A Family of 5 Shares a Colorful, Bohemian 370-Square-Foot RV Full-Time
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Our family has always been what I’d describe as adventurous, but we kicked it up a notch in 2020. We were professional theatre people in New York City for over 10 years, then both parents made career shifts after starting a family — Kate got her MPA and Dan became a recruiter. The pandemic was difficult, but gave us the precious gift of remote work. Because of the shift to remote work, our family has never been closer and we are able to pursue our dream of full-time travel.
When we left NYC in 2020, we planned to be away for just the summer on the coast of Maine in a charming and remote coastal village. That summer turned into a year and a half of Airbnbs all over the country, which turned into buying and renovating our own RV, which turned into a life as nomads for the foreseeable future!
We love exploring museums and cultural immersion as much as we love hiking up mountains and kayaking fjords. We love telling stories with the photos and videos that we take. We love slow travel and spending time at local libraries. Our kids are now 8, 6, and 3 (plus a mini goldendoodle puppy!), and I love seeing how full-time travel is building them into such resilient, curious, empathetic, and flexible humans.
Our tiny home on wheels serves its purpose beautifully as homeschool classroom, restaurant for five, and peaceful retreat. We added solar panels to the roof this summer so we can be fully off-grid for as long as we want, so the views out the living room windows are absolutely glorious and always changing.
We designed this home around our newfound love of the outdoors and national parks, so you can definitely see that influence. The bedroom colors are reminiscent of the Sonoran desert that we loved, as are the Saguaro cacti painted on the outside. The prints in the bathroom are Subpar Parks, which make us laugh so hard at ridiculous bad reviews people leave for National Parks.
But we also have nods to our previous life in Brooklyn, like the New York State cutting board on the kitchen counter.
Share how much it cost to furnish or design your space? We spent less than $20k on the RV (not including the truck to tow it with!) and $7k on renovations (including some safety upgrades like new tires)
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Soothing, cozy, and peaceful
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room in our RV has to be the living room/kitchen. This is both because I think it’s the most beautiful, with the floral wallpaper and sage green cabinets, and also because it’s the heart of our home where we all gather most often. It also features prominently my beloved West Elm sectional that we brought from our Brooklyn apartment.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The newest addition to our home’s decor is this heirloom quality rainbow granny square sampler blanket that I crocheted from Cypress Textiles’ VVCAL pattern. Cozy blankets are a must on chilly RV mornings, and this one feels special because I learned to crochet and spent almost a year lovingly making it.
Any advice for creating a home you love? My advice is to be bold in stepping outside of social norms in creating whatever home speaks to you. Living in an RV is unconventional, but it has been an amazing choice for us, and it is absolutely our *home.* I also took some risks in choosing some traditionally “feminine” colors and prints, but both my husband and I are so thrilled with how it’s turned out (I appreciate his faith in my taste). And don’t be afraid to try totally new things and learn new skills from YouTube University to create the home of your dreams.
Thanks Kate!
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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