My next big project is building a vardo for our family business making handmade baby gifts at BabyVardo.com. Our plan is to use this to visit craft fairs in the area.
I’ll be building this along the lines of a ‘tiny house‘, a wooden structure based on a standard utility trailer. Since our business is dependent on a very heavy and expensive embroidery machine a standard tent doesn’t do the job. We’ll be able to park and open the shop with minimal setup with this self-contained storefront.
I’m still working through the details of the design, but here are some of the drawings I’m working on (3d models coming later). First, some rough sketches:
Here you can see one of my initial sketches of the side of the vardo. The side is a mixture between a traditional Romany vardo and an old-fashioned trolley or passenger rail car. One of my favorite bits is the mollycroft double roof.
To the left you can see an early rough sketch of what the interior will look like. There will be cabinets and shelves running the length of both sides for storage and display space. Between the windows I’ll be mounting standard shelving attachments for display of the handmade clothing items my wife is working on adding to our product line.
You can also see how I’m going to build rafters running through the open space in the mollycroft. The main roof will be fairly low, but the additional space above will add a feeling of more space, light, and air. I’ll have the long and low windows along the sides openable for air circulation.
Above you’ll see a rough sketch of the back view, and main entry door. You might notice that the two sides are a bit different as I was experimenting with how I’ll build it (going with the left variation).
I’ve moved on to the next stage of putting together more polished and accurate drawings, and trying to figure out how the main bits will fit together. I’ll have more on that soon, but for now check out the drawing below (click to enlarge).
Assuming I figure out all the details of construction, you’ll notice I’ve changed the mollycroft roof line to match the original more streamlined look that’s commonly found in the old vardos and rail cars. I’ve also settled on the side structure which will go straight up from the sides of the utility trailer until reaching the height of the fenders, then go horizontally out halfway over the fender and then angle up and out to reach the 8′ 6″ maximum allowed width. I’m doing this to evoke the design of the old vardos with the box built out over the huge spoked wagon wheels. It does make it cheaper to build instead of welding on additional metal to use the full width straight up, but I’m mostly doing it for looks.
I’m still working through the details, and I’ll post up some construction-level drawings soon. Feedback is of course appreciated if any of my few readers have ideas on how to make it better. Thanks for taking a look!
Love to see this. I want to make a model-vardo.
I’ve seen something on a french-site about card-making, but looking for other plans or making these my-self. So I’m surfing for ideas.
Goog luck with yours.
I almost made a model myself, before starting construction. If you do it, I’d love to see the result.
I need to update the site. i’ve actually made some progress since the last post – most of the frame sections are complete except for the mollycroft. Unfortunately for the current schedule, we moved a month ago and that’s stopped work for a bit. However, I now have access to covered shelter big enough to hold the entire vardo, in a haybarn. So as soon as I get a few more things situated, I’ll be in even better shape to continue the build than I was earlier. More later.
Chris if you go to this site that I found yesterday you can get plans.. http://www.wildhorsebooks.com/thompson.htm He has plans for a Bow Top or Open Lot, Reading, Ledge and one I hadn’t heard of a Romany Rose that’s a barrel roof. Hope this helps!