Airstream Interiors

Anyone that has ever met Katherine, knows how passionate she is about her work, colour and design. She has recently finished renovation on an Airstream, the perfect side project to let out her creativity outside of work. Charlotte recently sat down with Katherine to discuss her inspiration for the Airstream and her unique décor style.

Charlotte: What was your inspiration for renovating the Airstream in the first place

Katherine: I love an excuse for a décor project, especially one that can be relatively challenging in a small space which you want to feel spacious.  I’ve always admired the iconic shape of the air-stream and a few years ago I decided to get one to tick a few boxes - as a spare room for friends to enjoy when they visit, to make it easy to enjoy camping trips with the kids and of course to have a pimped pad to bring to festivals (why else would it need a wine fridge!).

I toyed with the idea of turning it into a photobooth or bar but so many of them are converted now that I wanted to keep this one as a camper, so it includes a wood burning stove and wet-room with shower and eco-toilet as well as a fridge, gas hob and full sink.

Charlotte: How did you decide on a colour scheme and theme for the interior?

Katherine: The look of the airstream took shape after some brainstorming with my friend Chloe La Fay and is a mixture of ‘70’s Lounge Luxe and Art Deco.  I wanted it to be a feminine space, as so many Airstream interiors I see are all LED lighting, leather and mahogany. I wanted this one to be a sanctuary to invite girlfriends into for a glass of bubbles.  Having worked on styling a tent for a client together with a similar look and feel to the end result in the airstream, we were inspired by its softly tarnished exterior and the polished panels at either end of the interior, giving a mirrored finish.  From there it needed softening, so we incorporated pastel colours into the cushions, mixed metallics into the furnishings, tactile fabrics in the cushions and finally wall-paper to bring some more pattern, colour and life into the scheme.

Charlotte: A stand out touch on the interior is most definitely the wallpaper, what made you decide to add this in?

Katherine: I love wallpaper as much as I love fabrics and found myself buying a few different options before deciding on the final ones to go for.  Ultimately the one that won was a design from ManoMano with an Art Deco gold pattern to match the theme, pink to tie with the pastels and tropical palm trees and birds to add life and nature- a must for me for any design. In the bedroom I wanted something very subtle over the white wall opposite the window and something that would also pick up light – so opted for a silver effect cork wallpaper from Robert Dyas.

Charlotte: There are definite Art Deco touches in the textiles, where did you find your inspiration and ultimately, the stunning mixture of fabrics?

Katherine: There’s nothing more relaxing than a cosy lounge area to invite friends into, and the fabric was important that would form the base to put them on but also tie in with the black and white chequered floor.  This is where the Art Deco influence came into its own when we found a fan patterned fabric by Fibre Naturelle – New York which reminded me of the colonial elegance of the Imperial Hotel in Delhi.  I ordered this in three colour-ways, all of which were used, and some of the seat-pads are reversible if I want to mix up the look a bit.  Then we just needed to have a rummage in the fabric stores at HoH HQ and find some silver velvets (which we used for a ‘shades of grey’ look a couple of years ago), and added some silk for the curtains which were all made by our talented seamstress Celia Churchill and then source a couple of Mongolian lambs wool cushions in soft colours to top off the look.

Charlotte: Finally, lets discuss the unique décor items that complete the space

Katherine: It was great fun finding the finishing touches - like the copper coffee maker, silver ice-holder and a grey and white Virgin Mary to preside over proceedings in the ‘stream! The LDF glassware adds elegance and colour with their range of pearlescent wine and champagne glasses which work perfectly with the other colours inside and makes you feel glamorous regardless of what you’re drinking.

It’s safe to say that Katherine has perfected a modern take on Art Deco Elegance, incorporating 70s Lounge Luxe and trendy Millennial Pink touches and mixed metallics throughout. The Airstream is modern yet timeless, perfect to enjoy with your girlfriends on a warm evening or to Glamp-up your festival experience.

Photography by Charlotte Crane and Jessica Millberg