“Honi”- 1988 Holiday Rambler

JU2’s 4th renovation, “HONI” is a 30 ft. 1988 Holiday Rambler Alumilite. She has been gutted and designed to be a cabin on wheels. With an open floor plan, this travel trailer has everything you need to feel cozy and comfy. The design began with two CRAZY ideas… a copper soaking tub, not closed in a “room” and a murphy bed.

The Origin:

This travel trailer was purchased from an AMAZING family close by in West Point, VA. Even though we were VERY excited to start the reno, she had to wait for months until we could get to her because we were in the middle of another project for a client.

The Demo:

FINALLY, Chris and Khloe, my youngest baby girl, started the demo, and it would turn out to be a complete gut. (FUN FACT: My Pearl drum kit was stored in “Honi” for a few months!) Yes, I know… We had a lot of work ahead of us, BUT our vision would soon be clear and start transforming into what she is today. Before installing new ply on the ceiling and walls, the decision of electric and lighting placement would have to be made, slowly but surely, by me.

The Prep:

If you have read any of the other renovation information, you will know that Chris’s saying is “It’s all in the prep”, and this reno is no different. After choosing the color pallet, it was time to begin.

After much debate, we decided to designate the entire door(s) side of the camper to counterspace, the front for the murphy bed, and the soaking tub would be in the rear. But WHERE would the toilet go in a totally open layout? My next idea would be, um, questionable to many, but hey, I guess that’s how we roll 😉 We decided to semi-enclose the toilet behind one full wall (which would become an accent wall), a “three-quarters” wall, and just an opening, no door, to enter. (Hopefully, there is a couple out there who does not need a lot of privacy :0) Since the kitchen sink would be only a few feet away, we decided a sink would not be necessary for that small space.

Since I wanted lots of hammered copper accents throughout, I ordered a case of Rust-Oleum Hammered Copper spray paint and got to spraying. (Tip: Using spray paint with a “trigger” sprayer is much better than the original.) I sprayed everything I could including soaking tub, farmhouse sink, bed frame (which was the original frame), lights, mirror, screen doors, and the exposed pipes.

The Soaking Tub:

After watching a few YouTube videos, we decided this was something we DEFINITELY could tackle. So, we bought a galvanized trough from Tractor Supply, sprayed MANY coats of spray paint and added a drain hole. Problem: Where would the plumbing go? Solution: Build a platform. We also added a large drawer under for extra storage.

With lots of “glue”, our vision came to light. But how could we make this idea even better?? By adding river rocks around it! This was quite simple. All we needed to do was mix and pour some thin set on the platform and lay the rocks to get the look we wanted, and voila. A soaking tub surrounded by river rocks! The floor mount waterfall faucet has a sprayer as well. We then added a smaller tub with a bottle opener attached for towels.

Countertop and Storage:

My master carpenter husband, or as I call him master woodsman, built the entire cabinet area, drawers included. We had been wanting to do a live edge countertop for a while, and here was our chance. We used left over siding that was used for our new tiny home (Details TBD). After Chris installed it, we had another Epoxy date night! It turned out BEAUTIFUL! After painting it a dark shade of blue, we installed the farmhouse sink, a lighted faucet with sprayer and gas stove top. Underneath is a lockable, lighted beverage refrigerator and a propane heater. Other storage includes a large drawer under the soaking tub and a coat closet by the bed.

Next, I had seen an AMAZING bookcase on Pinterest, so I did what I always do and showed it to Chris, hoping he would be down for the challenge. As usual, he said YES! I tweaked the design I had seen, and in a few days, it was built and installed. I decided to make this a focal point by adding a pop of color to one wall. The tabletop was artistically painted and epoxied.

The Ceiling, Flooring and Trim:

What would become the ceiling had previously been flooring in a home. Chris sanded and I painted each piece separately before installing to create a ship lap look. Chris made all of the window and door trim from the leftover siding and the flooring, of course, is LVP.

The Final Touches:

Finally, we added a small, but bright and powerful ceiling fan, a vent/fan with rain sensor, more lighting, a comfortable couch with folding armrests, and a wall mirror resembling tree branches to make “Honi” a cozy camper on wheels. Everything is included in the sale price, which we set at $34,200.00.

For more information or if you are interested in purchasing, please contact JU2 at justus2rvrenovation@outlook.com!