A 154-Square-Foot Airstream Perfects ‘Bohemian with a Cottage Vibe’ in a Small Space
Name: Jill Brewer, husband Jimmy, daughters Olivia (19), Lillie, (15), Lucy (21)
Type of home: 2014 Airstream
Size: 154 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Like many people with the travel bug, I have ALWAYS wanted an Airstream. During the summer of 2018, while visiting Traverse City, Michigan from our home in Texas, I saw our Airstream for sale by owner on the side of the road. I made a quick U-turn and within a week we were hauling it back to the campground we were already staying in our 5th wheel RV. Each summer we live in a large 5th wheel while attending an eight-week horse show outside of Traverse City. Camping in the 5th wheel is a lot of fun, but we pretty much just haul it to Michigan from Texas each summer and park it at the RV resort for eight weeks. To really go camping in Northern Michigan and Canada to see the beauty of the area’s national, state and provincial parks, a 41’ 5th wheel is entirely too big for most of those campgrounds. Hence my rationale for owning two RVs!
At just 21’ long, I’m able to tow it with my diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. We can go pretty much anywhere with or without hookups! Typically, one or two of my daughters and our two dogs will take a couple of days to a week in the summer to go camping in the Upper Peninsula and Ontario. Last summer I took a 2,500 mile, three-week solo trip from Texas to Michigan’s U.P. ending in Traverse City. It was so empowering to manage the Airstream by myself. My family and friends thought I was crazy, but it was one of my favorite adventures ever!
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Bohemian with a cottage vibe
What is your favorite room and why? Other than the bath, it’s pretty much just one room… and I love every square inch. Airstreams have such a timeless look that I knew I was starting with a very stylish and efficient space. But, I wanted to make it reflect my taste and personality, so I set out to make little changes that have big impact. Since it is a 2014 model, the systems and finishes were in perfect working order, so I just needed to spruce up the interior. The biggest change came from having gray and white wood-grain custom curtains made for the bed area and recovering the dinette cushions, which were a truly ugly brown. Adding the peel-n-stick tile backsplash really pulled it all together.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The aisle between the dinette and kitchen is very narrow. I found the perfect-sized runner on at the “AssyrianRug” shop on Etsy. The shop is located in Istanbul, Turkey. They had an amazing selection and it was shipped within a week. It’s perfect.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time. Live in a space before you start making changes, if possible. Use the internet for inspiration and to nail down the looks that really speak to you. And also use it to find the best places to source those looks as economically as possible.
This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.