A homeowner is lured away for a weekend while someone else (usually a spouse) helps a crew redecorate a room or yard as a surprise.

The "While You Were Out" crew conspire with one member of a household to get their spouse/partner/roommate out of the way so that they can perform a 48-hour makeover on a room or outdoor area. They also trail the party who is away, asking all sorts of questions. The person at home then has a chance to win prizes--which integrate into the new design--for correctly guessing how their spouse/partner/roommate answered.—Kevin Stanford