by Stephanie Orma



While some folks (like myself) daydream of double-chocolate thick shakes or double the amount of shoes in our closet, Australia-based Crystal Thomas has visions of double decker buses dancing in her head. Specifically, one rusty, old, beat-up 1970 clunker (sans transmission or motor). The ambitious DIYer plans to transform the vintage vehicle into a stylish little holiday home for friends and family–“preferably short ones under 5’6,” she says on the blog she keeps about the project. Let’s take a trip to the Land Down Under and see what she's been up to.



ReadyMade: How did this crazy, creative idea to purchase and renovate a double-decker bus come about? Is it true you actually bought it on eBay?
Crystal Thomas: 
I was in no way looking to purchase a double-decker bus, but I had been considering ways to create my own unique environment for years. My obsession with interiors had given me the itch to own my own home, but owning in Melbourne, Australia is not a financial reality. I suppose I was trying to figure out a solution and decided I should aim to create a holiday home, whereby I could continue to work and live in Melbourne. This is what motivated me to buy the bus, but the actual eBay ad, I completely stumbled across. I fell in love immediately and had many sleepless nights in imaginary renovation overload. I bid on eBay, but the auction was withdrawn as it had not met its reserve. I offered the last and final price of $4,100, which I luckily scraped together.


Talk about an impulse buy! What kind of a bus is it exactly? 

This was the information given to me by the owner: 1970 Leyland Atlantean Double Decker Bus.

So what’s your current living situation like?

I rent a house in Northcote (Melbourne, Australia) with fantastic friends and the lifestyle is very dreamy, but the itch to create my own environment follows me wherever I go. Drives me insane sometimes! 

It seems like a HUGE amount of work. Have you ever tackled such a big DIY project like this before (and as wildly unexpected)?

My mother was always one to grab a drill, hammer, shovel, or axe, and work away and do whatever needed to be done. I suppose she brought me up to be a hard worker…. I just watch, ask lots of questions, learn, and repeat.

I have not done a DIY project anywhere near this scale, but I do lots of DIY things day-to-day, whether it be at work or home. My job description as “designer” by day is very broad. Most projects are in-house, so whilst project managing installations or interior styling, I also help the artists involved – this includes anything from rigging lights, hanging art, painting floors, to making prototypes for ideas. And anything DIY at home is in my job description!


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