Last year, I did a post on Sisters on the Fly, a camping and fly fishing group for ladies who love small, vintage trailers. Since I (Christina) just went camping over the holiday in my teardrop trailer, I thought it would be appropriate to list a few ladies (some who are Sisters on the Fly members) who camp in style. Girls, no matter what the men say, there is nothing wrong with a little “glamping”. 😉
Facebook Fan Page: We Can Do It! Women Who Camp with a Teardrop, Tent or Trailer
In celebration of summer and for Kent heading off to Hawaii, I thought I would do a post on these vintage style trailers by Dayton Taylor and Vintage Trailer Crazy. Part trailer, part Woodie station wagon, these 19–(Any Year) Woodie Love Bugs can be manufactured to match your tow vehicle, birth year or whatever theme you want…including “Surf’s Up.”
Each trailer is 12 feet long and weighs 1,200 pounds. They are custom made with hand built oak and birch walls and cabinets. The Vintage Trailer Crazy design team will consult with you to create your custom Woodie Love Bug. These trailers are built new from the ground up, but use VIN numbers from vintage 1930-1950 trailers. Over 500 man-hours go into the production of each little trailer. They cost around $12,500 and Dayton told me that they sell a lot of them, primarily because of the popularity of smaller trailers.
For fans of small fiberglass trailers, the popular and efficient Trillium is back on the road…with a new modern look. The original Trillium trailer was built in the 1970s and some are still being towed around after 35 years of use. The quality materials, cute design and useful floor plans of these original trailers are being used in the new design. Trillium RV has been set up by the former VP of operations of the original Trillium plant, which was in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Tom oversaw 10 years of manufacturing, sales, service and much of the design work of the original Trillium.
Today’s Trilliums are built utilizing the original models. So the quality, design, and floor plans are true to the former manufacturing standards. The overall look of the fiberglass body remains the same. Big improvements are in the area of newer, high tech appliances, modern cushion materials, curtains, and exterior graphics. The trailers have the same dimensions, but will weigh a little more. This is due to the addition of more equipment that users have requested in the trailers.
I came across an inspirational website from Sean Michael of the Long, Long Honeymoon of a young couple who sold their home and belongings to travel and live in a 23-foot Airstream International. But they’re not alone. On their journey, they will be accompanied by their two rescue greyhounds and a newborn baby in July.
As mentioned on their blog, Aluminum Bliss, Chris and Lani decided to make the Airstream their new home because of its sleek, rounded, aluminum interior and large windows that open up a small space and dispel the feeling of living in a box. The modern furnishings inspire a clean environment and the numerous storage spaces eliminate clutter. Their classic rig also turns a lot of heads.
Get ready to head into the world of nomads with the Spaceship. Even though this vehicle is primarily used for traveling and vacations, I thought I would include it in the blog for its fun and unique use of space and nifty storage options. Think of it as a Swiss Army knife on wheels!
The Spaceship is only available in the UK, Australia and New Zealand as a vacation and camping rental, but it’s fascinating to look at as an all encompassing place to sleep, cook, eat, lounge and live for a short period of time.
The Japanese know a thing or two about living in small spaces. Additionally, Japanese designers and architects also have to know a thing or two about how to design homes for a country with high land prices, strict building codes and numerous earthquakes. These futuristic prefab houses from the International Dome House Company are built from segmented slices made of expanded polystyrene that claim to be superior to wood, iron and concrete.
The company is located in Japan, but the dome segments are made in their factory in South Korea. Several small “villages” of various sizes of the dome houses have been built in Japan, where the design has been approved by the Japanese Ministry of Land and Transport. This building system can also be adapted for small businesses, storage areas or bathhouses.