Do you like lime green, orange, harvest gold?

[Moonshot]

I've gotta admit I like the orange interior accents in my 1979 Argosy. The exterior stripe in orange and red-orange appeals to me too. One day I hope to set off the exterior with an orange and white striped sunbrella awning! I even wish my coach had the original orange shag carpet (but only if it were in excellent condition).

I've seen photos of lime green bathrooms, orange countertops and most vintage airstreams seem to have that lovely harvest gold bathtub!

I don't mind these quirky features at all and find them appealing. How about you? Let's take a poll.

Scott

[thenewkid64]

We have had 5 Airstreams.

One with the burnt orange counters. One with the light avacado counters and the dark avacado shag carpet( I pulled that carpet in the fist week), one with the with the with gold sparkles in it, one that was Ivory and one with the lime green.

The only one I could not stand was the lime green, and I don't own that coach any longer. The Lime green lasted about 2 weeks. That was how long it took me to plan for it's demise.

You can see pictures of it in my gallery

[garry]

1st thing I did after buying the A/S was to take out the green carpet and counter top.
But that's just me.

Garry

[overlander64]

Greetings Scott!

I truly like the orange countertops in my Minuet - - in fact they were the color inspiration for the interior restoration/refurbishment. The down-side was that to get a fabric that complimented the color of the countertops I ended up with a premium $48/yard fabric for upholstery and accent drapes. The original burnt orange shag carpet, however, was the first thing to go (it had faded terribly and was various shades of yellow and brown) - - with two Chihuahuas, a hard surface that would be easy to clean was a pre-requisite so an Armstrong laminate floor in light cherry was the answer.

Had my Airstream been fortunate enough to have harvest gold bath fixtures I would have been thrilled. It happened to receive the green which did not age well at all. I guess the green just reminded me too much of the tract house that my folks had when I was growing up - - in a place where the residents referred to the subdivision as "cardboard estates" and nearly every house had avacado green bathrooms with either coppertone or hot pink kitchens. When restoring the Overlander there was no question that the green had to go - - the fixtures are now antique pewter (definitely not a factgory color, but one that compliments the Airstream).

Kevin

[uwe]

I actually like the funky 70's colors, if everything else is right. If a part of the original is worn, faded or missing, then I think it becomes too bluesy very quickly.
I do not like the dark brown fake wood that the interior of my 1971 consists of.
Something there has got to give real soon. I am hesitant in tearing it apart, because it is so darn complete and original.
I do like the countertops ( pale yellow) and the little pattern it has, as well as the awning's orange/beige stripes. The countertops look great with the stainless stove. The bath fixtures are off white and slightly stained, nothing fancy there.

[qqq]

Uwe

I'm hesitant too, for the same reason, but one day I think I will go ahead & tear it apart.

Hart

[Stefrobrts]

Originally posted by uwe
I do like the countertops ( pale yellow) and the little pattern it has, as well as the awning's orange/beige stripes. The countertops look great with the stainless stove. The bath fixtures are off white and slightly stained, nothing fancy there.

Sounds like the same countertop as in my 68. It is a nice countertop, doesn't stand out or look too dated. I'm glad I have the real wood though, instead of the 70's laminate. I've seen a number of those that haven't aged so gracefully - I'd rather deal with the chipped plywood!

And as for the survey, I'm just glad my trailer was built without any lime, avocado or orange, in it! Gosh, it sounds like a fruit market!

[biggerbadbrad]

Gosh, it sounds like a fruit market!

Stef, would I be correct in guessing you voted for downright ugly?

Actually I've heard that if you mix 2 parts avocado green and 4 parts burnt orange with 1 part harvest gold and 3 parts brown, that you would end up with aluminum.

bbb

[Sneakinup]

The first thing to come out of my 72 Overlander was the carpet and kitchen counter. Those colors just don't appeal to me. I know I committed a Vintage Airstream felony, but...


Still under construction.

[ARGONUT]

The orange counter tops i didn't mind, mainly they were in good shape. The p.o. somtime in the 80's had recoverd the goucho and put down dark brown carpet and purple looking mini blinds, I could live with that.
But.... My better half thoght it was the ugliest thing she had ever seen. So to keep peace we are in the process of changing the inside to primarily blue, (her favorite color).
We are still at a standoff on the exterior. She says the orange inserts have to go, but i want to keep them and add a brown and
orange striped awning.(I'm going to win on this one....maybe)
BTW she now loves the Argosy as mch as i do.

[Stefrobrts]

Originally posted by biggerbadbrad


Stef, would I be correct in guessing you voted for downright ugly?

Actually I've heard that if you mix 2 parts avocado green and 4 parts burnt orange with 1 part harvest gold and 3 parts brown, that you would end up with aluminum.

bbb

Yeah, you caught me. I have to say I have no fond memories of those 70s kitchen colors. Kind of like Kevin's 'cardboard estates'. However, if I had a nice vintage with those colors in them I would probably keep them - just as a time capsule.

Sneakinup - excellent counter you're working on there! It looks great. Very high-tech modern. That's what the CCD should look like inside to go with the bare aluminum walls.

[nellie the elephant]

Sneakinup,
What you have done to your interior looks really marvelous. I especially like the metal trim around the laminated surfaces. Me, I might even replace the white with a colored laminate (don't mind orange at all). I would like to find an AS with a trashed interior, and gut it to create this modern asthetic. My Safari will always stay original, but there is something very cool about the juxtaposition of vintage and high end modern. Nice work.

[jpurdy]

we do not know what the original interior colors were for our 81 excella motorhome. when we purchased the previous owner had replaced the carpet and recovered the sofa. the color is a shade of rose....the shades were ivory/blue. My wife and I replaced the shades with curtains and blinds. the curtains go better with the sofa.
The awnings however are in great shape and are a wide orange/dark brown stripe...so I can only imagine what was really on the inside though the countertop is a cream color...maybe the ivory/blue were the colors but the outside didn't match...
while I like green and silver I am glad it didn't come in lime ....

[Silvertwinkie]

D) None of the above!

Eric

[Janet H]

Funny you should ask....

We are in the middle of removing orange counters, table and orange plaid (requires sunglasses to view safely) upholstry and extra lovely burnt orange shag carpet. Yesterday the newly upholstered cushions went in. BIG improvement.

My fifteen year old son has informed me that orange is back in fashion and highly cool and that by removing it I have, once again, demonstrated my complete lack of understanding of pop culture!

[hotLAVA]

Hi Scott,

We own the same Minuet, right down to the flowery bathroom.

I flipflop on what & how I feel about the vintage interior. I can't make up my mind - we (me and the interior) have a rocky relationship. Incidently, orange is my alltime favorite color, so if I had been lucky enough to get the orange countertops I probably would have been elated. Instead I got "woodlike."

The people we bought our camper from HATED the orange pin striping and painted it teal and black to match their car. You can still see parts of the old striping intact under areas he couldn't reach. Wish it were still Orange.

I think the only thing that makes me want to change anything from original is that the combined entirely vintage effect is dingy and dirty. I wiped down the walls, vaccumned, scrubbed the faded bathroom......it doesn't go away no matter how much it smells like Pinesol. Those 1979 colors combined with lots of "metal wood," woodlike countertops, woodtone fridge panel, paneling and heavy old faded curtains just feel dirty to me (must wash hands....must wash hands.....must wash hands....) And I especially hate the fronts of the cabinets with that strange textured wallpaperlike stuff that seems to suck any grease off of my four year old and display it proudly for our guests.

The artist in me wants to preserve the fun and crazy vintage.....that same artist wants to redo everything with the britghtest, loudest abstract upholstery and decor money can buy.

So, what was the question again? Oh yea, do I like the vintage colors? I guess I still don't know.

[biggerbadbrad]

Janet,

Well, that will teach you for untying the kids and letting them out of the basement before they're old enough to leave home. Oh! did I say that out loud? jk

Lookin' Good! Sneakinup

bbb

[Sneakinup]

Thanks for the nice comments on my soon to be new interior.

Yesterday I went and "inspected" a 1974 Overlander for a future fellow Airstreamer. I was surprised to see how different the interior was in just those two years. It had the same simulated wood and yellow countertops that mine had. This trailer was in really nice condition, and it had a really cozy feel to it with those 70's colors. It was a trailer that you could buy and get right to business with!

I spent a good hour and a half going over it, and gave the prospective buyer a thumbs up. I believe he is flying down this weekend from NH to consumate the deal.

The second I got home, I headed out to my trailer to "feel" the difference. I have to say, the white cabinetry and slightly modified living room layout really made it feel more spacious. Technically, there is probably less floor space, but the perception was more roomy.

If I had a totally gutted AS (like Nellie said), I might design it a bit different using light woods and such. Still modern. Next project!

[InsideOut]

I actually like the funky 70's colors, if everything else is right.

If it's well maintained, clean and intact...I'm all for keeping it a 70's time capsule....

I LOVE the orange flowery vinyl in the bathrooms of the 76-ish Airstreams...I think it's the same as the '79 Argosy's!!! "Flower-power"...way cool man!

Shari

[Pick]

When we first looked at our A/S, as soon as my wife Diane saw the yellow/gold/whatever it's called countertop, she said "No way am I going camping with that #&%$@# countertop in there!" I had to promise to change it out, or no deal. We did relaminate it to a nice blue color, that matches carpeting rather nicely.