Camper Remodel: Part 2

First step for our Camper remodel was to remove all the musty, ugly valences and draperies. Aaaaaah. Better already! We have also discovered that several of the blinds will need to be replaced.

Also, new mattress. No way I'm gonna sleep on an old nasty mattress with an old nasty bedspread. This camper had a SHORT queen mattress (did you know there was such a thing?), so that's the size we bought for the replacement. And, I happened to have an unreturnable teal bedspread from IKEA that fit perfectly. Done and done.

Next step: Remove that odd trim under the cabinets. It was another instant improvement. Fortunately it was easy to just pull it down and rip it off without much damage left behind.

But now to really dig in. I decided to start in the smallest area first. The bathroom. I went to Sherwin Williams to seek expert advice about the best primer and paint for our situation. They recommended their Extreme Bond Primer (they nearly scoffed at Kilz) saying it could paint over wood, plastic, metals, etc., and it does have good reviews, so I went for it. Costs more, but I really want to do this right. I don't want to sell a camper to someone that is going to scratch off and look cheap after a couple of years. I like to do things right.

Here's the bathroom after some priming (taping off always takes the longest and is the least gratifying:

I wasn't sure what to do about the rubbery trim on the counter and cabinet edges. I tried to find replacement options at an RV shop with no luck. So then I figured I'd try painting it, because if it didn't work I wouldn't be out anything anyway. To my surprise, it worked! I actually sprayed it with a spray paint primer (that stuff seems pretty hardy, doesn't it?) and then painted on top, and so far so good. We'll see if it lasts. If it doesn't, then I have other ideas.

Now for paint! I've seen a lot of camper remodels with white cabinets. It just seems too impractical (and frankly stupid) to me. Our camper goes on dirt roads, to campgrounds, with dusty people coming and going. All of that would show up on the white cabinets in about 2 minutes. I wanted style plus practicality. So I went with a medium gray. Sherwin Williams recommended a Pro Industrial paint with a velour roller for doing cabinets. It's the most expensive paint I've ever bought (I'm usually a Home Depot kinda girl), but also it's the best I've ever used. It filled in so well, smoothed out so nicely. Where I used a high quality brush, there are no brush strokes (my pet peeve of DIY projects). Where it pooled a little in cracks, it smoothed out beautifully. I'm kind of meticulous about paint, so this makes me happy.

Progress shots:

I didn't paint the shelves where it could be avoided, because I think it's too likely to get scratched off with use. Most of the shelves are in fine condition anyway. I did paint the shelves inside the mirror cabinet because they seemed to need it. 

Camper Remodel: Part 1

What's this? A post that isn't Halloween costumes? Miracle.
Since we got married 12 years ago, Ryan has dreamed of owning an RV or camper trailer. And I have adamantly refused to entertain the idea. I figured that for as much as we would use it, we could rent one for cheaper. And then it wouldn't be sitting hideously on our driveway the rest of the year, wasting our money.

But if Ryan is anything, he is persistent. He is also clever. And he know's me too well. He knows that I dream of remodeling an old home and making it fresh and stylish. I have always loved make-overs and remodels. I love HGTV. I love taking something plain, or old, or outdated, or ugly, and turning it into something beautiful. I love the idea of saving something that others saw little value in, finding the core beauty, seeing the potential that other's don't see. And that's how he got me.

He told me about a friend of his that bought a camper trailer, added solar panels and flipped the axels, then sold it a year later for a profit. He suggested that an old ugly camper would be much less overwhelming for a remodel than a whole entire house. So I could get my remodeling fix (he has construction skills for anything more intensive), and we could even make money off  it instead of wasting money. And he could get his dream of owning a camper without having a bitter wife.

So there it was. Once he got the go-ahead he jumped right into action before I could change my mind. He found a good deal on a used one and now it is ours.

Blah blah blah, now for the pictures, which is all anyone really cares about, am I right? The BEFORE'S:

The "Master Bedroom":

The fold-out sofa-bed:

 The kitchen:

Oak, brass, valences, border wallpaper... what a dream:

The bathroom:

The shower:

Kitchen again. Appliances all work, yay!

The dining table, which converts to a bed:

The thing about RV's and Campers is that they are a goldmine of remodeling potential. For some reason even the newer ones look like they came straight outta 1984. So throw on some new fabric and new paint, and it's like the only available option for sale that is actually decent looking. I'm excited about this!