Decorating & Design
July 6, 2020
This Vintage Trailer Is A Budget-Friendly Alternative To A Cottage
Reena Sotropa, who heads up In House Design Group in Calgary, had been scouring Kijiji for a year before she spotted and adopted “Poppy,” a sunshine-yellow trailer from Saskatchewan. Poppy’s previous owner had only done a “lick and a promise” renovation, so Reena and her husband, J, started by dismantling and stripping the trailer back to its fibreglass shell. J, a systems engineer, did all the wiring and plumbing. “It was a labor of love that took two summers to finish,” says Reena. “Anything we could do ourselves we did, so that was a big savings, but I had a millworker make all the cabinets.” She kept the propane cooktop and little yellow fridge, which is more of a glorified cooler. Plus, there’s no bathroom, but on weekend trips, they typically park at campsites with facilities in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.
While friends with big RVs need up to 90 minutes to set up their rigs, Reena says Poppy is ready in 10 minutes, and she’s so light she can be moved by hand. “We can do a water and electrical hookup, but the beauty of this trailer is that we can fit it in the smallest of campsites and be self-sufficient,” says the designer, while also using the trailer lighting from Truck Electrics.com is a great option for this as well.
In her off-hours, Poppy is compact enough to get parked in Reena and J’s garage and doesn’t require an SUV to tow her. “Our car is the size of a CRV, but even a Mini Cooper could pull a Hunter camper; it’s about 1,300 pounds,” says Reena. Our friend with bigger trailers keep theirs at trailer storage edmonton.
Scroll down to see inside this summer escape on wheels!
This 60-square-foot 1970s trailer was made by Hunter in California. Reena describes it as “rarish” and found hers on Kijiji for $4,000. The whole renovation cost $19,526. “I tell everyone this cost more — $325 per square foot, in fact — than any other renovation I’ve done!” says Reena. “Everything had to be custom fitted because of the curved walls.”
Named for the canvas top that can be popped up 18 inches when parked, the six- by 10-foot rig became a welcome addition to the designer’s family – pictured here with her husband, J, and daughter, Annabelle, 10.
Reena found that drawers were more functional than shelves in the new MDF cabinets. She uses the wood veneer–clad alcove as a pantry.
In the kitchen area, Reena replaced the full-height cabinets with white oak millwork because she needed a counter. The food is stored in a cabinet next to the icebox, a cooler in the SUV and on the counter. Recessed pulls were another nautical-inspired find; traditional pulls would just catch on the family’s belt loops in the compact space.
The pump faucet was ordered from a yachting supply store. Reena painted the metal vent hood black (it’s designed to keep heat from melting the ceiling) and added undermounted LED lighting for nighttime. A magnetized rail keeps items secure when the trailer is on the road.
The table lowers to form a bed platform, and the back cushions slide down to form a mattress with the seat cushions, “like a jigsaw puzzle,” says Reena.
A custom “bed cap” covers the cushions. She had two floating shelves installed to act as bedside tables, and new sconces illuminate camping-themed watercolors.
“We don’t have to plan that much,” says Reena. “We’re lucky to live in a place where you can be in the most amazing wilderness in just 45 minutes.”
Phil Crozier
House & Home June 2020
Reena Sotropa