Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Hey Good Lookin', Whatcha Got Cookin'?

Let me start by saying we found an upholsterer. I can't wait to see the camper cushions covered in the Solarium Inessa Carmel fabric we selected. In case you've forgotten what the fabric looks like, here it is. Hopefully, I'll have pictures of the covered cushions very soon.

Solarium Inessa Carmel


We also decided on a paint color for the walls and cabinets. I want to keep the interior light to open up the small space, but I didn't want to go with pure white. I really like the Buttercream button in the palette below. We are leaning toward using chalk paint so we don't have to do a lot of prep work before we paint. I'm hoping to find a chalk paint in a shade as close to this Buttercream button as possible. I'm open to suggestion for chalk paint brands. Please comment below if you have a preference. I'd also like to hear about your experience with using chalk paint on the interior of a camper. Please share your thoughts, if you've done it.

Top row, 2nd button

The next decision is not so simple. I am really torn about what to do with Wanda's kitchen. The stove is pretty beat up, and we don't anticipate much of a need for an oven on our short jaunts so we decided to take them out. This is what we started with.


Before
This is what we have now. It's pretty scary looking at the empty space and trying to decide the best course of action for the remodel.
During

I'm pushing for a small shelf for a microwave where the oven used to be, counter space where the stove top was, an induction hot plate and a crock pot for cooking, and removal of the range hood. I've posted about my plans on several vintage travel trailer and camper pages that I started following on Facebook, and I've gotten a lot of great advice from many wise road warriors, especially the folks at Vintage Travel Trailer Enthusiasts. (If you have a vintage travel trailer you definitely want to like their Facebook page.) However, each person I talk to seems to have a different opinion on what to do in the kitchen. The purists want me to keep the original fixtures and restore them, some moderates say stick with the gas range and oven but replace them with newer models. Then, there are the radical glampers who say "make it your own" and go with what works for you. From the beginning, I said I wasn't committed to an authentic restoration. I am more interested in transformation. I want Wanda to be a multifunctional vehicle. By day, she'll serve as a vintage pop up shop at flea markets and fairs, but at night she'll be our travel retreat. Removing the stovetop and creating counter space will give us more display space. It will also give us a spot to put a TV at night. Since I don't see a single other spot in the camper where a TV would fit, that's a pretty big deal. I also like the idea of a small microwave instead of an oven. It's more practical for the kind of cooking we'll be doing. Not to mention, I hate that range hood and wouldn't mind 86ing it. I'd love to hear what other people have done with the kitchens in their vintage campers. We're making our decision pretty soon, so let me know what you've done and how it worked out for you.

I'll leave you with this picture of Wanda with her awning up. I was happy to see that the awning did indeed open since I wasn't there when my husband tested it out before we purchased the camper. When we opened the awning the other night, I quickly learned that camper awnings are not designed to withstand the wind. I almost had a heart attack the first time a gust lifted the awning in the air. I was wondering if anyone has come up with any anchoring tricks that allow an awning to stay open in milder breezes. I know it's not smart to keep the awning open in gale force winds, but I'd like to have it open more often than not when we are parked at a site. Let me know if you've done anything creative to combat Mother Nature.



The awning does work.
Stay tuned for more pictures and updates from our renovations. Thanks for following our progress with Wanda and our vintage mobile sales adventure. I hope you learn something useful, and enjoy hearing about our experience. Please follow this blog to hear about all the amazing vintage resale venues we plan to visit, and all the important business (life) lessons we are sure to learn along the way.