastic, Steph… that floor is the bestest change. Love that Ikea light. Love your restraint in not bashing Joe with a roaster.

  135. Simply Stunning! You could have a whole new career if you needed one. You can visit my 121 year old house any time – now that you know what to do with those raggy old outlets we could really use your help around here (for the dining room which has no outlets I guess we need an electrician!).
    And you knitted a Bohus as well – is there anything you can’t do?
    I know just the person to call when I am in the middle of wedding shawl hell (for my sister in April) or need to finish planning what to do about the bathroom that seriously needs renovation/repair (and is the only tub/shower in the house of 6 residents, two of whom are teenagers!).
    Enjoy it; you deserve it (I knew there was a good reason for the existence of cable television!).

  138. What a fabulous chapter in the saga…my favorite photo was of you testing the bed – I just kept on laughing util my dog asked me to stop. You deserve every bit of praise, having done such a lovely job.

  139. The transformation is amazing and the finished room is beautiful. This room says welcome, stay awhile, glad you’re here. Great job!

  140. Excellent job, and excellent story. I got all teary myself. You’re a remarkable human being.
    But: Buy a poster? With the beautiful paintings you can do? I’d say get out your paints and make something gorgeous. (Or paint a lovely semi-abstract, and I’ll buy it, and you can spend the money on a very nice piece of someone else’s art to put there, if you prefer.)

  142. You did an wonderful job, how could Joe not like it? Love the colo(u)rs you chose.

  144. You have a wonderful ability to inspire us with how comically wrong things can go before they get finished, whether it is knitting or re-doing a bedroom. And then to see how terrific the room turned out despite the setbacks is truly heartening. I will think of your story as I re-do my daughter’s bedroom next week.
    Thank you for sharing!

  145. HURRAH! I’ve been checking. The entire thing is fabulous, and I sincerely hope that someday I can renovate something in our house, too. However, I’m noticing that YOUR kids are teens and MINE are toddler/preschool and thinking maybe in a decade it’ll be possible.
    Again, HURRAH! Well worth the missed knitting time, I’m sure.

  146. Hey, I EARNED my impatience, thankyouverymuch. Besides, egging Rams on (and darlin’, you don’t know the half of it) totally made my afternoon.
    I’m glad he sympathized with the sawdust fire. But more importantly, did he sympathize with ME for being made to wait out in the cold so you could have your blog fodder?
    You did a great job, Steph. It’s fabulous. And I totally understand about that funky light from IKEA.

  148. I have been the soul of patience. I knew you must be rolling in the accolades by now. Maybe over and over. I tried not to think about that too often or in any unseemly manner. Really. 🙂 Either that or you were on your newly accessorized bed, in your newly decorated room, flat on your back in muscle agony. I hoped for the former scenario and cast all manner of jinxes toward the latter.
    Congratulations!!

  149. it was like waiting for the “to be continued” episode to be aired…and SO WORTH IT! loved the journey and the desination is ~fab~!
    gorgeous and peaceful…
    congrats! =)

  150. Holy Crap! Steph! I am so impressed. And while I know all of our ravings mean nothing compared to what Joe thinks, I am so impressed. You are woman! Knitter! Home Remodeler! You.Go.Girl!

  151. Fabulous. And as for “holy shit” – sounds like the highest accolade to me! And perhaps on par with producing children – when my Mom called my Dad to say she was pregnant with their first child, he said, and I quote “no shit?” and she said “yes” and he said “to hell”… more loving words were never spoken ’til today. Happy to read about happy people, in love, making each other happy – keep it comin’, keep it real!

  152. I’ve only been tuning in for the last two weeks, but I am hooked! Knitting AND home improvement…you are such an inspiration (which, by the way, is making my husband very nervous!) 😉
    The room is absolutely gorgeous! A job well done, and a reward well-deserved! Thanks for sharing!

  153. Magnificent room. Brilliant. Stunning.
    From the bottom of my own saw-dust- and plaster-filled old-house-fixin’ heart.
    So glad that Joe was appreciative on all levels.
    And the cat? Cats hate change, but a sprinkle on the New Thing means, “mine.”
    Hapy dance for you.

  155. Re: “the business of happy adults is nothing to be ashamed of”. Wow … you and Joe had a NAP!

  156. “enthusiastically thanked me in a manner becoming my effort and station”
    You mean he gave you jewelry AND real estate, right?

  157. So glad he liked it and that he showed his appreciation appropriately! It is gorgeous dahhhling, you should be v. proud of yourself!!

  158. what a beautiful room, spesh the floors. they are a nightmare to refinish. seeing your nice floors makes me want to refinish our floors…but i’m too lazy to move the furniture out.

  159. Whoooo-freekin’-HOO that is one gorgeous room. And while individually, I don’t think I’d look twice at most browns, that brown and sky-blue does something for me(the one new outfit I bought last year that wasn’t jeans was those colours).
    Amazing job.
    And don’t take Millie’s opinion with any seriousness. I have a cat who is prone to expressing his opinions of say, dust motes or a particular gust of breeze in a similar manner. Hope the pillows can be rescued – I keep a jug of Nature’s Miracle “Just for Cats” formula on hand.

  160. Wow, Steph, that’s even more gorgeous than I had imagined. I’m glad he liked it and that you like it too. It’s important to have a haven. Rock on, Harlot!

  161. Breathtaking my dear! You have done well! I was in tears reading the part about how Joe noticed everything. Fabulous, just fabulous!
    And, just for the record, I’m with Millie! 🙂

  162. An aboslutely spectacular job! You deserve every bit of credit and then some for all creative and back breaking work you put in.

  163. How about your own HGTV show, like “While you were out at the LYS”? You can go to the yarn store with the lucky person of the day while someone (one of those organized knitters) organizes the stash at home and surprises them with a fancy, new knitting room.

  164. Re: Millie expressing her opinion…we recently moved to a new house, and it’s got wood (laminate) floors throughout. To help keep down on the cat litter being tracked around, we ordered a rug for the hallway. Which turned out to be discontinued (why doesn’t the shop know this when we order it or pay for it?!?!). Okay, so I go to Ikea, and get something that will do for about half the cost of the first one.
    Twenty minutes after I laid it down, I hear a cat puking on it. *sigh*

  165. Wow…YAY!
    My husband has been reading your posts with me this week and very excitedly came in to see the finished results. He said he actually feels like he’s part of your life now :-).
    Congratulations on a job well done, Steph!

  166. Way to go! Looks beautiful! And way to go to Joe too for having the right response instead of being male and going, “Something looks different…” I may have to get cracking on our bedroom now. Why are the areas for ourselves always the last to be done?

  168. YAY! I loved Joe’s reaction.. and I love your room. I think you did a fabulous job.. what a lovely room! I am inspired.

  169. Your “new” room is really beautiful, and you deserve to be very proud of yourself. You are truly the queen of your home and (clearly) your man’s heart. You are also an inspiration to the rest of us. Thanks so much for sharing!

  170. Wow, it looks so great. Do you make house calls? lol It is very inspiring…my fiance is away for two whole years at grad school…just imagine what I could get away with! Renovationally speaking of course. : )

  171. You Rock! Now get your butt over here and do my living room! 😉
    What a wonderful surprise for your hubby and gift to yourself.

  174. Beautiful. And Joe gets extra hubby-points for saying (and doing) all the right things to express his admiration. Thanks for sharing.

  175. Steph, you really need to move the comment box to the top so my computer stops freezing when I try to scroll down to the bottom just to say something. Phew.
    Anyways, the bedroom looks gorgeous, and you did a fantastic job. I can’t wait to hear about your representing plans, even though now I can’t go since I lost my job and got knocked up, which took up most of my free money, believe it or not. I am still very sad about this.

  176. Oh, Stephanie,
    Your room looks so beautiful and restful and put together! (the pillows DO add just the right touch!) What a triumph for you and many, many thanks to Joe for his perfect and appropriate response! It made me cry. All the work involved was so appreciated! (in so many ways 😉 ) And every night you two can go upstairs and appreciate it again…and again…and again! How lovely!

  180. Your room looks fabulous! And I’m so pleased that Joe appreciated it. That’s very cool.

  181. You should be so proud!! I have been checking impatiently all day to see!! Very exciting! enjoy it in good health! PJ in NJ

  185. I’ve been waiting to hear what Joe thought of the finished product! You did an AMAZING job. That room looks absolutely fantastic!

  186. All I had to do is say to my husband, “Remember that show While You Were Out? Steph watches HGTV as much as I do” and the look of panic on that man’s face was palpable. You SO rock. And that Rachel H…man, I wish I lived closer.
    The electrical thing is as far as I’ve gone on this end. I aspire to your undecorated (cause the cat stuff on it…not in the design) decorator pillows and your padded headboard. We don’t even have a freaking bed…just a box thingy on the floor.
    Maybe I’ll just clean my desk.

  187. I hate to be unimaginative but “holy shit Steph!”
    Love, love, love, love, LOVE the room. BTW, I think that we might have painted rooms the exact same color, ‘cept mine was our master bath. I accented with Chocolate brown and that taupey/beige color (like the throw at the foot of the bed) but I LOVE the addition of the blue. . . . . hmmmmm, I think I might need some blue towels.
    Thanks for sharing and I am sooooo glad that Joe loved it (although we all knew he would – you might not have but we did).
    BTW, that Ikea hanging lamp thingy? I love it too. That’s another one of those ‘designer things’ – attractive and interesting lighting. Very cool.

  188. Dude! Girlfriend, you are something else! That room is perfect. I wasn’t sure of the color for the walls at first, but it seems the HGTV really sunk in — you have the knack!

  189. Oh, Mrs. McPhee… It’s beautiful. Really beautiful. I wish my bedroom looked like that.

  190. OMG!!! It looks fantastic!! And I love Joe’s reaction, and I feel that sweet, sweet lovin’ is an entirely appropriate “Thank You” (although, if it was me, I wouldn’t say no to a mini-spree at Lettuce Knit).

  191. WOW….unbelievable! I love it and I’m glad Joe did too although how could he not? I’m especially impressed with the floors, they look amazing. The whole thing, great job!

  192. Love the room! That is awesome! I think I would have been gripping the pan handles pretty hard while sending the getyourbehindupthedamnstairs vibes too.
    So awesome that he was totally surprised and the boy did right to express his thanks in his new room.

  193. I love the color scheme… brown, blue, white… really nice. A lovely job all around. And I did check repeatedly, but walked away for a couple hours and and I’m 200th in line. You had us all hanging on the edge of our seats! Millie, however, deserves to be banned from the room for quite a while.

  195. Wowie Zowie! What a difference! Wonderful job! You two deserve a nice place to escape to…but Millie…bad cat…bad bad cat….have 2 here that express themselves the same way about change…tsk tsk tsk….Enjoy the fruits of your hard work!!!

  196. Ok, ok, I did keep on checking the blog, but I did figure that you were busy with a life, so I did not comment. On the record. Your isp, of course, will complain about how many files, hangars, rooms, doors, or whatever they gripe about.
    It came out really great, and a nice room for a couple, not too femmy, not too guy. I love the Ikea light — I wish I could screw things into the ceiling in my apartment, because it makes me smile too!

  197. It’s beautiful. Incredible job, and on a deadline at that! Dang.
    Looks like you totally have the right guy, too.

  200. Oh my god. You’re room is so beautiful. I’ve been watching too much HGTV myself and been iching to do renovations, but my landlord won’t let me. *pouts* But anyway that room is just gorgous.

  202. Congrats on all the hard work! I’m glad Joe really appreciated it. I was actually nervous for you when he wouldn’t go upstairs! Sounds like something that would happen to me.
    The room is beautiful, and you are an amazing person to go through so much work. Can’t say I would have done it myself.

  203. I was good – I didn’t nag once! Bravo, Stephanie. And now I hope that Joe has already given you himself or will buy you what you really really need more than anything else right now – a massage. Love the Ikea light!

  204. Beautiful job! And, Joe’s reaction wonderful. Now we know why it took so long for you to share his seeing the room for the first time! May you enjoy many more such times together in your lovely retreat room!

  205. The room looks great. I enjoyed the tour. I did not cry, however. Although I might have if you’d done that to my bedroom.
    Seriously, I did a whole redo of our bedroom a couple of years ago, although not as a surprise. I still love it but your pictures might have inspired me to clean it so it looks as nice as it did when it was first complete. Sigh. The sad thing about doing all this work is you actually have to live in the place.
    Looking forward to next week….

  206. May I reiterate what everyone else has said: well done and congratulations!
    And, there’s something to be said about copy-catting: I knit my first shawl after you wrote so movingly about the process, so many times. Now I’m considering doing something about finishing unpacking in my little house (I’ve only been here six months). After painting, of course.
    I hope you and Joe enjoy the new room for a loooong time.

  209. WOW!! My husband was impressed, too. I’m hoping he doesn’t get any ideas about what sort of renovations I’ll do. Although he’d probably flip out (and not at all in a good way).

  210. OMG, it looks great! The floors came out so well! Brava!
    I did a similar thing with my husband once, I redid the master bathroom when he was in Japan for a week. I swear it took him an hour to go into that dang bathroom!

  213. Ah, it’s so tempting to surprise them in the bedroom. I did that with my boyfriend today, his brand new (and a complete surprise to him) EZ Seamless Hybrid right next to me, took him a couple of minutes to notice it. Silly men.

  214. The transformation is really amazing!
    I love the colors; it does look like a very relaxing place to go at the end of a hectic day.

  215. It is beautiful, Stephanie! The blue of the bed is perfect with the brown pillows and the lovely colour of the walls. The floor looks fabulous, and the crap-holding box, bamboo, curtains, snazzy light, and all the “accessories” really just make it. Well done! You deserved all the “thanks” you received. 🙂

  216. The room is great – the blue and brown together is just gorgeous, and it looks so calm. I have to say, though, the floor is my favorite part. I know what it’s like to have ugly floors, and you’ve made yours beautiful!

  217. What an adventure. I had to check every day to see what had “happened” that day. And I had to share the electricity excitement with my hub, (as apparently every other reader did as well). But I have to tell you, get rid of that cat. She is not worthy of you and all your hard work. BYW, watching HGTV is considered hard work. Many people get paid to do “research and development”. Once again, get rid of the unworthy feline. Awesome job.

  218. It’s beautiful and it took all my self control not to scroll down and see Joe’s reaction. Congrats on a job well done, now, do you hire out? LOL. Kidding.

  221. Wow! This looks awesome – what a great job!
    I have to tell you that YOUR EXPERIENCE has actually influenced my experience (as often happens in blogland)in a strange kind of way. Let me explain: A few days ago I was telling my husband about your project and your postings about it all while your husband was out of town. That simmered in my husband’s brain for a few days…because he’d seen the paint samples and wallpaper books and bag with tile remover supplies that I bought at Lowe’s sitting out in our master bathroom for about 2 weeks. But I didn’t say a word because I too was planning to wait until he went out of town next week on a trip for ME to start on the project (I was determined to at least do the painting and stripping wallpaper part). So TODAY at lunch he asks me “What are you planning to do in our bedroom and bathroom?” And I respond, “Well, we basically need to gut it all and start over – but in the meantime I thought that at least I should paint the bedroom and strip the wallpaper in the bathroom and replace it.” And he say “What about the tile?” And I say “Well, yes, that too.” And he says “What about the bathroom cabinet and sinks?” And I say, “Yay, that too. They’re dated and I’ve always hated them.” “Lights and mirror?” “Yep?” “And You’re planning on doing this all yourself?” And I say (with a straight face), “Yep.” And he says “And then blog about it?” And I smile and say “Well, probably.” And then he says, “I think we should find out how much it would cost to hire professionals. Let’s go shopping.” And that folks, is what we call peer pressure. He never EVER does that.

  222. Hi,
    Lovely job!
    We have the funky light from IKEA too – and one of our cats, Foppa just loves playing with it. Climbing it up and down and making small holes in the fabric!!!
    Have a great day

  223. We always say at my house when my hubby leaves for a few days “When the cat’s away, the mice move furniture.”
    Last time he left, we junked his old falling apart pressboard dresser for a nice newish maple one, sorted and folded all his clothes… His reaction was, this one has different drawer handles.
    This wasn’t the extreme makeover you undertook, but the response to hours & hours of real work was pretty underwhelming. It looks as though your Joe’s a gem (so are you!)

  224. What can I say? I am terribly impressed… and yes, the suspense on this one was intense! Who knew that a knitting blog could have cliff hangers like this one? The room is amazing. I am so happy for both of you.

  225. Your bedroom looks great! I’m almost (but not quite yet), inspired to turn the now storage room with my bed in the middle, back to bedroom it should be.

  226. Oh how I wanted to nag!! I reread previous entries to see if you told us what time of day Joe was coming home. You didn’t.
    What a wonderful ending – up until the cat bit – but that makes a nice counter punch to the whole story.
    The room is wonderful. Including the pillows – which I admit I wouldn’t bother with. I barely make the bed let alone “accessorize” it daily.

  227. Wow – that looks stunning. Absolutely stunning. No wonder Joe was speechless. I bet you’re grateful for the bonus yarn storage, too!

  228. It’s very lovely, and surely worth the effort :o) (BTW I bought a big cushion for the bed the other week – to the other half’s alarm – it really does make the room!).
    Cat’s DO hate change, our Boris wouldn’t set foot in the kitchen on Sunday because we’d taken down another cupboard….

  229. ha ha, the wonders of IKEA. Living in the UK and I have the same bedside lights as the Yarn Harlot! LoL!

  230. sorry, also meant to say that is ONE GREAT JOB you’ve done there. Congratulations on getting through it alive and sane(ish).

  231. I’m very impressed by the room & even more impressed by the restraint you showed by not attempting to knit a coverlette & matching pillows at the same time.

  232. Steph, you did an AWESOME job! I never could’ve done that in 1,000 years! And I’m so happy that Joe absolutely loved it–what a great welcome home gift you gave him!!

  233. Your bedroom is beautiful.
    Gotta love Joe…loving his noting all the details of the ‘new’ room, and obviously yours also. What colour did you finally choose for the walls? Again, a magnificent job.

  234. I had a cat that hated stuff on the floor. She always peed on it. Drove us nuts. We had her for 18 years and she was always a bad girl.

  239. I have never enjoyed watching a room renovation more. Beats TV all to pieces!! Nice job.

  240. you are so amazing!! the room looks absolutely gorgeous and i love the story of showing it to joe… what a goddess you are! congrats on a beautiful, beautiful job.

  242. You are much more patient than I. I would have had a neon sign. Everything looks great. You really should be on martha Stewart. But she would be jealous of your time line. cecilia

  243. Stephanie – Your work is amazing! Knitting and otherwise. 😉
    What this entire saga has made me think, though, is that I want to find someone I’m willing to do all of that for. You and Joe rock. 🙂

  245. Congrats on finishing a beautiful room! It really is lovely. I am impressed by the amount of work that took and that you were able to do all that with such stealth. You done good!
    Just be gentle on the laundry hamper. If it’s the same one we got at Ikea (looks like it), we’ve destroyed two out of three of them in rather swift time.

  246. Well done!!! Thanks for sharing your pain and triumph. What a great example of love in a committed relationship. You wanted so much to surprise and please him and he was able to receive that gift with thanks and appreciation. Thanks for letting us share your joy.
    Penny

  247. I must tell you, I have been obsessively checking your blog to see the “after” pictures. It looks fabulous! ENJOY!!

  252. You and your helpers did an AMAZING job! I’ll bet Joe is very pleased. I know I would be. Hell, can I hire you? Seriously, you are an inspiration. I’m getting two of your books today, and I’m sure they’ll be everything I hope for. Keep up the awesome work, Steph.

  253. We painted our bedroom last spring – have the same color furniture, walls, trim, bedding. Still love the feel of the room every time I walk in. Except it took both of us twice as long to finish it (well, except for the nightstands that still aren’t finished); do you sleep?

  255. It looks awesome Stephanie! My cats would have probably done some business on the pillows too. Opinionated bunch, aren’t they?

  256. Oh you Decorating Harlot! You did a fabulous job. I was telling my daughter about your big surprise and mentioned that you hadn’t posted by lunchtime yesterday. Five o’clock rolled around and I left work and my internet connection. DD called me on the way home and said, “Mom, you sound kind of down.” I told her that sadly, there was no post from The Harlot today. She gently replied that I really needed to get a grip – being this dependent on all things knitterly was not healthy. She actually used the word knitterly. I think she might be right

  257. Wow. Congrats to Joe on not letting us all down! What a guy.
    Oh yeah, and you get a small amount of praise too, Ms Harlot….

  259. When I scrolled down and saw the picture of you on the bed…I got scared…that you fell asleep right there! And then I kept reading and thought…how would you even have the energy for sex? LOL!
    P.S. You might have to keep your door closed from the cat for a while.

  261. My mom (an HGTV junkie) has a motto which is, ‘you can never be too thin, or have too many throw pillows’ 🙂 Your room looks GREAT! If the knitting thing gets ‘old’ you can always get your own designing show. You have used one of my favorite color combos for decorating. It looks so inviting and I am glad that Joe liked it!

  262. Congratulations, it is SO beautiful and worth all the hard work. This reminds me of that time you knit that shawl (the Wedding Ring shawl, I think) and then spent 1.354 billion hours pinning it and you were so exhausted but it was all SO worth it in the end 🙂 Wonderful!

  263. Steph, I am deeply and truly impressed. While I am a serial renovator myself, we still have a sheet hung up over our bedroom window, and my activity seems to primarily consist of writing large checks to contractors. You did this legit, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
    Bravo, big time. I think taking care of your bedroom has symbolic importance, and I hope Joe keeps thanking you in all the right ways.

  265. OMG, Steph! That’s gorgeous! Good job! And I’m glad Joe “thanked you” appropriately. *grin*
    Now I’m nearly geared up to redo our dining room. Nearly.

  266. Thank you so much for sharing all this with us. I was waiting eagerly for your ‘after’ photos, and I think your room looks lovely. I was in stitches as you described your frustrating wait for Joe to go upstairs, and love your ‘gentle hints’ as to the nature of his thank-you! I am truly in awe at what you accomplished in just a few days, and embarrassed that I only managed to finish the ironing whilst my husband was away last week (mainly because I spent so much time reading knitting blogs!)

  267. Wow, it looks gorgeous! I got so nervous reading your post, waiting, waiting, waiting for Joe to go upstairs. I can only imagine how you felt!

  270. AAAAAAAAAAWWWwww…! I was on tenterhooks reading the story of The Unveiling of The Room. And Joe, bless his heart, reacted perfectly.
    And Steph, the room looks BEAUTIFUL. All that cable TV watching paid off in spades. I don’t suppose I could hire you to help with my place…? OK, OK, nevermind! 🙂

  271. Stephanie, the bedroom looks spectacular and I am so pleased Joe gave it full appreciation, looking at everything and reading your blog. Really pleased for you. How wonderful.

  272. It’s lovely. A success for sure. You should thank Millie. She’s saving you from months of trying to assimilate all those extra pillows into your life only to leave you cussing at them every stinkin’ day till you toss them into the basement in a fit of rage. My cats aren’t that thoughful.

  273. The finished product is absolutely breathtaking–you must be so thrilled! (And yes, I was on tenterhooks waiting for the big reveal, so reading the successful finish was a blast.)

  274. Beautiful work! I especially love the color of the walls. I always pass over darker shades in favor of pale ones, but next time I paint (if ever), I’ll now consider all of the paint chips! (My boyfriend will be SO EXCITED!)

  275. Beautiful!! After growing up in a little farmhouse in nowhere Wisconsin, I can totally appreciate renovating a room and having it look glam afterwards (our rooms stayed in perpetual construction until we relocated to Austin, TX). I am glad that Joe loved it and rewarded you appropriately! 🙂

  276. Wow. I think you just invented a second line of work for yourself — yarnharlot and home makeover queen!

  277. Wow. You DO work hard, don’t you? And he really had the perfect reaction. This is like one of the best love stories ever. Love of the new space, love of the effort, love of each other.
    I’m amazed at how fast you accomplished it all, and thrilled that you got what sounds like really the ideal response from Joe.
    I hope you’re proud of yourself. You should be.

  278. Regarding your kitty’s response to your new pillows: Yep. Been there. Done that. (Or rather the cat “done that”) My answer is pillow shams: get a couple of pillow shams that are washable and match your color scheme. Get some cheap pillows to put inside them. Then when kitty expresses her opinion, just pull off the shams and throw them in Sir Washie. The real joy is when kitty lets you know how neglected he is feeling by leaving a nice little “gift” in the middle of your unmade bed. Learned fast to always put the light on before sitting on the bed. Yeeew!

  280. Beautiful, tranquil, and I totally love the light–it makes the room yours. Congratulations on a job well done!

  282. All RIGHT! My friend was over for our weekly S&B, and I said “Don’t talk to me I have to read this NOW!”. I’m so tickled with YOU, with the Daily Descriptions….and with Joe. What a great pleasure it must be for him, and his response was equal to the labor. Thanks for the whole deal from where *I* sit, dear Harlot. Let me see, what do youngster say today… **YOU ROCK!!**

  283. OH PS: Evangeline and Lilliane said I must add: Millie, you rock too! No project worth doing is complete until The Cat has Commented.

  285. Great writing – for a few seconds there I thought I was reading a modern day Jane Austin.

  286. You might want to let Ken look at something – the “Before” post does not show up if you click on March 6, only if you look for it in the list of recent posts. So if someone was reading chronologically, they would miss all the before pictures …
    A basket to toss your pillows in at night might work – most cats, even Her Highness Delilah Fuzzybutt will not climb into a tall narrowish basket to express their disdain. I have to use one to keep her from nesting and gnawing on books. Yes, my cat is weird — what cat isn’t?

  287. It looks splendid! And having done my share of painting (often by myself) and chugging things around in a room, I really appreciate your hard work. Years ago I had painted 90% of our hideous living/dining room in a lovely grey and had painted plain white trim (yes there IS such a thing) — and I was almost finished. P. picked up a paintbrush to help with that last 10% or less when an elderly lady we knew came by for a few minutes. She praised HIM up one side and down the other for doing such a wonderful job redoing our room, while I stood there and fumed. He just grinned. Sheesh!

  289. After more thought than you’d really like to know I put into things like this, I’ve decided we were NOT unreasonably impatient. We gave you one full free day, which is quite patient under the circumstances.

  292. Yay! It turned out very nicely, congratulations on all the hard work! And ignore the dang cat, she’d probably decorate in mouse innards if you let her…

  293. reading that comment, i was so happy for you i cried a little, just at the moment that joe saw the room. literally, tears.

  296. *raucous cheers*
    I hate decorator pillows. They are the bane of my existence. Kudos to your cat.
    But holy cow, I’m so so SO glad that Joe noticed all the little things you did. YAY!

  297. By the sounds of it, you have got a man who was totally deserving of such a wonderful surprise. Great job on getting such a fantastic job done in such a short time.
    And I guess Millie has decided that since she leaves your yarn alone, pillows are fair game. Sorry about that.

  298. Great job ! I am so jealous of your imaginative color choices. I love the paint color ! The cat doesn’t look too happy, tho.

  299. The room looks beautiful. Now the hard part will be keeping the girls from hanging out in the best room of the house. “But Mom, it’s the BEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE!” 🙂

  300. Go Stephanie! Can you write a book on decorating next? You have clearly adapted your construction and textile skills from yarn to the whole house…mentor us in your super decorator ninja ways!

  302. Ah, what a fabulous ending to the renovate story. Joe, now there’s a man who knows how to keep a marriage going. Steph–you too!! I’m sure that if, for whatever reason, you and Joe should (perish the thought) part ways, there are approximately 2,000 knitters who would snatch that man up in an instant. He knows how to appreciate his woman!!!

  303. “Gentle” Readers. . .snort!!! Now I’m wondering if you really do read all the comments (just kidding)!
    The room looks great and Joe seems to have appreciated your efforts most appropriatly. Good work!! I can’t tell you how impressed I am that you actually started and finished the whole thing. . .I live in the house of “started” projects.

  305. Wow, so much rollercoastering up and down, laughing and almost crying for you I’m thrilled that Joe was appropriately thankful and I feel like a baby has been born, with all of our waiting and waiting for the “birth”!
    Now you can go “relax” on the Day of Representing!
    Cheers and pass the bottle opener!

  306. Changing to The Home Harlot? A new book????
    kidding- *mostly*
    beautiful job— nicely done- once surprised my hubby by paining the dining room burgundy and hanging a border. Should have seen me trying to hang the ceiling high border— standing on a chair as it slipped slooooowly down the wall….at the other end… honestly- you can’t hang wall paper alone.
    If you visited- and stood on a chair- you’d see tiny holes in the corners where I finally used the staple-gun as my helper!
    Now back to knitting;)

  307. WOW! The room looks great! I’ve been down the remodel path hundreds of times myself and I just can’t believe how much you got done in such a short amount of time. YOU ROCK! Lucky husband, yours 🙂
    enjoy,
    anie

  308. Very awesome, very worth it…and you’re totally welcome to the privacy of your own, perfectly beautiful, wonderful, tranquil and awesome clean and perfect bedroom… (and I’ve got to tell you, Joe sounds like the type of spouse who deserves such an awesome surprise:0) Well done!!!

  309. It’s just gorgeous! I’m glad Joe so obviously was impressed and noticed everything. The nice thing about renovation is the beauty has a soothing effect. As for the cat, there is a product called Kids N Pets for cleaning carpets and upholstery that removes the, er, pungent odor and somehow the pets do not want to reannoint the spot. My daughter has used this successfully with her three cats.

  310. Great job, Steph (and friends and relatives)!!
    And Joe didn’t disappoint either.
    The cat would have to go. vj

  311. Steph, the wait was worth it. This is no mere feather in your cap. It is a star in the diadem that crowns your ever-lovin’-renovating head!
    Now, will you come over and help me finish my powder room?

  312. Oh it looks lovely. Well done!
    “Decorator pillows” are silly really aren’t they? They must spend most of their time NOT on the bed, but they still look great. Mind you, it is possible to over-do it. The hotel we went to recently for hubby’s birthday treat had 4 enormous pilllows AND a bolster arranged on the bed (not to mention the 2 each for sleeping/propping yourself up to read), all of which had to be shifted before we could put something on the bed, let alone get into it.
    I never had “decorator pillows”, or for that matter bedlinens in pale colours, till after our cat died. She was ginger and loved to sit/lie on the bed, so I had to brush great clumps of hair off on a regular basis. Everything had to be practical!
    Once again, congratulations!

  313. Your room is stunning, but I have to agree with the cat about those pillows. And oo-la-la, you have a wonderfully appreciative husband who knows how to say thank you! By the way, there is nothing that grosses out teenagers more than knowing that mom and dad “do it.” Especially if they think that mom and dad are in there doing it “right now.” Truth be told though, they want to know that their parents love each other. And you guys certainly do.

  314. I remember when we moved our bed from one room to another. It was late when we finished switching bedrooms, I finally struggled to make up the bed and when I came back from brushing my teeth, exhausted, one of the cats had peed on the bed, through the duvet cover, through the only queen sized sheets to the mattress. They don’t like change all right.
    The offer still stands to help finish my house, cause you’re a pro now.
    ps. I bought the same rectangular decorator pillow.

  315. How magnificently it turned out! It’s finally finished – now I can breathe a sigh of relief. As I’m sure YOU are, heh. I love your bedroom, it’s so gorgeous now. I like the colors of everything, the bed, the walls, the floor. And oooh, what a perfect description of your husband’s appreciation! So romantic, Steph!
    🙂

  316. you are a woman of vast determination and fortitude. I’m stunned by the room’s transformation. Way to go with the pillows (I did the same thing under the same theory), but my husband puts them all on the rug next the bed.
    As for accessories–have you ever looked at Realtors? Their jewelry matches their outfit. It’s unbelievable, like they buy the whole outfit off the mannequin or something.

  317. What can I say…..just fab and thanks for sharing,may you both enjoy bliss from now on.
    Oh I loved the cat thing well you know what I mean, it probably was gross when it happened, but there is nothing better than a cat to show you disapproval…..heck, do you care?

  318. i am so, so proud of you! excellent representation of woman-ability! woohoo!

  319. It’s not just paint that comes in unnumbered shades of white. It’s also plumbing fixture (says the woman who’s mid bathroom reno right now)! Who knew!
    Then the painter has to figure out what to match…
    You did an awesome job, but rather you than me!

  321. It’s lovely. Just lovely. The wall paint is such a nice warm caramel.
    And FTR, some of us just manically refreshed the page about a million times instead of emailing you or putting impatient comments in.
    So yes; we’re an impatient bunch. But some of us have tiny smidge 0000-needle-width more than others. 🙂
    Now I’m having unclean thoughts about some quarter round…

  323. totally predictable response…FABULOUS job! My fav is the Ikea glass front bookcase (I’m jealous…no Ikea here or I would be there pricing that bookcase). I just knew you would repurpose the old one for yarn storage; it is perfect for that. Speaking of bad cats, when I first moved here, I had a roommate for awhile (well actually I lived in HER house for awhile) who had a miserable cat we called Damn Cat. This freaking feline crappedd in my shoes and I once found her in the bathroom licking my toothbrush! Cats can be ornery indeed!

  324. The room is beautiful, I have a feeling that men love women who know how to use powertools.

  325. Such a beautiful room …just lovely. I especially like the way the light comes through the curtains making all the changes glow.

  326. LOVE the room!!!
    BTW, have you ever seen the movie “Along Came Polly”? There’s a scene there where the dude calculates how much time he spends taking the decorative pillows off and on his bed.
    When I heard the figure, I stopped my research for the perfect decorative bed pillows.
    HEE HEE!

  327. Allow me to join the the chorus of accolades on your room! It looks absolutely amazing. My favorite parts are the floors, which have been restored to their full beauty (all idiocy of the sander-guys aside), and the light, of which I am envious (Oh Ikea, how we love you). Enjoy your new room!

  328. Fantastic job! You’re bedroom looks great! I laughed until I had tears in my eyes when I read this blog entry.

  331. You may just possibly have gathered this by now but we think your new room looks fab – I am amazed at how much you and the helpful and less-helpful-more-sawdust-incinerating helpers managed to achieve in a week – my back aches just thinking about it!
    Enjoy all the accolades because you totally deserve them!

  332. I can’t remember now which commenter mentioned it, but please don’t call yourself the DIY Harlot, it really has some negative connotations that I am not sure you want to project. (Or I just have a dirty mind, but I nearly spit coffee at my screen when I read it.)

  335. 1. I’m glad I wasn’t one of the naggers, I was quietly worried that Joe’s return had been delayed, or that somehow, something had gone “terribly, terribly wrong” in the last steps.
    2. Beautiful room.
    3. Man, do I ever need to renovate a couple (4-5) rooms.
    4. Good response from Joe. He’s obviously a very intelligent husband.
    5. Bad kitty, bad bad kitty. I’m not sure the catnip pillow knitted with cat hair yarn is such a bad idea – and no, that’s not my cat talking. I hope Millie gets over it soon.

  338. OK. All I want to know is what you did with the girls this whole time.
    Great great job on the room. I HAVE to figure out how to make my husband go away for a week.

  339. OK. All I want to know is what you did with the girls this whole time.
    Great great job on the room. I HAVE to figure out how to make my husband go away for a week.

  342. CONGRATS! It’s beautiful and I’ve sympathized and enjoyed and laughed every minute of it. What a beautiful haven…you inspire me to do SOMETHING wiht my room!

  346. Amazing; simply amazing! My husband and I are currently renovating our house as well, and seeing your pictures inspires me to keep at it! Way to go!

  347. I LOVE the room!! Nice job – On the Today Show (USA) they had a sweater made of cat hair yarn. I think if Millie-the-bad-cat knows what is good for her, she’ll shape up and stop messing with decorator pillows! I think Millie-yarn would make some lovely socks!

  349. You inspire me like you have no idea. Thanks for sharing your life, good and bad with us. I know that it was a lot to describe all that, but you are such a rare great and gifted storyteller, that I feel part of your family.
    Glad you got the bedroom done. I did spring cleaning this week and while not as comprehensive as your “while you were out” job, I had the complete feeling of cleanliness and order that first night in the bed.
    Like everything is right in the world.

  350. Steph, some of us Georgia Peaches would love to be one of the stops on your books tour. Atlanta has several great shops, and it’s warmer here!

  351. DON’T BUY THAT POSTER! Please support a real artist somewhere and buy real art. The posters are beautiful and the AGO needs your support, but artists are akin to knitters.

  352. WHOA– you rock, Steph! I just had some _guys_ do a similar thing, and even though I participated, I was definitely NOT the “doer-of.” I was the Official Supervisor & Hoverer. Congrats!! Isn’t it FABULOUS to be FINALLY FINISHED 😀
    Enjoying both our newly discovered Wood Floors!

  353. I have to agree with Joe on this one: Holy Shit, Steph. It looks AMAZING. I am fully and completely impressed.

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