When Diana and Sean Skellenger, owners of construction company Skelly Home Renovations , decided to gut and remodel an RV, they didn’t fully grasp how difficult it would be. Over a three-month period, with help from a handful of experts, they transformed a 1999 Coachman Mirada into a homey off-grid paradise they call Birdie.

Birdie before. The Skellengers knew construction for the RV would be different from home construction due to size and weight limitations.

While the Skellengers typically tackle residential projects, they thought it would be an enjoyable challenge to remodel an RV. It would bring in extra income if they rented it out , plus they’d have the option to take her on the road. “We have three cats and thought it would be fun to bring them along on some adventures with us,” she adds. Turns out, cats are not the biggest fans of RVs.

Birdie after. At first, Diana and Sean planned to renovate an entire fleet of custom RVs but have realized the process is very time-consuming and would not be a large income generator. “Would we do it again? Absolutely! But when you envision something, it doesn’t always turn out to be the best business plan,” she says.

The couple found their rig at an RV show in Dallas in November 2018 and were immediately drawn to its unique features. “They really don’t make RVs like this anymore,” she says. “The front is all windows, so you have more than a 180-degree view when you are driving.” They gutted it, re-insulated it, replaced some of the floor decking that had rotted, and sprayed the entire interior before handing it over to an RV specialist, master electrician, and plumber.

“Everything with gutting an RV is a learning curve,” she says. “From the start, it’s all different.” For one, it’s a small space, plus there are no standard electrical panels and no straight edges, and material weight always has to be taken into consideration.

When it came to the design, they wanted to make sure Birdie stood out and hired designer Courtney Blanton of CBi Studio, who selected beautiful, higher-end options and a bright paint, Restoration Hardware’s Sea Green in matte, for the exterior to give it a quirky character. Typically, “there’s nothing inviting about RVs,” Diana says.

Birdie has a master bedroom and is full of nature-inspired wallpapers, custom millwork, and patterned textiles. “Everywhere you look, there is something interesting. You feel happy when you walk into the space,” Diana says.

In lieu of standard RV components, they went with all-custom fabricated millwork, flipped the bed positioning in the master bedroom to make the room larger, and commissioned a custom mattress. They also opted for built-in oak cabinetry, an oak dining table, and a matching banquette.

“Every single piece in the space is not only functional but pretty,” Diana says. “A lot of RVs are boring and beige, and the industry hasn’t changed much in what they offer. We wanted it to be super unique.”

For the Skellengers, their glammed-out RV is a nice place to retreat to. They’ve been to West Texas on numerous occasions but are hoping to travel more once stay-at-home orders have been lifted. Overall, renovating an RV was a much larger challenge than they had initially expected, but they are thrilled with the results.