The Davis Home – A Sweet Single Wide Remodel

Skip and Lynn Davis of Bethany, Louisiana, wanted to retire. Slow down, enjoy life and spend time with their beautiful grandchildren while also caring for Lynn’s 88-year-old mother. To do that they needed to be debt-free. They sold their brick home within town limits, paid off all debts and then paid cash for a 1997 Clayton mobile home. Then they began a single wide remodel that turned the home into pure gorgeousness!

The home was in great condition and it was conveniently set up in a park. After 3 years though, the Davis’ realized they needed their own place. The park had relaxed rules and the consequences of that action were just beginning.

They bought 2 acres in the country and after 6 months of clearing and getting utilities connected, they were able to move onto a spacious cleared private lot.

After a while, Lynn started getting tired of the bland walls and the typical mobile home “look.” The only obstacle being that Skip and Lynn had never done any remodeling themselves but that didn’t stop them from learning. Lynn explains it best,” ..it’s never too late to learn to be DIY’ers!  Here we are in our mid and late 60’s just learning!  Some of our projects don’t turn out perfect, but we are pleased and no one seems to notice!”

The Davis’s made a dramatic change to the exterior of their home with the addition of vinyl siding, window awnings, and a new metal roof. It’s truly amazing what those 3 items can do to a mobile home! Throughout the home, they removed the strips and the cheap trim that all of us loathe! Replacing the cheap stuff with crown molding, trimming out the doors, windows, and baseboards. Then all the walls were textured and painted.

 

Lynn found all of the furniture and most of the decor for their home at estate or garage sales, resale shops or Craigslist. She also handmade a lot of the things she used and is an avid thrift shop and garage sale visitor.

For her master bathroom, she says, “We added beadboard and new Allure flooring and replaced the plastic sink and put in real faucets. I knew how I wanted to make the curtain over the small window, but couldn’t find the fabric that I wanted. Then I found a shower curtain at a resale shop that was the yellow and blue toile that was perfect. I cut the top off and made a valance for my white shower curtain and cut the bottom off and made the curtain.”

In the master bedroom, they laid new carpet and brought in some gorgeous pieces of furniture.

In the kitchen, Skip and Lynn added a beadboard backsplash and New Allure flooring. A white island is a nice contrast to the oak cabinets and rich flooring! Lynn also replaced the glass in the cabinet doors. She explains, “The original glass had the gold trailer trim on it. I painted the inside of those cabinets red and wow did that pop!!  We replaced the plastic sink with a single stainless sink…I LOVE my big sink!!!  And put in “real” faucets. We also replaced all the hinges and pulls on cabinets and drawers and put in a new dishwasher.”

Lynn explains that the guest bathroom had beadboard added and more of the dark New Allure flooring. Handmade items make several appearances in both the bathroom and guest bedroom.

The guest bedroom exudes a warm glow with an homey antique decor, Lynn knows how to make any guest feel at home. Her grandchildren are her most frequent guests and most enjoyable for the Davis’s. I’m sure the kids love being with their grandparents in their beautiful home!

Mobile and manufactured homes can be personalized so easily and Skip and Lynn has transformed theirs beautifully. Mobile homes can become any style of home you want. The basics are there and only a bit of creativity and hard work are needed. Lynn has used her talents to make her home a gorgeous, cozy and an easy living retreat. It is perfect for a retired couple or any couple for that matter! Who wouldn’t want to sleep in one of those lovely beds and wake up to those gorgeous yellow walls?

Don’t worry, we have more of Skip and Lynn’s beautiful home! Lynn, being the gracious host that she is, has answered a few questions for us. Just click the link to read the interview: A Sweet Single Wide: The Interview.