Staycations have increased in popularity over the last couple of years due to the pandemic, and one DIY savvy couple used the numerous lockdowns to renovate their own caravan perfect for holidaying in around the UK.
Candice Elrod, 35, a security officer from Newcastle upon Tyne, and her fiancé Darren Francis, bought a caravan for a bargain price of £800.
However, the old caravan desperately needed modernising, so the couple set to work transforming it using materials from high street shops including Aldi, B&M, Dunelm, Primark, B&Q and Home Bargains.
READ MORE: Couple transform 'damp' downstairs toilet using bargains from B&M and IKEA
Speaking to money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, Candice said: "We've always loved to travel and with lockdown it became impossible. I had seen a few caravan renovations on social media and we decided to look at getting a caravan ourselves.
"It seemed like an impossible task though, as soon as we'd arrange to view one it would then be sold. This went on for weeks as I think everyone had the same idea! We bought the caravan in August 2020 and paid £800. We started work right away.
"My fiancé thought we were just going to give it a lick of paint and be away on our travels but I wanted to totally renovate it. We decided to try to do the renovation ourselves to keep costs down, and since it was during the height of lockdown, professionals were booked months in advance, and I'm someone who wants things done yesterday! It was all exciting.”
Darren was on furlough so was able to work on the caravan during this period, with Candice helping on her days off.
She continued: “We ripped out the bathroom unit as it was an awful yellow colour, chucked out the curtains and completely scrubbed it clean from top to bottom as the previous owners had kept it in storage and not been in use in over two years. Then we sanded all the surfaces in preparation for painting.
"I used Frenchic's Alfresco range in Dazzle Me, Dusky Blush and Blackjack. I'd previously used this paint on a few projects at home and loved the colours and finish of it. The cupboards and woodwork did take about four coats which seemed like a never-ending task but we finally got there.
"I decided to use stick-on wallpaper in a dotty effect to fill in the insert of cupboards for a funky effect. I've always loved a print. We decided to recover the seats ourselves in a faux leather material, as I thought it would be easier to clean with having two dogs and would also give it a modern twist. I also managed to get matching curtains to the dotty wallpaper I'd used for the inserts of the cupboard doors so my friend who is a seamstress altered them to fit the caravan windows.
Candice wanted to ensure their new caravan had a homely feel. She explained: "I decided to hang voile drapes at the window in the dusky blush colour. We'd completely changed the bathroom and used marble PVC cladding on the walls and fitted a new stainless steel sink in.
"The toilet looked very out of place with it being old and discoloured so I decided to paint it black. I also used to stick-on wallpaper to cover the dining area table so it matched in with the deco. We did have a few issues with the water tank leaking but my fiancé managed to reseal all the pipes himself. For the bathroom, I bought the cladding for £115, the sink for £40 and the mixer tap for £35, all from eBay.”
Next up on the couple's to-do list was the kitchen. Candice said: “In the kitchen, I used heat resistant stove paint to spray the cooker and sink. I used four tins which cost £20 from eBay, and the stick-on tiles cost £15 from Home Bargains. The lighting was £45 from eBay, the crystal door handles were £20 from eBay, and the faux leather seating was from eBay for £145.
“I bought the stick on wallpaper, curtains and bedding from Dunelm for £250, the laminate flooring from B&Q for £110 and the paint from Frenchic for £100. I bought £130 of cushions from Primark, George and B&M, floor rugs from B&M for £15 each, faux sheepskin rugs from Dunelm for £13 each, a gold lamp from IKEA for £15, and the black kettle, toaster and microwave from George for £100.”
"My fiancé made the heater cover and the glass grid mirror on the door was from IKEA for approximately £20. Aldi SpecialBuys is a good place to look for stuff - I got shatterproof glasses for £5 and inflatable sofas for £25 for the awning.
In total, Candice and Darren have spent £1,500 on renovating the caravan. Candice explained: “ I did try to keep costs low but I sometimes got carried away with purchases! It's hard work but so rewarding knowing that you've done it all yourself."
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