Meet the Newest Member of the Silver Suitcase® Family!

Yes siree, here is Silver Suitcase® #5!!!

This, my friends is a 1960 Airstream Tradewind

All 24ft! Gorgeous, right? 

***Really, it had me at Jalousie Windows!

If you look really hard you might be able to make out the blueprint:

*** Jalousie windows are the slatted windows like this:

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The trailer companies did away with them in the 70's, having switched to sliders.

Can't wait to get started on the latest and greatest! 

IMPOSTER ALERT: The Trailer Formerly Known as Park Model 60

When I bought Silver Suitcase® # 4, 

the title said 1960 Park Model. 

I thought something was off with the "1960" interior design of the trailer

but believed the registration.

Why wouldn't I?

 Lo and behold, I found this while working on the trailer yesterday: 

        I did some research and boom, it was confirmed:

This Trailer is a.... 

1955 ROADCRAFT!!!

I think somewhere along the way the original title was lost, and for whatever reason this trailer got slapped with the 1960 Park Model on the replacement title. 

This is a pleasant surprise as these are rare!

Here's an ad for a 1957 Roadcraft

And the website Atlas Mobile Home Directory which has listings for all vintage trailers had this to say about Roadcraft:

"Roadcraft was an obscure mobile home manufacturer and didn't stay in business very long. The units they produced were nevertheless impressive. The Roadcraft Imperial was available in 50', 55', 60', and 65' lengths. 

The cheaper series, United, was available in 35' to 55' in both ten and eight foot widths. 

A 55' long eight wide would have been a monster to try to pull down the road!"

So, the Trailer formerly known as Park Model 60 is now known 

as a 1955 Roadcraft from the United collection! 

Woot! Woot!

Silver Suitcase® # 4 Decor Update:1960 Park Model!

I'm almost done with the "Country Cottage"!

 My 1960 Park Model has most of the furniture in, but still needs some trim painting, bathroom fixtures, a few final accessories and it should be completed! 

Remember how it looked?

More before pics HERE

Soon to be reading nook - maybe.

One view of the living area:

It's coming along!

I love the light here, it's definitely softer than the Palm Springs 

direct sunlight.

The finish line is in sight! 

1960 Park Model Renovation + Decor Update!

The 1960 Park Model , also known as Silver Suitcase® # 4 is coming along nicely.

This trailer is going to be my outpost office as well as my "country home"

I kept the cabinets! Remember? 

I wanted to create a more woodsy, cabin type feeling since it would be in Joshua Tree. I also wanted something completely opposite  of my home trailer.

So... whadyya think? 

I'm getting there.

***A friend asked about the matches in the vase next to the chair. I've been collecting matches since I was a kid, but only from what I deem to be special places. I think it's a pretty cool collection! 

1960 Park Model Trailer AKA The "Cottage" Update

That is some YELLOW lineloeum that went down the other day in 

Silver Suitcase® #4!

I think the yellow works for Joshua Tree, am I right?

1966 Baby Safari Renovation Update: Textile Edition

Some fabric samples!

But these aren't just any fabric samples, though...

These are courtesy of 

the one and only

 TrinaTurk + Mr Turk !!

THANK YOU Mr+Mrs T!

Silver Suitcase® #2 is coming along nicely, don't you think?!

1966 Baby Safari Renovation Update!

Hooray! The Safari cabinets are almost done!

 Bright cheery Kitchen! 

You like? 

Whaddya think so far??

Sneak Peek at the 1966 Baby Safari Renovation

The Baby Safari is coming along nicely if I do say so myself! 

The carpeting is in! 

The cabinetry + woodwork have been installed 

Beautiful craftsmanship. 

Soooooooo, what do you think of the yellow? 

Daring, I know! This is going to be great!

1966 Baby Safari Renovation Update: Shag-a-licious!

Yards and Yards of brown shag carpeting went into the Safari today.

Silver Suitcase® #2

Posh Trailer. 

Renovation Check In: Silver Suitcase™ # 2

Next Up for 1966 Baby Safari:

Paint it white! Flooring, Cabinet fitting and Plumbing!

We're on our way!

Silver Suitcase™ # 2 Update: 1966 Safari

Today we are painting the Baby Safari!!!

Everything has been cleared out and now it's a blank canvas waiting for life to be injected back into its hollowed walls.

The magic is starting, people!

Renovation: It's All In the Attitude.

As I wrote the other day,  I purchased a 1949 Spartan Mansion (Silver Suitcase™ #3!)   Here's a sneak peak of a "before" picture. Note: my cavalier attitude.

Think I have some work to do? 

Photo: Mary Beth Acosta 

Over the next few months I'll have updates on both the Spartan and the 1966 Safari Airstream. (before pictures here)  Stay tuned!

Please say Hello to the Newest Member of the Airstream Family: 1949 Spartan!

Silver Suitcase™ # 3:  Is a 30' 1949 Spartan Mansion! 

Not too shabby! 

Here's an ad from 1957:

My first Airstream Mansion. 

I can't wait to get started! 

This is going to be Good. 

Stay tuned!

Let the Renovations Begin! Day 1, 1966 Airstream Safari. And, away we go!

I did it. I picked up Silver Suitcase™ number 2!

3/4 view

Straight on

The Entry Way

HELLO RENOVATION!

Nothing a little paint and elbow grease can't fix!

Bathroom with a view! + Dressing Area? 

I'm thinking bidet? HA Just kidding. 

Nook TBD. Dining, Reading or Sleeping? 

TV TIME!

I'll keep everyone posted as the renovation comes along!

Airstream Sighting (Not Really, But It's Pretty Close)

I nearly wrecked my station wagon this morning pulling into my office parking lot at The Paul Kaplan Group on Vista Chino- there was an amazing Spartan Mansion being towed by its new owner to Huntington Beach.  The owner said he'd just bought another Spartan and put it in the Ramon Park.  Okay, I admit it.  I would totally own a mobile home like this.  My favorite model by Spartan is the Carousel- with a massive picture window in the front.  I think these would be fabulous in a park in Palm Springs for a full time resident! 

The Big Reveal

I threw a party to introduce Palm Springs to The Silver Suitcase (my Airstream trailer).  It was mostly completed by Labor Day weekend, and I moved in the Monday after the party.  To check out the party photos (this is what we do in a trailer park) click HERE.

Thanks to David Lee for photographs, Design 849 for staging the lounge area (via Bill Nicholson, Travis Smith, and Brian Wolbaum), and to Bar for providing the great sliders!

Flooring Day

Cruddy old original 1980's carpet being removed

Trimming edges on Chilewich Flooring

Gaucho Frame Removed (those are batteries underneath the ledge

Pulling out old carpet under dinette table

The flooring from Chilewich arrived at Flooring Innovations.  I was able to schedule the installation of the upholstery about 20 minutes after the flooring was installed.  What complicated the whole installation was that my upholsterer refused to install the sofa first, as the entire frame had to be removed (you can see it out entirely in the photo above with the two battery boxes bneneath).  the carpet was pretty gnarly, especially after 12 weeks of contractors in and out and no one cleaning the floor (though I did run the vacuum a few times to get up nails and things like that).  The flooring looks great.  You can hardly see where the seams are.  It's a woven vinyl mat with a rubber backing from Chilewich, who makes the great placemats and floor mats for homes.  This is a platinum/silver color with grey and charcoal strands in it.  It sparkles at night and reads like a neutral during the day.  It looks amazing!

AIrstream Blog: Riveted

 I love reading about all the Airstream experiences that people have had- my new favorite blog about Airstreams is Riveted- they have great taste, and a lot of great info about Airstream trailers

http://www.riveted-blog.com/http://www.riveted-blog.com/

I'm Beginning to See the Light

 

I'm on the home stretch.  Little odds and ends are getting finished.  My lighting is starting to be installed.  The Airstream originally came with plastic surface mounted lights that were ok, but didn't have a nice quality to the light (they were small incandescent bulbs that were from the 80's).  I decided to add some vintage lighting, suitable for an Airstream in Palm Springs.

From the top: Cone-shaped sconces from Rejuvenation.  If you haven't visited their website, it's a fantastic array of reproduction lighting; these happen to be salvage lights that they polish up and rewire.  Their vintage lighting section is kind of breathtaking.  These sconces are going to be mounted on the walls in the living room, for reading lights.

Next are these cool drum-shaped surface mounted lights with perforations- they'll make the bedroom look 'starry' when they're lit up.  They are going to be mounted under the tambor door cabinet at the aft end of the trailer.  They also were sourced from the vintage section at Rejuvenation Lighting and House Parts.

The fabulous gold-toned pendant light came from Midcentury4U, an Etsy Seller in London.  I love that the ringed circle applique hides a reveal that lights the circles from behind.  It will be on a hook above the dinette table on a cord that will allow it to be taken down when the table is not in use.

The last photo shows the halogen undercabinet lights over my kitchen counter.  I am also having an LED rope light installed along the window soffit over the kitchen.