A Boho Glam Caravan You're Going to Love - Swoon Worthy (2024)

Mar 24, 2017 | Stuff I Like | 16 comments

I’ve always wanted a caravan or a motorhome. The idea of having a little holiday ‘house’ that can be moved around anywhere you wished, to be taken on the open road and settled in various locations of the world appeals to the vagabond in me. As an adult over a 20 year period, I moved 20 times – from various areas in the US to the UK after that and didn’t stop until we purchased the house we are currently in. We’ve lived in this house now for nearly 7 years and it’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere since moving from my parental home at 20 years old. I love the idea that we’ve settled here, put down roots and call this our home but having a vehicle that can satisfy that wanderlust at a moment’s notice is a desire I’ve had for some time.

So when I saw Hertfordshire-based Interior Designer, Jane Ashton’s amazing “glamavan” makeover, my jaw dropped. Of course, the first thing that caught my eye was the pattern she used to bring a 1970’s vintage caravan she purchased on eBay for £250 to life. It’s the very same one I have in my living room – Sian Zeng’s Tropical Bloom.

But let’s back up a little bit. Jane spends a lot of time in the French Riveria and it was on a trip in 2015 that she spotted the perfect beach and campsite in St Tropez. It was as though time stood still in this spot – there were no gleaming new caravans – all were well used and well loved with a relaxed bohemian vibe and Jane found that many of the residents had been coming back for decades. At this point, she decided she simply had to get a caravan herself to spend time in this beautiful quiet idyllic location.

Of course, the talented interior designer was not going to settle for just any caravan. She wanted a vintage find, preferably from the 70’s with a retro vibe. Her inspiration was French screen siren and film star Brigitte Bardot who immortalised this small fishing village in her film And God Created Women in 1956. In her research, she found the perfect picture that became her inspiration for the style of the caravan – Brigitte in her St Tropez home surrounded by lush tropical plants, bohemian touches and natural textures. Jane knew this caravan would be the ultimate homage to Brigitte’s legacy.

The caravan needed quite a lot of work and a full refurbishment began which took approximately 4 months. Jane created a mood board for her design utilising the lush tropical print alongside natural textures, a white marble pattern and gleaming gold finishes.

Jane says, “Obviously I couldn’t hang plants everywhere in a caravan owing to space, so I decided on this bold wallpaper design the gorgeous Summer Tropical Bloom by Sian Zeng which would give the feel of ‘La Madrague’s’ gorgeous plant filled terrace and even has that touch of pink in the hibiscus flower, it also featuresthe cheese plant as in the photo. There is not currently a fabric in this design so with the help of Sian I managed to get the design printed onto a lovely linen/cotton mix.”

Not only did Jane use the Sian Zeng design in the interior, she also had it made into a vinyl wrap for the exterior, the pattern enveloping you in tropical jungle style. The boho glam continues on the inside with touches of marble patterns (in light-weight Formica) as well as gold finishes for the hammered brass effect table top and gold tap.

The inside of the caravan was completely remodelled top to bottom with a new double bed, appliances and a new bathroom. You can see a video tour of the progress on Jane’s blog here.

For the outside, Jane had a custom-made awning created, hung bamboo blinds and styled everything with wicker, plants and natural bohemian textures.

The entire caravan is a triumph isn’t it? Jane has is now offering caravan refurbishment to her clients alongside full-service interior design. So if you’d like a touch of Brigitte for your own and don’t want to go through the hassle of organising a refurbishment yourself, Jane is the lady to contact. You can read more about Jane’s renovation here and see all the services she offers here.

I’m utterly enamoured and inspired by Jane’s beautiful caravan makeover. I think the use of the tropical pattern is my favourite but the bohemian textures throughout as well as the glamorous film-star worthy accents make the entire space a perfect getaway which would certainly satisfy my need for a bit of wanderlust.

What do you think of Jane’s caravan? Isn’t it utterly amazing? Let me know in the comments!

Huge thanks to Jane Ashton who provided all images with kind permission.