Taking the time to travel with my family is a major priority for me! This winter, we got to journey through Central Europe, making stops in 3 major cities. Beyond making some wonderful memories, this trip was filled with vibrant history, beautiful sights, and amazing new foods! Come along as I share our journey through Vienna, Austria!

Travel Expectations

If you have ever considered taking a trip like this but are wondering how you could afford it, I want to encourage you to really consider doing it the way my family did. Thanks to the help of Great Value Vacations, our trip was easy to coordinate, filled with amazing sights, and amazingly affordable! 

Traveling to Vienna Full Immersion

Exploring a city in real time & in authentic ways is such a gift! Our trip allowed us to really immerse ourselves into the richness of this city in so many ways.

Vienna is a bustling city, complete with a lot to do and a lot to see. Like any other major city, when traveling to Vienna, you should spend some time in advance narrowing your choices and selecting the top items to suit you best. I want to share our experience and give you some tips along the way.

IKONO Interactive Vienna

We had about a half day when we first arrived. This meant we had time to check off one place on our “to see” list and still leave time for an authentic Austrian dinner! Our travels included a trip to IKONO Interactive. We were not sure exactly what to expect at IKONO, but the description compelled us, and I am really glad we went. Everything at IKONO is completely immersive!

I loved the funky, bright designs used throughout. Plus their use of lighting and retro patterns and displays added to experience. Check out this fun video during our visit!

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Vienna’s Iconic Sights – Driving Tour of the City

This is a great way to see a whole lot of the city in a 2.5 hour window of time!

Rolling through the city in this vintage VW was so cool! Our guide was an architectural professor at the local university. He focused on history of the city, and architecture all throughout the tour. This combination was perfect for relaying the deep history of the country and...this was hands down, my favorite part of our Vienna trip! I would definitely recommend booking a driving tour of the city. We booked ours through Airbnb.

What impressed me most was not necessarily the major landmarks and buildings. True, all are amazing and beautiful. But it was seeing the city as a whole and getting a sense of It was the beauty of all of the streets, bustling with the thoroughfare of people and cars alike. Just look at the gorgeous architecture!

These iconic sights are filled with a richness that are no doubt best appreciated in person, but for sure you can understand their grandeur even from a car. HELPFUL TIP: See if your driver can pull over at some of the places for a quick photo opp! It doesn’t hurt to ask!

In this order below: Hofburg Imperial Palace, Schwendenpaltz Station, and Votivkirche (translated the Votive Church in English)

Vienna – 2 Palaces fit for a Queen

Well, who doesn’t love a good visit to a palace? Or say, two, at least for this empress. Technically, Empress Elizabeth ‘Sisi’ of Austria was also the Queen of Hungary, so I suppose two palaces seems fitting. But the truth, her reign was mixed with both political significance and tragedy. I enjoyed learning about her life and untimely death, the events and outcome still playing out in a legend among the people of Austria. You’ll have to do your own digging if you want to know more!

Sisi’s Castle, where her personal effects and legacy predominantly resides, is actually located in Hofburg Palace. But to really best understand and encapsulate the story and history of Empress ‘Sisi’ of Austria, you will find yourself on a expedition around the city, visiting both Hofburg Palace and Schonbrunn Palace.

Below are photos from the collection at Hofburg Imperial Palace. The gilded finishes next to the deep and luxurious red showcase elegance and grace befitting someone who carries the titles, ‘Queen’ and ‘Empress.’

And here are photos at Schonbrunn Palace. Our exploration of each room had me reeling. I could not get enough of the patterns! I especially love the detail of the wood floors. Look at the pattern on the inlay! Be sure to get the full palace tour or you’ll miss some of these room.

A Collection for the Ages

The empress had an extensive collection of carriages, many of which have been preserved or restored. Her collection is available to see at the Carriage Museum just adjoining the Palace at Schonbrunn. It started raining so we did this part spur of the moment to avoid the rain, and I’m so glad we did! It’s small but the carriages are jaw dropping!

Rich Culture of Vienna

Vienna, donned The City of Music, is rich in the Arts and has a deep and steadfast commitment to preserving history and tradition. These next three places made this endeavor come to life for me and my family.

#1 This is The Austrian National Library – one of Harmony’s favorite stops! It felt just like we walked into the library on the movie Beauty and the Beast! Stunning! Pictures don’t do it justice.

#2 St. Stephen’s Cathedral – this iconic church lives in the center of the city, standing as a landmark and reminder to uphold the traditions of Austria and remains a symbol of the country’s return to independence after the 2nd World War.

#3 The Vienna Opera House – make time for a show if you can! It’s a stunning venue!

Trop Travel Hints & Top Picks as a Family

Top Places to Go

Mine – Hands down, the driving tour!

Josh – St. Stephen’s Church

Harmony – IKONO Interactive & the Library

Best Restaurant Experience – De Capo by far! We loved the family atmosphere and food was delicious! We had gnocchi with truffles, and white truffle gnocchi pizza with burrata and local prosciutto. The best thing we ate this trip!

Travel Tips for Vienna

• Definitely book a driving tour, and I think the one we used was perfect, linked here. It was very personalized because it was just our family in the car with our guide. Plus, he was so knowledgeable and knew how to navigate the city well!

Ready to See More Great Places?

Do you love to travel but aren’t sure how to get it done? I love sharing insights from our other trips. Consider checking out other journeys over the years, tagged on my travel blog and also linked below. You can also check out my blog post on our first stop in Central Europe: 12 Must-Visit Sights of Budapest.

It was also a great trip and super affordable!

Thanks for Following Along

I hope hearing about our journey has inspired you to make some travel plans of your own, even if it’s just to a new town close to home! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture at the top of this page. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations. 

We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

Note some of the the links provided are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from any qualifying purchases.

Hi friends! Have you ever really considered this…traveling to Budapest that is? My guess is that a trip to central Europe may not be someone’s first thought, but let me assure you, it should be on your list! Central Europe is like the ultimate hidden gem of travel—packed with vibrant history, charming cities, and some of the most picturesque landscapes you’ll ever see.

Recently, my family and I packed our bags and headed off to explore the sights of 3 major cities in central Europe over a week’s time. Over the next few months, I will be sharing about each of our visits, providing special highlights and tips along the way!

Our first stop is Budapest, capital of Hungary and rich with history and stunning architecture. Thanks to the help of Great Value Vacations, our trip was easy to coordinate, filled with amazing sights, and amazingly affordable! We booked a walking tour of Budapest to cover as much ground as possible, and I am excited to share it with you. That in mind, join with me as we journey through the beautiful sites of Budapest!

Hungarian State Opera House

First known as the Hungarian Royal Opera House, this architectural beauty hosts some of the most well known operas and ballets to grace a stage. Featuring the magnificence of new-Renaissance style, both the inside and outside of this structure boasts exquisite detail and grandeur commensurate with some of the most iconic places to visit in all of Europe. The materials used to create this grand scale include oak, cedar, marble, bronze, steel, and other natural stone. Take a look at these gorgeous pictures which display the ornate arches present in the covered porticos and walkways on the the exterior as well as the halls and passways within.

City Park & Heroes’ Square

Covering an area of approximately 302 acres, I recommend visiting City Park, Hungary’s largest public park. Amidst the wide offering for relaxation, City Park is a center for botanical gardens, museums, art, and history. One popular place is Heroes’ Square and serves as a central meeting point for the history and culture of Budapest. You will see in the photos below the iconic statues that form the Millennium Monument, a commemoration for the founding of Hungary.

Strudels – Delightful Treats in Budapest

We took a little time to stroll and explore the sights, and we decided to stop and enjoy a little bite to eat. At The First Strudel House, we got filled up with delicious strudel while enjoying the cozy and warm atmosphere. It was the perfect thing for a mid day pick me up!

Exploring the History & Culture of Budapest

The next few places as part of our walking tour led us to 3 historical pillars of this rich city. Vajdahunyad Castle, Szechenyi Baths & Pool, and St. Stephen’s Basilica are all major landmarks of Budapest and showcase the beautiful and grand architecture of Hungary.

The yellow building you see is the ‘palace’ structure that encompasses indoor spas and surrounds the outdoor pool of the Szechenyi Baths & Pool, the largest spa in all of Europe! Next to that, you will see St. Stephen’s Basilica, one of Hungary’s most treasured and blessed churches.

After a short visit, our journey led us to a deeper dive into the history and government of Hungary. Szabadsag ter, a local park near the main government building is home to memorials and monuments that pay recognition to the liberation of Hungary from communist rule and domination under the Nazi occupation. Although I don’t have any pictures to share, this park serves to memorialize freedom for the people of Hungary, an endeavor that was not finalized until 1989 for this country.

Hungary is now a Parliamentary Republic. Budapest, as capital of Hungary, is home to the official government offices, and our tour allowed us to stop by and see the outside of the Hungarian Parliament Building. It is beautiful. I wish we had an opportunity to go inside as I feel like it would have been worth the extra time. Below are some pictures. Just look at the grandeur!

Next up we strolled by the Danube River and found our way to Szechenyi Lanchid. Spanning over 1,200 ft. this iconic bridge stretches over the Danube, bridging the Eastern and Western sides of Budapest. We did not get any photos, but it is quite a sight!

Buda Castle – Iconic District of Budapest

Next we found our way to Buda Castle. Although the name may seem like a single destination, Buda Castle is much more. This palatial complex includes (you guessed it!) a castle as well as museums, historic buildings and churches. Most impressive to me was seeing Matthias Church, featured below. Also known as the Church of Our Lady, this landmark is one of the oldest in the city, making it a true story telling stop and well worth the time.

Take note of the roof top at Matthias Church. From a distance you are not able to see it, but when you get a closer look, the roof is made of thousands of tiles – around 149,000 actually.

Details just as magnificent as those ceramic tiles are featured on every inch of the inside of this church. Take a look at the intricate patterns adorning the walls, windows, and arches within the interior walls.

Our final stop at the Buda Castle District was at Fisherman’s Bastion, a historical monument and architectural feature known of Budapest. Overlooking the whole of the Buda Castle District, views from the bastion are breathtaking! You can see for miles out into the whole city.

Saying Farewell

To conclude our travels, we finished with dinner at Koleves Kert. This restaurant also offers allergy friendly choices in addition to some traditional Hungarian dishes. Great place!

Trop Travel Highlights

#1 Getting our photos professionally done with the stunning views from Fisherman’s Bastion as our backdrop.

We booked our session through Airbnb. Our photographer was Tulip, and we couldn’t be happier! She did an outstanding job, and she perfectly captured my family while giving us cherished memories surrounded in the iconic beauty of Budapest. For all this, the price was fantastic – HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

#2 Checking out McDonald’s in Budapest.

Claimed as the most beautiful in the world, this McDonald’s simply WOWS! Making a visit to the golden arches (present or not) around the world is on Josh’s must do list, so I am so happy we made it!

#3 Trying local cuisine.

Branching out and exploring new foods always makes my travel itinerary. In Budapest, I would say you ABSOLUTELY MUST try the delicious chimney cakes! These delights are made from sweetened dough wrapped around a dowel and cooked over an open flame, then stuffed with an assortment of yummy fillings of your choosing.

Tips for Happy Journeys to Budapest

If you are considering a trip to Budapest (or even another destination), here are my top tips for making sure your experience is great!

• Pack a charger for all country types. Select one like this from Amazon – it will accommodate all of your needs!
• Get your tickets ahead of time, particularly for Parliament.
• Be sure to have tip money (and I mean cash) ready to go. In Budapest, it is a cultural norm to tip the folks who are serving in a variety of stations and capacities.
• Have Google translate on phone and ready to go. Some people speak English, but it is not as widely used as you might think. A quick translation will be so helpful for you.
• Uber is easier than public transit. Although the public transportation options are available, we found that taking an uber to most places was the easiest.
• Book guided walking tours. There is a lot to see and you won’t likely be able to get to all of it. Having a guided walking tour hits as many places as possible and keeps you moving!

Ready to start?

Ready to See More Great Places?

Read the FunCycled Travel Blog

Thanks for Following Along

I hope hearing about our journey has inspired you to make some travel plans of your own, even if it’s just to a new town close to home! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture at the top of this page. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations. 

We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

Note some of the the links provided are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from any qualifying purchases.

Welcome friends!

As you may already know, we purchased a building in Troy in the middle of the pandemic and redid it completely to create a large airbnb space. Within the 1st year, we more than doubled any other airbnb income in Troy.

We had a game plan, marketing strategy, and one of a kind design. We believe that is the recipe for success in the Airbnb industry.

What you may not know is that we offer interior design and set up strategies for clients who are looking to start an airbnb or already purchased a building and want one of a kind design to set them apart from other listings.

Check out some of our Airbnb designs:

Before you decide if you should open an airbnb, we recommend asking these questions.

1. What is the draw that would bring a lot of people to the area? Think venues, colleges, destinations.
2. Am I ok with being on call all of the time? If not, am I ok with paying a property manager up to 35% of the income I make?
3. Do you like meeting new people? Do you like the idea of people you don’t know in your space (if it’s located in your house)?
4. How many other airbnb’s are there in the area? If the market is saturated, is your design, location or amenities unique enough to have people choose your airbnb?

Once you work through those answers, if you’d like to move ahead, I highly recommend hiring someone to do the interior design work (unless you have a really good eye for design). The design really does set you apart from other airbnb’s. I’ll pick a uniquely designed airbnb over others despite the price any time.

If design isn’t your thing, hire us! We can help you no matter where you’re located in the US. We can give you tips to get reimbursed easier when there is a problem, tips to make the experience one of a kind for your guest, and show you products we’ve used and loved over the years… and that’s in addition to helping you with design!

FunCycled Airbnb Design Services

Contact Us today to get the help we know you’ll need!

Thank you all for following along! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations. 

We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

Hi Friends,

I’m so excited to share with you the living room makeover at our airbnb. It was a huge change from what we started with. Here it was the day we went to look at the building to buy it.

We started by ripping up the plywood floor and finding beautiful hard wood flooring that we could refinish. Love when that happens!

We painted all the walls and trim Simply White by Benjamin Moore. We also added a new framed out area by the TV.

We also did a backer board shiplap in the entertainment area and built barn board shelves to add texture and dimension. The coffee table is a repurposed lobster crate with a glass top, and the leather chairs are so soft and comfy. We also added blind for privacy and more texture. I love the mid century modern light in this room to make everything pop. It adds color and a lot of light in the evening.

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today! 

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. 

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space. 

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends,

This week, I’m sharing a room that is a fan favorite at our airbnb. It’s on the top floor of the building with ceilings that makes the sound bounce around and makes your ears happy to be there. :) First, let’s start by showing you the room before. We actually didn’t do a lot of changes to this room.

Here’s the room when we went to look at the building to purchase it:

I felt like the recliners were too bulky so I switched them out with two click clack couches that can be either in the reclining position, all the way down or upright. I also love that there’s a center arm on the couches that have cup holders in them. Perfect for any movie night at the airbnb.

We get the most question about the couches in this room. Even though they have a high end look, they are pretty inexpensive. The reason I went this route is because I needed something that would fit up the narrow, angled stairs (normal couches wouldn’t). These just barely fit even without the legs on them. I also wanted something that was reasonably priced to replace if need be because it is a movie room and accidents happen. If you love them and want to order one for your home here’s the link.

We also redid an antique record player to be the entertainment center for this room, but it wouldn’t fit up the stairs. So John built this beauty in about 3 hours as a deadline emergency piece (opening was the same week). I love how it turned out and said we should offer this as a custom order for people. Do you all agree?

The TV is a smart TV – we decided to go with faster internet in the airbnb and not do cable. So we bought smart TV’s and it allows guest to sign in using their own credentials to watch the shows they would like.

You can’t see it in the pictures, but there’s also a microwave for popcorn and a skylight with a little bench to soak up some sun mid day if people want. The LED lighting on the floor makes everything pop when the lights are out and the movie is on!

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today! 

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. 

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space. 

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hello Friends!

For this week’s makeover, I wanted to show you another room in our FunCycled Stays airbnb! If you’re looking for a spot to stay while visiting anyone in Troy, Ny, we’d love for you to stay with us! You can also check out other completed rooms in the airbnb here.

Here’s the game room from the day we went to go look at it to consider buying it:

Most of this room was changed with new furniture and flooring. The green rug had to go!! We ripped it up first thing and installed a new flooring. Since this room was narrow, we were able to use roll out sheet vinyl for this space. It was super easy to lay and is really durable for this area since it gets a lot of traffic.

What a difference it made!

In this picture, we had just laid out the vinyl and painted the window trim white.

Then we brought back in the air hockey table, installed baseboard, and added all the decor.

Boho Game Room in the Urban Industrial Airbnb

This whole room design started with the couch. It’s a vintage velvet couch that my friend Monica gave me! It was her mom’s for years and in perfect condition. Thank you, Monica! I loved the lines of the couch and the rich rosy color. The next step in the design was finding a rug. I couldn’t find one online that I liked. I knew I wanted it to be bohemian, but I also wanted it to have some of the rose color in it. I took a trip to Home Goods and found this adorable rug! It was perfect! Had all the colors, the style and the size I wanted. I was so excited!!

For the coffee table, I wanted to do a narrow piece and we had this old reclaimed wood board at our house. So we added the hairpin legs onto the table. Bam – repurposed and adorable.

We painted old lockers, removed one of the doors and added wooden shelves to the middle.

We replaced the fan and added wooden blinds which really helped bring warmth to this space, too.

Custom Made – Time to Relax Sign

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today! 

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. 

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space. 

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends,

I’m so excited to share the full sized bedroom remodel that we did for our Urban Industrial Airbnb! Let’s take a look at the room before we started working on it!

I wanted the headboard wall to be the first thing to catch your eye when you walked into the room. I also knew I wanted everything about this room to be geometric and fun. I started by designing the furniture with a triangle pattern.

Then I moved to the headboard wall design. I knew I wanted a shelf to add decor so I used this repurposed barn board that we already had. I also added triangle decals to the bottom area and painted above the board with Benjamin Moore’s color Black.

To save space and add more texture to this wall, we attached antique crates directly to the wall to create end stands.

We also added pendent lights to this wall and made our own Sleep Sign and Troy Sign. If you’d like either sign, we can custom make one for you. Use our Contact Us form to order and pick up locally.

We also used mustard as our pop of color in this space with throw pillows and throw blankets.

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today! 

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. 

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space. 

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends!

Who doesn’t love a beautiful bedroom when you go somewhere to escape normal life for a bit! Today, I’m sharing the master bedroom makeover in the airbnb. If you’re looking for a place get away and relax; book your stay here!

This is the master bedroom when we went to look at the building to purchase it.

It doesn’t look it, but the walls were a light gray and my least favorite part of the room was the huge pine baseboard! It was 12″ tall!

So we ripped that out and repurposed it to be shelving in the kitchen.

We painted the headboard wall Newburg Green by Benjamin Moore in a Matte finish and the rest of the walls Simply White.

We custom built the headboard with lights and end stands on it to save floor space and to be the focal point of the room.

We also repurposed an antique dresser for this room and built an adorable ladder. At the footboard, we took an old piece of reclaimed lumber and added hairpin legs to give it a rustic, modern feel.

We also added a little electric fireplace and a tiny office off the master bedroom.

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today! 

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. 

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space. 

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends!

How’s your week going? I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I wanted to share the kitchen remodel at our #funcycledstays airbnb. Here’s what we started with – basically an empty room that needed a lot of love.

The first thing we did was rip up the subfloor to find hardwood floors underneath. I forgot to take a picture of the kitchen with the subfloors. Here’s where you can see what we ripped up.

Finding the wood floors was such a nice surprise! It gave the room a lot of character and we were able to repurpose something old instead of buying something new.

A nice part about the kitchen was that it had all the plumbing and electrical in place so we didn’t have to do anything like that, but it had nothing else.

We had some cabinets from the first floor of the new building and also took cabinets that were going to be trashed from a kitchen job that we redid. So we took them and painted them Newburgh Green by Benjamin Moore. Colorize in Clifton Park offered to let us try their new paint product called Gemini EVO. It’s a water based lacquer for kitchen cabinet painting. I’ve heard great things about it, but wanted to wait for a project for ourselves before we tested it out. I wanted to see how it sprayed and check the durability before I offered it to our clients. We use an air sprayer for the doors and drawers and brush the boxes. Both applications of this product worked really well. It went through the sprayer without thinning it out and it rolled onto the cabinets without showing brush marks. We loved using it and will now be offering this option for our clients for an upcharge (because it costs about double what normal cabinet paint does). We also waited and did a scratch test and it adhered really well to the cabinets. Thanks to Colorize for keeping us up to date on all the new products and for providing stellar customer service.

We installed IKEA faux concrete counters. The light above the island wasn’t in a good spot so instead of moving all the electric, we built a box and installed two island lights from Ikea. Then we installed subway tile and black grout.

We removed the baseboard that was 10″ tall in the master bedroom. Why would anyone install that big of a baseboard?

Then we repurposed the wood from the baseboard to create exposed shelves in the kitchen.

We took an old white dishwasher and spray painted it black! It still worked great, so, why not? Thanks for the dishwasher, Christine!

The island was a buffet from FunCycled where we extended the top to make it a place for people to sit an eat. We purchased the bar stools on Facebook marketplace.

Installing barn board to the soffits gave it visual interest and charm.

This teal lotus ceiling light above the sink is yummy! I love it!

We are so happy with how this little space took shape into a one of a kind place for people to stay, enjoy cooking together, and make family memories for years to come!

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today! 

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. 

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space. 

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends!

Our FunCycled Stays Airbnb in Troy is available now! If you’d like to book your stay, you can book it here!

This urban home is nestled on the front side of Prospect Park on upper Congress Street in Troy, NY. The parking lot of the house meets up with Prospect Park where you could take a morning run, play free disc golf in the summer, or bring your favorite sport equipment to play it in the wide open field right behind the house. Take a 5 minute stroll to a local bakery for fresh cinnamon buns; then go just past the bakery, to the right you’ll see the GORGEous view of the Mt. Ida waterfall.

Rainy day? No problem! The house has 3 floors of fun for you! The first floor of the apartment has a game room with classic board games and cards, an air hockey table, and a comfy pull out couch where you can snuggle away with a good book in front of the electric fireplace to keep warm or sleep to make room for more friends.

It also has an open floor plan on the same floor to enjoy cooking in the full kitchen (all pots and pans and dishes included), a dishwasher for easy clean up, a dining table for 4-6, and a large sectional in the living room. The living room has a smart TV with fast wifi for you to log into any of your favorite streaming services with your own accounts (no cable). 

Not up for being with the group or need to work a bit while your friends play? No problem! The 2nd floor of the apartment has two beautiful bedrooms that will make you want to sleep in and soak up quiet time with your loved one.

The master bedroom has a desk and small room for you to hide away and get those emails done quickly so you can enjoy the rest of your fun filled day.

The 2nd floor also has the full bathroom with a rain shower head and spray handle to give you the most soothing shower.

Teens that want to get away from the crowd or friends that want to watch a movie together? We’ve got you covered there, too! The 3rd floor of the apartment (4th floor of the building) is one big movie room! Watch your head with the sloped ceiling, but that ceiling will give you an amazing sound and theater experience. The movie room has a smart TV with fast wifi for you to log into any of your favorite streaming services with your own accounts (no cable or streaming service included). It also has a DVD player and a selection of DVD’s for you. There’s a microwave and popcorn in the movie room for you to enjoy your movies without needing to leave the room! 

One of a kind getaway for your whole family or group of friends! 

Perfect for short trips or longer stays! Only .6 miles away from RPI, 1 mile from Russell Sage College, and 1.5 miles from the Emma Willard School. So close! A perfect spot for EMPAC artists, RPI visitors, Emma and Russell Sage parents, or corporate travelers. Out of town guests that might want a special place to stay? Give them the treat of staying in this designer space.

Other close venues or attractions: 
Countless restaurants and shops in downtown Troy (1 mile) 
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall (1.2 miles) 
Albany (15 minutes) 
SPAC (33 minutes) 
Saratoga Race Track (32 minutes) 
Jiminy Peak Mountain (45 minutes)

It would mean so much if you would share this link with any friend you think might be interested. You can book your stay on Airbnb’s website today!

We loved being able to do all the design for this space. We focused on using as much repurposed items we could for accents and furniture throughout the space! Making it green, beautiful, and one of a kind for your home away from home stay. If you love design, you can check out how we redid some of the room here.

If you’d like me to help you with design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US) or if you see anything in the photos you’d like in your home locally, let me know. We made most of the signs ourselves and build many of the furniture items throughout the space.

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around!

Sarah Trop