Restored Vintage Trailer Hides a Striking Contemporary Interior With a Custom Feel

I'm all for restoring and renovating older campers. Why spend a huge amount of money to buy a new camper when there are so many used ones that can be revived? Of course, there are some disadvantages to using an older vehicle, such as the increased chance of things breaking down.

What we have here is a 1973 Avion LaGrande trailer, which offers about 195 square feet (18 square meters) of space. Although it's more than 50 years old, this trailer still has a lot to live because it was restored and renovated by Sarah Bronstein, who is an interior designer.

By the way, this isn't the first restored Avion trailer I'm writing about. Late last year, I covered a fully renovated 25-foot 1971 Avion travel trailer, a unique mobile home that blends many old and new elements.

Before we go into detail, I'd like to briefly talk about the financial side of renovating this trailer. Converting a camper van is typically a costly endeavor – you'll pay a few tens of thousands of dollars on the base vehicle (depending on how new and well-equipped it is), and then you'll need at least $10,000 to $20,000 (€9,184 to €18,368) to carry out a decent conversion.

If you decide to breathe new life into an older trailer, as Sarah did, there's a higher chance you'll spend less. In Sarah's case, she purchased the trailer for $9,000 (€8,266), invested $1,000 (€918) to repair it, and then spent $10,000 (€9,184) on interior updates and renovations. That brings the total price of the rig to a mere $20,000. Let's see if it's worth the money.

There's not much to talk about regarding this rig's exterior. One notable feature is a large cover for the trailer's front window. Oh, by the way, I like that the camper features many windows all around, which not only provide a lot of natural light during the day, but most of them also help ventilate the interior, as they can be opened.

Enter, and you won't be able to tell you're in a fifty-year-old rig. Sarah specializes in tiny house interior design, so her expertise was a perfect fit for her mobile home. She opted for a mostly white interior paired with vinyl flooring, white cabinetry with many rattan inserts, and some other minor darker elements. It provides a homey and calming yet modern vibe for the interior.

By the way, the rattan inserts not only give the cabinetry a more aesthetically pleasing look, but they also help prevent mold or mildew from forming as air can flow through them.

The first area you'll probably notice as you step inside is the large kitchen. It features a decently sized butcher block countertop, an enormous RV fridge/freezer, an oven/stove combo with a hood above, a sink, and a microwave. For storage, you can use two massive overhead cabinets or drawers.

The front part of the trailer is occupied by the lounge/office area. It comprises a long couch on one side and a desk on the other. This is where Sarah works on her designs using a monitor. Moreover, the couch has a storage space underneath and a small den for Sarah's tiny dog (which, by the way, is extremely cute; I added a photo of him in the gallery).

Just like in many other camper and trailer builds, you also get an additional sleeping arrangement for guests – the sofa can be pulled out, offering plenty of space for sleeping.

You'll also notice a heater in this area. Sarah's rig came with a propane furnace system, but it's currently not working, so Sarah uses two infrared heaters, one in the front and one at the rear, in the bedroom.

Next up, we have the bedroom. But before you get to the sleeping space, you'll have to walk by Sarah's closet spaces. There are two large compartments, one on each side, which serve as storage spots for clothes and more.

The bedroom is quite spacious, although it doesn't offer a lot of walking space. You'll discover some overhead cabinets for storage, two big windows, and a counter that comes with, yet again, storage underneath, right beside a water heater. It's safe to say that you won't have any issues storing stuff inside this trailer.

And finally, the rearest part of the interior is taken up by the bathroom. Not only do you get a well-equipped bathroom in this camper, but it's also very spacious. It comprises a large shower, a toilet, and a tiny sink, as well as some sizeable cabinets. Furthermore, a nice design touch is the floor, which is made up of small pink tiles.

Unfortunately, Sarah didn't share any info on one of the most important parts of the build: the utility systems. We know for sure there's a water heater, water tanks, and an electrical system, but I can't go into detail regarding the exact specs.

All in all, for just $20K, Sarah managed to completely transform this old Avion trailer into a comfortable and practical tiny home on wheels, suitable for full-time living.