This 1973 Camper Is the Mobile Home of Our Dreams

Through some clever DIY-ing, one blogger turned this trailer into a gorgeous getaway.

By Madeleine Frank ReevesPublished: May 12, 2017

Transport, Natural environment, Mode of transport, Vehicle, Landscape, Ecoregion, Desert, Dirt road, Wadi, Plant community,

Mandi Gubler

If you needed any more convincing that the tiny house movement is here to stay, look no further than this happy little RV, parked in the beautiful mountains of St. George, Utah. Here, DIY blogger Mandi Gubler of Vintage Revivals shows us how she overhauled this 1973 Bell camper—affectionately known as "The Nugget"—to create a personality-filled home away from home.

Custom Mat

Floor, Door, Wood, Flooring, Room, Tile, Window, Furniture, Vehicle, Porch,

Mandi Gubler

Mandi extends a warm welcome with an Instagram-friendly doormat.

Dining Nook

White, Room, Furniture, Interior design, Yellow, Table, Shelf, Home, Living room, House,

Mandi Gubler

Custom seats from diyupholsterysupply.com and patterned walls (Glidden Spicy Banana Pepper plus a freehand motif applied with a Sharpie paint pen) add whimsy to this corner, which transitions into sleeping quarters. Open shelving helps expand the room even more. "I knocked out the cabinets and pantry to make the space feel bigger and airier. Plus, everything's easier to find," Mandi says.

Road-Proof Plants

Room, Property, Interior design, Furniture, Building, Living room, House, Home, Real estate, Table,

Mandi Gubler

To make sure greenery stays upright in transit, Mandi built a shelf with individual holes for potted plants. And while there's a lot going on in this room color-wise, she relies on neutrals to give the space a sense of balance. "You see everything the second you walk in, so make sure it's not a giant rainbow-fest," she says. "Pick a couple of accent colors—I gravitate toward sherbet shades—and stick to neutrals for the rest."

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Statement Stovetop

Gas stove, Room, Kitchen stove, Kitchen, Furniture, Interior design, Major appliance, Small appliance, Table, Kitchen appliance,

Mandi Gubler

Mandi powder coated the stove with a bold melon paint, turning a practical appliance into a funky focal point. White cabinets and a high-glossy penny tile backsplash let the color really pop. You'll find these quirky touches all over Mandi's camper: "Tiny spaces feel extra special with personalized pieces," she explains. "A creative friend of mine painted a portrait of my dogs on plywood.

DIY Wood Floor

Floor, Flooring, Triangle, Tile, Laminate flooring, Wood flooring, Tile flooring,

Mandi Gubler

"Intricate design and expensive materials are more doable when you have less square footage," says Mandi. "My husband and I hand-cut every single piece of wood for the floor in two days!"

Meet the Blogger

Denim, Office equipment, Boot, Thigh, Knee, Input device, Long hair, Office supplies, Blond, Computer keyboard,

Mandi Gubler

Mandi Gubler runs the DIY website Vintage Revivals. You can check out her full series on renovating "The Nugget" on her blog, and follow @vintagerevivals on Instagram for more amazing DIY inspiration.