Tracey and Drew’s DIY Airstream Beauty

Project by: Tracey and Drew
Location: Park Orchards — Victoria, Australia

April 2014: Our Airstream arrived in Australia after traveling on a RORO ship from California. We immediately started gutting her and began the painstaking journey of renovating a space that has no straight lines!

We were both working full time so it all had to be done on weekends and evenings. Drew focused on the structural/electrical/plumbing/surface prep, etc. and myself on the interior painting/furnishings/decor. We both had a vision and knew that we wanted a modern industrial feel with recycled timber bench tops, black plywood cabinetry and aluminum/chrome/stainless accents (with a touch of bohemian thrown in!).

We found frosted glass to be the best look for the upper cupboards and bathroom doors. This proved to be both easy (Bunnings Kaboodle kitchen cupboard doors) and hard with weeks of problems getting the right glass for the bathroom doors. We used IKEA drawers (not so simple when you have to customize the spaces they go in to!) but we got there thanks to Drew’s perseverance. Other IKEA bits and pieces proved perfect – like the pantry drawers and kitchen accessories. Most fittings were sourced online and a lot came from the US. Like the bathroom taps, nothing like that here!

We decided not to put a shower in, but have a connection for an outside shower. The bed is a full queen and very comfy (a must for us!) and as yet we haven’t put any permanent cooking equipment in. There is space for a microwave, and we can use a gas cooker on the bench top, but most of our cooking happens outside over a fire when we’re camping – best way to cook!

The caravan came with a perfect awning which rolls out and creates a great space for long warm evenings by the river. At this stage we have only been on short trips, but in the future hope to do some longer ones.

Thanks, Tracey and Drew!

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