Era-Specific Interior Design for Vintage Camper Trailers

This mostly original, 1959 Cardinal features colors, materials, and patterns popular in the late 50s

The internet is obviously a wealth of information, but we challenge camper renovators to look beyond the typical Pinterest boards or Instagram photos featuring RV renovation and glampers. While these may be good sources on renovation techniques, we encourage vintage trailer owners to find period-specific design inspiration in more organic and creative ways. The big question then is, where does one begin?

Getting Started

One of the first considerations for us is whether the trailer will be a true restoration, or whether it will have a more contemporary style. Because a restored trailer is a piece of living history, our personal preference is usually that the trailer should be a representation of its time, and reflect the era from which it came.

While some of our restorations have been very close to original from a design perspective, we have yet to restore a trailer that was a faithful purist’s restoration. For example, fabrics deteriorate over time, so upholstery often needs replacing. Original patterns and materials can be impossible to find, so we often need to use fabrics that are period-appropriate—in pattern, texture, composition, and color.

How to Accomplish “Period-Appropriate”

This is actually harder than it sounds. Because of the limited availability of period designs in contemporary materials, it can be tempting to incorporate any new material that has a vintage-inspired design on it. We made that mistake with a flooring choice once when we were new to restoration.

Armstrong Retro Lang Street - a great pattern from the 1940s

One of our early projects, a 1962 Shasta, had deteriorating floor tiles. We wanted to save the original floor but it just wasn’t possible, so we started looking for replacement flooring. At the time, Armstrong had a vintage-inspired pattern that echoed the designs of old linoleum flooring. It looked great in the trailer, but the problem was that the pattern was actually closer to those popular in the 1940s.

Get Yourself a Time Machine

Not really, but there are ways to get a good feel for a certain era. It’s not always possible to see actual period photographs or illustrations of your make of trailer. But it is possible to get a feel for the trends of a specific time period.

To prevent a scenario where you choose a reproduction or original product from the wrong era, one option is to research interior designs from the year or decade of your trailer.

The Search Is On

A general Google search of a phrase like “1962 interior design” can be helpful, but often it will return modern interpretations of that era. For more accurate representations, be sure to look at actual vintage photos of interiors, or drawings from things like period advertisements of your era. You might not find photos of trailer interiors, but you will likely be able to find photos of home interiors. And, as you can imagine, trailer design over the years often followed home design trends.

Looking at a number of print advertisements or interior design magazines from a certain era will give a great impression of the colors and styles that were popular at the time.

Old issues of interior design magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, or even Architectural Digest can be very useful in getting a feel for the designs of the era. You likely won’t be able to replicate any one design theme exactly, but once you’ve absorbed several images from a specific era, you’ll have a much better idea of the colors, themes, styles, and textures that were popular then.

Also remember, (and this is probably obvious to some,) you don’t need to be tied to the specific year of your trailer. You can do searches for the decade it was made. If it’s a turn-of-the-decade camper, (like a 1960,) you may want to look at design trends of the end of the previous decade, (in this example, the late 1950s). As with fashion, the trends at the end of the decade almost always carry over into the beginning of the next.

Now for the Fun Part

Depending on whether you enjoy the hunt, the next part can be either a time-consuming chore, or a lot of fun. But either way, once you’ve become familiar with the looks of an era, you’ll now have a much better idea of what to choose when you move on to the search for finishing materials. The task of finding the right products and materials is frustrating at times, but the decisions will be easier now that you have a good feel for the era you are looking to preserve.

Formica and other sheet laminate manufacturers have re-released the popular boomerang/skylark pattern. (Image courtesy www.formica.com)

In some cases you’ll be able to source original “new old stock” like vintage upholstery material. In other cases, you’ll need to look for vintage-inspired patterns, materials, and designs featured in contemporary finishing products. For example, some current laminate manufacturers make boomerang-patterned laminate sheeting, which can be a good alternative when your original mid-century countertops are beyond saving.  In rare cases, a new, reproduction piece may even be available to replace a damaged or deteriorated part in your vintage travel trailer restoration.

Perfection in Restoration

Unless you find a mint-condition, untouched, and well-preserved travel trailer, (which is extremely rare,) there is no perfection when it comes to restoration. Your design doesn’t have to be a perfect match to how the camper originally looked; rather, focus on giving the overall impression of a specific era. The right parts, materials, and vintage accessories will combine to give your visitors the feeling they just stepped into a time capsule.