VVs and the Privacy Curtain

[seeshell]

Good evening / morning all -

It's a bit of a stinker here overnight, so I'm awake, and as usual van obsessed. I have a question about an often seen "feature" of vintage vans and want to know how many of you use them: it's the privacy curtain.

In our van there is a honking great rail (once chrome, since replaced with a piece of orange flexible pipe for shielding electric cable!) that runs across the van from the wardrobe to above the sink on which there should be a privacy curtain.

How many of you have this feature? How many of you actually have privacy curtains installed? I'm interested to hear the fors and againsts of this one...to decide if I build it back in to the design, or let it drift off as the cupboards are pulled out.

Unless it's of use, all it is at the moment is a handy way of smacking the tall dear old hubby across the noggin regularly. On the other hand, we will be travelling with our 4yo daughter, and in time, privacy might be more of an issue.

Let's see if these engender any strong feelings at all -
Seeshell

[Daggsey]

Hi seeshell,

I fitted a privacy curtain in "Lady Madonna"...........not so much for privay (bit hard in a 12' caravan), but more to block out light. If one person wanted to sleep in or go to bed earlier than their partner, it gave that "detached" room feel. Some modern caravans which are considerably bigger, have curtains or concertina doors for the same purpose. It really is a matter of personal choice.

Daggsey

[cobber]

G'day she sells sea shells

I think you have raised an interesting subject that hasn't been discussed before in this context........ surprisingly

There was mention of the dividing / privacy curtain in this thread
HERE some time ago in reply # 12.

From my perspective if it is there... was there when the 'van was built.... it should be retained.

My Ol' 36 van has one which like yours has a dual function...... it transports the electrical cable from one side of the van to the other side as well as providing privacy between the kids sleeping quarters and the adults boudoir.

The Newcastle 'van and the Don caravans I have all have a chrome rail but not old “Driftwood”

I fear that there may be some members of this forum who will take the opportunity to say “ if your hubby is hitting his head on the rail........ for safety reasons it should be removed”

Ignore them

Cobber.

[Smiley]

Oh yes, the VV we just bought has one as well. It is a lovely floral design of the shower curtain variety, with shower rings attached. Alas, it accidentally fell down , with a little help. I am going to keep the chrome rod there though, as it makes a great towel rail while travelling. A couple of pegs either side and they are dry by the time we pull up in the next town.
Can't wait to find the time to post photos of our new 'Kenny'

[JBJ]

hi All,

Well Deejay has one up on the privacy screen.
The door to the shower & one of the cupboard doors connect to create a room at the rear bed.

Perfect for when Boots crashes & I feel like a game of Solataire & a drink, or read a book & a drink, or watch TV & a drink, or maybe just have a quiet drink..She gets the best bed because she loaned me the funds to buy Deejay.

I "m not as much a purist as Cobber, but if it works & is original I think it should stay if it fits in with the theme you are doing your van in.


JBJ

[Franklin1]

seeshell,

I don't think you have any choice. Your four year old daughter will DEMAND the curtain be retained! She certainly won't want any oldies gatecrashing her chocolate crackles party with the 5-year old spunk from the caravan next door.

Probably the best you can do is work out a way of hingeing the rod at one end so you can swivel it out of the way during the day. Either that or get hubby to practice walking around in the van with his head tilted on one shoulder.

If you want any more sensible ideas, feel free to ask...err...anybody else.

cheers,
Al. ;D

[jenniewren]

Alas...my no name (CLAYTONS) aka "sassy-gabby" vv does not have this.....even though there is a double bed at one end and the table drops to make another.....lights out when first inert/soft person hits the pillow....is going to be the rule when we finally roll out the driveway!! Drinking etc is to be done OUTSIDE under the stars with whom ever they rope in to join them! Tough rule hey? I agree with a lot of the comments above however.....if it was originally there Seeshells, I would tend to leave it, especially if you have a little one that do tend to grow up VERY quickly. Before you know it, she will be telling you to get out of the van, don't look Dad! Been there, done that with ours who are not little innocents anymore! Personal choice really as JBJ has indicated.

[jenniewren]

There you go Seeshells - Great minds think alike... Al you just beat me to it! You must be able to type faster than me! And Al - "5 year old spunk"?.....I haven't heard "spunk" said for so long...classic!

[seeshell]

Well the votes are in - retention it is. The husband, who is 6'4", will just have to duck and weave. He should be used to it by now I guess, and perhaps it will hone his catlike reflexes.

I hadn't thought of using it as a towel rail, that's a good idea. And the other excellent idea was using it as a conduit for electricity. Up there for thinking hey? Thanks very much!

I might leave the fabric off for a few years until we parents become interlopers, but will retain "the 'ol nutcracker". Hey Jenni - do you think that's what happened to the loose skull that was on the table (came with the van)? Knocked it clean off!

Like most men, I think my husband is having more trouble with the idea of our little girl growing up than I do. He is hoping by the time she's a teen fashion will cycle around and it will be cool to dress like one of the Bretheren. I told him I don't think ankle length denim skirts and blouses with mutton chop arms are in the fashion cycle - EVER. ;D

Cheers
Seeshell

[Franklin1]

..I haven't heard "spunk" said for so long...classic!

Nooo....Vintage!!! ;D ;D ;D

[Don Ricardo]

Feb 12, 2011 20:11:37 GMT 10 seeshell said:

Well the votes are in

Hi Seeshells,

You can't close the polling booth yet - I haven't voted! ;D ;D ;D

...but I basically agree with the others. Being of a restorer mindset I'm in accord with Cobber for the reason he said.

However, in practical terms, if you have a 4 year old I can guarantee there will come a time when you need the privacy curtain. We have a curtain in our 14 ft 6 in van and have used it often, for example:

• When our boys were growing up and felt uncomfortable about sleeping "in the same room" as their parents, not to mention being able to see the olds snuggled up together at the other end of the van...just disgusting when you're 14...
  
• When our married son and his wife have stayed with us and slept at the other end of the van.
  
• When we have had non-family visitors staying with us and sleeping at the other end of the van.
  
• When our sons' fiancees visit and want a bit of privacy to change into their swimming gear - even when there is nobody else in the van, using the curtain makes you feel less 'exposed' than without the curtain (and that's even allowing for the door being closed).
  
• When you want to change but your neighbour on the campsite opposite sitting on his deck chair 'seems' to be looking straight through your caravan window - he probably isn't, but it seems as if he is.
  
• When one of us wants to go to bed and the other is still trying to finish that infernal jigsaw.
  

In lots of ways calling the curtain a 'privacy' curtain is possibly a misnomer. It's really more of a 'modesty' curtain. It doesn't hide the snores, snuffles and other unmentionable noises from the other end of the van, but it does help to preserve people's modesty and it does have the effect of creating two rooms out of one, and creating personal space - all psychological to be sure, but it all helps people to feel more comfortable in a confined space.

You can close the polling booth now... ;D ;D ;D

Don Ricardo

[jenniewren]

Seeshells - maybe that IS HOW you got to have that skull in there.....too many inhales on that paraphernalia you found in the under cupboard! "The boy" is also just a little over 6ft & although it seems the votes are against removing it...he would "crack" it (literally on the noggin' once too often) and get rid of it! I on the other hand would most likely clear it by a good foot to spare! So I would be arguing the point with him "original", "original"! Little ones growing into teenagers is something we can't stop unfortunately...but I bow to the inventor of the ipod & iphone....youngun's plug in when they "retire" to their cave & there could be a nuclear bomb next to them in bed & they are totally oblivious! So any noise for them is a thing of the past! However, I do agree with Don Ricardo...our daughter when 13/14 yo (now 30) would always lie in the middle of us & watch TV late at night....the quickest way to get rid of her was "snuggle".....she was off like a shot spouting how disgusting! AND denim skirts & muttonchop blouses, har, anything could happen in the next cycle of fashion! Hubby may be able to breathe easy as our kids are now wearing vintage 70's/80's that I wore as a teenager......scary!

[Southie]

Hi seeshells - Keep the curtain.

Our van layout is bench seat accross the back that pulls out to a double bed and kitchen table at the front that drops down to make another bed.

First outing in the van we put the kids on the front bed - at 8pm all kids in bed and we found ourselves outside in the annexe (in the cold since it was winter) Second night put the kids on the back bed, used the curtain and we were able to sit at the front table in the warm with our oldest playing board games.

Also highly valuable as you don't realise how many windows there are and how well you can see into a van until you go to get changed - curtain is a real quick way without having to close every window and curtain.

Our curtain rod has a secondary feature in that it is also the conduit to get the power to the otherside of the van - van only had power on one side and thought of lifting the roof to run a new cable.... well the curtain rod does a great job and hides the cable.

Keep it

Cheers Southie