Welcome to Our Suburban Dream!
Hello and thank you for stopping by Our Suburban Dream: Tales of Moving and Renovating in a New Neighborhood. We are Greg and Chuck, and we just bought our dream home in Upstate New York. We met in 2015 after both going through a divorce. I owned a home in a small rural town that […]
Guide to Create a Stunning Orchid Arrangement
Orchids are amazing plants with beautiful flowers that you can find everywhere, from big box stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart, to grocery stores. They come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. Recently, Chuck started collecting several orchids and wanted to combine them into a single pot. Here’s how you can […]
Plant Haven Renovation Progress: Part 1
Follow our journey as we transform our three-season room into a beautiful plant haven. Discover how we tackle challenges like mildew, water damage, and flooring fixes to create a cozy, inviting space.
Basement Makeover Journey: Part 3 – Bathroom
The journey of our basement makeover took an unexpected turn when we reached the bathroom. Despite its small size, we assumed the project would be quick and easy. How wrong we were! The bathroom originally had paneling on the lower half of the walls. The prior owners cut a hole into the paneling to accommodate […]
Basement Makeover Journey: Part 2 – Bedroom, Closet, and Bar
In our recent updates, you’ve been joining us on our basement makeover journey. We completed the living room floors, but there’s still work left in the rest of the basement, beginning with the guest room. The newer carpet in this area had poor installation, causing it to pull up around the door and baseboard heater. […]
Basement Makeover Journey: Part 1 – Living Room
Our basement makeover journey began with a major point of contention: carpeting. Its tendency to trap allergens, pet fur, and lingering odors has always been a concern for us. Initially, the basement appeared clean and fresh when we first arrived, but with the rise in humidity last summer, the remnants of the previous owners’ pets […]
Exploring Modern Retro Transformation in Home Design
In our recent Modern Retro Transformation project, we embarked on a journey by removing vinyl plank flooring that covered our original hardwood floors. As we revealed the floors, their beauty shone through, though they needed a makeover. Sanding and staining darkened the originally charming maple wood, resulting in an uneven texture and inconsistent color. Refinishing […]
Hardwood Floor Revelation: From Vinyl to Vintage Charm
When we first stepped into our new home, we expected to see hardwood flooring. That was mostly due to the age of the house. We were surprised to see vinyl floors when we walked in. Despite the explanation that the original wood was beyond repair, our curiosity lingered. I have wanted to see what the […]
Journey of a Vintage Table Transformation
Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and had a wonderful time celebrating with your families! If you’re following us on Instagram and Facebook, you probably already know about our latest project. This time we are starting a Vintage Table Transformation. During a visit to our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a stunning […]
The Magic of Festive Christmas Decorations
The holiday season holds a special place in the hearts of many families, and ours is certainly no exception. Many of our best memories have happened around this time of year, especially as we celebrate with Festive Christmas Decorations. We went on a memorable trip to Mexico to celebrate Chuck’s 50th birthday just before Christmas, […]