We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Francois-Yves Auger. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Francois-Yves below.

Francois-Yves, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

As a home renovation and interior design content creator, the most meaningful projects I have ever worked on have always been my own homes. Each one has marked a different chapter of my life, from a tiny studio in Hong Kong to a compact one‑bedroom in New York City, to a log house in the Catskill Mountains, and now a suburban home in North Dallas. Every project has been completely different, each with its own challenges and opportunities. While I love to travel and discover new places, I am a home‑body at heart. Home is my safe and happy place, and I genuinely love the process of taking a house with potential and turning it into something elevated and personal. Renovation and interior design are truly my passions.

My husband and I moved from New York to Frisco, Texas this past November, and we bought a suburban home with very distinctive North Texas traits, including red brick, Texas limestone, and arched windows. Although the house has great bones, the original materials and finishes were very builder grade. They looked dated, flat, and not particularly interesting, even though the house itself isn’t that old. It needed some vision and a fair amount of renovation. We’ve started the transformation, but it will take time before it’s fully finished. We began with our primary bathroom, which is now completely renovated, and our primary bedroom is finished as well, although it still needs some additional furnishing to really warm it up. Our walk‑in closet is almost complete, we just tackled our guest bathroom renovation, and we even fully refreshed our front yard over a weekend.

Documenting this transformation, the before and afters, the design decisions, the challenges, and the small victories on my Instagram and TikTok (@francoisinthesuburbs) has been incredibly rewarding. These projects matter to me because they are personal. They are not just about aesthetics; they are about creating a sense of belonging and building a home that reflects who we are. Every renovation teaches me something new about design, about storytelling, and about myself, and sharing that journey with a community that finds inspiration in it is truly meaningful.

Francois-Yves, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Francois. I was born and raised in France, but I have called the United States home for the past ten years. I have worked professionally in the design space, supporting international furniture and design brands as they grow their footprint in the US market. I am also the creator behind @Francoisinthesuburbs on Instagram and TikTok, where I share our new home in Frisco, Texas, along with our renovation projects, before and afters, gardening, and interior design.

I love partnering with brands, incorporating their products into content that I create from scratch, and showing how these pieces can elevate real homes. I also enjoy connecting with other locally based content creators, as well as people in the DFW area and beyond who feel inspired by my work. I am always happy to answer questions about the products I use, whether it is the holly tree I planted in the backyard or the floor tile I chose for our bathroom remodel. I believe in being transparent, and I have no problem sharing the costs of things.

I often see beautiful images on social media and find myself wondering how much something costs and whether it is realistic or attainable, yet those answers are rarely provided. Through the projects I take on and complete, I want to give my audience those answers and help them feel empowered to create homes they love.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have lived in many countries and cities, and every move has required a pivot in both my career and my personal life. While I was born and raised in France, I have also lived in England in London and Southampton, in Greece in Athens, in Japan in Tokyo, in Hong Kong, and across the United States in Dallas, New York City, Upstate New York, and now Frisco, Texas. Each move has been exciting, but also challenging, because it means starting fresh every time. New home, new colleagues, new friends, even a new grocery store.
These experiences have shaped me in ways I never expected. They taught me how to adapt, how to stay curious, and how to build a sense of home wherever I land. Most importantly, they reminded me that every new beginning carries its own opportunity. Each chapter has helped me grow into the person I am today, and I feel grateful for the journey and energized for whatever comes next.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative, and I absolutely consider content creators creatives in their own right, is the engagement. Likes and shares are nice, but what truly means the most to me are the genuine comments from real people who feel inspired by the images or videos I create from my personal projects. Those moments remind me why I share my work in the first place. It is not about chasing numbers, it is about connection. If something I create helps someone feel more confident, more capable, or more excited about improving their own home, then I feel like I have done something meaningful. That is what keeps me creating and sharing with an open heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.upperhouseny.com/pages/interior-design
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francoisinthesuburbs/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francois-yves-auger/
• Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@francoisinthesuburbs

Image Credits

Francois-Yves Auger