Travel Trailer Floor Plans

[Peanut_13]

Hi all! Have been loving our 19' Travelaire for many many years but now would like to get one just a bit bigger (yes, 2ft-itus has set in along with arthritis so we need a little less crawling about!). The problem is I am finding I am very picky about certain layouts (the way I want it to be, that makes perfect sense, doesn't seem to exist except rarely, and not all in the same unit lol!) So I guess this post is directed at any RV manufacturers/layout designers who might be reading! Couple BIG pet peeves here and maybe some other campers might feel the same! I also wonder if anyone has seen a unit with all these things I'm looking for and can tell me the brand name etc!

1. This one is an absolute deal breaker for me. First thing I look at when I am trailer shopping. Please don't put the toilet as the visual when the bathroom door is open. I have seen ones where the toilet is hidden over to the side behind the wall so not visible when the door is open and the nice vanity is what you see. It's nice to be able to have the door open for the feeling of a little more space. That to me makes sense - it's just good feng shui in my mind to not have the toilet as the focal point! It can done! We all know it's in there somewhere and won't take much effort to find it so it doesn't need to be "on display".

2. Please situate the kitchen window/work area/sink on the same side as the entry door to the trailer. I like to be able to still see and engage with my family/friends when I'm slaving away making deliciousness, not have my back to them. Also, it's creepy if you are at the trailer alone working in the kitchen to not be able to see who might be coming up to the door as they approach.

3. I need less sink more counter space! Since I won't be bathing in it so I don't need a giant wide double that leaves me 2" of useable counter space - a smaller double sink/more counter would be ticketyboo please!

4. This one is trickier....how to get an actual "walk-around" bed, not a "scoot halfway down before you can get out" bed. I know it is to give room for the outside storage but it's getting a little silly in the newer trailers - that storage hump starts halfway down the bed so making it and getting out is a bit of a challenge. Again, I HAVE seen ones with much shorter storage humps that still left tons of room for outside storage so it can be done!

Anyone else have any of these same peeves? What are some of yours? Wouldn't it be great if you could just go in and order your trailer to suit you? Well I suppose you can if you have your own Franklin Mint out back!

[Kavoom]

Want more room, get a slideout. For us, the dog no longer has to back up to move around... And we don't have to play the human chinese puzzle of OK, you sit down so I can cook, wash the dishes. Now move to the bed or dinette so I can get to the bathroom. Or the ultimate solution, GET OUT and take the dogs...

[Peanut_13]

If we could somehow wave a wand and fit a w/a bed and actual bathroom into our 19' Travelaire (actually 16' cabin space) we'd keep it forever. So sturdy & well built - nothing feels flimsy! They don't make them anymore but if they did I'd navigate straight to them. It has a great amount of storage space. Lots of counter space with the smaller older stainless steel double sink (also has a counter piece to fit in/over the sinks, and a flip up extension. It has LOTS of nice size windows, all side sliders for great air movement - so bright inside and the kitchen is on the awning side which I love. A single door fridge with HUGE little freezer that amazes me how much I can get in there! We had the regular ceiling fan taken out and a Fantastic Fan installed and have never felt the need for air conditioning even on the hottest days - those things are super. Like most, we are only inside to prepare some of our food & sleep unless its coming down buckets or really miserable then the games are on inside at the dinette. The Teensy with a capital T bathroom is hilarious but has everything you need in there - it was fine and dandy when we were young'uns and could bend like Gumby & Pokey to shower but not so easy now.

I was inside a trailer at one point that had all the features on my wish list and I regret not making a note at that time of the name of the rig. All I remember is it was 24' long including hitch and it was a lightweight - we noted it was under the recommendation for hauling with our V8 Explorer.

[GrandpaKip]

We really have no peeves about our Dart.
Don’t have a problem with the bed.
The toilet is in view with the door open, but never thought about it.
The largest window looks out the driver’s side, but we don’t spend much time inside while we are awake.
I put in a residential sink and made a 2 piece cover for it for more counter space.
We use the dinette table for temporary counter space.
We love the amount of storage we have and the big bathroom.
All in a 21’ package with a 2000 pound cargo capacity.
Unfortunately, it’s an orphan and we haven’t seen another trailer quite like it.

[mr_andyj]

I'll see what I can do fer ya

[Fizz]

Peanut#13 wrote:
okeydokey - thought this might be a friendly site with a bit of a sense of humour AND maybe a couple of suggested options for trailers that might have the some or all of the floorplan ideas I'm looking for but apparently not!

Don't let the Boobirds put you off.
If you ask for help on something you will get good advice eventually.

If you ask for an opinion or state your position on something it's open season.

[Peanut_13]

tll - I hadn't even thought of that one but good point...we only have a dinette in the little trailer...

[tll]

One of my irritants is most trailers have the dinette and sofa on the same side. If you want to have a conversation it's like being on a bus stop. Always talking over the heads of others. Our trailer has the dinette opposite the sofa. Makes for a great conversation area. When it comes time to replace our current trailer, it's going to be a tough floorplan to find.

[Peanut_13]

Oh and I should have said that we are only looking for about a 22-24' max trailer - just a little longer than we have to accommodate the w/a bed and bit bigger bathroom.

[trailernovice]

From the outside looking in....it seems a bit 'over the top' that anyone would reject a unit--that meets all other criteria--simply because of the direction the bathroom door swings open

[trailernovice]

I was JOKING...the point is.....for us, at least, the trailer is not a dream home...it's a place to sleep and to eat breakfast (we're generally eitehr utside or gone on an excursion for other meals), while being at a location we want....

I was kind of spinning off the earlier response of being very particular about your 'it must have this, and it must not have that' requirements for a trailer...

[Lynnmor]

Most of what you want are rather easy modifications, just buy a door side kitchen model and rip into it. Hide the toilet with a curtain or divider, replace the countertop and install the small sink, now just eliminate some storage by eliminating the areas that intrude too much. All of this is basic carpentry skills and basic materials. I've done much more than that to customize and improve mine.

You should be looking at important things like tire and wheel sizes, carrying capacity and structure. The thing is of little use if it is barely roadworthy. Try to eliminate the marginal trailers and only then pick and choose from the few that are left.

[Peanut_13]

okeydokey - thought this might be a friendly site with a bit of a sense of humour AND maybe a couple of suggested options for trailers that might have the some or all of the floorplan ideas I'm looking for but apparently not!

Big thank you "jdc1" for trying to help - I will check out Forest River! Happy camping to you!

[trailernovice]

ok....now you've opened the can of *&^%$ with the 'what are YOUR pet peeves' issues...mine:
--something in my trailer will eventually fail...i'm not happy about this, and wish the manufacturers would ensure no failures, ever...they WOULD, if only they cared about customers...but they're greedy....which, to me, is wrong, even though they're in business to make a profit

--it's not as big and comfortable as my house...they should make one that IS as big and comfortable as my house...that would be road legal...and light enough to pull behind the truck I've already got

--the entry has steps....it's not as if I belong in a trailer park

--ours doesn't have a garage...and even the toy haulers (except the semi-truck type) don't have a garage big enough to fit my truck and my motorcycles into

--Because of the limited kitchen counter space, I can't have a coffee maker and a popcorn popper and a toaster oven and a toaster and an electric can opener all out at the same time

--it only has two kitchen drawers....which means, as horrifying as this sounds, we have to mix up the 'big' utensils (grilling utensils) with charcoal lights, and spare batteries, and flashlights, and other misc. 'stuff', all in one drawer instead of having separate drawers for everything

I could go on and on...but you get the idea

[Gdetrailer]

Peanut#13 wrote:


Anyone else have any of these same peeves? What are some of yours? Wouldn't it be great if you could just go in and order your trailer to suit you? Well I suppose you can if you have your own Franklin Mint out back!

Your being a bit over picky about the little things in life.

All of your peaves basically are because it is a RV and as such there WILL be quite a few sacrifices or compromises in layout, placement, materials, craftmanship, colors, curtains, countertops, showers, toilets and comfort..

No one is forcing you to camp in a RV.

If you don't like what you see, pass and move on, otherwise try building one the way you like yourself.. Odds are you will find it difficult and very expensive to manufacture it the way you want. There are not many "one off" custom RV builders and the ones that do exist are not cheap.

Myself, I am over the layout thing, I buy and I use it, since I buy used RVs, I have very little choice in what I get and adapt.. Basically the RV is nothing more than a shelter for sleeping, eating and getting out of the rain.. Otherwise I am outside enjoying life instead of suffering over the fact that my toilet sits in plain view when the door is open.