Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there! Nothing makes me happier than hearing from moms who have renovated their pop up campers and taken them on fun family adventures. We were at a dance competition this Mother’s Day, so no camping for us. That just meant I had to live vicariously through all of you. Today I am sharing Jen’s awesome pop up camper makeover. I absolutely love it, because I come from the Southwest myself, so this remodel really speaks to me. And Jen and Jesse have already taken their camper on some fun family trips, which makes this makeover all the more sweet.
Jen and Jesse were avid tent campers and adventure-seekers for 17 years. The first six years were spent in East Tennessee, but they have been in Northeast Florida ever since. Once they started a family, life got really crazy for a while. Doesn’t it always? 😀 They still loved camping, but it became a lot less enjoyable when they had to pack what seemed like the entire contents of their house. All the packing and unpacking made it hard to find time to relax and enjoy the outdoors, which is what camping is really all about.
Jen stumbled upon The Pop Up Princess blog at the perfect time. Her family had fallen on hard times, so the dream of a pop up camper renovation was the perfect escape for them. After spending hours looking over all the blog posts, Jen realized that a pop up camper makeover could be done very economically. She had more than enough inspiration to get started on her own makeover… she just needed a camper. 😉
Jen and Jesse started checking Craigslist regularly in August, and after a failed attempt at purchasing one, they finally scored their 2005 Rockwood Freedom in mid-October. It was in good condition for the most part, but the original owners had left it outside in the elements for several years. The latest owners had only had it for 18 months before purchasing a brand new travel trailer. They did repair some of the damage that occurred while it had been outside and uncovered, so it wasn’t all that bad. The interior in particular was in great shape. Jen purchased it on the spot, had towed it home, and got to work straight away.
Jen wanted a slightly different look for their tiny vacation home on wheels. She had recently been to New Mexico for her best friend’s wedding and fell in love with everything southwest, especially the dramatically different landscape. She decided to attempt a southwestern/bohemian vibe for their pop up camper. She started with the cabinets. Jen primed the cabinets first, then she used Behr paint with built in primer in Whitecliff Beige, which she had left over from a home project.
The cabinets actually got three coats of primer total. Jen loves the neutral, light airy look, and the paint is a semi-gloss so it’s easy to wipe down if the kids or dogs leave their dusty prints on them. Jen spray painted the old brass cabinet hardware with a muted gold paint. Then she updated the flooring with adhesive vinyl planks in Driftwood from Lowes.
Jen added some ruffled sheer curtains to the master bunkend to give it a Bohemian look. She removed the original plastic clips from the old curtains and used her sewing machine to attach the clips to the new sheers. Colorful tie-backs added some visual interest. She also incorporated some of the tips from our post on bedding to make her beds more comfortable.
For additional storage, Jen and Jesse followed our tutorial on tension rod shelving to build shelves above the kitchen galley. The cute black and white striped bins keep all the clutter contained, too. I love how neat everything looks.
When it came to curtains, the kids’ side gave Jen a bit of a headache. She couldn’t decide on a fabric that provided just enough contrast to the bedding and the cushion covers, so for a temporary fix, she ordered some 52-inch plain white curtain panels. They ended up being just the solution. She added contrast with brightly colored blankets, curtain tie-backs, and some adorable pillows from Target’s Pillowfort line.
Jen covered her cushions in a southwestern duck fabric she found at Hobby Lobby. She used a YouTube tutorial and the help of her mother-in-law to give them a tailored look. I love how they contrast with the black and white. What an adorable makeover, right? Looks like the kids enjoy their new space, too.
Jen says their PUP is still a work in progress (isn’t that always the way it is? 😉 ), but they are having a blast together as a family in their new home away from home. I love it!
I hope that many of you got to enjoy your PUPs on Mother’s Day, and if you are working on a remodel of your own, don’t forget to check out our Get Featured page for all the details on how you can share your makeover here on the blog. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Happy Camping!
This looks great! Lots of inspiration here 😀
One of the best remodels posted ever, in my humble opinion. Love her style! (and wish there were more photos 🙂
You totally captured the southwestern bohemian look and feel. It in truly inviting. Nice work.
Very nice Jen. I know how much work it can be for a young mother to work and find time to do all of the sewing etc..Enjoy! From an old mother. 🙂 now grandmother.
Is the Xterra 4×4?
Bohemio chic! Me fascino 😀
where did you get the black and white southwestern blanket?