It’s 90 degrees; why not work on the fireplace?

I first decided to reclaim some space in my master bedroom by converting my wood-burning stove to gas, eliminating the need for the giant exhaust pipe running through the bedroom, back in September. The project didn’t get off the ground before winter came. And my bedroom has looked like this ever since:

Not cute. Not at all.

Today I finally got some guys in here to rip that whole mess out.

See ya later, pipe!

The hole in the floor is now covered with this nice vent, which will help control the flow of hot air from the gas stove in the living room below. And the hole in the ceiling, you may ask? Let’s pretend that doesn’t exist for now.

The guys tested the stove and it looks like it’s going to be nice and cozy when winter rolls around again. The fire is relatively realistic; the blue glow of the gas flames is mostly hidden within the stack of “firewood,” leaving the little yellow bits happily flickering away.

But here’s the thing I’m most excited about: now, instead of cramming my bed in a corner, there’s enough space to treat this room like a real master bed!

Excuse the yellow paint. That’s going to get fixed. Right after I fix ceiling and the hole in the wall, and right before I re-carpet.

I need to start accepting donations.