Eating Cake & Having It, Too (when it comes to bed + table)

Wow, over a year since I last posted. Not that there's much to discuss in the way of progress.

Some of the lack of progress was due to 2012 simply being a rough year for us. Two months into 2013, and I'm not sure yet how much better this year will be compared to last. Hopefully, we'll at least be able to do some work on the inside of our Boler. Which leads to another reason for lack of progress...

...I don't know what I want to do with the inside.

Pinterest has been both a help and a hindrance. There are so many great things people have done to their Bolers and vintage campers, it's a wonderful source of inspiration. It's also a wonderful way to get overwhelmed with all of the possibilities. (One of my favorite boards for inspiration is http://pinterest.com/ceilityme/bolers-campers-caravans-and-trailers/) Browsing Pinterest can especially be overwhelming when my taste is all over the place. Gypsy vardo + steampunk + geekery + vintage + "Oooo, I like that idea!" = a muddle of things. Which may be me, but isn't cohesive in such a tiny space.

One thing that I've been debating about is what to do about the bed/table situation. We never put the table up when we've used our camper on a trip, mostly because we don't want to bother with making & unmaking the bed all the time. Really, when you're exhausted, who really wants to mess with cleaning off the table, rearranging the cushions, and making up the bed before you crash? On the other hand, I haven't wanted to lose the functionality of having a table for those days when the weather is too bad to be outdoors due to rain, cold, what have you and having a solid surface for card & board games would be useful.

I've also not been fond of the front bench area. It generally ends up being the "catchall" spot because we don't have a good organizational system yet, and no one sits in the corner by the stove. There's no room for your feet there, unless you tuck them underneath you. Some renos install a shelf or cabinet or some sort of storage unit in that space, but that solution has left me rather blah. And then there have been a few renos that have made me think "That's brilliant!" before wishing I had thought of it on my own while simultaneously plotting how to do it in our vardo-to-be.

Leave the bed as a bed and turn the front bench into a two-top table.

It solves several little tiny problems all at once: we have a bed; we have a table; the corner seat will get used.

There are a few options for the table, as well. Permanently attached to the wall in a stationary position. Attach it like the existing table, so that it can fold down to make a bench bed. A folding table, or TV tray tables that can be moved out of the way if need be. Install a side table or something more decorative than the typical camper table top. More options to decide on, yes, but I don't have to choose between having a bed or having a table. I can have both.