RV Remodel Done Right – 1994 Safari Continental Goes From Mold to Gold
This 1994 Safari Continental RV remodel is amazing! It has a perfect combination of function and style.
Living Free and Simple
Lacy and Cliff Young did what so many of us have done or plan to do – they said goodbye to debt and hello to freedom.
They decided to sell everything they owned and buy an older RV to call home. They wanted to live a more simple life. Lacy comments on her Instagram that the move “set us free in so many ways. And we remain there. Free. Grateful. Living simply.”
Before the RV Remodel
Like most new RV owners, Lacy and Cliff Young wanted to update and decorate their newly purchased RV. Unfortunately, also like most RV and camper owners, they quickly discovered mold, an issue that costs RV owners millions of dollars every year to repair.
Related: RV Tips for Keeping Your RV Mold and Mildew Free
The ceiling and windows had been leaking in the RV for a while. Water was coming in through the window seals and the ceiling-to-wall joint and going down behind the walls. Here’s the RV before the remodel began:
As you can see, there is no sign of water damage or mold. The Young’s would have likely never found the mold had they not began gutting the interior for the remodel.
Mold and Mildew
RV’s and campers are highly susceptible to water damage. They are constructed to sustain high winds and rough roads while still being lightweight and watertight.
A small amount of water, or humidity, can cause a significant amount of mold and mildew because it multiplies quickly.
When buying an RV the biggest concern is always leaks and water damage. Soft floors, rotted wood, and leaks can be unknown to the current owners and for the less-than-honest owners, they are very easy to conceal. It takes a miracle and a thorough investigation to spot issues and oftentimes issues don’t reveal themselves until weeks or months after purchase.
Related: Tackling Mold in Our RV
Luckily for us, the mold didn’t stop the Young’s. They got the RV to a professional and had it beautifully repaired and remodeled.
RV Remodel Done Right – From Mold to Gold
Lacy and Cliff had some help from interior designer Jamie House. Together they were able to make the RV a stylish, highly-functional home on wheels.
An amazing difference can be seen in the living and dining areas. Trading in the drab brown for a nice bright white added some much-needed light to the whole area. It brightens the entire RV up and created a more spacious feel.
They added a touch of privacy by installing a rod and putting up a shower curtain to block off the front window, giving privacy and an at home feel while not in motion.
Kitchen Dreams
The kitchen makes a bold statement with paint.
A smart trick for pulling the eye into a space and making it feel larger is by adding bold color to the lower half of the room and lighter color to the top half. This somehow tricks the eye into making a sweep from floor to ceiling.
An under-counter sink was installed along with a new faucet, butcher block countertops and white tiles for the backsplash. A toaster oven replaced the big bulky microwave making more space in the kitchen area.
Beautiful Bedroom
The bedroom had some of the biggest changes. In order to fit their huge California King size mattress into the room, the couple had no choice other than to fold it like a taco. The long cabinets in the corners had to be removed to make room.
The back wall is decorated using reclaimed wood adds a touch of originality along with some color.
Bathroom
This 1994 Safari Continental has a great layout. The bathroom is accessible from the bathroom instead of the living space or kitchen. The wall separating the bathroom from the bedroom is personalized and creates an impact:
Small stone flooring was installed in the bathroom giving the space plenty of style and waterproofing.
Cabinet Hardware Makes a Huge Difference in Small Spaces
They also installed modern cabinet handles in each room. The styles are cohesive but not all the same. This helps to create an original look and feel within each room.
Cabinet hardware is an easy DIY project that makes a huge difference. They are easy to change but hard to choose. Better Homes and Gardens has some great tips for choosing cabinet hardware here.
Maybe all of the mold they found wasn’t such an unfortunate thing after all!
Design Sponge featured an article about this couple and their awesome RV remodel – that’s how we found it. To learn more about the Young’s travels and RV living visit Instagram and LacyYoung.com
Can’t get enough RV remodels? Check out One Family’s Affordable RV Renovation.
Thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
16 Comments
Hello, I am very new to the RV/motorhome world. I recently purchased a 94’ Suncruiser Winnebago and am currently redoing the inside. I would really like to replace the exterior panels because they are not in the best shape. Any ideas on what to use—would tin be an option or is it too heavy? Thanks in advance!!!!
Hi Amy,
RV siding is usually very light fiberglass or a vinyl product. You do need to try to stick with the manufacturers siding or manufacturers approve siding product to maintain the integrity of the structure while keeping it light, safe, and watertight. To be honest, I own a vintage Airstream so I’m most knowledgeable about them over the more modern models. If you can, join some RV related Facebook groups. Most RV owners are very friendly and helpful to other RV owners. Best of luck!
We are going to remodel a 2000 Safari Continental A Series Single Pop-Out and are trying to find the schematics/floor plan. Does anybody know where to get this? I have tried google and can’t seem to find one. Thanks so much in advance.
I can’t help but wonder how much weight this remodel added to the RV. It would be nice to know as we have lots of stuff and we would have to cut down a bunch more if the RV GVWR was taken up by the materials used. Do you have information on what materials were used and how much they weighed installed?
Thank you,
Cate
Hi Cate,
Weight is very much an issue in RV’s but for some reason I’m thinking this one was to be installed by a lake and not moved much (I may have it confused with another). I would suspect thin pine was their go-to for the majority of projects.
Thanks so much for reading MHL!
Love this remodel, we have 2 RV diesel pusher remodels under our belts now, I just linked up to you on Instagram, I have a ton of pictures of both the remodels if you’d like to see them.
Donna
Hi Donna!
I would love to see and share your remodels! Please email me at crystaladkins@mobilehomeliving.org and we’ll get started. Thank you!
I’d love to see your remodel pics. We just bought a 2006 diesel pusher and remodel just started.
Great job. I watch those tiny home shows and never can understand why someone would pick one of those over a RV. Most of those tiny homes are not very mobile and from what I have seen lack very much storage. Where as most RV’s make the most of all storage space and if they do not move themselves, they are more easily towable.
Hi Laura!
Oh, don’t even get me started on the tiny homes!
Mobile homes were the original tiny homes but those are stigmatized and stereotyped. But tiny homes are cool? Makes no sense to me but I’m biased on the whole subject, I guess.
Thanks so much for reading MHL!
Great job & awesome work, salute u sir. I’m totally stunned after looking this kind of transformation .
This is absolutely amazing. I never wanted an RV as they’re too RV-ish! This is a beautiful home. I’d definitely live in something like this. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice indeed. I love the colors that you chose, it’s just simply down home and beautiful. As with any mobile home, RV or camper it’s just hard to tell with the naked eye if there is any mold or damage. I purchased a 14×80 single wide and did see some damage that was figured into the price but it’s what I didn’t see after purchase what was much more expensive after beginning some remodeling. I am older and on a fixed income so after 2 years the remodeling is still taking place, a little at a time is all that can be done. But when finished I will post it on this site.
Thank you for sharing your story. I love this newsletter and the website, so people keep posting.
Paula~
This is gorgeous. Great job by the designer and the owners.
Thank for sharing the story about mold and remodeling! From the mold picture shown, the extent of the mold was very serious. Yet, the motor home looked so sound. This story makes me leery of buying any type of RV without first conducting some kind of professional mold inspection. It sounds like simple high-level moisture levels (e.g., shower) can cause the mold…not just “leaks”. What a project!
Hello!
Thanks so much for the comment. You’re absolutely right – buying an used camper or RV is a very daunting experience because issues are so easily covered and hidden. You have to inspect every inch!
Emotions run high in these situations – most buyers have dreamed of the open road or small living for years and are finally able to make a dream come true. And to be completely honest, the sellers likely don’t even know there is a problem so that complicates things even more.
When I bought my 1965 Airstream Safari there was a foot of snow on the ground so I wasn’t able to inspect the belly very well. I checked everything I could possibly think of though. Fortunately, the only issue I found after getting it home was a small patch of rotted wood at the door (about 2″ x 5″). The owner couldn’t have known about it because there was absolutely no sign of an issue. I only found it because I ripped the flooring up. It turned out to be a dry-rotted seal and was easily fixed but I can’t help but think how bad it could have been and how much luck played into the situation.