The bedroom is technically where the interior renovation began in the Airstream. We started building here first because we needed to install our Battle Born battery bank and our solar system in the storage area below the bed.
We will be sharing a blog post about our solar system and Battle Born battery install soon, but until then, feel free to check out our YouTube video of the installation process!
Tommy built the bed frame as simple as he could for the space—two large size “boxes” made out of cabinet grade ply wood. Nothing fancy or complicated was needed for what we had in mind. The plan was to have the top of the bed platform hinge open so we could access the large storage area and electrical system below.
When we were deciding on the mattress size for the Airstream we had to contemplate the entire design and length of our trailer. Although our Airstream is a 23 foot trailer, that measurement counts the length on the outside from the back bumper to the front of the trailer hitch, so the interior space is only about 18 or 19 feet of buildable space. Meaning, we could not go super large with the size of the bed if we wanted to keep the rest of the layout in the Airstream functional and not cramped.
We teamed up with Mattress Insider to create a custom mattress to fit in our rear bedroom. If we wanted to get the most bed in this specific space we needed to have two radial curves so the mattress fit perfectly in the allotted space. We were able to make a cardboard template of the bed area and send it in to Mattress Insider so they could make an exact custom mattress for us. The bed size is closest to a queen size width but it extends the full width of the airstream making the bed length about 7 feet long.
We were stumped for a bit trying to figure out what to do with the blank wall in the bedroom area. What we ended up doing became our favorite feature in the bedroom…an accent wall! These decals are from Urban Walls the exact design is called Canyon Colors (linked below) in a reduced size since this is a very small wall to put a mural on. These decals were incredibly easy to install and gave this space the pop of color it needed!
After we decided on the Canyon Colors accent wall we stumbled on this burnt orange comforter set, and just like that, we had the bedroom design nailed down.
On to the dresser—from the very beginning of the renovation we knew we did not want a hallway filled with drawers and doors. We had that in our Toyota RV, and it felt cluttered when opening doors and drawers to access clothes, and then of course we had to deal with things sliding out or opening during transit. Not fun.
In this build we wanted everything to be simple. We carried that theme of baskets from the bathroom storage but made that idea a little bigger for our clothing. Tommy has four baskets for his clothing and I have four baskets for my clothing, and there are two additional baskets, one for each of our separate dirty clothes.
Keep in mind we have mentioned a few times, we have plans to turn this Airstream into a glamping rental sometime in the future when we are done traveling in it, so we were looking for ways to make the space functional not only for us, but if someone were to stay in here for a night or two. Think rolled towels for guests, and a quick place to unpack bags and suit cases, as well as storage for other supplies needed for short stays with renters. This is where you would find these things.
The cubby storage was built for the exact specs of the baskets we purchased for this space. We wanted to make sure we were getting the maximum amount of storage in this space as well as a snug fit so while traveling the baskets wouldn’t come flying out.
It took a little searching on etsy to find the right type of basket for the cubby storage we were envisioning.
We learned from our last RV build and time traveling in it, you don’t need nearly as many clothes as you think you might need for full-time travel. This dresser space we have allotted in the Airstream keeps us from packing way too many additional articles of clothing. We both have plenty of clothes packed in here, and even multiple dress outfits just incase we find ourselves needing to look a little fancier than usual. We use the roll method with our clothing and I think most people would be surprised how well everything we need fits in these cubbies!
