Design-build firm Innovative Spaces worked with a client to bring her tiny-home-on-wheels dream to fruition by renovating a 1973 Airstream Tradewind into the Alice Airstream — a gorgeous, modern home complete with off-grid capabilities and a deck.
When tasked by an adventurous client to create a new home on wheels for herself and her dog and cat, the Innovative Spaces team went to work searching for the perfect abode. Not only did the home have to be mobile, but it had to be off-grid ready as well. When the designers found a 1973 Airstream Tradewind, they knew they had the perfect trailer to get started.
Related: Artist revamps dingy interior of a 1962 Airstream with vibrant florals
Innovative Spaces owner Nate Stover explained that although the Airstream trailer was in fairly poor shape, they knew they had found a diamond in the rough. “The condition of these vintage trailers rarely matters for our projects, as we replace just about everything on the interior and often also do quite a bit of customization on the exterior” Stover said. “It was your typical 1970s trailer — pretty funky inside after years of sitting around.”
Alas, the classic trailer was about to receive a very modern-day makeover at the hands of the creative design team. Although the exterior was in good shape, only requiring a cleanup and new coat of a Sprinter Blue Grey paint, the interior needed to be completely gutted. The first step was to lift the shell off of the chassis to ensure that the home had a solid foundation. To do so, they had to rebuild a new chassis out of aluminum, which was chosen specifically to give the trailer a durable shell. Next up, a new subfloor system comprised of gray and black water tanks, wiring and plumbing and fiberboard was installed, followed by spray foam insulation.
The final and most exciting step was implementing the new interior design. The client had requested an open-concept space that included a decent cook’s kitchen and a spa-like bathroom. From there, Innovative Spaces added deep shades of blue to complement the white walls and natural tones throughout the interior.
Most of the furnishings within the 165-square-foot home were designed to provide optimal comfort and functionality. The enviable kitchen includes modern appliances as well as a small dining nook at the entrance. The sofa doubles as a bed while an opaque, flower-printed privacy wall leads to the luxurious bathroom. Of course, the design also makes plenty of space for the cat and dog with custom, built-in pet beds.
Although the trailer’s interior is definitely compact, the savvy layout and fresh design scheme makes the space extremely livable. When it’s warm enough to enjoy the great outdoors, the Airstream has an awesome added amenity — a drop-down deck with enough room for seating plus protective netting to keep bugs at bay.
Via Dwell
Images via Innovative Spaces
