We have now decorated two travel trailers with the purpose of long term living situations. When taking a recreational vehicle or trailer in our case you usually have a very limited design choice. grey and brown are common color themes which are just muddied and blended colors. I live in color, I need color for peace and tranquility. So when we bought our first trailer for our property I didnt want this rental space to feel like you were passing through or on a weekend trip. I wanted it to feel like you didnt want to leave.
Lightening things up makes your space appear larger
Our first trailer was for a family that needed about a year rental. Renting to a single mother with three children to look after half time I wanted her space to feel like a retreat, a year vacation on the farm so the layout and the colors were important. We found a renovated trailer painted white with a farmhouse style sink! This was a perfect blank canvas. We painted the bathroom counter a coffee brown and eventually reupholstered the cushions at the table in a striped jean. while being used as a guest bedroom I added a bright green dresser I chalk painted and replaced the knobs for a more eccentric artsy upcycle look. We hung white linen curtains and placed small succulent pots throughout.
Treat your small space like a painting
Our second trailer was definatly an upgrade in size and layout, but there was no upgrades in the design so we truly had to imagine what it could be. After choosing to paint the walls white I knew I wanted to paint the cabinets a relaxing green color. One thing about a trailer is that there is not much wall space for hanging artwork so decorating your RV in the form of appliances, backsplashes cubbard colors are a must! I still found ways to hang art, and add functional antique pieces. This small space should be seen as a whole, each wall, door, curtain, and counter needs to have the same style and color theme.
Dont forget the Fridge
The refridgerator is a large space that can be decorated so with my bohemian farmhouse style I bought magnetic strips and an old fashioned thick poster sign. This feels like a giant magnet, the fridge became a great place to show off some antique art.
Backsplash in Color
In the kitchen I made the backsplash a focal point using bright accent colors. This space is a painting! these glass stick on tiles turned out beautiful and I learned a new skill in cutting glass, I suppose I could have boxed in a wood frame over the windows to keep from having to cut the tiles in a curve, but I didnt think of that until later and I enjoy the look of the curved window.
Privacy and Window Treatments
With such a small space having so many windows keeps things light and open unless they are covered with brown shades and heavy curtains! After removing all the former curtains and rods I wanted to come up with somthing that would offer good light in places where you didnt need it to be darkened and yet have privacy without the bulky window treatments on every window. The large hallway window was the perfect spot to place stained glass looking cling on film from Lowes. It was easy to apply (although I still messed it up) all you need is a spritz of water and a good squeejy action to smooth out the wrinkles and release any air bubbles (I forgot the water first time around. I was wondering why it started peeling back in the top corner!) I have used the privacy film in the small windows next to the couch and near the queen bed as well. The rest of the windows were made out of drop cloth canvas or thrift store curtains as in the bedroom and loft sewed to desired length.
Vintage Pieces
Another way to bring in a homey look is to attatch larger mirrors in the hallway and bathroom. This opens the space up and gives a vintage vibe. We had an old entry way seat with mirror and hooks for coats, I loved this piece, but couldnt find the right space for it in my house it kept moving from wall to wall. the box was two big for the hall way but by removing the mirror and the lower hooks we had a beautiful piece for the hall and a place to hang your coat! I recommend attatching it with a long picture hanging kit for mirrors. I found a mirror in world Market that had a curve at the top and I fell in love with the size and wood color, I forgot to measure the bathroom but I had to have it! I was hoping it was the perfect fit and you know what, it just made it! that was a relief.
Rugs!
Rugs are the perfect place to add art. Whether you find a rug that actually looks like a famous painting or vintage pattern, Rugs can not only make a space look homey bit it can bring an element of design and tell people about your style. I love wool rugs for the antibacterial and natural elements. since everything is smaller in a trailer buying a well made Thick wool rug wont be as expensive at the smaller size but will add elegance and charm. I had my eyes on this World Market Rug for awhile but knew it would get lost in my house and not appreciated as much. When we started this design project I knew the rug would be worth the cost and shine in the trailer.
Plants and tropical shower
Plants are another way to add a homey and comforting space. With such a small space hanging plants will be a great option. I added two black ceiling hooks and used a stud finder so that these hooks were anchored in. I was able to bring in larger plants this way allowing the counter and table spaces to be clutter free. The bathroom is a great place for plants especially tropical plants. If you dont have a skylight or window for natural light you may want to put in a grow light. the shower mist does well to water my purple plant. I love how it cascades down the shower for a natural tropical experience.
Artwork and photography
Last but not least is adding artwork to the walls. As a watercolor artist tiny paintings are a great excercise. I was able to add hand painted watercolors in between the living room windows. I also added a 5x7 in the bedroom. The addition of artwork or photography adds character, and old world charm. along with painting my own artwork I love to find pieces at the thriftstore to hang or repaint for a historic look with a modern feel.
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