There’s no doubt that mobile homes are treated a bit unfairly when it comes to our perceptions and their portrayal in mainstream media. They are often stereotyped as “cheap”, “ugly”, and “outdated”. This may be the case for a large portion of older mobile homes but the industry has come a long day since then.
A LOOK AT SOME OF THE UGLIEST MOBILE HOMES … THAT BECAME BEAUTIFUL
There wouldn’t be much value in just showing you the ugliest mobile homes we could find. Instead, we’ve dug for those nuggets of gold which are successful mobile home makeover stories where someone managed to turn their beastly mobile home interior into a beauteous one.
CHARMAINE MANLEY’S OUTDATED WALL PANELS
This is regrettably an all too common feature of older manufactured homes (and even some newer ones!) This paneling does not bring back fond memories of the groovy 70’s or happening 80’s, just everything that was (and is) stale and wrong about interior decorating of that time. Repeat after us: “fake wood paneling is NOT OK, fake wood paneling is NOT OK.”
We could go on and on about everything that’s wrong about this space. However, the terrible fake wood paneling on the cupboards that barely stand out from that on the walls is the primary culprit. The grey ceiling panels with the obvious seams and the seriously dated golden hanging lamp are the final nail in the coffin. The carpet doesn’t do much to make the room less glum and is just waiting to pick up a stain.
However, kudos to Charmaine who beautifully fixed up the place. Wisely, she swapped the drab browns for warm and bright shades of yellow with more contrasting colors for something less monochrome. Another good move was to introduce even more light into the room as it makes the warm colors shine. This is also a good example of how furniture can change the style of the room. In this instance, she went for an elegant finish while it could’ve easily been a more modern and chic one.
TERESA F’S LAUNDRY ROOM REDO
Fake paneling is not the only type of wall cover that gives us the chills. Bland and outdated textures are just as guilty when it comes to creating unappealing mobile home interiors. In this case, they were joined by badly adjoined floor strips that give the home a very unkempt look and is the type of thing that could lead to worse damage over time.
Unfortunately, especially as this is a utility/laundry room, most owners would leave it at that, not thinking it worth their time or effort to upgrade. However, even making something of small spaces like this can drastically improve the feel of your home. This because washing and drying clothes might be a boring chore doesn’t mean that the room you do it in has to be too!
We love the downplayed, yet charming approach that Teresa took when redoing this space. She also adapted to her situation by using taller than usual board and battens on the wall that ends with some decorative shelves at the top and still has enough space underneath for her washer and dryer. The end result is a cheery room that will put a positive spin on washing day. Once again, light colors help keep the space from getting too dreary even with no natural light.
THE MCGEE’S BATHROOM REDUX
Floral texture shower curtains are bad enough. But when they cover your bathroom walls from side to side and from floor to ceiling, it’s just too much. If that’s not enough on its own, a bad previous paint job was starting to show its age, leading to peeling paint and wallpaper.
Literally, the only thing that could make it worse was the fact that, of all materials, this bathroom had a carpeted floor! A carpeted floor in a wet environment like a bathroom is a bad idea in any home. And in a mobile home, it’s definitely asking for trouble. You can’t peg this one on the mobile home manufacturer or decorator, but the vinyl tub was also yellowing with age. Additionally, mold was starting to set in everywhere else.
It was thus with great glee that the McGees demolished their entire floor, getting some of their frustrations at this illogical design decision out at the same time. Almost anything that could be removed was removed and replaced with a better and improved version. The carpet was replaced by easier to clean and more hygienic tiles. They even got fancy with a skylight and trendy, modern drain caps.
KITCHEN NIGHTMARE
Let’s just say that it’s a good thing this kitchen wasn’t on Gordon Ramsay’s radar. That would not be pretty. Michelle’s sister’s home might’ve been funky and cool in the 70’s when it was made. But it could only be described now as “kitsch”, “gaudy”, or “simply too much.” Blood red walls, white cabinets, and golden countertops. This kitchen was all over the place!
In some situations or in certain homes, the diagonal/curved countertop might have been an interesting choice. However, in a tight space, it just makes the space awkward and doesn’t really work. Today, a kitchen should be all about elegance, sophistication, and practicality, especially in a mobile home. Lastly, the finishing touches weren’t there when it came to small things like the handles of the cabinets and the plain sink.
The savvy interior designer that she is, Michelle immediately swapped the kaleidoscope of colors for a simpler black, white, and grey. The bling-bling countertops were replaced with stylish granite-like countertops. Another welcome addition was the kitchen island which is a great way to give your kitchen some utility and storage space. She even built a pantry which is as much an added storage space as a part of the decor.
A LOOK AT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
We put a lot of stock in the finishing your vegetables before you get dessert. Now, we’ll look at some of the most beautiful mobile home interiors that are out there right now. These homes show that the mobile homes that are generic, uninspiring, or even downright ugly are no longer the norm. You can now have your cake and eat it too with a beautiful home worthy of the American Dream. On top of that, it’ll only cost you a fraction of the price.
KIM THOMPSON’S NAPA VALLEY REMODEL
We’ve gotta give it to Kim – the result of her interior renovation is nothing short of spectacular. Yes, this home was pretty decent to begin with. And most of us would’ve been happy enough as it is. However, she saw the latent potential and created something that anyone would be envious of calling home.
This 1,288 sq. ft. 1991 Fleetwood Mac model is on the smaller side of things which means that the interior needs to be very space-conscious. However, looking at the photos now, it would be hard to guess that this borders on a “tiny” home. The house already had an open interior layout to its advantage. And combined with lighter colors, sleeker furniture, and better lighting, it really came alive and feels way more energetic, airy, and lively than before.
Once again, the replacement of the slightly dated kitchen cabinets, the addition of a tiled backsplash, and new countertops made the kitchen unrecognizable and completely modernized. Furthermore, the replacement of the carpet flooring with smooth, natural cork flooring and lose carpets made the space much more interesting and easier to clean. She also showed how, with a measured hand, quirky and diverse furniture can be used without making it “too much.”
THE PECOS – CLAYTON HOMES
Clayton Homes is no stranger to creating beautiful manufactured homes. They’re one of the U.S.’s most popular manufacturers and a regular winner of industry awards. The Pecos shows off why with an interior that seems as if it’s straight out of an interior design magazine. In fact, it’s hard to believe that this is a manufactured home in the first place.
The home has plenty of interesting features to make it feel custom and unique. There is an alcove for the TV in the living room with a washboard backdrop and they have made great use of inverted ceilings to place fans and lighting. Plenty of thought has also been put into storage as it seems as if every nook and cranny that’s unused has been converted into a cupboard or shelf.
With its overwhelming use of white, light blue, and accents of earthy colors, it would be a perfect fit as a beach or holiday home somewhere in sunny California The kitchen is beauty and utility defined with colored tiles used to interesting effect and standalone countertops that can be used when cooking or serving. The appliances have also been purposefully chosen to blend in with the overall look and feel.
THE VICTORY – CLAYTON HOMES
Yes, Clayton Homes are that good. We simply had to make space for another one of their models. This one is The Victory which won the 2017 award for Outstanding Interior Design by the Manufactured Home Institute. It’s not difficult to see why! They somehow managed to perfectly blend a rustic theme with a modern and classy approach.
As you can see, rustic countryside motifs like rough sliding wooden doors, turtle shell wall ornaments, and earthy browns don’t look out of place next to modern, sleek furniture. The addition of leather couches helps to create the feel of “country luxury” while sticking to the rustic theme.
They used multiple colors without having them clash. These helped create a sense of depth in the inverted walls and ceilings throughout the home. The slightly darker floor combined with light walls and ceilings also makes the spaces appear much taller and larger than they really are.
What makes it even more amazing is that designer Suzanne Ferber created most of these decorations and fixtures using scraps from older mobile homes. It just goes to show what’s possible in a mobile home if you’re on a budget and don’t mind thinking outside the box.
THE LABELLE – CAVCO INDUSTRIES
Yes, this is a mobile home. You could easily be fooled from the interior of this amazing model by Cavco Industries. At 2,897 sq. ft. it’s a massive mobile home. However, they still took advantage of every square inch to turn it into something uniquely memorable. Cavco isn’t as well-known for their luxury mobile homes, but they went all out with this one. This won them the Manufactured Home Interior Design Award in 2016.
All the previous features that break up the boxiness and plainness of a manufactured home are in this home too. Note the inverted walls and ceilings, irregularly shaped rooms (in this case, a small office), and comprehensive finishing in the form of floor strips, crown strips, etc. The wide open spaces in the home are made more visually interesting by breaking it up with fixtures like kitchen islands, pillars, etc. And it is a good example of using furniture to create “areas.”
Although the home is filled with different colors and textures, they all blend seamlessly into the familiar country luxury theme. Props go to their bathroom design with the side-by-side mirrors and stone bowl basins fitted into an alcove of storage units. This room is truly beautiful and the perfect way to start and end your day.
WHO’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOME OF THEM ALL?
Hopefully, as you can see from the look inside mobile homes, almost every interior design nightmare can be turned into something beautiful and livable. In the same breath, you can also find new homes with amazing interiors that are professionally designed to deliver unique living experiences and even go as far as to be classified as luxurious.
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