We got in our Clara ( what we named our Clipper) today and started looking her over. I took pictures but i do not know how to post here.The owner before had changed her to a camo theme. After closer inspection its just covering the original fabrics . I pulled it off all of the valances... most all original (even the counter top is original under a mica they put over it). They did change the carpet. What would you do? Keep her with the original orange and such or up grade her to something more modern while we are fixing leak damage? i know inevitably it's my choice but wondering how taboo it is to change anything. the outside has had the stripes camo'ed as well. they put a peel and stick material over the stripes. i do not know what would happen if i tried pulling it off.
ps.. the original fabric are on the cushions under the brow at the dinette.... but the couch cushions are missing...obviously.
Oh and i figured out how to attach 2 pics :)
There is no taboo in changing things out with the clipper. You can change as much or as little as you want. Few clippers are still all original, many have retained that brown & orange coloring (mostly because they switched things out as they wore out), and some have completely redone the interiors.
It's fun to look at what folks have done and what they retained of the original - I got to see the infamous orange shag carpeting on the ceiling of the cab this past year... I've retained the original Herculon fabric on the valances (the cabover bed mattress still has it, but I have it covered over with layers to protect it) and the original wood. I did cover the dinette table top with contact paper to bring in more color (my counter tops and dinette are the blond wood veneer) but left the counter tops alone. I also still have the original gilt mirrors - one in the bathroom and one over the vanity. AND, my bathroom sink and faucet are original (not too many of those still around). The original carpeting had been replaced with a similarly colored carpet - that's my next big project to put in flooring (I'm looking at cork flooring in a tangerine orange tint).
Could you post a picture of the mirror and bathroom faucet? Just curious as to what they look like :)
Jbtb,
I thing the only rule is: there are no rules!! It's your rig...make it work for you.
Weather your restoring the original, or customizing it to your taste..it's a labor of love.
When you come to the flooring, I wanted to share that we have found that's it's much easier to keep clean with a hard surface flooring rather than carpet. You can always shake out a throw rug or a quick sweep and you're good to go. Ours came with oak hardwood flooring...the cabin look! Other than the fabrics, ours is all original. Many added microwave, but we're still stuck in the 70's, no TV either! As retro as the foil wallpaper might be...we've purchased a new print, but have yet to install it, still keeping with an Oak leaf theme.
Personally...the camo strips gotta go!!😱
Happy trails,
Steve n Lauren
The first is a photo of the mirror over the vanity (in the main space). The second is the bathroom mirror and faucet. The faucet is very compact - not a 4" centerset more like 2-3/4".
Thanks Toedtoes and Sfine!!
Those are serious mirrors!! We began work on it day before yesterday. We checked the water system and found the fitting on the tank (hooked to hose that goes to the pump) has sheered off ... so that's getting fixed.
We started checking all of the joints, faucets and fittings with a regular hose while that's being fixed. at some point the pump and the fresh tank have been replaced... no complaints there.
I am beginning to strip out all of the camo. It's really cool to have all of the fabrics still present underneath. We have the option of keeping the orange ( which is delightfully hideous) or doing what the last owners did and cover them. But the verdict is : We will continue the efforts and preserve the original but the orange has GOT to be covered lol.
We are history buffs , so we like making sure things are preserved or at least well documented.
I've taken pictures as we received it. I'll take another set when I get all of the camo off .... just to see it all original at least once. Then I plan on taking another set once I recover the orange.
We've planned on leaving the counter top and the table alone and incorporating those as accents ... so now i get to go shopping for material :D.
John and Tonya
Now you're into the fun stuff - making it yours!
I just recently redid my blinds (they were the original fabric but it was disintegrating with the slightest touch). Ended up finding the perfect fabrics online - hard to find lime green & bright orange without blues and pinks involved. Made the blinds 2 sided: orange and white horizontal stripes on the outside (to match the exterior paint) and lime green and whit floral print on the inside. Have enough left over to add accents.