When Mandi Gubler brought home a rusty, dusty trailer that she bought for $1,000 from a Craigslist seller, even her husband Court asked «What did you just do?»
Nobody but Mandi could guess exactly what she had in mind for the 1973 Bell Trailer, which she nicknamed «The Nugget,» until they saw her renovations four months later. The 34-year-old runs her own blog called Vintage Revivals, where she writes tutorials on how to gussy up retro furniture.
But updating The Nugget was a much bigger project than simply changing the upholstery on an antique chair. The outside of the trailer was water-damaged, there were holes in the walls, and the interior was stuck in the 1970s.
With some elbow grease and a little imagination, Mandi and Court turned the cramped 13 by 5-foot trailer into a tiny home that feels open and bright, mainly by taking out most of the old cabinets and furniture.
“Basically, we took out everything that was higher up,” Mandi told Today. “It just felt so dark and enclosed.” There was a lot of wood paneling and ugly floral prints to replace, but Mandi’s finished project speaks for itself.
It’s hard to believe The Nugget used to be this broken old trailer…
The first thing you’ll notice about the revamped trailer is the eye-catching paint job Mandi gave it, but there’s even more to see inside.
The trailer’s bunk beds and cabinets have been taken out, making The Nugget’s interior less claustrophobic. Mandi replaced them with a row of potted plants and smaller wooden shelves above a much cozier pair of purple sofas.
The wood paneling and faded pastels have been given a much brighter, lighter coat of paint, including an eye-catching yellow accent wall. This helps show off other small details, like the new wooden door.
To make up for the cabinets that were removed, Mandi and Court opened up the trailer’s cramped bathroom and built a glass-front pantry. But the best feature of all is the new wooden tile flooring, which covers up the old avocado green design.
It’s an incredible project, and the fact that this couple pulled it off in just four months for only $5,000 shows that they’re DIY masters. Now no one is asking Mandi «What did you just do?» Instead they’re asking «How did you do that?»
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