200-Square-Foot 1984 Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer Photos

Name: Sarah Wilson
Location: College Station, Texas
Type of home: 1984 Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer
Size: 200 square feet
Years lived in: 8 months, owned

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’ve been passionate about tiny homes and particularly vintage campers since I was in college where I had a Pinterest board full of old Shastas and canned ham trailers. While I could likely never live in such a small space full time, I adore them and prefer to vacation and escape to unique small spaces. I’m also very interested in real estate and love how financially accessible travel trailers could be as short term rentals. After looking for years, I saw a partially renovated 1984 Holiday Rambler travel trailer on Facebook Marketplace one day and knew it could make an amazing “game day” rental for Texas A&M University and other events. I had no experience renovating a camper and had only stayed in one once, but I’ve found I can figure most things out with enough Googling. The camper had already been gutted, sealed, and had the walls rebuilt, which spared me from the worst inevitable camper issue — leaks and water damage.

The previous owners had done a huge portion of the work and then just got burnt out, they said. I was able to come in and build out the couch and bedroom areas, but the kitchen and bathroom had blessedly been nearly complete. I ended up spending a lot more money than I planned on repairing the electrical, as part of it had been done badly, and hired out that work, as well as the construction of the custom bed and side/electrical table. The largest job was painting the outside, where I had to strip, sand, buff, fill holes, remove all the old caulking and seals, and then paint, re-caulk, and replace all the seam covers in a short period of time so rain would not get in. I painted the camper white with an Aggie maroon stripe and door. It took me just under four months to finish the camper and launch it on Airbnb in late December, which immediately booked out for Christmas and New Years. The camper currently resides at a local RV park while I search for land to place it on permanently. It is currently booked out every weekend though May, when our contract ends at that park.

The Ag Wagon is cozy, bright, and not minimalistic at all, but that is where my personal style ends in it. I consider myself more glam and love blues, greens and plants, but I had a clear vision for what the camper could look like and am so glad I followed it. I love finding vintage accents and hunting for unique pieces, so all the decor was thrifted or bought from local Texas artists. My favorite thrift finds are the Texas and Texas A&M mugs, none of which are the same, but I love that you can choose a mug for your mood. I also keep a vintage-style Instax camera stocked with film for guests to document their stays. Some leave a photo in the guest book, which is such a delight to read. I’ve found I really love hosting and have a lot of pride in having created a cool place for people to escape to.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Texas chic with vintage Aggie accents

What is your favorite room and why? The dining area is my favorite as it’s incredibly comfortable to sit in the banquette with a cup of coffee or my laptop. The sun streams through the trees and you can watch horses graze in a nearby field. It is a very lovely place to relax, breathe, and find a moment to be still.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I found a Texas-shaped mini waffle maker and just couldn’t resist adding it to the camper, and starting to stock syrup and small packets of waffle mix. I figure it’s an easy, unique meal for guests to whip up and I’ve already had a few positive comments about it!

Any advice for creating a home you love? Take the time to imagine a clear vision of what you want your space to look like, especially if it’s small or a vacation rental. I picked and strictly adhered to a color palette of sunset hues and the neutral colors of black, white, and gray. I followed this down to the color of the drawer inserts. This made shopping a lot easier and made sure everything in the space tied together. I was also willing to spend a little more on specific things that would best fit and complement the space. Follow the vision once you have it!

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.