THE BK Bluebird Sherborne caravan holiday-home was the talk of the town at shows last year. I’d been given advance, but cryptic, information about its launch to whet my appetite, but from experience I know that sometimes this sort of information is hyperbole.
The single side elevation door leading to the kitchen/diner was open and as soon as I stepped in I could see why it was the main entrance. Ahead was a gleaming, glossy kitchen/diner and to the left a spacious living area with the benefit of natural light from the windows on each side elevation and French doors at the front.
Near the side door is a useful cupboard for coats, brooms and other paraphernalia, a fridge freezer and the boiler cupboard.
Stepping down
The dining area has a walnut-coloured rectangular table sitting in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, and four chairs, covered in what I’m told is ‘cream leatherette’ (obviously some form of man-made fabric, but ‘leatherette’ sounds better). Voiles (I called them nets and received a distinctively chilly look from the sales director of the company) hang at all the main windows and the warm rich mulberry and plum-toned lined curtains are hung by eyelets on chrome poles.
I stepped down into the lounge. Yes, that’s right. The Sherborne has a unique and distinctive step down lit with LED lights, and that’s a bit of imagination by the designers. It has a relaxing feel to it, ideal for holidaying, with a mushroom coloured carpet. An L-shaped sofa complements the L-shaped kitchen design, as does the full-length glossy cream wall unit (each drawer has touch latch soft close drawers).
The sofa converts easily to a double bed, but I wouldn’t bother telling friends that in case they don’t get out of bed till the crack of noon. The black glass two-tier oval coffee table adds a bit of WOW and matches the large black-framed, wall-hung mirror above the electric flame-effect fire.
Traditional
The floor in the kitchen/diner area has a traditional look – it’s walnut-coloured plank effect vinyl, the same colour as the worktops in the L shaped kitchen. The modern gloss cream cupboards have stainless steel handles that match the slot-in, four-burner stainless steel gas cooker. The 11/2 bowl low-scratch finish stainless steel sink and drainer faces toward the lounge and a neat design touch is the use of glass upstands above the sink and worktops that do reflect the light.
Feature lighting is fitted in two of the six eye-level cupboards, and there are four base units and a set of drawers. You’d have to think carefully before deciding to add an integrated dishwasher or washer/dryer as you might use up valuable cupboard space.
Opulent
A door from the kitchen into a hall leads to the bedrooms and shower room. The master bedroom looks opulent, with warm-looking walnut and cream furniture and headboard and cill-length curtains with mulberry colours, and an aubergine-coloured throw on the bed. The king size bed has a lift-up base with generous storage below it and there are two rotating overbed lights which appealed to me, as you turn them upwards for mood lighting and down for reading.
A large mirror-fronted wardrobe has two hanging rails in it, shelves and a chest of drawers. I think it was designed by men, as ladies may be disappointed that there may not be enough height to hang a dress or one of our trendy long coats. At the dressing table, though, you could allocate yourself four of the six drawers and while away time sitting on the dressing stool in front of the mirror. You could watch TV at the same time, as there is a TV and power point on the wall over the dressing table.
The en-suite washroom has just a loo and a washbasin. Carpeted like the bedroom, it has an aubergine coloured window blind, plenty of storage and a socket to charge your electric toothbrush or razor.
flowing lines
The twin room has two metal-framed beds and one bedside cabinet with one wardrobe, two drawers, four overbed cupboards and a shelf. The left side of the wardrobe has been strengthened for a TV. The carpet, headboard and curtains are the same as in the master bedroom, creating easy flowing design lines.
Lotions and potions
The flooring in the shower room is the same as the kitchen/diner and the rectangular, low-threshold shower tray is a sealed unit with sliding door. Everyone wants to put lotions and potions in the shower and there is a shelf tower for these. There are open shelves and a cupboard to hide what you don’t want others to see. And guess what – even the loo roll holder is reachable.
OUR VERDICT
The Sherborne came second in its class at the Caravan Industry magazine Constructors’ Award presentation, an award for “flair and imagination”, and it’s not hard to see why. The bold use of colours, combined with the split level layout give some character and the kitchen is a well thought out layout with plenty of work space and a contemporary look with a traditional touch.
Technical details
• Type: Single unit caravan holiday home
• Standard: BS EN1647
• Size: 38ft x 12ft
• Bedrooms: 2
Other versions
• 35ft x 12ft; 38ft x 12ft SL (single level); 39ft x 12ft (3 bed)
Main features
• Aluminium exterior cladding
• Vaulted ceilings
• Outlook doors
• Remote control flame effect electric fire as standard
• Double glazing
• GAS cooker with electric ignition
• Integrated Fridge/freezer
Selected options
• Environmental colour
• Fixed window instead of French doors at no extra cost
• Extra armchair
• Extra dining chairs
• Tall lamp in the lounge
• TV bracket instead of mirror in the lounge (up to 37in TV)
• Integrated dishwasher
• Integrated washer/dryer
Price
from £38,750 ex-works (inc VAT)
CONTACT
BK BLuebird, Mannings Heath Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset BH12 4NF. Tel: 01202 740182. Email:
[email protected]. Website:
www.bkbluebird.co.uk
This review was published in the February 2009 issue of Park & Holiday Homes magazine. To order our latest issue please click here.
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