Marilyn Jean is on the road and we are already making memories in her!
She is a 1961 Shasta Airflyte re-issue. Meaning it is a replica of the 1961 model but built in 2015 with modern appliances and plumbing. For Shasta’s 75th anniversary they released only 1941 of these 16ft and 19ft models making her a limited edition!
Shasta introduced the canned ham shape. By 1967, Shasta was the #1 name in the world, when it came to trailers. Today, two production facilities in Indiana still exist.
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Onto ours- we call her MJ for short. Her name came from us wanting something original to her but meaningful to us too. The wife of the couple we purchased it from told me she loved Marilyn Munroe (she even had a pillow with her picture on it inside the trailer) and my Grandma’s name was Jean.
We purchased it in July 2019 but found there were a lot more repairs than expected so that was the priority. We real-sealed every j-rail, window and roof seam. Fixed a smell in the bathroom, replaced some sections that had water damage and also treated some areas for rust and salt damage.
This is the before:
Not bad but I had a different vision for her!
We were thrilled to work with Kaitlynn again from KMitchell Design Co. who put together the perfect sophisticated, modern-retro design plan.
We decided to keep the floor as it was in great condition but to be honest, it just doesn’t clean well and no amount of scrubbing and steaming seems to make the white tiles look clean! Ugh! Maybe we will put new floors in next year.
We painted the walls with Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and the cabinets and bathroom the perfect seafoam green color!
The counter and table are in great shape and although I don’t love them, there was no good reason to change them. I love the gold faucet we added though.
The cushions and roman shades we done by the very talented ladies at The Finishing Touch. They literally transformed these cushions! The roman shades have a blackout liner that are a must have if you are doing a trailer! (Write that one down!)
The wallpaper... it’s a show stopper! It was made for this trailer!
We really tried to hit all the details including linens, storage solutions, and even swapping out the old privacy glass in the cabinets for this gold metal insert. A big thank you to Jordan from @farmhouselife for helping with that and Angela from @squirrllyscroller for replicating the door design.
We have already been making memories with MJ. Our maiden voyage was with Harvest Hosts and we stayed at 2 wineries that were completely amazing! If you haven’t tried Harvest Hosts then I highly recommend and you can save 15% here:
http://harvesthosts.refr.cc/amberross
Harvest Hosts allow you to stay at participating wineries, breweries, farms, attractions and golf courses for the night!
The kids have loved living simply and we have been learning that even in a pandemic you can create really great adventures. Even if that means driveway camping!
TIPS:
-I see tons of trailers for sale that say “recently renovated” and charging a premium price. Do your research and if there is water damage, it is NOT worth a premium price. Water damage is tons of work to fix properly. (Water damage can mean mold and you don’t want to be sleeping in there or have your kiddos breathing that in!)
-Pandemic camping has it’s limitations. Showers are closed and many private campgrounds are not taking overnight bookings, seasonal only. Many amenities are also not open. Having a bathroom in your trailer is a major plus during this time.
-Be aware of weight distribution and everything you pack inside your trailer. A simple google search can teach you tons on this topic.
Let me know your thoughts on our newest trailer baby!
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