A Divine Double Wide Remodel

In 2011, I started Mobile Home Living after buying a 1978 single wide and searching online for remodeling ideas but finding only a few. Just a few short months later, I received a Facebook message from Heidi and Tara asking if I’d be interested in sharing their complete 1974 double wide mobile home remodel. I loved this home remodel so much I used a lot of ideas and paint colors in my own home. I’m still not sure how they ended up finding my new Facebook Page but I’m forever grateful they did. It is kind homeowners like Tara and Heidi that has helped make Mobile Home Living the resource it is today and I hope they know how thankful I am.

I’m refreshing old content and wanted to give the home, and the talented couple behind it, the article and the attention they deserve. We have featured hundreds of beautifully remodeled manufactured home transformations since this divine double wide but this one holds a special place in my heart.

Complete 1974 Double Wide Mobile Home Remodel in 9 Months

Tara and Heidi accomplished a complete 1974 double wide mobile home remodel in less than 9 months. The color combinations along with a cool vintage eclectic style make for an inviting and relaxing home. It’s not stuffy

It also makes for a home that could be on the cover of any magazine out there and I am so honored they are letting Mobile Home Living be the FIRST of many!

Tara and Heidi are a beautiful couple that operates a popular photography studio, In Her Image Photography located in Northern California. They closed on their home in October 2011 and spent 9 months on the renovation,  moving into their new home in May.

Although they had never remodeled a home before, they quickly caught on and the end result is truly amazing. This home could easily be featured on a popular home and garden magazine.

A quick look at the home when the couple first purchased it:

This 1974 double wide was a well-maintained home with unlimited potential.

Before they found this home, they had spent months looking. Tara explains, “When Heidi’s sister in Australia started buying income properties in the South of the U.S., we casually said to her she should get something in Northern California and she would have renters for life. Well, that got us all curious about what was available. We started looking at properties on the low, low end for Wine Country and saw plenty of rundown messes.

“We decided that the range in which we were looking would mean we would never find a suitable place. So, we got discouraged and gave up. And then we found this place. We fell in love with the location and surroundings and didn’t really care what the house looked like, knowing we could make cosmetic changes. It simply needed to have “potential”. Now we know that most mobile homes have exactly that.”

During the complete 1974 double wide mobile home remodel:

The Uninformed Becomes the Unpaid

Tara shares a story that happens entirely too often when it comes to mobile home properties. If the realtor is not educated in manufactured housing and their advantages they won’t be able to ‘sell’ the home and in this case, the uninformed became the unpaid!

Tara recalls, “I remember calling a fancy-schmancy realtor and asking to see the inside after falling in love with the property. He said, “You know it’s a mobile home, right?” (Way to say no to a commission, buddy.)”

“We quickly found a realtor who was a mobile home specialist and when we met her here to show us the place, she kept shaking her head in disbelief. She thought it was amazing! We didn’t think we’d care for the inside, but we immediately saw the potential. Heidi is from Australia and mobile homes are not common, so she wasn’t sure what to expect when I told her about the property. She didn’t care to see it at first. It was only when we were in the neighborhood that she was willing to stop by. Thank goodness!”

Delicious Dining Room Decor in Complete 1974 Double Wide Mobile Home Remodel

Our creative couple used smart interior design tricks to create a  stunning dining room. Most obvious is the feature wall. Painting one wall differently pulls the eye into a space and makes the room feel larger. The white ceiling with dark flooring, paired with the bright white light fixture, and the high curtain rods all help make a ceiling feel taller.

The mantle is another great piece of eye candy. It is ornate but by painting it the same color as the wall it allows the image resting on it to take center stage while still creating a depth and warmth to the room.

The Ikea light fixture in the dining room is an iconic piece of home decor. It’s one of the most popular lighting styles of the last decade.

Learn more about DIY crafts: DIY Pallet Project Ideas For Every Holiday here. 

The dining room table was handmade by Tara. Live edge tabletops paired with metal legs have been a huge decor trend for quite a while now. It’s a great way to add a touch of nature into your home.

The Perfect Property 

Tara and Heidi immediately fell in love with the property because it sits at the end of a private lane, on a hill, on half an acre. They love looking out at the gorgeous green surroundings:

This is the view from the kitchen!

The couple wanted the indoors to reflect where they are, Petaluma, CA. The town is steeped in rich agricultural, gardening, and homesteading history as well as being a part of the infamous wine country.

Gardening on their beautiful property is a given and they will be enjoying the fruits of their labor on their new property for the first time this year.

This home is exactly my style. I love vintage and color! I have been sneaking peeks at these photos all week and I just can’t keep them to myself anymore! We have plenty more wonderful photos of their gorgeous home and they also answered a few questions for us. Your gonna want to see the rest, trust me! Here’s the link: The Double Wide of Dreams part 2.

Thank you so much for reading Mobile Home Living!