Jenny’s Fleetwood Double Wide Remodel

Jenny P. and her husband live in a late 1990’s Fleetwood double wide in the Pacific Northwest. The 1300 square foot home sits on a 10-acre lot with its own pond visible from a large deck on the back of the home. Jenny describes the home as the most peaceful and beautiful place she has ever lived. For the past three years they have been working on their double wide remodel and we are lucky that they are sharing it with us.

The couple previously lived in a 2000 square foot triple wide manufactured home. After purchasing their new property the couple lived in a truck with a camper top for an entire winter while remodeling the home’s interior.

Jenny and her husband have done most of the remodeling work themselves, a major accomplishment since Jenny’s husband has Early Onset Parkinson’s. While it has posed a challenge at times it hasn’t stopped them from remodeling their new home. He’s a true inspiration for DIY homeowners everywhere!

A small sampling of the projects Jenny and her husband have completed in the last three years include:

• Painted the entire home, inside and out
• Landscaped the property extensively
• Laid engineered hardwood flooring throughout the home
• Laid and grouted new tile
• Built a new hearth
• Had a new garage built near the home
• Had new sidewalks installed around the home
• Hung new light fixtures
• Much, much more!

The end result is spectacular! 

Jenny’s Pacific NW Double Wide Remodel 

 

Jenny has spent a lot of time studying decorating magazines so when it was time to decorate her new home she was up for the challenge. She taught herself how to create chalk paint so she could transform old pieces of furniture into modern, stylish works of art that perfectly blend in with her new decor.

Jenny describes herself as a lover of the Lord, her husband/family, and items that are deemed “junk.” It started a long time ago when her stepmom would take her to garage sales during the humid summer months in Iowa. Since then, it has become a habit and she goes to yard sales often. That habit has helped her create a beautiful home.

With a lovely new home in a picturesque setting, Jenny decided that a new style was in order so she set out to decorate on a budget. She started by selling the furnishings and decor from the old house and using the earnings to furnish the new home. With the help of big box stores, yard sales, and thrift stores, Jenny was able to update and decorate her new Fleetwood double wide beautifully. Not only did she find things to add to our new decor, she also learned how to navigate her new town in the process.

Living Room 

Kitchen

Jenny told us that Lowe’s, the national home improvement store, was vital in their remodel.  They were able to find materials and products easily and at an affordable price. For example, they replaced most of the flooring throughout the home with engineered hardwood available at Lowe’s.

They built a breakfast bar from scratch using 2 cupboards in the kitchen. They also designed and tiled a custom countertop for it. You can see the new breakfast bar in the photo below:

Jenny would begin a project by researching for ideas online using sites like Youtube and Mobile Home Living. She made it a point to learn from those that have completed similar home repair and improvement projects.

The work began with the interior; tearing out the carpet and replacing it with engineered hardwoods. They also painted and put up moldings, built a breakfast bar, replaced dated light fixtures and doors, and hanging new curtains. Jenny’s husband built a hearth for their wood stove. All done in the middle of winter while living in their cab-over camper!

So far, Jenny’s favorite room is the dining room. She was able to furnish the entire space with secondhand finds that she refinished – a table and chair set for $30 from Craigslist, a shelf for $5 at a garage sale, and a mirror for $2. She used her chalk paint to refurbish two chalkboard frames she bought for $5 too.

Jenny’s advice to someone thinking about buying a manufactured home is to start with a home that doesn’t need major remodeling done if possible. Starting out with small projects that will give you the confidence to do other more challenging projects, later on, is a good idea. Taking on too big a job or too complex a job is a lesson DIY homeowners usually learn the hard way.

Guest Bedroom Gets Crafty

Since their kids are grown, Jenny and her husband didn’t need much of a guest room so she used the extra bedroom as a craft room.

The craft room has a great warm rustic style. The simplicity makes the space perfect for relaxing.

After the couple completed the most urgent projects they said goodbye to their little camper. It was a winter to remember and their finished home is beautiful!

A big thank you to Jenny and her husband for allowing us to feature their beautiful double wide remodel! If you have remodeled or updated your manufactured home please consider sharing it.

As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!