My Cool Caravan...

I've grown quite interested in all things "camper" lately. I love our Airstream Flying Cloud, and have had fun fitting it out to make it personal and comfortable for Handsome and me - and occasional visitors.

I recently came across this book filled with wonderful vintage units. The best part is that in addition to exteriors, it also gives style notes about the interiors. Many of them now sit comfortably nestled in their owners' backyards.

The book is called "My Cool Caravan" by Jane Field-Lewis and Chris Haddon. (The title is a link to Amazon.) Hilary Walker's photography really makes the whole book. The text is filled with historical information about each camper, and then information about how it was restored and/or furnished.

This is the Eccles Aristocrat camper. The interior reflects the Art Deco period - and I think it's one of my favorites in the book. Most of the campers are located in the UK, but the book features a few in the US as well.

If you click on this picture, you can enlarge it to see the beautiful ceramic piece that radiates heat from the little furnace unit. (Actually, clicking on any of my photos will enlarge them to show better detail.) I also love the nautical blue of the exterior.

This little camper was hauled into the back yard of two lucky little girls and is used as their playhouse.  It's called a Diddy, and the owners practically stole it in an online auction when the owner forgot to list a reserve price for it. (They only paid 150 British pounds for it!)

"Constance", named after the middle name of the owner's granddaughter, was restored for multiple purposes. It's their granddaughter's playhouse, a place for grandma and grandpa to share coffee in the morning, or as a place for grandma to sit and read the afternoon away. (This is my other personal favorite.)

I think my friend, Brenda from Cozy Little House blog would adore this particular camper!

Look how the owners tucked it into their backyard landscape. There's a little deck in front and plants all around that really ground it to make it look like it's been there all along. I especially love the three pots standing guard at the front door.

I'm really having fun choosing (and making) things for the Flying Cloud, but after looking through the pages of this book, I might have to rethink some of my choices and go more in keeping with the history of the Airstreams.

If you get a chance to page through a copy of this book, make sure you have the time to really sit and enjoy it. Man, talk about eye candy! It would make a fun coffee table book, too. Then you could pick it up again and again for inspiration for your own camper - or even for your home!