This family renovated an Airstream trailer for $60,000

What: A 34-foot Airstream trailer Who: The Daprato family Where: Port Lands Size: 272 square feet

A few years ago, Robin Daprato, her father, Bob, and her two siblings were all working as crew members on Star Trek: Discovery at Pinewood Studios and dreaming of a getaway from the grind of the film industry. “We talked all the time about creating a family retreat, a place to escape from the crazy hours we work,” says Robin, a 32-year-old interior and prop stylist. Those conversations inspired her dad, a veteran key grip, to buy a dilapidated ’90s-era Airstream for $40,000.

For years, the dusty 34-foot trailer sat unused on their property in Prince Edward County. When the pandemic hit and the film industry shut down, the Dapratos finally had time to bring their vision to life. They gutted the Airstream, stripping out the old floral cushions and mouldy furniture and evicting the critters that had moved in. “We cleaned out mountains of mouse droppings,” says Robin.

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She and her mother, Melanie, teamed up to design the interior, transforming it into a space that was more than just a trailer. “We wanted it to feel elevated, like a home we actually wanted to spend time in,” says Robin. The tiled bathroom is equipped with a composting toilet. They also added leather banquettes around a dining table that doubles as a workspace for Bob. Three years and $60,000 later, the renovation was complete.

Although the Airstream is fully functional and roadworthy, these days it typically stays put at the studio while the Dapratos continue to work on set. “It’s a place where we can meet up, have lunch together or even grab a nap,” says Robin. “It’s become our family’s little home away from home.”