Fad*ish- fashion and design

Remember when families piled into old RV’s, cruising through the nation’s heartland on a balmy summer’s day-- No? Well maybe you remember watching an 80’s comedy with Chevy Chase trying desperately to hold on to his dreams of taming the open road. Whatever your memories might be, the quintessential family RV has been updated to ensure you ride in style.

I do not wish to conjure up painful memories of childhood, or evoke images of sweaty men in stained tanks tops -- but Airstream is redefining what you remember about classic motor homes. Positioning themselves as a new option for confined living spaces, mobile homes are now more stylish than before, and are combating the bad image of yesteryears. Is it a practical lifestyle? Some might say yes -- when considering what they are calling a studio these days-- consumers are becoming more open to alternative living spaces.

Being a city girl to the core --I don’t even believe in camping-- the thought of living in a mobile home is reason enough to wake up in a cold sweat. If a friend bribes me, I might consider traveling RV style an option for those summer vacations when I just can't get out of the country. And I am not the only person considering new options for travel. Whether it is a hectic schedule, or international affairs, Americans are choosing to explore the homeland, and Airstream is trying to make that decision more comfortable by allowing you to take your home with you. Their silhouettes are clean, modern and over-usage of chrome can be construed as either Nuevo-chic, or taken from a scene out of the Jetsons (whatever your frame of reference). And not to be outdone by the Americans, Deutschland (Germany) has produced the sweetest RV to come out of Europe, affectionately called T@B, which indicates how small it is. This RV should be called a car accessory rather than a mobile home, as it rivals the SmartCar on the “sooo cute” meter.

With all the styles and developments available trailers still aren’t for everyone. Even though the design can be appreciate it would take more than European styling and seamless chrome to wipe away the negative stigmatism that took trailer parks decades to instill. While some people are opened to it -- and others still shudder at the thought-- all would admit that RV’s have come a long way.

Visit the following sites for more info on contemporary mobile homes:
http://www.airstream.com/
http://www.tabme.de/

*Originally Posted on Word on the Street 6/2/06

Labels: Decor