Meet Sammy Lynn Norman | RV Renovator & Ceramic Lighting Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sammy Lynn Norman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sammy Lynn, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I was raised in a conservative family who wanted me to take the safe path in life. They wanted me to graduate from college, take a full time job, settle down and marry, and focus on a career that guaranteed financial stability. That obviously wasn’t for me. I believe my success in my creative endeavors came from me not allowing others to sway my decisions in my life choices. I always followed my heart which led me to things that I was naturally drawn to and good at. I always allowed myself to embrace change in the most uncomfortable way, but more importantly I had the bravery to push through all of the awkward phases in the creative process. Once that was over, after years of dedication, you finally see the results. Not just in your work, but in yourself too.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have always been an out-of-the-box thinker and creative soul. A black sheep, so to say! After I graduated with a bachelors degree in Interior Design and a minor in architecture, I took off to San Francisco to design Apple stores. I learned very quickly that I didn’t belong in the corporate world so I bounced around the design industry for awhile until I decided to start my own business. I originally started with buying and selling vintage home decor and then moved into higher end designs like med spas, veterinary clinics, art galleries and high end residential homes. Eventually I shifted my focus to online residential design and online color consulting. I loved the idea of being remote and spending half of my days hiking in the mountains. I did that for about 8 years until I started to get the urge that it was time for a big change. I wasn’t sure exactly what that looked like, but I knew I needed some kind of adventure and I didn’t want to limit myself to any “out there” ideas that came my way. So I started brainstorming…

When I was little, I was a raised in a strict home so I always had a craving for freedom. Living in a schoolbus like a hippie to be exact. I loved the idea of having the freedom to be myself and to not live by anyone else’s expectations. Living on the road in my eyes was the ultimate path to freedom. So my inner child was calling to me. She said “Sammy, it’s time to sell everything you own and hit the road.” So that’s what I did! I moved into a super old motorhome (1987 Ford Ecoline) and took my online design clients with me.

I traveled to many different states, I met SO many amazing people. And learned so much about myself. But the biggest lesson I learned is that it’s safe to be who you are. Truly. On the road you live in a different form of society where people accept you as you are. They do not value money, and large houses. They value connections, community and the beauty of nature. Time sits still and it’s moments like those that you really feel alive. This is when I started to feel safe in my own skin. I started to allow myself to express my own uniqueness in my personal life and in my career. I started to see a lot of my designs become more colorful and bold. I was definitely coloring outside of the lines.

When time came to sell my old motorhome I decided to spruce it up for resell. Even though I had no “building” skills, the interior designer in me decided to join YouTube University. And there you have it! My very first flip. It wasn’t much. Some tile on a step, freshly painted cabinets and some wallpaper. But hey, I broke even and lived in it for two years.

The fact that I sold that old beat up and well loved motorhome made me think I could actually do this full time. So I ended up purchasing a truck and a small pull trailer with the intention of renovating it while I traveled on the road. It was one of my favorite trailers! At that time I was participating in the Colorado Tiny House Festival as well as the People’s Tiny House festival to market my new business and that’s when I met Jay Shafer, aka God Father of tiny houses. I shared with him that I had a dream to build a small home on my truck that way I have somewhere to live while I’m traveling and renovating these funky little trailers that I’m towing. He was inspired by my idea and agreed to collaborate on designing and building a small home with me.

SO I packed up my trailer and headed west. I moved onto Jay’s property and become his neighbor on an historic Apple tree farm. We built the tiny house together in about three months straight out of the bed of my truck. You could say it was….interesting. Nothing is quite square so taking measurements for a structural little home had its own challenges. But we worked well together and he became a great friend! Not only did I learn how to use power tools (which was a great skill to have when renovating campers) but I also learned a lot from his design perspective. He is all about function and allowing beauty to naturally fall in it’s place. It’s the simple things that matter with Jay, and if the needs are met by the user of the space than it’s beautiful in his eyes. And his designs are truly beautiful!

In total I have renovated five mobile small dwellings. And thanks to Jay I’ve gain the courage to do larger remodels, like custom showers and custom built cabinets, as well as replacing more structural elements like flooring and walls. It’s been a very fun adventure but like all creative individuals you can sometimes come into creative road blocks. Currently I am taking a small break from campers and teaching myself how to design and create custom ceramic lighting. As an interior designer, I have always had a huge passion for lighting design, so I am beyond excited for this new adventure I am embarking on. I will never give up renovating campers and creating tiny homes. My plan is eventually have a whole village! But for now, like all artists, I have to follow my heart and allow the creativity to guide me in exactly where I am suppose to be.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would have my friend fly into Denver and (of course) pick them up in my tiny house. We would take a week long road trip with the destination goal of Grand Lake, Colorado. But with any amazing road trip you can’t have any EXACT plans. They have to be loose guidelines with the hopes of meeting interesting people along the way who will gently guide you off the path.

We would head north west towards Boulder, Colorado (because all of the unique people are there, am I right)?! One time I met a man there who knew the Dalai Lama. Plus the food is AMAZING. And there is always a good daytime ecstatic dance party somewhere.

After that heading towards Lyon, CO for live music is the way to go! They have a beautiful little music venue right on the river. It’s magical!

And of course stopping in Estes Park,CO for a good hike is mandatory.

Eventually we would make our way around the Rocky National Park (or through it) to end up at Grand Lake. Which is the perfect place to rest and camp! There’s nothing better than sitting around a campfire with people that you love.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank Jay Shafer, the founder of the tiny house movement, for teaching me how to build and renovate small. Without him I wouldn’t know how to freehand lines using a circular saw and no safety glasses. Thanks Jay!

Website: https://www.designostore.com/

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Other: Lighting design IG @potterypoo.lighting https://www.instagram.com/potterypoo.lighting?igsh=aGtmem5kbHdvYmNl&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Jackie Nunnally Aaron Poole