'I revamped a free caravan I found on Facebook and turned it into a nail salon'

Jun 13, 2023

As her maternity leave came to an end Bonnie Charles didn't want to go back to her daytime and decided to take the jump and start her own business

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A mum-of-two transformed a free caravan she got off Facebook into a nail salon. With the help of her husband and stepdad, Bonnie Charles turned the rusty old caravan into a quirky beauty spot.

The trio got interiors for free because they were scrap pieces from a local DIY shop and the green paint they used was a tin someone had mixed by mistake.

Bonnie, 28, took a nail tech course last year and started doing it full-time in July. Before this, she was on maternity leave, and as it was coming to an end she decided she didn't want to go back to her job at a hospital.

Bonnie told the Mirror: "I had a drive at the back of my house that I didn't use and I was determined to make the business work with no start-up money available.

"I went self-employed in the July and in the September, I opened up the doors to the caravan. While I was waiting for it to be finished, I worked mobile using every payment to fund it," Bonnie said.

"The caravan was free off Facebook and my husband and stepdad did the renovations. I had a £0 budget to be honest. All the interiors were scrap pieces from a local DIY shop. The green paint was a tin someone had mixed by mistake and the labour was free.

"The most expensive part was furnishing the caravan with cushions, chairs and shelves." In total she spent £300 on the renovations.

"To rent a chair it's about £25 to £30 a day, which doesn't include any supplies," Bonnie explained - meaning she saves approximately £6,000 a year with her set-up. "The electricity comes off my main home supply and I really haven't noticed a massive increase on my bills," she said.

"It's definitely cheaper than if I was to pay a separate electric bill on a salon property. It's financially beneficial for me to stay where I am." The colourful and clean caravan has become a well-loved location by locals, who find it "more personal" than sitting in a large salon.

Bonnie has running water to wash hands, electricity to work her UV lamps and lighting, although the space is already very bright. "My neighbours have been really supportive and are happy for me to work from home. I've saved so much money not having to pay any extra business rates and rent charges," Bonnie said.

"I can work it around my family and once I'm finished, the commute is a 10-second walk home." Bonnie's husband has recently gravelled the drive and their next project is to paint the outside of the caravan.

"I'd love to open a bigger salon one day, but at the moment, I enjoy having my own space and it's personal because it was all done by myself and my fam