Wooden houses on wheels made in Vatra Dornei

A few years ago I was in Normandy. A friend had the idea of camping in a house on wheels. It was a great experience, the house was very spacious and equipped with everything we needed. It was a very cozy wooden house with a terrace where we spent delightful vacation days. I could see such a cottage being built in Vatra Dornei. We were in the area a while ago and thought we should call Raisa Ioneac (Les Artistes du Bois). I met her the last time I was in Vatra Dornei.

The decision to set up a meeting was really good because we managed to catch the last preparations before the 2 houses on wheels, the brand The Wood Artiststo leave for France. When we arrived at the factory we realized that everything was against the clock, there was still some assembling to be done, some small details to be arranged before the caravans were loaded on the truck. I could see that the poor people didn't have time for us, but I couldn't miss the opportunity. We managed, I hope, not to get in the way too much by taking pictures while they were working fast forward. But before I tell you about the caravans, let's find out more about Artists of the Wood.

The beginnings

The main character of the story is Cristian Ioneac, Raisa's partner in the firm and husband in everyday life. But before becoming partners, Cristian worked for 10 years in Italy, where he and a team of his colleagues built houses in wooden structureHe has renovated houses inside and outside or done interior design. The demands of Italians in this field are very high, but so was Cristian's desire to fulfill them. This is how he gained experience and became very attentive to detail.

Ten years ago he returned to the country. He knew Raisa from when she worked in Italy because she worked with her family's company on wooden structures. Their passion for wood brought them together and eventually united them. Together they set up Les Artistes du Bois - Europe. They intended to target the European market in particular so the name seemed appropriate. The experience they gained and their seriousness in working with the client quickly led to the formation of a portfolio of clients and through their recommendations, they were reaching others.

The Wood Artists they don't install anything but wooden structures, that's how they build houses. Cristian is in direct contact with all of the company's clients, he personally takes care of the building site and has built long-term relationships. Raisa says that at least 801TPTP3T of the clients contact them when they want to renovate or build something else. That's how they ended up building their first houses on wheels.

How they ended up in little houses on wheels

A client, who had come through the recommendation of another client, wanted some landscaping work for a tourist area. He told Cristian that he also wanted to make two caravans for the same project. Satisfied with the way the work was going, he decided to entrust the project of the houses on wheels to the company The Wood Artists.

The caravans have been designed by the company down to the smallest detail to exactly meet the customer's requirements. Even the chassis was designed by them. The manufacturing of the caravans was carried out under the strict supervision of Cristian who took care of all the details.

An old client, for whom they had already built two houses in Strasbourg and Corsica and an office building, saw the project, liked it and wanted a similar house on wheels, but a little bigger, extended with 2 terraces, one lengthwise and one widthwise. That's how they ended up making the fourth caravan with which they exhibited last November at the Montpellier trade fair in France (Salon professionnel des équipements de l'hôtellerie de plein air - the professional outdoor hotel equipment trade fair).

Fair success and first orders

They were successful at the fair, the caravans were appreciated and the fact that they could increase the usable space with the two terraces was definitely a plus. So they caught the attention of campsite owners. They received orders for a caravan from several of them. They obviously wanted to see the quality first.

That morning when we arrived in Vatra Dornei the team was working to finalize two of the orders received at the fair. In the meantime, those houses on wheels have reached their owners and the feedback is very positive. The caravans, even the standard ones, have customized elements and the installation is also done by Les Wood ArtistsThe customer is totally reassured. Having seen the quality of the cottages, the care with which they are made, the partners want to extend the collaboration. They even want to invest in developing the services they offer. And don't think these are forgotten campsites. These are campsites on the Côte d'Azur or in Provence.

Houses on wheels all season

The houses on wheels built in Vatra Dornei are all season, i.e. they can be inhabited in any season. They are built entirely on a wooden structure, with interior and exterior wooden cladding and very well insulated. The finishes are done with great attention to detail and the facilities are state-of-the-art. For example, when we were wandering around the caravans messing with people who had work to do 😊, there was some pretty loud music playing. We kept wondering where the music was coming from but couldn't find the source. When the team had finished some work in the bathroom, we took the opportunity to take pictures. That's when we realized that they were installing a modern bathroom with one of these things, and the music was being piped throughout the trailer.

Amenities depend on customer requirements and can include air conditioning, electric hob, smart TV and even a fireplace. What's important is the care with which they're crafted. It's what makes the difference The Wood Artists has managed to enter a rather difficult market. But it's a growing market because there's now a growing demand for houses on wheels that you can move from the mountains to the sea without a care in the world. More and more people want to live as close to nature as possible, and houses on wheels fulfill these dreams.

Although the owners of the company have long been working in the field of timber, timber frame houses, The Wood Artists is still a young company, run by young people who can still do a lot in this field. We want to discover as many houses on wheels as possible in campsites across Europe bearing their signature. Good luck!