Reviews

I reached out to Kate and Ellen after being a fan of their work for months. One day I finally wrote to inquire about their process and they happened to have just completed a project that was available for sale. It was a huge leap of faith but I immediately made the purchase. In addition to acquiring a stunningly beautiful home I made two amazing friends in the process. Kate and Ellen have been an incredible source of support, both logistically and emotionally, as I adapt to this new lifestyle. They are ALWAYS available for consults and they generously offered onsite repair support due to damage caused by a 3rd party carrier. This gesture was way beyond the call of duty and speaks volumes to their integrity and the depth of their commitment to their craft and their customer-friends. You really feel the love, passion and dedication that they put into their work. It's truly an honor to steward a Modern Caravan. — Kesha F.

Kate and Ellen really took care of us from day one. Working with them we knew we were in good hands because of how real they were with us. They wanted us to truly understand what it meant to be living in a tiny space. Often this life can be glamorized and overhyped— they helped us make sure we were making a decision that was well thought out and with the right intentions. Once we moved forward with June, our Airstream, we were so amazed by the craftsmanship and attention to detail. The combination of Ellen’s craftsmanship and Kate’s design aesthetic brought together the most beautiful home on wheels we could have ever dreamed of. The design of June and all of Kate and Ellen’s work has gone on to inspire so many others to try emulate The Modern Caravan feel in their own tiny homes and trailers. But if you want something truly original, these two are the real deal. Put your trust in them and in the process, and you won’t be disappointed. — James & Lauren E.

Hiring Kate for design and consulting was the single best decision we made on our journey to convert an old school bus — she made an otherwise daunting prospect feel much less so and fostered a partnership that gave us the confidence to move forward and allowed us to actively enjoy the process, which to me was invaluable. And of course, we were thrilled with the end result! We were also lucky enough to work with Ellen on many of the final interior elements that are now some of our very favorites — our custom doors, countertops throughout and the cedar detailing in our shower, to name a few. Suffice it to say, Kate and Ellen are two incredibly talented, generous and beautiful humans. We are so thankful to have worked with them and consider them friends. — Michael & Lexi R.

Kate and Ellen are the dream team; each with their own unique talents that compliment one another so well. A fantastic eye for design and aesthetic coupled with superb craftsmanship. They were readily available, easy to work with, and saw each project through to the end. Pretty sure you could give these two a cardboard box and they'd turn it into a masterpiece. — Ashley H.

Working with Kate and Ellen was awesome. Navigating the restoration world was overwhelming as all get out and when it came time to tackle the bathroom I had no idea where to start. They walked me through the process, equipment, and supplies and gave me a plan. I can't say enough good things about the Modern Caravan. — Jess Y.

Simply put, if it weren’t for Kate and Ellen and The Modern Caravan, we wouldn’t have had the confidence to take the terrifying plunge into renovating a vintage Airstream. I don’t think there’s a whole lot anyone can do to prepare for a project like this, besides having done it before, but knowing we had these two boss ladies on our side gave us the courage to do this crazy thing. From answering my frantic questions with sound advice in the midst of the emotional throes of buying the Airstream, to setting up a last minute consultation the day we purchased it (highly recommended – but plan ahead!), to quickly answering a desperate late night text when we couldn’t figure out how to get the door frame off if our lives depended on it. The knowledge they share with their clients is priceless. More importantly, they are kind, genuine, and very knowledgeable women and we count ourselves lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from them. Thank you, Kate and Ellen, for being the new standard of caravan living and showing so many of us the way. — Rachael M.

I've known Kate for many years and have followed Kate and Ellen's various projects closely from June to Hawk. When I found out they were looking for investors in the Hope project, I brought it up in a conversation with Kate. I am new to direct investing, and the Hope project was my first experience working directly to invest with business owners that I know personally. I'd rate the experience a 12 on a scale of 1 to 10, and would absolutely recommend the experience to anyone. Kate and Ellen are some of the hardest working and cleverest humans that I know. They have deep expertise in what they do, and I never once worried about whether or not they would be able to deliver the returns that we'd hoped for. Kate and Ellen are both deeply creative, while simultaneously knowing and understanding their market and audience. Their work is beautiful, and came together quickly. The Hope project concluded within a few months, and once the work was done it quickly sold. It was a fantastic experience for a first time investor, and I absolutely plan on taking Kate and Ellen up on additional opportunities should they arise. — Kendra C.

My husband and I began our Airstream renovation project largely inspired by these two incredible women. Before we even met them, they had poured out so much of their resources into their website and Instagram and this was so helpful to us as newbie renovators. Around the halfway mark of our project, we met them for a consultation for advice as we began the furniture and cabinetry build phase of our project. We met them one afternoon and they walked through our airstream with us, giving their sage advice on how to tackle some of the bigger projects we had coming up. They consulted us on things like wiring for lights, brands of water heaters and which type would work well in our specific application, upholstery, seals, water pumps, flooring, and a whole myriad of other things. Being brand new to Airstreams, it was incredibly helpful to have advice from people who had renovated several trailers and lived on the road in various airstreams. They are not only a design and build team, Kate and Ellen are also seasoned travelers who know the ins and outs of being on the road. They truly know which things you should sacrifice, and which things you shouldn't when it comes to tiny living, because they have been doing it for so long. Not only were they helpful and incredibly generous with all of their knowledge, they were also kind. Often times in the renovation/airstream/tiny house community there are people who look down on you because you don't know a lot, or they judge you based on the choices you make in a small space, but Kate and Ellen were completely open and nonjudgmental. They met us on our level and explained things in a way we could understand. And they also inspired us. Seeing their life on the road, their craftsmanship, their dedication to design and functionality -- it left us feeling like we could actually do this thing. Kate and Ellen are absolute gems of human beings. We have since become dear friends with them, and we are hopeful at the prospect of working with them again someday. — Megan K.