Airstream by Mountain Modern
“Restoring silver icons with a modern soul”
A Beginning in Bend
Every story worth telling has a spark. For Anna and Damian, it was a Craigslist listing for a 1966 Airstream Overlander named Gilda. She had been sitting quietly on the Oregon Coast, gathering moss and stories, waiting for someone to breathe life back into her polished aluminum skin. In November of 2015, the couple hitched her up and hauled her 280 miles through the mountains to Bend, Oregon. By the time they arrived—in eight fresh inches of snow—they had no idea they’d just stumbled into their life’s work.
Two Makers, One Vision
Anna is the eye: a photographer with a gift for design, materials, and creating interiors that feel both stylish and deeply lived-in. She brings warmth to every client conversation and a knack for sourcing pieces that feel timeless. Damian is the hands: a fabricator and problem-solver who thrives on puzzles that vintage trailers inevitably bring. Together, they are the essence of Mountain Modern Airstream—two halves of a creative whole, shaping silver shells into rolling works of art.
Gilda, and What She Taught Them
Their first project was not easy. They learned to polish rivets, chase leaks, and wire systems by trial, error, and the generosity of the Airstream community—blogs, podcasts, and YouTube tutorials guiding them late into the night. Gilda became more than a trailer; she became a teacher. By the time her restoration was complete, Anna and Damian had found their rhythm—and a business was born.
Click Photos to Enlarge
History of Airstream: A Silver American Icon
Born from the vision of Wally Byam in the 1930s, Airstream began as a dream of freedom and design. Byam built his first trailer in his backyard—something light enough to be towed by a car, yet comfortable enough to carry the essentials of home. In 1936, the first production model, the Airstream Clipper, rolled out: an aluminum-skinned beauty inspired by aircraft engineering, all curves and rivets, shimmering like a streamlined future. Surviving the Great Depression and even wartime aluminum shortages, Airstream became more than a camper—it became a symbol of American wanderlust. By the 1950s and ’60s, families were towing them across highways, deserts, and national parks, their polished shells glinting like beacons of possibility. Today, nearly 90 years later, those same silver silhouettes still roll on, a blend of nostalgia and modern design, carrying with them the enduring spirit of the open road.
Craft in Motion
Mountain Modern Airstream doesn’t mass-produce or repeat. Each trailer is its own story, shaped around the people who will one day call it home on the road. Interiors are modern yet soulful—small-space design that balances function with beauty. Cabinets are hand-built. Fixtures are chosen for longevity. Every detail, from lighting to layout, is considered with the same care you’d bring to a beloved cottage.
From the High Desert to the Open Road
Today, the shop in Bend is alive with silver shells in varying stages of transformation. Some emerge polished like mirrors, others retain a softer patina that whispers of highways traveled. What unites them is intention: trailers restored not just to look good, but to live well.
Recognized Near and Far
Their work has caught the eye of Dwell, Tastemade Home, and Smaller Living, each publication noting the blend of heritage and modern design Mountain Modern brings to the classic Airstream form. Clients travel from across the country to collaborate, knowing their trailers will return as something both practical and poetic.
Why It Matters
In an era where travel is often hurried and disposable, Mountain Modern Airstream offers a slower kind of luxury—the chance to wander with a home that feels rooted, crafted, and personal. To step inside one of their builds is to feel both the nostalgia of the past and the possibilities of the open road.
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