This Superbly Renovated 1966 Trailer Blends an Upgraded Retro Design With Modern Amenities

Many people prefer buying a new camper rather than renovating one. However, if you don't mind putting in the work, a renovation will cost less and is a more environmentally friendly choice.

Meet Jordan, Tony, and their tiny home on wheels, a 1966 Kit Companion trailer. They aren't strangers to camper conversions. The couple founded TJ's Dwellings, a design and conversion shop, and they've worked on vans, trailers, and other tiny homes. In fact, we've covered one of their projects here on autoevolution.

As usual, I'll start the tour with the exterior. The rig measures a mere 15 feet in length. At first glance, you won't be able to tell this trailer hides a refurbished interior. It looks pretty much like standard.

Of course, the exterior was renovated as well, but the couple kept the original aesthetic in mind as they patched some holes and put on fresh coats of paint. Also, the trailer still has its original windows.

Jordan and Tony only added a shore power connection and a small door to the plumbing system inside. It's a simple setup with two 6-gallon (23-liter) canisters for freshwater and greywater and a marine foot pump.

Step inside, and a beautifully designed interior will greet you. Jordan and Tony wanted to maintain the 60s design theme, so they installed a retro tiled backsplash and other retro elements.

You'll discover the kitchen dead ahead of the entrance. It features a stunning tiny sink repurposed from a salad bowl, a wall-mounted rail to hold utensils and a portable two-burner stove. Moreover, a chest-style refrigerator is housed in a large drawer integrated into the bed frame.

For kitchen storage, the duo can use three decently sized overhead cabinets, three soft-close drawers, and the cabinet underneath the sink.

Opposite the kitchen, by the entrance, the couple devised their version of a mud room. In case you're unfamiliar with the term, a mud room is a space dedicated to removing outdoor clothing. It can be dirty, hence the name. This mud room consists of a small bench, a coat hanger, and an overhead bookshelf.

Next, we have the bedroom at the rear part of the interior. It's a cozy space with three 6-inch memory foam cushions, a reading light, and two sizeable drawers. I like the fact that the area is very well lit, as three large windows surround it.

Unlike other rigs, this rig boasts a simple power system. There are no separate batteries, inverters, or components you can typically find on campers. Jordan and Tony chose a simple system, using a Jackery portable power station housed underneath the bed to power everything they need.

Since they don't have huge consumers in their mobile home, this portable power station can handle the load. It powers the puck lights, refrigerator, and other minor stuff. Moreover, it can be connected to shore power via the exterior port I mentioned earlier, and it can also be juiced up through solar energy, but the couple didn't add any solar panels to this rig.

The final part of this trailer's interior (and my favorite) is the lounge area at the front. Even though there's an open layout in the trailer, meaning no area is closed off, the lounge feels separated from the rest of the living space.

That's because Jordan and Tony used dark stained wood for the lounge's walls and ceiling. Furthermore, they fitted a beautiful ceiling light and chose a slatted design for the bench's panels. The look is completed by a striking green velvet upholstery, giving it even more of a retro vibe. I'm also fond of this dual design for the living space, with the lounge being a lot darker than the rest of the bright interior.

The lounge is not just aesthetically pleasing but also very functional. A U-shaped couch provides plenty of sitting space, while a table in the middle makes the space ideal for eating or working on your laptop. Furthermore, the table has a flip-up extension if you need additional space.

Like in other campers, the couch's benches have storage spaces underneath. What's more, if Jordan and Tony want to accommodate guests overnight, they can turn the lounge into an extra sleeping arrangement. All they have to do is lower the table to connect the benches and rearrange the cushions.

All in all, Jordan and Tony did a great job with this renovation. The only downsides I see are the lack of a bathroom (not even a toilet or an outdoor shower) and the tiny sink, which looks really good but is not that practical.

Still, this tiny home on wheels is simple yet practical and very aesthetically pleasing and packs all the couple needs to enjoy full-time mobile living. By the way, you can see more of the couple's work on the TJ's Dwellings website.