Today we have an RV remodel feature that I know you will love. I came across this awesome renovation while scrolling on Instagram and right away I knew that I had to talk to them to feature them, their fabulous RV is the perfect mix of Modern midcentury and Boho flair and you HAVE to see their bathroom! talk about a showstopper!
Leah and Brennan from @the_ramblr_rv have such a unique style, they are full-time RVers, and they recently renovated an additional mini trailer that they call the #TinyRamblr.
They live in their 35ft RV with their two pups, and after checking this feature you will be as obsessed as I am with them.
Tell us a little bit about you and what you guys do
- Leah – I own a social media management agency, Breathe Social. I work remotely with health, wellness and beauty brands to grow their businesses on Instagram!
- Brennan – I’m a former Real Estate agent turned blueberry farmer!
When and why you decided to live full time in your RV?
We started toying with the idea of living full time in an RV after a trip to North Carolina. We didn’t want the trip to end and when we were driving back to Florida Brennan spotted a Skoolie on the road and got thinking… “we could do this full time!”. Leah was napping, but was quickly on board with the full-time RV lifestyle once she awoke! The thought of being mobile, doing something different, and living small! Plus the money we’d be saving!
What is the most challenging part of being a digital nomad?
Wifi. It’s a constant struggle. We have a dedicated hot spot, but we tend to run through the data in the first couple of weeks of the cycle. Then it’s coffee shops or siphoning wifi from the barn!
What kind of RV do you have? Do you have any stories about how you got your hands on it?
We have a 1989 Holiday Rambler Imperial. It’s a 35ft RV. We originally thought we’d build out a school bus (Skoolie), but realized that the amount of work converting a school bus to a livable home was massive! We then had our hearts set on a Bluebird Wanderlodge. Look them up. Beautiful! Those were hard to come by and usually very expensive and/or not running and far away.
We started looking at vintage RV’s on Craigslist and went to look at our current RV in a nearby town. It had the vintage appeal, was in great running condition and just needed a cosmetic upgrade. We took the plunge.
How long did the remodel take you?
We bought the RV in February 2018 and we completed revocations in July 2018! We mostly worked on it during the weekends. In the last 2 months, we started really cranking it out. At that time Brennan had the freedom to work weekdays on it and that’s when most of the major work was done.
What would you call the decorating style of your RV?
Midcentury/ Boho / Flea market fab. It basically looks like our brick + mortar home, but shrunk to 280 SQFT!
How much of the renovation you two do?
All of it! We did have help from friends and family though. We made a day of painting the interior, complete with hot dogs on the grill and beers for our helpers! Brennan and his brother did a lot of the interior work -trim, window casings, floors.
The inside of your RV is pretty different than the style of your bathroom, what inspired that little space?
haha! We wanted an 80’s Miami vice bathroom. It was just something we decided early on and we stuck with it. Originally, we wanted the Beverly Hills Hotel palm tree wallpaper, but a friend of ours offered up the parrot wallpaper. We thought, why not? And wallpaper we were looking at was expensive, so it helped keep our decor budget in check! It’s a fun surprise when you open the door!
Leah and Brennan actually updated their bathroom recently and this image below shows the new look! How amazing is this wallpaper?
What is your favorite place to shop for decor pieces?
Target, TJMaxx, Joann’s for fabric, and thrift stores for one-of-a-kind special finds!
(you can check some of their favorite items on their website’s shop the remodel page)
What project was the most meaningful during your remodel and what’s your favorite piece of decor?
- Leah – Probably the dinette, which is ironic, because we were originally going to remove it and replace with table and chairs. After we started to get into the renovation we realized that the hot water heater was under one of the dinette benches and we decided for our sanity and growing list of other renovations, that we’d leave it as is. We cleaned and recovered the bench seats. Brennan refinished and stained the tabletop. It’s now one of our favorite spots to lounge, work, eat and hang on the RV… and so much more comfortable than a table and chairs!
- Brennan – My record cabinet was my favorite project. I knew I wanted to take some vinyl but that I was going to have to downsize for RV life. I had been shopping for a new console for weeks when I drove by a vintage dresser in someone’s trash. I happened to have a tape with me and after taking some measurements and doing a little sketch, I decided to grab it – not entirely sure it would work. It took a lot of work but came out better than anything I could have bought.
What project was your least favorite?
- Leah – carpet removal. When the manufacture the RV they place the carpet first and then put all the furniture, cabinets and walls on top of it. Trying to get the carpet out was by far the most tedious project. Just when we thought we were done, we’d find another patch of carpet in some weird corner that needed to be pulled, razored and pried out!
- Brennan – I removed the black water tank for additional storage after we decided to go the compost route. I don’t think I need to go into a ton of detail explaining why it was my LEAST favorite… 🙂
If you could magically change one thing in your RV with the clap of your hands, what would it be?
- Leah – Now that we’ve been living on it for 6 months, I’d say I wish we could magically have a bathtub. Lol. I miss my glass of wine +bath time!
- Brennan – I’m a little envious of RVs with slides, now that we’ve lived in the RV for 6 months. That extra width really makes them seem spacious.
What would be the number one advice you would give to someone starting an RV remodel?
Do your research! Make sure you don’t have water damage- we’ve seen so many other new RV owners deal with unknown water damage. Fortunately, we got lucky! And scour the internet for RV renovations. It helps to know what you can run up against in a remodel and there is so much info out there!
You guys have tow adorable doggies Cand you share more details about them with us?
Our pups names are: Grommit (Male -larger brown chihuahua/pomerian mix) and Bimbi (Female-smaller white chihuahua)
Since you guys are living in an RV with two dogs, do you think you have any special challenges and do you have any tips or recommendation for anyone scared of living in an RV with pets?
As a dog lover, one of the selling points of living in an RV is that you get to bring your fur babies with you when you travel! For us, the adjustment wasn’t a big one with the dogs. I imagine a larger breed dog may be kinda tricky in such a small space, but our little babies are under 12lbs, and although they do get under-foot a lot, it’s business, as usual, living in the RV. I think they love being in a smaller space because they are able to keep eyes on us wherever we are in the RV!
We did downsize their “stuff” too. We had an obscenely large clothing and toy collection for them. Lol! We keep their food and water bowls, ironically, right in front of the “dog house” (the hump where the engine is housed between the front and passenger seats), so it’s never in our way. I did switch to a dehydrated human-grade food -The Honest Kitchen – which has been awesome for their health and our lack of storage. A 10lb bag makes 40lbs of food when rehydrated! The dehydrated bags are much smaller than traditional bags of dog kibbie – which is perfect for tiny living!
THE RAMBLER RV
Thank you so much, Leah and Brennan, for sharing with us and letting us get a peek inside your beautiful RV.
I am so in love with their space! and if you want to see more about their remodel and how they live full time in their RV follow them on Instagram and check out their website.
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