Martha Stewart was “surprised” by the “harsh judgement” commenters were hurling at her Maine living room redo, which she shared on social media earlier this week.

“I rarely read all the comments that come in after I post but because I was so happy at the transformation of my Maine living room I did go through many of the comments and was surprised at the harsh judgment so many displayed !!!” Stewart wrote on Instagram Thursday.

The earlier reveal post featured multiple beige-and-black scenes from Stewart’s recently redecorated living room.

Aside from beige sofas and dark wood and black accents, artwork of birds and plenty of furniture made to look like wood lined the lavish rooms.

She wrote in the initial post, that she had a “big day rearranging the furniture in the three main living rooms at Skyland,” noting that she “switched the living room from grey blue upholstery to a creamy pale buttery yellow.”

Commenters were less than pleased with Stewart’s latest design choices, with one writing that the redecorated living space “looks old and stuffy” and another noting that it’s “not your best work” and that the room feels “empty like no soul empty.”

Not all the comments were critical, though, with plenty of fans chiming in on the original post to let the queen of domesticity know they think her home is “beautiful.”

“I have so missed your interior decorating segments,” one commenter wrote. “YES YES YES to all of this.”

Stewart said in her initial post that some of the furniture was repurposed from a home she sold two years ago, and, in an attempt to explain herself and design choices, provided further context on the redecoration on Thursday.

“I and my Maine helpers spent three hours moving out the old furniture and putting in the new,” Stewart said Thursday, adding that she and her team “were pleased that the pieces actually fit the room and were proportionate to the large size of the space.”

She made clear that the refresh “was not a ‘decorator’s’ professional installation,” rather, “It was an attempt to change quickly and efficiently.”

“Making a house a home, or a room a beautiful livable space takes a lot more than three hours,” Stewart continued on Instagram. “Of course there will be color, plants, mirrors, a new rug or two and other art and objects Stay tuned!!!!”

No home renovation is safe from the brutal judgment of the internet. Not even Martha Stewart, whose Maine summer home apparently did not pass muster with Instagram commenters, is immune.

On July 2, Stewart posted to Instagram with photos from her newly rearranged living room, writing, “We switched the living room from grey blue upholstery to a creamy pale buttery yellow ( all the yellow came from lily pond lane which I sold two years ago!) the library is much more comfortable now and the faux Bois table is now the card table I love the rustic yet elegant charm of this lovely 1925 house.”

But I guess her social media followers were not that charmed.

Comments from unimpressed Instagram users included, “Looks old and stuffy,” and, “Going to be honest…you could hire a better decorator,” and, “Doesn’t look homey and inviting,” and, “Yuck. It looks like a Marriott suite living room in 1987.”

But if you were expecting Martha Stewart not to respond to all this criticism, you’d be deeply mistaken.

“I rarely read all the comments that come in after I post but because I was so happy at the transformation of my Maine living room I did go through many of the comments and was surprised at the harsh judgment so many displayed,” she wrote in a follow-up post on July 4. She continued that it took her and her helpers three hours to replace all of the furniture, and that they were pleased with how well everything fit, adding that it was not a professional installation from a decorator, just a quick facelift. “Making a house a home, or a room a beautiful livable space takes a lot more than three hours. Of course there will be color, plants, mirrors, a new rug or two and other art and objects Stay tuned!!!!”

“Summer is an interesting time in Maine,” Rev. Jeffery Logan, executive director and a co-pastor at Grace-Street Ministry, told a small crowd gathered in Portland’s Old Port [last week].

“Because the rest of the year is such a meteorological maelstrom, the summer often feels like time out of time. A period during which we can forget pretty much everything except barbecues, beach days, and time off from whatever job it is we do.”

Logan, who goes by Pastor Jeff, and others were gathered for the Longest Day of Homelessness sit-out, an annual event organized by Homeless Voices for Justice, to remind the public of the “tragedy and injustice of homelessness,” even in the summer months. 

Pastor Jeff shared how donations, which often take the form of Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards, fall off in the summer months. “The unhoused don’t get a summer vacation,” he said.

“Yes, people living outside do not currently have to worry about freezing to death or about losing fingers and toes, and that is a blessing,” he said. “But when it’s 90 degrees one day and 60 degrees and raining the next, it’s still a challenge and physical danger to be outside.”

The sit-out, which was planned to coincide with one of the longest days of the year, was held on a toasty, humid afternoon, and was preceded by a series of record-hot days across Maine. 

Some of the speakers, who were formerly or currently unhoused, talked about friends who froze to death. Pastor Jeff and others described the challenge of protecting one’s belongings from the elements—or from a front loader commissioned by the city of Portland.

Many of those who passed by the event were likely tourists, or taking the day off. 

The reality of living in Vacationland, for many Mainers, is working while others are not. In fact, many in service and related industries make the bulk of their income during these months. And when they get a day off, even if it’s rare, they want to check out, unplug, hit the beach or the lake.

Listening to Pastor Jeff made me wonder what else are people on vacation — or seeking a vacation — from? 

More and more I hear that people are tired — of bad news, of economic woes, of politics — and want a break. And who can blame them? It’s been a long few years. 

In addition to the urgent needs of people who are unhoused, there are other encroaching threats: the changing climate, the loss of bodily autonomy, the erosion of democracy, etc. It’s an overwhelming list and I fear that many with the privilege to ignore the maelstrom and retreat to a climate-controlled cocoon may never come back out.

But, as Pastor Jeff noted, not everyone has the luxury of being able to unsubscribe from it all. Our work is not done, he said. Our work cannot take the summer off. 

Whether feeding people who don’t have homes, or providing for the elderly or sick, there are many care workers and service providers who continue to carry the weight of humanity, regardless of the day or season.

The silver lining is that, while we can’t disconnect from the challenges that surround us, being part of something bigger than oneself, helping someone in need, and building community can be deeply rejuvenating, too. 

Ending with a quote from Frederick Douglass, Pastor Jeff said, “I prayed for 20 years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”

“So let’s keep on walking,” he added. “We’ve got miles to go before we sleep.”