Airstream Renovation Process
Plans
Here’s a 3-D cutaway of what the airstream would have looked like back in 1978. This is essentially how it was the day I first saw it except for the front had a built in dinette from a previous owner. (much of what you see here was in pieces.
From a 1978 sales brochure for the Tradewind.
What to do…
There is a large wall with an accordion door separating the kitchen/ living area with a semi-formal bedroom area - this will be the first thing to go. I plan on opening up the interior, using simple, light colors to make the space light and clean.
There’s a lot of DARK wood inside. This successfully makes the space smaller than it is. A nice speckled vinyl is on all the walls - yellow from the 30+ years.
The kitchen has absolutely no counter space - just sink and stove.
Most of the space stinks to high heavens (pit bull storage space
Plans for renovation. Keeping the layout of the floor plan but changing the concept of the interior space.
Click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

Think big. Think simply.

Lots of white - natural materials influenced by the aluminum skin. Taking a cue from Santa Barbara, will probably use blue for a splash of color. Think Nantucket.

    5 Responses

    1. Allison says:

      Your numbered design shows plans for a wall-mounted flat screen TV near the kitchen area. Did that get chucked in favor of the iMac screen mounted over the dinette? Were there any other changes you made as you went along?

      Sweet design!

      • Good eye! That plan was an in progress print. Here’s an updated plan:

        Or check out a high resolution PDF Here.

        Many changes as the design progressed, in fact the design was very much still under consideration much of construction. I believe design is still underway

        • Evan says:

          Wow, I really like the attention to detail you have in your updated floor plan. I’m assuming that everything is to scale. So, is it 25′ from back to front of the A-frame, or 25′ from back to front of “livable” space?

    2. Claudia says:

      Thanks for giving us all these details! Your new layout makes much better use of the space. Especially the kitchen. One drawback of RVs is that the kitchen is usually absolutely tiny, almost unusable, whereas yours looks like it’s a joy to cook in.

    3. Richard Wagner says:

      Trying to replace my furnace (’73, 27′ Overlander) which was a Suburban with a new one (NT30SP) and finding there is no lower plenum like the old which transitioned to rectangular ducts. It only has 4″Ø duct ports, and is about 6″ below existing skin cut-outs. Any help would be appreciated.

      Thanks, Richard

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