RV Tours

This 90’s Bonair travel trailer was reimagined for a family of four

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about this RV renovation

Type of RV: 1990 Bonair Travel Trailer

Renovated by: @revolutiontrailersmb / Timeline: 2 months

ReVolution Trailers is a full-service travel trailer renovation, service and repair company with a passion for renovating travel trailers, and keeping them out of the landfill.

They’ve been reimagining campers since 2019, and today we’re taking a peek inside a 24′ Bonair that was completely transformed for a family of 4 with two growing boys. The interior, which was not only outdated but had extensive water damage, now feels like a home away from home and reflects the family’s love of the mountains.

Before Photos

What inspired you to renovate RV’s?

The owner of the company and I were doing residential renovations – typical jobs like kitchens and bathrooms. One day he came to work and asked my opinion on switching focus to renovating travel trailers instead of homes. I wasn’t even 100% sure what a travel trailer was but told him that as long as I knew where to show up to work, I was up for anything. We secured our first shop space within a week and began shortly after that. Since then we have outgrown 2 shops and have now settled into our forever shop space with room to grow. We always say we renovate trailers much as you would a home, but we’ve quickly learned that it’s really nothing like renovating a home! Small spaces offer their own unique challenges but our favourite part of the job is that we get to do something different every single day.

What made you choose this specific RV to renovate?

This particular trailer came to us in pretty bad shape. There was extensive water damage to the roof and we had to do some pretty major repairs before the rebuild began. We had a family who was looking for a trailer to use with their young children that would continue to meet their needs as the kids grew older. Without a slide out, we had to be really creative with the space and maximize every square inch to ensure it could continue handle a growing family.

Was this RV renovation inspired by anything specific?

This renovation was inspired by the family’s love for the mountains. They gave un carte blanche to design it based on that and so we ran with it. We used warm greys and buffalo plaid, natural woods and even did a mountain inspired feature wall that wrapped around the bedroom into the hallway across the bathroom door. We wanted the end result to feel like a mountain side lodge where memories that last a lifetime could be made.

How would you describe your decorating style?

I’d say my design style tends to lean towards the contemporary side classic style – A modern nod to those design elements that never really go out of style. With good bones, it’s easy to switch up things like accent colours and accessories so you can decorate seasonally or with the latest trends without breaking the bank each time.

What’s your favorite aspect of interior design?

I love that each day and each project is completely different. Like if we had two identical travel trailer models come in, they will never go out the door being the same. I also love being challenged to rethink a small space and design it with maximum efficiency. Small spaces can have such a massive impact.

What are your favorite places to source products and decor?

During the pandemic, we experienced major supply chain interruptions in Canada. It became very difficult to get basic supplies locally. We turned to Amazon for many things. But we do try local first. We also have a unique challenge of some of the most extreme temperature swings in the world from summer to winter. We have been working with a number of products that are designed to withstand our climate while trailers are in storage for the winter months.

Is there a local shop, artisan, or Etsy shop you’re really into right now?

We love the Canadian made Smart Tiles products as well as Spoonflower. Locally, we have a vibrant artisan and vintage scene so we try to shop local as much as we can.

What’s the most meaningful or splurge-worthy item you incorporated into the RV interior?

Most people don’t use the propane stoves and ovens in their RVs, usually saying they prefer to cook outside. We have been installing what we call a “vertical” kitchen. We have a microwave/convection/steamer/grill combo unit to replace the typical microwave and oven as well as a small induction cook top. Usually, all these components fit in one tall cabinet – the microwave on top, a drawer to hold the induction cook top in the middle (when not in use) and the fridge below. This often opens up a ton of counter space that was lost to an oven that never got used.

What was most challenging about this renovation?

This reno required a lot of repair work. There was extensive water damage on the roof that had made its way right down to the floor in the back end. We ended up replacing most of the roof, the whole back wall and some of the subfloor. By the time you can see the water damage inside the trailer, the damage behind the walls is really bad. In this case the damage inside was visibly bad so we knew we were in for a big fix.

What project made the most difference?

We removed the oven and moved the “vertical kitchen” to an area inside the main entrance where there had been an awkward cabinet and a tape deck (yes, a tape deck!) The original sink was a tiny one in the corner next to the stove. There was no counter space. We centered the sink and ended up have a stretch of counter that extended almost 8 feet. With cabinetry above and below, as well as beside the vertical kitchen, there was so much storage space just in the kitchen area alone.

What piece of advice would you give someone about to start an RV renovation?

Be prepared for it to be a bigger project than you think it will be. If you think there’s no water damage, you’re probably wrong. we have yet to complete a renovation that hasn’t had some kind of water damage. Also, do your research. Understanding how these things are built and the reason why some common household items can’t work in an RV will save you time and money.