I have spent the last few days getting paint out of my hair and from under my fingernails, but now that i have removed the last few traces, I have had time to post a few photos of our latest renovation project! (The last few included houses and subdivisions, so this is a lot smaller and so very exciting....) - Sorry about the date stamp on the photos)
We recently bought (off ebay of all places) a superb 1960's Bondwood caravan. Andrew has always wanted a caravan - I am a camper, always have been and always will be (so you can imagine my disgust when he mentioned that we should start looking for one) WHY? What's wrong with a tent? There is the fun of finding a little frog, ant, spider etc lurking in the far corner, it takes forever to assemble and then even longer to take down, It NEVER packs up to the same size as it started (and what's with the bags they give you to pack it all away in - could they make them any smaller?) and if it rains, well that's an entirely different story! So - long story short, i love camping - he he (No - really, i do!)
I had conjured up images of those old 1980/1990 Jayco pop ups, and was not happy at all....
When Andrew came across the "retro van" I was actually
very excited - here was a van with style, class, funk and more importantly - scope to give it a facelift. It had been beautifully hand crafted, kept snug in a large shed and rarely used. There is still the original gas burner lamp above the table area (haven't used this yet - i am sure the result is that it will blow up or the van will catch on fire!)
We've been on 2 trips with it now - It tows beautifully, and is fun to live in while we are away. Mia has her own bed (double) as do we. Its all set up for a cozy holiday and its so simple to have it permanently stocked and to just throw in the last minute things before heading off. Oh - did I mention it has one of those "old school" striped annexe's in a funky yellow, orange and green stripe -it's great for extra storage and room.
After our last trip, i couldn't stand the lovely light lime green walls anymore. My head has been crowded with ideas and thoughts on making it super stylish, modern (yet still retro) and f-u-n-k-y!
We've taken off all the cupboard doors, (don't mind the stuff that's actually in the cupboards) and i have selected the new material for our curtains - see!
With a lick of fresh, crisp white paint, the Retro Reno has begun! I have one more coat (yes - that makes a total of 3) before i can start on the cupboards. I am thinking i will replace the old "woodgrain" with a spanking new coat of red to match that in the curtains. A new floor will go down soon, beautiful black and white lino tiles and i know its going to look great.
Check back again - i will keep you all updated on the progress and I cant wait to "unvail" the final product. (Oh - by the way - if anyone has any fabulous design suggestions - feel free to let me know!)
We are thinking of hiring it out afterwards for special occassions - friends and family can hook up, drive off and enjoy the retro lifestyle....
ion line. The retailers are hand pick to ensure an exciting product range, and most of them do not have a shop front, so you know you'll find something special, not available anywhere else. Mathilda’s Market is coming up in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth in June & July. With up to 70 gorgeous stalls, yummy food, free kids entertainment, this is a fantastic day out for young & old. For a sneak peek, have a look at the gallery on Mathilda’s Market website (www.mathildasmarket.com.au) and enjoy browsing through past markets.
