Story: Allison Cook |
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Bill and Jane Hardin were frequent visitors to Mountain Harbor on Lake Ouachita for years before they decided to purchase a vacation home of their own. “We would always come up a lot and visit friends,” Bill says. “We’d stay at the lodge or in one of the condominiums. The kids pretty much grew up on this lake.” Due to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers guidelines, all homes in the area must be mobile, and while staying with friends, Bill approached their neighbor about selling his trailer and land space to him. “He didn’t have any intention of selling initially, but after speaking with him for a while, he agreed,” Bill says. “Then Jane and I set about re-creating the idea of a trailer.”
Instead of having a new trailer custom built, the Hardins decided to remodel the existing one. “It might have been more economical to have someone build us a completely new one,” Jane says. “But seeing the transformation of this one is incredible.” They met with John Allison of Allison Architects in Little Rock, and John ended the conversation by sketching his idea of the rehabbed trailer. “We actually took the napkin sketch to our builder,” Bill says. “He laughed at us, but the plan was perfect.”
Everything aspect of the initial trailer was gutted and reworked, including the flooring, windows and walls. “We replaced the original doors and windows with wooden ones and added French doors leading to the screened-in porch, which was also added along three sides of the home,” Bill says. “We re-covered the interior walls with bead board for a retro, cottage look that Jane wanted.” New black-and-white checkered flooring continued the cottage feel, while eclectic furnishings and even appliances, many discovered by Jane on various trips, completed the comfortable cottage atmosphere. “Throughout the process, people continued to stop by to tell us we couldn’t build a house on the property,” Bill says. “We had to keep telling them that the original trailer’s axles and struts were all in place as mandated. The interior and exterior were just very well done.”
Along with the screened-in porches running along the exterior of the home, the interior boasts a living area, which flows into a small dining space and kitchen. Light-hearted colors, Fiestaware pottery and edited collections of antique and new furnishings create a welcoming space. The guest room boasts two sets of bunk beds, while Bill and Jane’s bedroom houses its own small bathroom. “This has become a great getaway for us,” Bill says. “Jane and I enjoy coming up alone, but it’s also unusual for us to have two dozen kids camped out here. We have several tables for board and card games, and since we’re close to the water’s edge, it’s easy to jump in the boat for an afternoon on the lake.”
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