remodeled travel trailer pictures

22 Beautiful RV Remodel Ideas

This post may contain affiliate links.

Sometimes RVs need face-lifts. We’re not referring to just old models, either. Even RVs bought straight off the dealer lot need some remodeling to make them feel like home. Let’s take a look at 22 RV remodel ideas that you can incorporate in your travel trailer, fifth wheel, motorhome, or camper van. 

Not only will these remodel ideas make your RV feel homey, but they’ll also create a more functional space so that you can better enjoy your travels. Let’s dive in!

RV Remodel Ideas to Spark DIY Inspiration

1. replace valances with curtains.

For a super easy DIY project, unscrew those ugly valances and put up curtains. Your living area will look and feel cozier. Plus, because valances stick out from the walls and take up more space, the windows will feel as though they’ve opened up. Add a personal touch and choose curtains that fit your style and color palette. 

Learn how to DIY your window makeover.

2. Add Sheer Curtains

In addition to the idea of taking down the valances, adding sheer curtains can really brighten the space. You don’t even have to open a can of paint! This easy DIY project can be completed in less than an hour and won’t cost an arm and a leg. You’ll love all of the natural light that floods in!

3. Add a Backsplash

Get rid of that boring backsplash and try a peel-and-stick wallpaper or faux paneling for a 3D look. You’ll find ten ideas for DIY backsplash makeovers here . Play around with bold colors or funky patterns to create a space that’s all your own!

4. Change Out the Furniture

Don’t be afraid to change out the standard RV furniture for something more stylish and comfortable. Just pay attention to the weight to ensure you’re not overloading a slide or adding too much to your overall RV’s weight. Visit IKEA or check out Facebook Marketplace to find options that better fit your lifestyle.

5. Install Shower Shelves

Installing shower shelves is another easy DIY project that won’t take much time but can make a huge difference. Adding these plexiglass strips makes travel days easier because you don’t have to remove everything from the shelves.

To learn more about the entire process, visit this article on our website .

6. Add Shelves for More Storage Space

Want to really make your RV feel like a home? Add shelves!

Take advantage of any vertical storage spaces that you can create. You’ll have to remove the items on travel days, but keep a bin handy to place the picture frames, books, plants, candles, and whatever other decor you use to make the space truly yours.

7. Incorporate Reclaimed Wood Accents

Incorporating reclaimed wood accents can brighten your RV interior space, whether facia board around a slide or adding a wooden dining table. 

You can do a complete farmhouse look with wood accents throughout the RV or just replace a couple of pieces here and there. You’ll find more ideas about where to use reclaimed wood accents by visiting this article about Dan and Samantha Mathews’ remodel of a 2002 Jayco Jayflight .

8. Install New Flooring

Although this may be a longer, more difficult, and more expensive RV remodel idea, it’s totally worth it. Choose from hardwood, laminate, vinyl, or tile to make your space feel more like home. If you want a complete guide, check out our downloadable PDF with tips and tutorials for removing old RV flooring.

9. Install New Interior Lighting

RV lighting can be dark and outdated. Create a space that better reflects your style and brightens the room by switching out the interior light fixtures.

Get rid of that awkward fixture you continually hit your head on when you try to sit at the dinette and install a flush, modern fixture. You can also consider adding more lighting to your bathroom with sconces. There are so many possibilities!

10. Add a Skylight

For even more natural light, you can install a skylight. Not only will more sunlight filter through your space, but it will feel more open and spacious. However, this may not be a project you want to tackle on your own. 

If you take it on, just ensure everything is properly sealed up. You can see the epic remodel of this 1994 Hino HT bus here .

11. Upgrade the Bathroom Vanity

RV bathrooms are appropriately small. When the entire interior space is 200-300 square feet, that doesn’t leave much room for a shower, sink, and toilet. You might not be able to make the space bigger, but you can complete an easy DIY project by upgrading the vanity. Change out the sink, remove the countertop, and replace the mirror for a beautiful space.

12. Install New Kitchen Appliances

An RV remodel idea especially worth considering for travelers who spend months at a time traveling is upgrading the kitchen appliances. Furrion makes RV refrigerators, cooktops, microwaves, and more appliances. You can choose the right size for your space and the type or power source you prefer. 

Adding new appliances can be an expensive upgrade but worth it for full-timers or RVers who boondock often.

13. Install New Countertops

You don’t have to completely remove your existing countertops in order to freshen up your RV kitchen. You can paint or apply a thin layer of concrete. Or you can install a tile countertop or wood plank. There are so many different options to suit your style. 

Want 20 RV countertop makeover ideas? Head over to this article on our website and get inspired!

14. Recreate the Dining Booth

Many RVers choose to get rid of the booth dinette set up to create a better space that works for their family. A multi-functional dining area is great for working, doing school assignments, eating, making crafts, and so much more. You can add storage with bench seating or a storage tray inside the table. 

You can also check out “22 Creative Ways to Remove and Replace Your RV Dining Booth” for more ideas!

15. Paint the Interior

It’s amazing what a bucket of paint will do to brighten a space. Whether it’s painting the cabinets or painting the walls, this RV remodel idea gets you the most bang for your buck. Choose fun, bright colors for the kids’ bunk room. Maybe a calming blue for the master bedroom, or go with two tones in the kitchen. 

For an exact process and tips to avoid frustration, check out our complete guide on RV Inspiration.

16. Convert Your Toy Hauler Garage

If you own a toy hauler and don’t need the garage for motorcycle or golf cart storage, convert the space to fit your travel lifestyle. Whether you want a comfortable office space, an organized craft room, a fitness center, or a homeschool space, the garage is a blank canvas. 

Find ideas for incredible toy hauler garage transformations in our article on RV Inspiration!

17. Replace Your Shower Head

This may not seem like much of an RV remodel idea, but it can make a huge difference when showering. Standard RV shower heads are cheap, have plastic materials that easily break, and deliver less than desirable water pressure. Replace the old shower head with something that will make showering something to look forward to and not something you dread.

• 【Pressure Balance Shower Valve】Constructed of solid brass materials, The Shower Fixtures with a rough-in valve will be no bursting or water leakage in extremely cold environments. Pressure balancing valve prevents abnormal temperature fluctuations.This shower system compliance with the following standard(s): ASME A112.18.1-2018/CSA B125.1-18.The plumber won't refuse to install this shower faucet set

18. Create a Space for Your Furry Friend

If you’re traveling with your pets, you want their space to be comfortable so that they enjoy the journey and experience. If you have an unused corner or bunk space, recreate this space for your furry friend! Include a comfortable bed and play toys for a little space your pet will love.

Get more ideas of where to make a space for your dog in an RV.

19. Put Up Wallpaper

If you don’t want to deal with the painting process, another option is to install wallpaper. This can still be a tedious process, depending on the size of the wall, but it can dramatically affect your interior space. 

Use wallpaper to create an accent wall in the master bedroom, liven up the bathroom with a unique design, or add a personal touch to a wall in the living room.

20. Revamp the Entry Door

Don’t forget the exterior of your RV when considering RV remodel ideas. You can paint the exterior for a serious makeover or just replace the entry door. You can also paint the entry door to give your RV a pop of color.

Read Next: How to Paint Your RV Exterior

21. Install a Spice Rack

If you’re looking for an easy RV remodel idea that can make a huge difference in the kitchen, install a spice rack. This simple storage solution provides easy access to common spices you use for cooking. Of course, you can also use the racks for other items. 

Install a spice rack in the bathroom for small bottles or deodorant sticks to get them off the countertops. You’ll feel like you have a brand-new space!

22. Create Your Own Wine Rack

How do you store your wine bottles or whiskey bottles when RVing? Find a cabinet in your RV where you can create your own wine rack where the bottles will be safe from breaking. Use shelf liners to prevent shifting and insert a wave wine rack for aesthetic appeal. This will also provide easy access and prevent messy, wasteful spills on travel days.

So are you inspired yet? Which of these RV remodel ideas will you tackle first? Be sure to share your before and after photos with us!

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RV Remodel Ideas – Before and After

Wish you could take the remodeling process for your RV from A-to B? Well, look no further! Our RV remodel ideas will generate your creative juices and help make the process as easy and straightforward possible. 

What you'll find...

You can choose between various designs based on what's best suited to suit both style preferences AND budget constraints - which means there are plenty of RV model ideas available.

All of our RV remodel picks come with a before and after pic to give you an even better impression and help you in your quest to make your RV perfect and homely. So let’s start digging into our ultimate idea list for the best RV remodels and see what it has in store for you!

RV Remodel Ideas No.1 - Black and White are a Perfect Duo

Hello, fellow wanderers! I’m Alyssia. Since 2008, my husband and I have called an RV our home, journeying through life one mile at a time. Our nomadic lifestyle has led us to over 70 countries, each with their unique tales that have shaped our own.

I share our stories and insights right here, hoping to inspire and guide you in your own adventures. Expect tips on RV living, our favorite camping spots, breathtaking hiking trails, and the joys and challenges of an ever-changing view from our window. Alongside, you’ll also find practical advice on outdoorsy stuff, designed to equip you for any journey. Join us as we continue to explore the vast, beautiful world on wheels!

• 21 Stunning RV Renovations & Amazing RV Remodel Ideas

Who doesn’t enjoy scrolling through pictures of gorgeous RV renovations?! I’m excited to share these 21 stunning RV renovations with you!

Whether you have a fifth-wheel, camper van, travel trailer, or bus, I hope you find these renovations as inspiring as I have.

There are plenty of ideas here, whether you’re looking to update a used RV or looking to make a new RV feel more like home.

Let’s dive in and check out 21 of the most stunning RV renovations!

Table of Contents

Luxury RV Renovations

1. @teamgrvliving.

First up, we have this cozy dining room renovation to check out. How cute are those wicker chairs?! If you want to replace your dinette with a table , a table and chairs set like this might be perfect!

Another thing that I like about this space is that it incorporates plants. I love the mix of hanging and tabletop RV plants !

Also, they really improved the look of this room by replacing their slide trim ! Don’t be intimidated by the idea; it’s easier to do than you might think.

2. @thedekkertrekkers

Moving on, we come to this gorgeous yet simple RV renovation. As you probably already know, adding a fresh coat of white paint can drastically improve the interior of a travel trailer.

But beyond just the paint, I love how they decorated this space! The throw pillows on the dinette cushions add texture, and that round mirror is stunning!

Additionally, they added the storage shelf, which looks great and provides even more space to keep things, which is important in an RV.

3. @behrnecessitiesrv

Libby has one of my favorite RVs of all time! If you’re not following her on Instagram, check her account out for tons of RV styling inspiration.

One thing that she did that I’m obsessed with is how she transformed her outdoor kitchen into a stunning laundry room!

We had an outdoor kitchen in our first RV that we never used, and I wish I had thought to transform it into an epic RV laundry space like this!

4. @bigheartstinyspaces

Sammy lived in the same 5th wheel we do, and I absolutely love what she did with it.

Don’t be afraid to add your own personal touch and style to your RV, even if it’s dramatic like this one!

The combination of wallpaper , textures, and colors here is perfection, to say the least. I love colorful RV renovations !

5. @theflippingnomad

If you’ve been around the RV community for very long, then chances are you’ve heard of Courtni from the Flipping Nomad.

She is well-known in the RV space for her one-of-a-kind RV, affectionately called “The Ultimate Montana.”

This RV is drastically different than most and goes to show that you can do just about anything you want in an RV renovation. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box!

Modern RV Renovations

6. @ourlifewebuild.

Who says you can only renovate an old camper?! Brittnee and Brentt took this new fifth wheel and made it incredibly homey!

My favorite thing about this RV kitchen renovation is the combination of open shelves over the faux brick walls. Isn’t it beautiful?!

I also like how they built a custom kitchen island and put in butcher block countertops to match.

7. @wisco_flip

I love a good black-and-white RV remodel, and this one is no exception! Isn’t it cozy?! I could totally live here. One thing that really makes this space more inviting is the curtains.

If you’re looking for a simple renovation you can do that will make a big difference in small spaces, I highly recommend removing the standard RV window valances and replacing them with curtains instead!

Removing the window treatments is one of the first things we did in our RV, and it’s an easy way to improve the look of your RV.

8. @adventures_with_tucknae

Next up is our RV kitchen remodel , which makes me incredibly happy with how it turned out!

Our RV interior wasn’t dark, but it was very drab, so we decided to liven things up by painting our RV cabinets with some color!

We also replaced the slide trim and added a custom centerpiece with our brand logo to add a personal touch.

Click below to watch our RV kitchen renovation video on YouTube for all the details on how we renovated this space.

9. @laceyautumnbrooke

I absolutely adore this interior loft space in this next RV! It’s the perfect hideout for any kiddo.

Traditionally, RV lofts usually have carpeting, so I’m guessing they replaced it with new flooring, which looks way better, in my opinion!

I also love the pillows and the darling little snake plant in the corner. They are minor changes that make a big difference!

10. @outdoorishrv

This next RV bathroom renovation was done by one of my dear friends. Didn’t she do a great job?!

I love the paint color that she chose and how well it contrasts with the sink.

And that backsplash is so gorgeous! I feel like it really gives this room more character.

11. @cascadepine.designbuild

Okay, this next tiny space has been transformed in a huge difference from the original dark & drab standard older RV.

Of course, the cabinet doors are the showstopper of this entire space! Transforming a few cabinet doors is a great way to bring personality into an RV like this.

Additionally, I love how they replaced the original RV furniture with comfier and more aesthetically pleasing new furniture. It looks great!

12. @ally_paz

This next RV kitchen renovation is darling! Once again, I love the classic black-and-white look here.

The hexagon backsplash is absolutely darling, and I love how they took it up to the slide ceiling instead of just going part-way up.

Additionally, their RV pantry organization looks great, too!

Minimalist RV Renovations

13. @chasingthecashes.

If you’ve forgotten, you don’t have to paint or completely remodel your RV to make it feel like home.

Decorative pillows on a couch, wallpaper on RV walls, and homey decorations throughout work great to brighten up any RV!

In this darling tiny home, I love how they brought in lots of decorative elements to make this space feel homey. That footstool is my favorite!

14. @coolmomandcollected

I love how homey Laura’s tiny kitchen renovation is! I can definitely tell that she loves this space.

Once again, one of the easiest ways to give new life to old RVs is with a fresh coat of paint. I love the white and green color combo she used!

Also, how cute are the little plants in the window?! This makes me wish I had a window in my RV kitchen, haha!

15. @chiefwildcrew

Sometimes, you need to completely transform a space in your RV to better meet your needs.

I love how this space was transformed into such a beautiful desk area! I could work here, but I would most certainly get distracted by the gorgeous views out the windows, lol!

The shelf above the window is genius! I love how many textures and knick-knacks are in this design style. And I love the idea of adding travel or RV quotes as decor, too!

16. @spaces.by.rachel

It’s no secret that Rachel is one of my favorite RV renovators, and she completely knocked it out of the park with this minimalistic RV renovation!

She breathed new life into this old travel trailer by adding a few coats of paint and new window treatments!

RV renovation costs are usually not cheap, especially when you’re doing custom renovations. But this is a great example of how it doesn’t have to be extravagant to be gorgeous.

Boho RV Renovations

17. @agirlinadaydream.

I love how Hailee uses her guitar as part of her RV decor! This boho RV is darling.

One thing I really like in this space is the peel-and-stick wallpaper border along the bottom of the wall.

And, no surprise, I also find that little plant to be darling in this cozy, tiny living room!

18. @heads.east.tails.west

Speaking of cozy, have you seen a more comfy RV dining room renovation?! I could see myself curling up in this space with a good book on a rainy day.

All of those throw pillows make me want to head to the nearest town right now to grab some more pillows for our RV, haha!

And I also really like the curtains that they chose for this space.

19. @stairsuphandlein

My friend Jen handmade this gorgeous chandelier, and wow, is it a showstopper!

This RV renovation is a great example of how mixing colors and textures can work so well!

It’s clear that she loves finding high-quality but simple things along their travels to make their RV feel more like home.

20. @burchandbee

Some stationary full-time RVers customize their spaces to fit their needs beyond conventional RV renovations.

If you have a free wall in your RV, perhaps consider putting in custom RV shelves like these!

Not only are they practical, but they also look great! I mean, who doesn’t want a coffee bar like this in their RV?! Haha!

21. @jorydesigns

Isn’t this one of the most darling tiny homes you’ve ever seen?! I love it!

One thing that I really like about this camper renovation is that they replaced the light fixtures, which is always a good idea if you’re trying to improve the feel of a space like this.

And, of course, I love the cabinet colors they chose and the textures they added to the upper cabinets as well. Such an inviting space!

In Conclusion: 21 Stunning RV Renovations & Amazing RV Remodel Ideas

I hope you’ve enjoyed scrolling through this list of stunning RV renovations! Visit the social media accounts linked in this post for more pictures of each RV renovation. (All RV renovations in this post were used with permissions)

Find More RV Renovations & Inspiration:

• 21 Beautiful RV Kitchen Renovations & Ideas
• 21 Gorgeous RV Bedroom Makeovers & Cozy Remodel Ideas
• 21 Colorful RV Renovations
• 23 Cozy RV Bunk Room Ideas For Renovating & Decorating
• 26 RV Bathroom Renovations and Remodel Ideas
• 21 Beautiful RV Wallpaper Ideas for DIY Camper Renovations

Find More RV Renovation Guides & Tips:

• How to Paint RV Cabinets the Right Way: Easy DIY Guide
• Our 5th Wheel RV Kitchen Remodel: Lessons Learned and Tips
• How to Replace RV Slide Trim: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Happy renovating!

About the Author

25 thoughts on “21 stunning rv renovations & amazing rv remodel ideas”.

Some serious RV inspiration (and envy) here! Great post!

Right?! Some serious talent for sure! 😊 Thanks so much for reading!

I was wondering does peel and stick wallpaper stay on the walls in an RV in the Minnesota winters

I’m not sure about Minnesota specifically, but we‘ve been through two harsh winters and haven’t had any issues with ours!

LOVE these! I wish I was more handy and crafty with better interior design sense. Our RV is still the basic brown everything (when will RV manufacturers finally realize we’re sick of everything being brown and outdated in RVs?!). But I did start adding a peel & stick backsplash in the kitchen. I ran out before I could finish (ugh!) and just ordered more. Can’t wait to have it done and do it in the bathroom too. It’s really classed up the joint for such a small and [relatively] easy change!

It’s amazing how little changes can make everything seem better! 🙌🏼

How are these RV’s!! Sooo gorgeous

Right?! They are all so beautiful!

Wow! 🤩 these are all stunning 😍 definitely have some ideas for a few new projects! 😆

Me too! 🤩 I’m so excited to get started!

Wow, I find it so hard to believe that these are all RVs! How do they look so good while my apartment looks like a mess? Thanks for sharing!

These are all beautiful! It is one of my goals to have a tiny home on wheels. I would love a custom bus so that my family could travel. I don’t do planes anymore.

It’s a wonderful lifestyle, I highly recommend it!! ☺️

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What a great RV inspiration!

They are all so beautiful! Definitely makes me inspired to do my own 😊

Wow! I love these ideas! These rv renovations give us so many ideas. I love the extra storage ideas and all the additions. I think my favorites are the outdoor laundry room and the one with the loft! Super cute little extras! Thanks for all these amazing ideas.

Those are some of my favorites as well! So inspirational!

This is something on my bucket list of things to do one day. I would love to have an RV and travel.

We love full time RV living! If you ever have any questions about it, feel free to reach out ☺️

This post makes me want to go continue to renovate my RV, so so many pretty spaces created by so many!

Lots of talented people for sure! 🤩

• Pingback: 21 Gorgeous RV Bedroom Makeovers - Adventures with TuckNae
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2 Week Complete RV Remodel For Under $2000 [Video Included]

Whenever we buy a new rig we like to make it our own. With traveling in it full time it is our house on wheels so we want to make the RV feel like home. Normally we take months to do an RV remodel. But when we made this switch to a travel trailer we were ready for it to be all set ASAP. So 2 weeks later, lots of orders from Amazon and trips to IKEA we have remodeled our new rig into our home!

Below we share pictures of our RV makeover and also affiliate links to pretty much everything that we bought to remodel the rig. We did it all for under $2000. We weren’t really trying to save money or keep the budget under any certain amount and definitely had some just for fun purchases that made the total go up. . . but we are happy with the outcome!

Luckily since it was a new rig and didn’t have any water damage or things like that to fix we could just jump in and have fun updating the RV interior. We did a lot of research online for remodel ideas and looked at a lot of RV renovations to decide what we wanted to do with ours. Here is a step by step guide on what we did for our remodeling projects on our 2019 Jayco 267bhsw Baja edition travel trailer.

Table of Contents

Before and After

We will kick it off with before and after pictures of the rig before breaking it down into detail for each section of the rig and what we did.

Kitchen: Before and After

Living Room Before and After:

Bedroom Before and After

RV Before and After

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Video of Finished Travel Trailer Remodel

In our last rig we did a bohemian tile backsplash which I really liked. But this time around all the RV remodel pictures that were callin my name were a much more white and basic look. My husband is also a fan of this so we went with a [easyazon_link identifier=”B07BHKPTD3″ locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”crazfamiadv05-20″ cart=”y” cloak=”n” popups=”y”]white subway tile[/easyazon_link] look.

We purchased the white stick on tiles from Amazon and got to work removing the old backsplash and adding these tiles on. The hardest part about doing this in an RV is that none of the lines in the trailer are actually straight . . . everything is off by just a little bit.

Yet when you are installing tiles you want everything to line up! Please don’t look that close at the picture – from afar they look great but upclose I can notice everything that is off . . .

I bought 2 packs and thought I would be good to go. Of course not. I ran out so had to order a 3rd. Note: Always order 1 more then you think.

The tiles went up fairly easily thought some of them are coming off a little bit now. Maybe since I put them on and took them off to rearrange them too many times . . . but I just keep repushing/sticking them on the wall and it is all good.

Click the image to buy on Amazon:

Sink Window

One of the things I really don’t like about RV’s is those window valance things. It takes a away from the view out the window and they are just so big and bulky. Those had to go ASAP. Plus the shades that come with the RV always break so it just makes sense.

We took the valance around the window down and then went to IKEA to buy these low profile shades . My sister uses them in her rig and they have been happy with them so figured we would give it a go. So far so good!

Area Behind Sink

Shelf behind the sink

We usually move at least once a week. So everything in our rig needs to be functional and able to easily be locked down when we move. I saw a picture with a shelf across the kitchen window and loved the way it looked and the idea of having plants in our space.

I found a shelf on Amazon that was about the perfect size. I am not sure if the wood color really works but for now we are going with it.

I haven’t secured it down to the counter yet but may do that with some mounting tape in the future. For now I like the flexibility to move it around back there based on if I want to put a bottle of wine back there.

Succulent Plants

I knew if we did plants they needed to be easy to maintain. These succulent plants are perfect! I love the bohemian feel of them! We went to Home Depot and my daughter picked out which plants we should get.

I really like the way they look and they are holding up well.

We travel fulltime so the globe has a strong appeal to us. We use to have a big one in our old house but obviously now we don’t have room. This small globe was perfect!

• ANTIQUE FEEL vintage world globe Education/reference globe with current map, Wood Base
• MADE OF high impact polystyrene, Wooden base. Measurement: 5in diameter globe, 8.5in Height; Antique world map globe Decorative Desktop Globe Rotating Earth Geography Globe Wooden Base,Vintage Distressed Brown Wood Style for All Home Decor, Living Room, Office, Study Room, Bathroom & Bedside

Picture Frame

I haven’t been good over the years in including pictures in our decorations but wanted to change that this time around. This cute little frame was from IKEA and fits perfect up there. You can even see the picture on the other side through the window.

Essential Oil Diffuser

I love this diffuser and it fits perfectly on this spot. I really like how you can smell the oils right when you walk in the door. Plus it can be a nightlight at night for the kitchen area.

• WHITE NOISE & SOUND MACHINE: ArtNaturals White Noise and Sound Machine is the drug free solution to more sleep.The nature sounds will help lull you and your baby to sleep whether it’s nap time or night time
• ESSENTIAL OIL DIFFUSER: The sound machine doubles as a aroma diffuser combining an aromatherapy experience with natural sound, smelling, seeing and hearing

Light Up Sign

Total random purchase but every time I see these in Target I love them so I got one. Not sure it really works here but it is what it is for now :). Here is a similar one you could purchase on Amazon:

• WRITE YOUR OWN PERSONALIZED MESSAGES – 105 interchangeable letters, numbers and emojis (champagne anyone?!) make our Cinematic Light Box fully customisable to suit all moods and occasions.
• USB CHARGING CABLE INCLUDED – Or use 3 x AA batteries. Perfectly Portable so take the glow where ever you go, our Light Box is also wall mountable!

Travel Days

On travel days I take everything off of the shelf and put it in the sink and for now store the shelf underneath the dinette. It isn’t too much of a hassle so I am OK with the fact I have to move it every time we travel.

Area By Stove

In other rig we had a huge spice rack and it was so nice to have. However we realized we only use a few of the spices. So this time we opted for a smaller spice rack. We also got some of these glass containers so we can transfer our salt and pepper into them and everything fits great.

• COMPLETE SPICE JARS WITH LABELS SET: 25 glass spice jars, 25 plastic shaker lids, 25 metal caps, 2 types of spice labels, a silicone funnel, a chalk marker. Each empty spice jar dimensions about 1.8″W x H 4.1″H, 4 fluid oz capacity.
• PREMIUM QUALITY SQUARE SPICE BOTTLES: Our square spice jars are made from lead free and BPA free glass. The spice jars with 2-in-1 shaker lids, which not only sift ground powder spices but also pour herbs and grains.Spice bottles inner lids allow you to choose either shaking or measuring with spoons.

• 2-tier design allows more storage while minimizing used counter space
• Durable chicken wire has a nice rustic farm look

Behind the stove we wanted a basket where we could easily grab the things we use a lot, coffee, sugar, oatmeal. This basket fits perfectly and theses containers are the right size to fit within the basket.

• EASY-REACH BASKET DESIGN: The front end of the wall-mounted basket is slightly lower than the back to make it easy to reach inside and grab whatever you need. Whether you use it to hold produce, guest towels, extra bath supplies, snacks, toys, or accessories, you’ll be able to grab the items you need quickly and easily
• ENJOY VINTAGE STYLE: Wrapped wire ends and grid designs create a popular rustic look that will complement farmhouse-style homes. The vintage-style basket toes the line between traditional style and modern, adding character without looking outdated. Make your storage double as décor for a streamlined, organized, stylish home

Check out this post for more tips on RV Organization .

We also bought a flour container that isn’t really a flour container (all the real flour containers were to big for the spot) but fits in the spot next to the basket. It has made accessing all of these things for making pancakes and other things very easy!

Click the image to buy on Amazon now:

• KEEPS SUGAR FRESH: Countertop sugar container that helps keep your sugar fresher for longer
• LARGE CAPACITY: Can hold up to 2.3 quarts or a 4-pound bag of sugar with ease

We have had a Berkey since we got on the road and highly recommend them to everyone! Ours sits perfectly right on the edge of the sink where it is out of the way but accessible by us and the kids.

You will LOVE your Berkey!! Order one today! !

We have been making coffee with one of these contraptions for years now. The coffee tastes so good and has the perfect amount of caffeine so we normally only have 1 cup a day.

• The original moka coffee pot: Moka Express is the original stovetop espresso maker, it provides the experience of the real Italian way of preparing a tasteful coffee, its unique shape and the inimitable gentleman with moustache date back to 1933, when Alfonso Bialetti invented it.
• Made in Italy: it is Made in Italy and its quality is enhanced by the patented safety valve which makes it easy to clean and its ergonomic handle, available in many sizes and suitable for gas, electric and induction (with the Bialetti induction adapter plate)

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Cabinet Shelves

RV cabinets are always so big so you need a cabinet shelf or 2 to make the space more functional. These ones always work out well and are pretty sturdy.

• Stack extra tiers of dishes, canned goods or containers in kitchen cabinets with this versatile shelf
• Maximizes counter or cabinet space

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I found out our fridge was magnetic!! We haven’t had a magnetic fridge in any of our rigs. I wanted to update the boring black so I ordered this peel and stick picture collage from Walgreens and it turned out great! Plus the fridge is still magnetic so we can stick up the kids artwork or any important documents we want on the fridge.

I went with a 24X36 size and it wasn’t a perfect fit with the fridge so we did have to cut the sides off. Note: When adding pictures push them more towards the middle and make sure you won’t be cutting anyone’s head out of a picture when you put it on your fridge! Also get the black background to match your fridge. Then you can’t tell that the size isn’t quite right.

Magnetic Calendar

For the top of the fridge we did a [easyazon_link identifier=”B01MUVU5Q7″ locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”crazfamiadv05-20″ cart=”y” cloak=”n” popups=”y”]magnetic calendar[/easyazon_link] so everyone can easily see what date it is. The markers are also magnetic so everything is right there. It has been great!

• ✅STAY ORGANIZED: Organize your life and plan ahead with our black magnetic monthly planner! It will forever be on your fridge to help you plan your days and month! Perfect for planning activities for kids, students, meal prep, workplaces and much more!
• ✅EASY TO CLEAN: Improved waterproof design allows you to wipe off markers with wet or dry wipes easily! Eco-Planner dry erase board can be used in any occasion; at home, office and school, making it ideal for sports practices, meetings and baby showers!

Then we surrounded the calendar with magnets we pick up when we visit National Parks and Cities on our travels!

Envelope Holder/Key Holder

It was so annoying when we first got in the rig and there was no where to put the keys! We actually took the envelope holder from our old rig and mounted it pretty much in the same place and it is a great place to hang our keys and to put the campground map and other important documents we want to easily have access too.

The exact one we ordered is no longer available. But this one looks very similar.

• SIMPLE STORAGE: Keep mudrooms and entryways neat and tidy with this mail station; This organizer has 1 generously sized basket and 5 hooks; Great for holding and sorting in-going or out-going mail, organizing letters, bills, catalogs, magazines, keys, leashes, hats, umbrellas, accessories and more; The simple design will add a touch of style to your storage and complement your home decor
• INSTANT ORGANIZATION: Drop off mail in the basket and hang your car keys, lanyards, purses, bags, pashminas and more on a hook; No more searching for often used accessories, now you have a place for them – hang your keys and use the basket to drop cell/mobile phones, smart tablets, cameras, wallets, wristlets, sunglasses, and reading glasses; The hooks have soft ends to ensure that clothing and scarves won’t snag; Perfect for home, apartment, condos, dorm room, campers, RVs and cabins

There was a good amount of white space around the door so I wanted to figure out how to fill it :)! This is what we came up with.

Time Zone Clocks

I wasn’t sure what to put above the door and then my sister recommended doing timezone clocks after I said I didn’t want to do a clock since we move across time zones so often so it would be annoying to have to change it.

Enter the time zone clocks! I got 4 6 inch clocks and now we have the time showing for each timezone in the US. I labeled each of them with a city that the kids know in that timezone. I love the way it looks and they have had so much fun seeing the times in the other locations.

I hung them up with these [easyazon_link identifier=”B00U9Q7INC” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”crazfamiadv05-20″ cart=”y” cloak=”n” popups=”y”]Command hooks[/easyazon_link] so that I can still take them down and change the batteries when I need to.

I ended up purchasing mine from Target. But you could get something similar from Amazon.

• Cómodo Casa wall clock uses non-ticking, sweeping mechanism to guarantee quality true silence. You will surly enjoy.
• Cómodo Casa white wall clock with gentle numbers. Clean glass front cover easy to clean. The design is beauty, contemporary and modern.

• HOLDS UP TO 2 POUNDS: One package of the Command Clear Medium Wire Toggle Hooks includes 6 wall hooks and 8 adhesive strips and a metal wire toggle feature for versatile hanging; each adhesive wall hook can hold up to 2 pounds
• DAMAGE FREE HANGING: Wall hooks work without leaving holes, marks or sticky residue so you can move and rehang hats, calendars, keys, measuring spools, cleaning tools, jewelry and accessories

I also got the gold letters from Target and you could check it out there or order something similar on Amazon (click the image to check it out on Amazon). Just be sure to measure your space and make sure you get the right size letters:

• Pakage includes: 10 sheets of adhesive number stickers, 5 sheets in gold and 5 sheets in siver, each sheet has 56 pieces small letter sticker, 560 small letter stickers in total
• Each Sheet Size: each sheet is in the size 12 x 18 cm/ 4.7 x 7.1 inches (LW), letter sticker is 1.2 x 2.2 cm/ 0.18 x 0.87 inches

Decorations

We were at Target looking for something else and came across these fun decorations! I love animal print and they were gold and had a pineapple one. I did not initially start out with gold as a prime color and with pineapples as part of the theme but it basically evolved into that and I love it! Animal print, Gold and Pineapples!

One of the fun things when you are doing a remodel is your head is focused on what you are doing so when you are out and about you come across random things and then figure out YES that is perfect! So always be on the lookout and know things will ebb and flow as you find stuff that will work.

Check out this great post if you are looking for RV organization tips!

Living Room

We wanted to have a Bohemian feel in the living room but also a clean feel so we went with white walls.

Craig painted the walls with this color using the Behr Marquee Paint: Swirling Water. It is amazing what a coat of paint can do to a space!

Who buys a brand new rig and then takes the couch out . . . yup we did just that. Those RV couches just aren’t very comfortable or big – it was pretty bulky with the arm rests which took away space for sitting. And the bed was awkward.

Tape measure out and off to IKEA we went. Nothing we found lined up perfectly and ideally we wanted something with a chaise lounge setup at the end that would work as a bench at the table. But we ended up with a huge Futon that we are really liking.

You can still sit at the end of the futon and use it as a bench for the table. Then the bench we bought for the table (that doesn’t fit there) we are using as a coffee table. It is working out great!

Eventually we may take out the other booth and move the table over so we can have 2 benches and the table but for now we are good with it how it is.

In the living room area I really wanted to go with a Bohemian look. So what does that mean? Lots of pillows and blankets! We got this huge blanket to cover the whole couch. Adds a touch of style and keeps the couch clean.

Click the image to order on Amazon now:

• Throw Size: 70.8 x 90.5 inches (180cm x 230cm) (including tassels)
• Made of cotton material Multifunctional design, can be used as a couch blanket, tablecloth, carpet, or tapestry and sofa cover blanket.

Yellow Blanket

Then we got this yellow blanket because Bohemian = lots of blankets 🙂

• XL SIZE, PERFECT FOR SNUGGLING: Measuring 50 x 60 inches, our throw blanket is big enough for one or two people. Get ready to snuggle! It’s the perfect blanket for rainy days, snowy evenings & cool mornings.
• SUPER SOFT, ULTRA COZY COTTON: Crafted out of pure cotton, the cable knit blanket is shrink-proof, fade-resistant, pill-resistant & heavy (weights 2.2 pounds). Static-free & created to offer strong, long lasting elasticity.

Then we got all the pillows! On Amazon you can buy the pillow cases and then the pillows separately so we did that for a lot of them.

• SINGLE SQUARE PILLOW – Decorative basic pillow fillers for home couch or bed and bedding – perfect size for bed, home, couch, office, hotel and dorm
• FORM PACKAGING – Item comes compressed in rectangle package showing one large or round pillow. Open carefully and allow inserts to recover inch by inch

We got a large pillow and pillow case.

Then 4 18X8 size pillows and pillow cases.

• SIZE: 18” x 18” Non Woven Pillow Insert (4 pack)
• Measured with a length of 18 inches and a width of 18 inches

• Fabric:Durable and environmentally friendly Cotton linen Materials
• Measures 18 inches square, 45 x 45 cm

IKEA Pillow

I saw the Lion pillow and really wanted it at IKEA so we grabbed it up.

H&M Pillow

Did you know H&M sells home decor? I didn’t know that but now I do and that is where I got a lot of our pillow covers . We now have a lot of pillows!

I got one of these large baskets to add some style and because there is always something that can go into a basket! And a small basket for the kids to play with.

• Hand-made by villagers in Africa
• Approx 15-17″ diameter

• Baby baskets
• Toys / Organizer / Storage Basket / Easter Eggs

Charging Station

We added a power strip below the table and a double basket to put the kids tables and phones when we want to charge them. I also got retractable power cords for their tablets and for the phones so there weren’t cords everywhere! It is out of the way so works out well. I mounted the power strip to the wall using mounting tape.

• [OVER-LOAD PROTECTED SWITCH]: 1875W/15A circuit breaker automatically breaks off when the current exceeds threshold, preventing plugged-in high temperature devices from fire, sparks or other damages
• [SURGE AND LIGHTING STRIKE PROTECTED]: Even when lightning strikes or when the dreaded blackout hits, the 4320 joules surge suppression rating protects your valuable electronic devices from voltage spikes, and power surges

• Get Organized: You can use Wall35 metal hanging basket in your office decor as a storage unit . Keep all your important documents in order and include name tag to personalize your office space.
• Be Productive: With the help of this office organizer, be encouraged to work while reducing your stress to find important documents. Make this one of your essential office supplies, and be more productive in your home office and work place!

Book Basket

We use a basket under the table to store all of the books so they are easy to get to. I have not idea where I got this – we have had it for a while. But possibly target?? Here is something else that would work. Just be sure to measure your space under the table to make sure it will fit past the table legs.

• KEEP YOU ORGANIZED | LARGE SIZE 17″ L x 15″ W x 13″ H cloth canvas storage basket will help you stay organize your kids toys, dog toys, linen, blankets and decoration baby nursery
• DECLUTTER | With modern and attractive canvas fabric ours storage bins keep your item organized and out of sight. Perfect for laundry, books, towel, throws in living room, crafts, shoes, such a great shelf basket and even for your pantry or closet

We found this dog bed[/easyazon_link that works well for Indy and since it has a “back” it keeps her place pretty well.

• PET FRIENDLY DESIGN: The bed features a classic sofa design with three-sided bolsters that promote security and provide additional high-loft cushion support for head resters, as well as cozy nestling nooks for burrowers
• SLEEP SURFACE: The sleep surface is lined with ultra plush faux fur, while the bolsters are wrapped in easy-care micro suede; both are soft-to-touch fabrics that no pet could ever resist snuggling into

Dog Food Bowls

These dog food bowls are great since they bring the food higher up to her level and ther is food storage under where the bowls are. Perfect!

• CONVENIENT FOOD STORAGE: Easily access your dog’s dry food. The storage compartment holds up to 15 lbs. of dry dog food
• HEALTHY DINING EXPERIENCE: Raised Feeders provide a healthy feeding position that helps aid and promote healthy digestion. The Store-N-Feed is adjustable, to provide different heights for different size dogs.

Booth Blanket

To reupholster the whole booth would take a lot of money since I would have to hire someone. So instead of doing that I opted to get a bohemian style blanket and just wrap it around the booth cushions. It falls down but is doing the trick.

• Soft, 100% cotton fabric reversible boho style throw measures 60” x 50”.
• Lush Décor Boho stripe throw is the ideal piece for your rustic, yet chic, bohemian decor.

Art Station

We must have an art station on the table to hold the kids paper, markers, scissors. And this table top one works out great. On travel days I just stick it under the table. I picked ours up at Target but this one would work out well too.

• Stylish Design and Sturdy Construction – The desk organizer is made of high-quality leather which makes it durable for day to day use
• Save Time and Stress – Spend more time focusing on what matters than looking for what you need, that will keep the stuff you need at hand.

Storage Bins

We found storage bins at IKEA that fit perfectly under the futon which works out great for storing games and extra toys. They don’t fit with the lid but without they are perfect. Always remember to measure!

I loved having a huge world map up in our other rig. This one didn’t have as much space to put one but I found the perfect size for the slide-out wall! You just peel off the countries or continents and stick them up on the wall. I am sure it somewhat off of scale but it is giving the kids a good enough idea of what the world looks like.

• 🌄LEARN AND PLAY – Playing is our brain’s favourite way of learning. Decowall stickers are not only a great educational tool but also a fun way to decorate your room.
• ✈️ADD COLOURS WITHOUT PAINTING – Decorate your room instantly. Bring colour and life into your room without the hassle of painting and cleaning.

Adventure Awaits

I love this Adventure Awaits quote sticker and the idea that the arrow is pointing out the door – since yes Adventure does await!

Make sure to measure your space!

• Made with High Quality Vinyl. Easy to apply and remove.
• Check the size you choose when purcahsing, if there’s any problem, just contact seller to get support.

I had a couple of our favorite pictures blown up and put into frames so we could stick them on the wall. I recommend looking for really cheap and light frames so you can easily put them on the wall with mounting tape.

• IDEAL FOR PAINTED DRYWALL: One of the most commonly used surfaces
• STRONG BOND: Delivers a strong, permanent bond on contact

Life Is For Adventures

This white space under the window kept calling out to me so I had to find something to go there. This mountain sticker was perfect! It was a bit of a hassle to get up there but I am glad I did it.

• The finished size is 57X21cm(22.4″X8.3″)
• The material is environmental and non-toxic with high quality die carving , no background

Pineapple Planters With Air Plants

I was super excited to add more greenery into the RV and check out these adorable pineapple planters! They are perfect for small air plants.

Good Vibes Only

Me and my family need to hear this regularly so we put it front and center on the wall in gold! I ordered this Good Vibes Only print and then purchased a frame to put it in.

• Contemporary graphic arts embodied with gold foil crafted by hand.
• Each art print is made with gorgeous real gold foil and comes with premium pure white matte card stock.

• Modern Design: Our Format black frames feature an ultra-sleek and slim profile with a modern matte finish designed to help you create a contemporary wall decor display for your artwork and photographs
• Dimensions: Our 8 x 10 frame measures 8.18 x 10.18 inches and holds one 8 x 10 inch photograph or art print up to 1/16 inch in depth

Dr. Seuss quote

This is by far one of my favorite Dr. Suess quotes so I know I wanted it in the rig. If there is one thing I can instill in my kids this is it!

It fit perfectly above the slide-out!

• Material: Vinyl.
• Size: 22.4″ x 10″

I love these 3 words and love that Dream is in gold glitter! It rounded out the top of the slideout perfectly. I picked these up when they were on sale at Hobby Lobby.

Hanging Decorations

To continue with the bohemian theme I got a few random hanging decorations that we could add to the side of the slide-out. Cost Plus World Market has a great selection to pick from!

Floor Pillow

We got this big floor pillow at Cost Plus World Market as another place to sit either at the end of the table (though it is a little low for that) or just to sit in front of the TV or next to the couch. It has been nice to have. Now that I found this one on Amazon I might have to replace ours!

Twinkle Lights

Gotta love the twinkly lights! We ordered a pack of these to add some fun lights throughout the rig.

Hanging Flags

We had these in our old rig as well and I really like what they stand for so we ordered 2 sets so they could go across the whole slide-out. We picked these up at Cost Plus World Market.

Light up Decorations

Wanted to add a fun touch so went with an R for our last name and these light up decorations. And look at that the pineapple showed up again :).

• 【Specification】 Size approx(W x H x D): 8.07″ x 8.86″ x 1.77″ Made of Plastic, Requires 2 AA batteries, not included.
• 【Remote Control】 10 Meters Range; Dimmer+/-, Timing turn off lights in 10mins / 20mins /30mins for Options.

• Switch Type: On/Off Switch
• Base Material: Plastic

Coffee Table/Bench

I am really happy we stumbled upon getting a “coffee table”. It was suppose to be a bench for the dinette but we ran out of room. So it transitioned to a coffee table that gets used all the time!

We got some heavy duty command hooks that so far have held up well to hang 1 coat per person.

• INCLUDES – 1 brushed nickel hook, 2 large strips, 1 hook holds 5 lbs
• ORGANIZE DAMAGE-FREE- Say goodbye to holes, marks, or sticky residue on your walls, doors, cabinets, or closets; Command Hooks by 3M are easy to use and help keep your walls looking beautiful.

Leash holder

How fun is this random doggy butt leash holder. We picked it up at IKEA.

We already had pretty nice vinyl flooring so it was great we didn’t have to do anything major with the floor! To keep adding some color and flare we went with a bohemian runner rug from Amazon. It fits well in this spot and for the most part stays put.

• 100% Polypropylene, made in Turkey
• Designed with resilience against everyday wear-and-tear, this rug is kid and pet friendly and perfect for high traffic areas of your home such as living room, dining room, kitchen, and hallways

The TV can not swivel out which just doesn’t make sense to me since you can’t really see it from the couch . . . luckily Craig found a company that makes an arm and swivel for the TV that fits right in the mount we have! Check them out here .

Peel and Stick Wallpaper

I love this gold cheetah print wallpaper. I ended up having to order 2 additional rolls to cover all the places I wanted it! I also made myself not put anything up on these walls since I felt the wallpaper made it such a great accent piece.

• Made in the USA
• Peel and stick to apply – no water, no paste, no mess!

It has been a few rigs since Craig and I have had a bedroom so I was super excited to decorate this one! We actually started out with the bedroom being bohemian and then it quickly fell out into the whole rest of the rig. I don’t know why I tried to change it. I have always liked the bohemian look and feel.

Cheetah Print Gold Peel and Stick Wallpaper

This is the first place that the Cheetah Print wallpaper started. I have a thing for animal prints and this one was gold and available on Amazon – it was like it was meant to be!

Night Sky Peel and Stick Wallpaper

I wanted to go all out in the bedroom so we did a peel and stick wallpaper on the ceiling. This was so not an easy thing . . . don’t look closely the paper is all creased . . . we hit a point where it was like just put it up there whatever!! But I do like the way it looks!

• PEEL & STICK: Ready to use, mess-free, self-adhesive wallpaper. No pastes or glues needed, and no residue left behind.
• SEAMLESS LINE-UP: Our repositionable wallpaper makes it very easy to get your placement exactly how you want it, even if it takes a few tries.

I wanted to get matching baskets that had a variety of textures so I got 2 of these from Target and the other 3 from Amazon and they fit perfectly and we use them for our clothes.

• Medium storage bin measures 15x10x12-inches, storage bin will hold shape once filled, constructed of woven paper with soft cotton rope handles knotted through grommets, holds up to 17 lbs (7.7kgs)
• Always trendy and stylish these bins are available in various patterns and colors; a perfect addition to a nursery, home office, craft room, or to incorporate a splash of color to your house while also being functional

Pineapple Hanger

Look pineapples again :). I found this at Cost Plus World Market and knew I wanted to add it to the room. It is perfect for putting my headbands and scarfs on.

Baskets next to the bed

I wanted a basket for both Craig and I to go next to the bed so we had a good place just to throw our stuff but it didn’t look like a crazy mess. The baskets work great for that! I picked these up at Target. Me sure to measure your space and bring the measurements with you to the store.

Guitar Stand

We never really had the right place to put Craigs guitar so finding a guitar stand and setting it up in the corner was perfect!

• A-frame universal guitar stand for acoustic and electric guitars
• 3 adjustable-width settings to accommodate most guitar shapes

The valances came down again and up went the IKEA shades and then a curtain rod around it with curtains I had made from a Bohemian sheet. I don’t have a sewing machine with us so I stopped in at a dry cleaners and they were able to make them for me. This was the perfect window treatments for our bedroom!

• A Perfect Gift for all the age groups and it is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.
• Queen size Tapestry by Bless International (TM) with Exclusive Copyright Free eBook

Floor Basket

I got a huge floor basket to put next to the bed for when we don’t want as many blankets on the bed. It is so nice to have a place to put the blankets instead of the floor. I picked this one up from Cost Plus World Market.

I wanted a bohemian style comforter and this one had great reviews for being really bright and it is! It is actually a comforter cover that I just put around my old comforter. It also came with 2 pillow cases.

• King-3Pcs :1*Duvet Cover 106”*92”, 2*Pillow Shams 20”*36”
• 100% brushed cotton, super soft and comfortable, designed to help you get a better nights sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!

Pillow cases

We ordered these 2 additional pillow cases since we have 4 pillows in our bed.

• King Size Pillow Cover Size:20*36 inch,Match with King California King Size Pillow,Please confirm your pillow size before buying.
• Material: High Quality 100% Cotton Fabric,Fabric density133*76,fabric is super soft Soft Sanding (Brushed).Active Environmental Protection Printing and Dyeing, colorless and tasteless ,Not fade, Not ball.

Throw Pillows

Bohemian = throw pillows. So we got more throw pillows for our bed :). We basically rotate between the ones on the couch and the ones on our bed.

Christmas Lights

We went with the Christmas lights instead of the twinkle lights in here. Craig just likes them better. He bought these clips to hang them with.

• ONE LIGHT CLIP FOR EVERY TWO FEET OF LIGHTS: One package of Command Indoor Mini Light Clips includes 45 clips and 54 small Command Strips; use one light clip for every two feet of lights
• DAMAGE FREE HANGING: Wall clips for hanging indoor fairy lights, Christmas lights, indoor holiday lights, twinkle lights, string lights, cables, and cords work without leaving holes, marks or sticky residue on a variety of surfaces

Back Pillows

We got these huge back pillows and they work great for when we want to sit up in bed and read, look at our phone or watch TV. We picked these up at Target a year or so ago.

There was already a mount for a TV and we ordered another one of the arm swivel things so we can bring the TV out and sit comfortably and watch it in bed at night when the kids are sleeping.

We painted the walls this fun blue color: Thai Teal – Behr Marquee paint from Home Depot.

It was super easy to paint the walls so I am glad we did it!

For the bunkbed area we wanted the kids to do what they wanted in there so they bought some posters they liked at Walmart, a white board and a peg board and so far have just decorated their areas that way.

The 3 younger ones also have a Stuva (from IKEA) at the head of their bed where they can put all of their toys. It fits perfectly and did in our other rig too so thinking maybe that is a thing??

They have some baskets in their stuva and know that all of the inside toys they have needs to fit into the Stuva and it works out great.

We also got these battery or plug in fans. Perfect for when we are boondocking and can’t plug them in. We have been really happy with these fans. Don’t forget to get batteries!

• BATTERY-OPERATED POWERFUL PORTABLE FAN : With Treva’s 10″ popular Fan, you can cool off wherever you are. Perfectly sized, it is easy to transport with its convenient built-in handle
• DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: This desk fan is durably crafted using sturdy plastic construction for long-lasting use with a patented fan blade design which extends battery life while maximizing airflow

We added this bohemian fabric to their curtains to change it from the boring brown color they come in. I also brought these to the cleaners and paid them to sew the fabric on.

• Your purchase will help victims of recent major earthquakes in Turkey since we donate a percentage of our profits to local NGOs helping with quake relief efforts.
• LENGTH: 72″ (2 yards) & WIDTH: 58″. 100% Polyester medium weight, tight woven Turkish dock fabric.

Print for my daughter’s wall

I got this print for my daughters wall. Because this quote is awesome!

• 👑 Whenever You Feel Overwhelmed, Remember Whose Daughter You Are and Straighten Your Crown
• 👑 MEANINGFUL ROOM DECOR FOR TEEN GIRLS: This encouraging art print reminds women and teenage girls of their inherent strength and value, especially during stressful times.

Bathroom sink area

We wanted to make this area as clean as we could. Yet have a few things really easy to get to that everyone uses every day.

We have a basket on the counter that keeps all of the things we want easily accessible. Brushes, hair gel, lotion, etc.

It is the perfect spot for a nightlight by the kids bed. I found this cute one.

• 【Automatic Ambient Light】Autumn Alley hallway night lights cast darkness-sensor-triggered Light ‘N’ Shadow magic in poorly-lit corners of your kitchen, bathroom, man cave, garage, baby nursery, corridor, cabins, kids’ room without waking anyone up
• 【Energy-Efficient Farmhouse Light Fixture】With a money-saving dusk-to-dawn sensor, the darkness-activated LED flame-shaped bulb provides 20,000 hours of warm light. Never too bright. Intense enough to guide you without switching the main lights on

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

To match the nightlight I had to get the mason jar soap dispenser :).

• Includes genuine Ball 16 ounce pint-size mason jar and painted black stainless steel soap dispenser
• Suitable for soap, lotion and more. Includes durable metal pump coupled with coated stainless steel lid for longevity

Be You, Be Bold, Be Brave

I wanted to put a good saying right behind the sink that was at their level. They can’t miss it. It says BE YOU and the you is gold!

The other 2 sayings go on the bathroom wall above the towel.

• EASY to apply immediate inspiration on any smooth surface. Just peel the vinyl stickers from the paper and stick. Takes only seconds to remove, leaves no residue or marks!
• INCLUDES 4 inspirational and positive phrases and 32 gold circle removable vinyl stickers.

I couldn’t decide what saying I wanted in the Living Room so got both of these, bought frames and used mounting tape to add them to the bathroom wall.

• Modern Design: Our Format black frames feature an ultra-sleek and slim profile with a modern matte finish designed to help you create a contemporary display for your most important diplomas, certificates, and documents
• Dimensions: Our 8.5 x 11 picture frame measures 8.68 x 11.18 inches and holds one 8.5 x 11 inch certificate, diploma, document, or art print up to 1/16 inch in depth

We painted this area the same as the bedroom walls to keep bringing everything together: Thai Teal Behr Marquee paint from Home Depot.

We always buy the cheap long mirrors from Walmart. They are super light and can be stuck on the bathroom door with mounting tape and usually stay put when we are traveling.

Over the Door Hangers

We us an over the door hanger for all the hats. It keeps them organized and out of the way. We picked ours up at Walmart I believe.

National Parks Map

We hang this National Parks Map right in front of the toilet so the kids have something to look at when they are going. It works since they tell me about the National Parks and where they are all the time! I did have to cut the poster for it to fit.

• Complete List of US National Parks – Get to know all US national parks through our interactive scratch off posters! Conveniently numbered with corresponding names underneath, our scratch maps reveal beautiful pine-shaped landscapes under a golden scratch-off film.
• Exciting & Interactive Checklist – Keep track of the parks you’ve visited with our unique scratch off poster for adventurers! When fully scratched off, this modern and eye-catching national parks poster turns into an attractive wall art in your home.

Digestive System Poster

We also have this digestive system poster that goes on the bathroom door so they can learn all about what is going on when they are goin.

• High-quality 3 MIL LAMINATION for added durability
• Tear Resistant

Letter Board

Craig is in charge of putting fun sayings up on the letter board for when the boys are peeing. Ha! Always finding fun ways to make our “home” a cool place.

• RUSTIC DECOR – Our 12×17 inch felt letter board with letters and numbers has a hand-distressed wood frame; Letter sign board ideal for baby announcements, classroom decor, first day of preschool sign or rustic home decor word board
• VERSATILE DISPLAY OPTIONS- Letter board baby announcement includes durable metal wall hook & wood easel stand; Allows for versatile hanging pregnancy announcement board, first day of school letter board or wifi password sign

Shower curtain

We use the bathtub for storage so the shower curtain is a perfect way to add some color and close in that chaos!

• Boho Chic: Transform your bathroom into a boho retreat with our Bohemian Stripe Shower Curtain. Featuring a symphony of artistic patterns and a kaleidoscope of exquisite hues, this masterpiece unveils a myriad decorative prints.
• Eclectic Design: Show off your free-spirited personality with this statement shower curtain. Perfect for any age, it has a mix of colorful boho patterns, easily making it the star of your bohemian-flair styled bathroom.

Shower curtain rod

We took out the shower curtain they had and replaced it with a shower curtain tension rod we picked up at Target.

Laundry basket

I love that this big laundry basket fits right in the bathtub and it would be easy enough to move out if someone wants to use the shower (we usually use the campground showers). We picked this up at Target.

Our friends have this vacuum in their rig and it works really well! It does have to be charged so we are getting better at remembering to charge it! You can also check out our post on the top RV vacuums .

Other things that go in here are the broom, shower bag and laundry soap.

Shower Hooks

These hooks are great for hanging a wet bathing suit and a place to put our shower towels to dry.

• INCLUDES – 2 hooks, 4 strips
• DAMAGE-FREE BATHROOM ORGANIZATION– Things don’t dry piled on the bathroom floor. Now you can organize towels, robes, loofahs, and any other bathroom accessory

We went with Power Gray by Behr in the bathroom and figured the shower curtain brought a lot of color!

So there you have it! 2 weeks later and a whole lot of work we are done with the inside and ready to roll and we have a great RV! You could easily do these remodel ideas in a trailer, 5th wheel, motorhome, class C, really any of the rigs out there!

For those of you that are curious here is an outside view. It is a Jayco 267BHSW Baja model. We are currently towing it with our van but Craig would really like to upgrade to a truck so we are in the process of figuring out if there is a truck that will work for our family of 6 and a dog!

We will do a future post on the solar setup and outside gear.

Want more help with your RV remodel check out RV Inspiration !

More RV posts:

Fun And Simple RV Remodel Ideas For Your 5th Wheel

Awesome Travel Trailer Remodel Ideas [Video Included!]

RV Remodel: How to fit 6 people and 2 large dogs in a Class A RV

Why We Decided To Downsize Our RV

11 Things We Have Learned After 3 Years Of Full Time RV Living

RV Kitchen Accessories For Your Family RV Trip

How We Downsized From A House To An RV

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DISCLOSURE : This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

1 thought on “2 Week Complete RV Remodel For Under $2000 [Video Included]”

Guys this looks amazing! I can’t believe how different the RV looks. We are planning to make some changes in ours so I’m going to try some of your ideas out. I absolutely love the bright colors in the living room and the bathroom, they make the RV so much cozier and more like home, which it is :). I’m off now to purchase some of those quotes you have splattered about, what a great idea.

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Travel Trailer Remodel Ideas

Posted on Published: February 15, 2020

We’ve had our vintage travel trailer for over 18 months now and I’m still on the lookout for travel trailer remodel ideas. We ‘should’ have done the travel trailer renovation by now, but we live in it full time so there’s no way we could be remodeling our travel trailer while also living in it.

So until we can renovate, I look, and dream and wish for other people to come and do the hard work for me!

Our vintage travel trailer is a 1979 Millard Pop-top Caravan 14ft. Millard is a popular Australian caravan brand that were prolific during the 60’s and 70’s, and there are quite a few of these 40 year old travel trailers (as well as a few other brands) that are being renovated here in Australia. 

I’ve been hunting out these renovations to get travel trailer remodeling ideas for our own trailer, and I’ve put them altogether here for everyone to enjoy.

Other renovation posts you may enjoy:

Note: these travel trailer renovations are Australian based, I’m saying that because it’s unlikely that you’ll recognise the travel trailer brands. But if you’re planning your own travel trailer remodel or vintage travel trailer restoration , there is just so much inspiration for you here!

Another note: I’ve linked back to the Instagram account of each of these travel trailers, and I encourage you to head there to see more pictures of these fabulous travel trailer interiors.

Are you ready to have a look at these travel trailer remodel ideas…!!?!

Warm wood table and counter tops

Day bed for a master bed, basket storage, a white canvas, minimalist kitchen, unique, hand-made details, you don’t have to change everything, use different textures, add some olde worlde charm, don’t be afraid of color.

• Pin these 'Travel Trailer Remodel Ideas' for later

“To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.” ~ Oscar Wilde.

With 3 young boys, this travel trailer needs to be practical, but it also manages to look ‘pretty’ with her vintage faucet and those luscious wooden countertops and table.

The Saville family renovated Wilde (a 1960’s Viscount Embassador)  themselves and she’s now become their adventure holiday home on wheels!

The interior of this travel trailer doesn’t include loads of wood, but the wood that is used on the table and counter tops is rich and warm.

You can find more pictures of Wilde over on their Instagram @the_wilde_life_ .   

Ollie has been converted from an 80’s eyesore (1982 Windsor Statesman)  into a stylish and modern, yet cozy and family friendly retreat.

Owner Danielle describes both her and her husband Brad as ‘handy man disabled’ so they made sure to buy a travel trailer that was structurally sound and that they could do most of the work themselves.

With a little help from dad, they have made themselves a fantastic holiday home on wheels. Ollie will provide this family with years of fun times, new adventures and special memories.

In a break from what everyone else is doing, Danielle decided that the master bed would be a day bed that converts to almost a king size bed in the evening. This way, the family has plenty of space in the trailer during the day, but mom and dad get a decent nights sleep on a bed that’s built for two!

Danielle has lots more pictures of Ollie over on her blog post  

Or you can follow her and ollie over at @danielle_symes on Instagram where you’ll get served up some great photos along with her sometimes irreverent (& often hilarious) Aussie humor.

With all these lovely textures and warm colors, this 16ft Viscount caravan has come up a treat! Nikki and her family love heading off on vacations in their little travel trailer, where there’s always somewhere warm, cozy and calming to retreat to.

One of Nikki’s great ideas was to use the closet space for shelving instead and add these wicker baskets to store all their things.  There’s a lip at the front of the shelf to stop the baskets from moving during travel.

See more of this travel trailer over at @vanwarro on Instagram.

This little travel trailer didn’t have a massive remodel, just the kitchen area was completely removed and rebuilt while the rest of the caravan got a new coat of paint, new flooring and new upholstery.

Kasey and her family (mom, dad and 3 little ones) have a delightful holiday home.

Starting with a white canvas is not new, I’ve seen many comments online where people think it’s too clinical and stark, and way too hard to keep clean.

Yet, here is Daisy, a beautiful example of a white interior that is cozy and luscious and light. And this family includes 3 young children, and mama has said that it’s not too hard to keep clean. (Although she has admitted she’s a clean freak!)

See more of beautiful Daisy (and her lovely family) over at: @ourlittletribe_   

Sadie the Spaceline is a 1979 model and she was renovated in just 3 months by Sarah and Mitch.

Sadie has quite the scandinavian feel, in my opinion, and I think that’s mostly due to the kitchen area. With that light colored wood countertop (with sharp-ish edging), and a sleek black faucet contrasted against the plain white subway tiles; it just looks clean, uncluttered and stylish.

Follow Sadie over on Instagram @sadie.the.caravan  

Mona is a Millard caravan that has been transformed in just a short time. From arriving on a tow truck, to now being a beautiful holiday home on wheels!

There is so much to love about Mona, but one feature that really stands out to me, is her totally unique backsplash. 

Chris and Amanda did originally put on tic tac tiles but decided that she needed something one-of-a-kind. So Chris used pallet pine to create the back splash in a herringbone pattern, then painted and distressed.

And it looks fab!

You can see more of Mona over on her very own Instagram account @monathemillard   

Now that Sadie has been renovated, she’s off having adventurous weekends around Australia with her little family.

Sadie didn’t get a huge makeover… it started with her exterior paint job, and as time allowed she got a refresh of her interior.

Most of Sadie’s cabinetry remained, even the wooden doors. Just the actual cabinets were painted white, some new upholstery and furnishings.

She retains some of the character of her 40 years while still being a perfectly comfortable holiday home for her family.

See more of Sadie’s weekend adventures on Instagram @weekendswithsadie   

Dan & Pen seem to have this renovating thing down. They’ve renovated their house and now their litle ‘Sunny’, both of which look lovely!

Sunny doesn’t look like most of the other travel trailer renovations that I’ve seen. Sure, she’s got the classic white walls, but she’s rich with warm ( or should I say ‘sunny’) colors and interesting textures.

In this one photo below you can see the plain plywood shelf above the window, copper tapware (faucet), leather pulls and little cane basket attached to the wall beside the faucet. Such different materials yet they all work so well together, making this space functional but totally not boring.

You’ll love all the pictures of renovating Sunny that Dan and Pen have on their Instagram (see the before pics in their stories) @project.sixteen   

Violet looks like a vintage caravan on the outside, but step inside and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped into a luxurious resort. 

The warm wood countertops, panelling on the lower cabinets, vintage tap and pressed tin splashback all add an olde worlde charm to this otherwise modern girl. 

See more photos over on Instagram at: @huddyandme

I’ve left my favorite till last. This little (and I mean little, she’s only 11ft long) travel trailer is just too dang cute. I can’t handle it.

Emma did this renovation (I’m sure Ollie must have helped at least a little bit!?) and though she’s already got another caravan to renovate, this little beauty is an outstanding first go!

Emma shows us how the use of color can add so much to this small travel trailer interior. Most people would have only gone with white, fearing that too much color would have made the already small space, feel even smaller.

But this blue hue, makes the space feel fresh and airy and so calming!

See more of this fantastic caravan (and Emma’s next travel trailer project) on Instagram @york_caravan

Side note: Have you noticed that almost all these caravans have a name? Here in Australia we seem to love naming our little homes on wheels, but it’s only these older caravans that get given names. 

I’m not sure why that is, but gee I love it!

Do these travel trailer remodel ideas inspire you? I love them, but it’s also made me more nervous about undertaking our own renovation, as I know ours isn’t going to look this good!

Pin these ‘Travel Trailer Remodel Ideas’ for later

This remodeled travel trailer includes modern country accents and a colorful kitchen

UPDATE: All new featured RV tours will be posted on my other website, Wanderful RV Interiors . Existing tours will slowly be moved to the new website, and anything already moved will automatically redirect.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase we (or those featured in this post) may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. View our full-disclosure here .

The first time I saw photos of this remodeled travel trailer, I was smitten. The interior is rustic yet bright and airy with layers of texture and pops of color.

Kevin Turner, the creator behind the space, is a photographer that grew up in NYC and currently resides in the Pennsylvania countryside with his wife, Jenny, and daughter, Hannah.

It’s easy to see how the environment has influenced his design style, which is a beautiful balance of modern and rustic. There are so many details I love about this camper renovation, one being the mix of reclaimed wood he incorporated from Stikwood. It brings warmth and coziness without feeling dark or dreary. I also love the herringbone flooring and the bathroom sink created from a Target salad bowl (genius!).

Let’s dive a little deeper into this modern country camper, which has been the perfect “home away from home” for Kevin and his family over the last 2 years. (They recently sold this camper and are in the midst of renovating a 5th wheel!)

“One of my favorite parts of camping is when the night first settles in. The fire is burning and the cups are full… and of course, some good tunes playing in the background.”

2006 Bunkhouse Trail-Lite Travel Trailer

Reno Timeline

Around five months

Never added it up .. I’m afraid to

Tell us a little about you, and those you share your RV with.

My name is Kevin I’m a photographer and I spent time camping with my wife Jenny and my younger daughter Hannah. We also have a new addition to our Family, Thor is a blue healer dog. We enjoy camping as much as we can at state parks in other places. Last year we drove from Pennsylvania to the Grand Canyon.

How often do you travel?

We are seasonal and spontaneous

What has been your favorite place to explore?

One of my favorite places is Page, Arizona

How would you describe your decorating style?

Modern country

What was most challenging about this renovation?

I found tiling and grouting the tile a challenge.

Did you draw inspiration from anything or anyone specific?

When we first took this challenge on we were 100% inspired by Mountain modern life. There wasn’t much around at the time and you guys were the best.

(Really?! That’s so cool to hear, thanks, Kevin!!)

“We’re not full-time so we did not see any use for an oven. We usually cook outside. But we do have a electric induction cooktop and we also use a Ninja foodie. For our coffee, we have an electric kettle. We just love the extra counter space.”

What’s your favorite aspect of interior design?

I’m a photographer, so I consider myself a creator. I also consider myself an interior designer hobbyist.

What are your favorite places to shop for décor?

IKEA, Target, Home Goods, World market

What’s one item you couldn’t live without?

My Chemix coffee maker.

Have you learned anything from #RVlife?

You don’t need as much as you think you do.

What project made the most difference?

Removing everything and painting it white.

What piece of advice would you give someone about to embark on a renovation?

Have a ton of patience and remember everything is going to be different when remodeling a camper, compared to remodeling at home.

Do you have any future projects planned?

We recently just sold this remodel and I’m in the middle of working on my 2018 Winnebago Fifth Wheel.

Follow Kevin @TheTurnersCamp

Follow Kevin over on Instagram to see more photos of this awesome camper, but also to follow along as they renovate their new 5th wheel!

Interested in being featured on Design Vibes?   Submit your RV reno here!  

Find additional RV inspiration from our Design Vibes series here !

I would like to know which model of Winnebago fifth wheel Kevin is working on. We are full time in a 2018 Minnie Plus and have made several changes but always looking for more ideas. Enjoy your blog and look forward to each new Design Vibe posting.

It looks like a Winnebago Minnie Plus based on the photos he’s shared on Insta – he has more info in his stories including some behind the scenes projects:

https://www.instagram.com/theturnerscamp/

I think they’re still working on some projects but am sure he’ll be sharing more photos on there soon!

I would like to know how or what product you used for the distressed wood look. I want to do that in my old Sunliner

They actually used peel and stick reclaimed wood from Stikwood:

https://www.stikwood.com

Could you give me some advice on hanging a TV on a wall. Pros/cons. Thanks.

Hey Cheryl, unfortunately, we haven’t installed a TV on the wall in our RV, we’ve placed one on a lift and one within a cabinet door we built. With that said I’d suggest checking out the Facebook group RV Interiors and searching wall-mounted TVs. That group is very helpful and there should be multiple people who have taken on this project and will be able to give you great advice! Anyway, I hope this helps 🙂

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Magnificent Travel Trailer Remodel Before and After (Costs & Designs)

• 58.0K views
• 10 minute read

• February 13, 2022

Looking for Travel Trailer Remodel Before and After ? – Owning an RV is becoming more common nowadays. Generally, people use their RV, whether for full-time living space or a travel companion. The vast development of the world today has caused a lot of people to seek out new adventure, freedom, and exploration through road trips.

Compared to an RV, a travel trailer offers more convenience. The main benefit of owning a travel trailer is that you don’t need to spend a lot more money on an RV; you can pull it using standard vehicles. So, you can turn your daily car into an RV by attaching a travel trailer to it. And when you are not traveling, you can put the trailer in the garage.

However, just like any design, the travel trailer interior can also become obsolete. Because of that, as the travel trailer ownership rises, the travel trailer remodel also becomes more popular. Remodeling old camper interior can refresh the look and make the journey more fantastic than before. With that in mind, this article will provide you with travel trailer remodel ideas and cost estimation. Furthermore, we will also give a few transformation examples that you can expect from a finished renovation.

Travel Trailer Remodel Before and After

RV and travel trailer remodel have relatively the same renovation techniques. There are plenty of things that you can do to customize and renovate them. Some of these require little effort; meanwhile, the others need your full commitment. Although the possibilities are endless, our simple suggestions below are enough to start your travel trailer remodel project.

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1. Apply decorations

Applying decorations like hanging pictures, adding pillows, and displaying your favorite items can improve the overall interior atmosphere of the travel trailer. Moreover, decorations make the travel trailer feel just like home. They help to make you comfortable as soon as you step inside the trailer. However, too many decorations can counter the positive effect. So, you need to keep it simple.

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2. Renew the furniture

Sometimes updating the travel trailer is as easy as replacing the old furniture. If you buy an old travel trailer, there is a good chance that they might still be covered with floral or tropical prints. These print styles might be a hit in the past, but now they tend to look outdated. Therefore, swapping the furniture with the current designs can make the interior feel fresh and personalized.

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3. Install a backsplash

The look of the kitchen and the bathroom usually rely on the backsplashes, which often improve the overall appearance. However, installing ceramic backsplashes are not recommended for moving interior. But, you can choose the peel-and-stick ones that are both easy to apply and remove. Not only they can add your personal touch, but they also can minimize stains in the kitchen. You only need to choose the heat-resistant one.

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4. Add some details

Adding small details to the interior design can make a big difference. These small details can be light fixtures, curtains, wallpaper, and other items that are both easy to install and swap. Although they seem pretty basic, they can enhance the overall look as effective as other renovation elements.

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5. Color up

Maybe the most effective way to change the look of any interior is by painting it. Although it’s not a small task, with the right paint, you can make any space seem larger. However, you need to choose the right paint for the right material to make sure they stand the test of time.

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6. Renew the flooring

Flooring replacement is rather hard to do. It might require you to move the whole furniture inside the trailer before doing it. But, if you want a balanced atmosphere, you might need to do it if you decide to replace the furniture and the paint. One thing to remember, though, make sure you choose the right type gulfportpharmacy.com/tramadol for you since it’s often not easy to swap.

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How much does it cost to renovate a travel trailer?

Renovating an old travel trailer is better than buying a brand new travel trailer. One of the reasons is that the price of a new travel trailer usually decreases over time, while the renovated vintage travel trailer prices tend to increase. It seems a bit weird, but that is the reality. The 18 Foot Forest River travel trailer used to cost $21,000, but now it’s only $16,800. On the other hand, a 1957 Avion can be bought for $5,000, and when renovated, it can be priced for $20,000.

Restoring a travel trailer to its former glory can range from $1,000 to $10,000. Many factors affect this number. The variables that can cost you quite a lot of money are electrical and plumbing systems, exterior, and appliances. Meanwhile, the interior, flooring, lightings, and LP systems are considered minor prices. Furthermore, if you are a skilled person, you can also decrease the renovation budget by doing the work yourself.

Travel Trailer Remodel Before And After Design

After knowing what you can do to personalize and customize your travel trailer, now you can look for some design inspiration. We understand that searching for remodel ideas is often an exhausting task. Therefore, we already prepare a list of travel trailer remodel before and after design . Not only this list can shorten your search progress, but it can also encourage you to experiment with your creativity.

From boring to charismatic

The initial condition of the interior looks very straightforward and boring. The remodel, however, was able to turn it upside down and make it more charismatic. All of the makeovers, like bed replacement, couch change, and black-painted cabinets, contribute to creating its attractive yet straightforward vibe.

From rustic interior to simply modern

The old interior design definitely needs a breath of fresh air. It’s old-looking and pale-colored. Fortunately, the remodel successfully brings out the beauty of the interior. The black and white color choice makes the room feel minimalistic yet modern. Not only that, the new furniture and a little touch of yellow enhance the good vibe in the room.

From vintage style to bright and contemporary

Although the previous design was not bad at all, sometimes a remodel is necessary to renew the vibe. Since the old interior still looks decent, it doesn’t need much improvement. The remodel mostly focused on changing the tone of the interior with a brighter one. Not only white is a perfect color to build a bright and pleasant vibe, but it’s also able to create a modern look.

From straightforward living room to cozy cottage

This remodel successfully turns a basic rustic travel trailer interior into an attractive one. The new design uses white paint and tons of decorative items, such as a giant plant and a rocking chair . Surprisingly, those items make the room feel like a cozy cottage.

From conventional oak style to vintage teal design

This renovation project proves that conventional style can blend well with bright colors. Although it seems very contradictory at first, the remodel decides to keep some of the original oak styles. This gives the new delightful teal interior a bit of vintage touch and a familiar atmosphere.

From gloomy to roomy interior

Not only the white color can create a modern look, but it’s also able to make a room feels roomy. This time, the white color is used to turn the gloomy travel trailer interior into a spacious one. Furthermore, the remodel also managed to improve the overall look by replacing the floral printed sofa with a pair of cute-looking chairs.

From cheerless diner to a family-friendly living space

Transforming a bleak travel trailer interior into a more cheerful one is necessary. It will make every journey a lot more fun to experience. This remodel managed to illuminate the interior very well using white paint and new furniture. Without a doubt, people will have a much better experience while having a road trip with such a clean-looking travel trailer.

From retro-looking to clean and elegant travel trailer

This travel trailer remodel turned the outdated interior into a stylish one. Although a few cabinet spaces are removed to create a more open space, the result is definitely worth it. Moreover, the little decorations such as wall hangings, small plants, pillows, and a small rug enhanced its beauty.

From outdated interior to eclectic design

Although this is not a travel trailer interior, you can still recreate this layout to a travel trailer. The remodel turned an outdated interior into a perfect combination of rustic and modern design. Shortly, the new eclectic design applies the modern white tone with some vintage touches on some furniture and appliances.

From classic style to stylish design

This remodel project is a perfect example of a design transition. The previous design that is still in decent condition might be great for some people, but not for the others. Of course, remodeling should be the right solution for those other people. This remodel uses light wood material, bright interior, and plants to create stylish Southwestern vibes.

From old and dull to colorful design

The old design of this travel trailer interior looks boring. Undoubtedly, it needs some renovation to bring out its potential. Compared to the initial condition, the remodel proves to be a success. It’s bright-colored and filled with a bunch of awesome decorations and small details.

From narrow and dark to fresh and concise

Even though the actual interior space of this travel trailer is minimal, it doesn’t mean it can’t get any roomier. With the right design treatment, even the smallest room can seem spacious. The remodel changes the interior tone with white to make it appear larger. It also replaces the old-looking striped prints with a new unique teal-colored zig-zag pattern. Moreover, the tree printed wallpaper accentuates its fresh look.

From basic design to Arabian look

Although this is actually a pop up camper design, its interior layout can also be applied to a travel trailer. The remodel makes the interior space to be more open and apply white glossy finish to the cabinets. Moreover, it adds some decorations like pillows and curtains to the resting area to create a taste of Arabian look.

From tiresome to awesome interior

The initial design of this interior looks drab. However, the remodel undeniably restores the interior’s beauty. From changing the outdated floral prints to applying new flooring, the full makeover is worth every penny.

From dark and old to sunny interior

Dark interiors tend to create a gloomy atmosphere. Therefore, for more fun trips, you can change the retro style interior to a brighter contemporary interior. Not only the redesign changes the yellowish background to a white tone, but it also adds plenty of decorative items to it.

From toneless to invigorating interior

This is another inspiration that we took from an old RV interior . Such a dull design undeniably needs a renovation. A lot is going on in the renovation process, for example, the cabinets removal, curtains and sofa replacement, and table addition. These elements help to create positive vibes.

From traditional to sensational interior

The previous design of this travel trailer looks pretty basic and will quickly become outdated. The remodel, however, solve that by implementing a trendy look. It changes the chairs and sofa with the modern-looking ones. Moreover, it uses white as a background to keep the design simple. It also adds new features such as the removable extra counter space.

From outworn to vibrant interior

This travel trailer interior remodel uses vibrant colors to create colorful vibes. Also, it restores the cabinet shelving to its former glory to store necessary items. Moreover, painting almost every part of the room and throwing some pillows should be able to make the interior cozier.

From old-school to futuristic-looking interior

This remodel applies only one thing to refresh the look, which is painting. The black and white combination is undoubtedly effective in creating a futuristic look. In addition to that, the remodel also replaces the door and add a few items that match the vibe.

From pale-looking to simple but modern interior

This travel trailer remodel also doesn’t change the original design much. Instead, it only changes the tone, the lighting, and the seating to more contemporary ones. In effect, the remodel feels more glamorous than before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does remodeling an rv decrease value.

It does decreasing the value of your RV. Most buyers tend to look for the originality of the product. The modification or remodelling sometime changes the look or shape which is can respond differently depend on their taste. So if you plan to resell your RV, dont do any significant change on it.

How much does it cost to rewire a travel trailer?

In order to rewire a travel trailer, the price is varied depending on labor cost or the design. It can go anywhere around $50 to $300 to rewire.

Is renovating an RV worth it?

If you pallning to use it for long period of time or use it regularly, it is worth it to personlized your RV in to your taste. But if you planning to resell it, it may cause a decrease price. But if your modification is on high-quality renovation, it can also be sold on a good price.

In conclusion, remodeling an old travel trailer not only saves you money, but it also makes road trips even more fun. Travel trailer remodel is often favored by many because it can make the travel trailer feels just as cozy as home. Even though we have provided plenty of examples of travel trailer remodel before and after , the internet is still stuffed with more of them. Therefore, you always need to be open to new ideas to find your ideal travel trailer design. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Thenna Andersen

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Inspiring RV Renovation Ideas for DIYers

Published on February 2nd, 2023 by Brenna Chambliss

Making old things new again has been a popular trend over the past several years. Fun, inspiring RV renovation ideas are free for the taking on social media. These top nine RV lifestyle influencers are at the forefront of them.

Learn How to Remodel RVs from Social Media Experts

From thrifting clothing and furniture to upcycling RVs, there’s no end to human ingenuity and resourcefulness. When it comes to old camper remodels, ingenuity and resourcefulness get kicked into hyperdrive.

Upcycling or performing a facelift on an old, outdated camper or RV is a great way to camp in style without breaking your budget. Small spaces, moving parts and functionality present many challenges for those brave enough to embark on the adventure of flipping an RV.  So as more people seek budget-friendly, outdated RVs and the DIY life, many social media influencers serve as lifelines and inspiration for handy folks and novices alike. 

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Nine Top Social Media Channels with Inspiring RV Renovation Ideas

Here are some of the best, trendiest and most-followed RV and camper makeover social media accounts to browse for inspiration, ideas and tutorials.  

RV Fixer Upper (176k followers)

Follow Trina and Steve Sholin’s RV Fixer Upper Instagram page chock full of stunning ideas and camper remodels from their business. The husband/wife team have been renovating old RVs since 2017. Together, they have shared over 800 posts showcasing their RV renovation work and teaching followers about RV style and livability.

RV Inspiration (109k followers)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by RVinspiration.com (@rvinspiration)

All the inspiring RV renovation ideas you need is found on the RV Inspiration Pinterest and Instagram page. Get ready to explore RV storage hacks , DIYs, painting and decorating tips, gift ideas, renovations, transformations and more. Check out the RV Inspiration website for even more camper remodel ideas.

rv.family.reno (105k followers)

Another inspiring RV renovation Instagram profile is led by RV Family Renovators. Rachel is an RV renovation expert set to “empower you to do it too” by sharing RV remodel and DIY inspiration. Learn even more from her RV remodel education courses .  

Shidelrvs (104k followers)

@shidelrvs Prep work & repairs take so much time. Painting & designing is the easy part, for sure. #rvtok #rv #rvtiktok #vintagecamper #vintagecamperrenovation #vintagecampertrailers #vintagecamperremodel #vintagetrailer ♬ original sound – Shi- RV Renovations / RV Hacks

Special entry for the RVers who TikTok! Shi Delgrosso, founder and owner of ShiDel RVs & Design, LLC , shares RV renovation tips and hacks @hidelrvs . Her videos follow her on RV and camper renovations, where she walks viewers through tons of how-tos and works-in-progress. She also has an Amazon store where you can browse and purchase some of the parts, tools, gadgets and decor she uses in her remodels. 

RV Renovations Facebook Group (95k members)

RV Renovations by the Virtual Campground is the only Facebook group on our list of awesome RV remodel experts. This group has been around since 2016 and has over 95,000 members. It’s a very active group, seeing over 400 posts in the past month. With so many members, posters have a large audience who can respond with advice and answers to any renovation questions or needs. 

Inspiredrvliving (55k followers)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by RV Renovations | RV Life (@inspiredrvliving)

The Inspired RV Living Instagram channel shares a collection of “beautiful and functional spaces,” renovation before-and-afters and others’ renovation work to “oohh and ahh” over. The renovations featured in this collection tend to be modern, bright and trendy. 

Love That RV (40k followers)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 (@so.wickesited)

Love that RV is filled with hundreds of examples of beautiful interior RV kitchen, bathroom and living area renovations. See before-and-afters and updates on the @lovethatrv Pinterest or their Intstagram page. Their idea collection is also filterable on the Love That RV website if you don’t use social media. 

Our Lively Tribe (26k followers)

Over 1,000 videos await you on the Our Lively Tribe YouTube channel . It’s run by a California couple who renovates RVs to make them beautiful and functional. They make videos on tons of RV remodel topics, and you can find playlists of their camper makeover and tips videos for more specific browsing. 

Colorful Designer (5k followers)

For the RV interior design-minded campers tackling a camper remodel, the Colorful Designer Home and Camper Pinterest board is a must-see. Managed by The Colorful Designer , it shares DIY home and RV decor, camper remodel ideas, budget-friendly hacks and tips on how to decorate, update and remodel your RV. This colorful collection gives decor-centered tips, tricks and inspiration. 

You are Not Alone in Your Camper Remodel Project

One of the most beautiful things about all of these inspiring RV renovation ideas is the experts give us a peek into the creativity that goes into older RV remodels. From a fellow RV renovator, if you’re on this journey too, I see you. It’s hard work that takes more patience than you may have originally bargained for. I hope the fruits of your labors are much enjoyed when you finally get to hit the road in your beautiful, stylish, renovated rig!

Get More DIY RV Renovation Project Ideas

• Do It Yourself RV, “DIY Nature Inspired RV Renovation”
• RV Life, “Meet The Queen Of RV Renovations: The Happy Glamper”
• Camper Smarts, “The Secrets Behind RV Interior Design”
• Camper Report, “RV Renovation Business Turns Montana 5th Wheels Into Stylish Tiny Homes”
• Vanlifers, “Check Out This Awesome DIY Camper Van”

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About the author:.

Brenna Chambliss and her husband Bo have been full-time RVers since 2021 and relish the opportunity to live a nomadic, FULL life of adventure. She has been a journalist, corporate communications consultant, employee engagement specialist, and life coach.

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RV Remodel Before and After – Transforming a 20+ Year Old Camper

September 2, 2022 August 10, 2021 | Christopher Harvey

Last Updated on September 2, 2022 by Chris and Lindsay

If you are looking for ideas and inspiration for your RV remodel or renovation we’ve got some simple, budget-friendly and relatively easy-to-do-yourself projects that have turned a 1999 Class C motorhome into our home .

Whether you own a travel trailer, van, fifth wheel or skoolie we have loads of simple ways to make the most of your living space. And to make this better, we did our entire renovation on a tight budget and have lots of cost-saving tips.

Plus, did we say this was our first camper remodel? If we can do what we’re about to show you, then so can you!

In this post, we’ll share with you our RV remodel before and after and let you decide which projects you think will spruce up your tiny home on wheels. We’ll break down the basics for each project and link you to all of our project details.

Rates start at $50/half hour and consultation packages can be tailored to your wants and needs!

Contact us via email to arrange an initial consultation and discuss consultation packages available!

NOTE: Due to the nature of our travel schedule, we do not offer remodeling services outside of a consultation.

Our Total Camper Makeover

We call our project an RV remodel rather than an RV renovation because most of the work we did on our camper was to create something new from the existing setup. We see renovation as a way to restore or bring back a worn-out version to the original.

In our remodel we did strip our camper down to the bare walls and floors. So in our case, we’re going to show you what we did from the ground up.

RV Renovation at a Glance: Before and After

While Pinterest and Instagram are full of great snapshots of makeover projects and ideas, we found they can create a sense of panic and leave you feeling overwhelmed.

If you are like us, you probably look at those examples and think:

Sure, those people did a great job. But where do I begin and how can I do this RV renovation or trailer makeover if I do not have a lot of DIY experience or a large budget?

So we thought we should say up front that if this is how you feel, we were right there with you.

But we also want to share that what we learned – both in studying other RV renovations and in making some mistakes of our own along the way – gave us complete confidence to share with you that we think all of the projects we’re about to share with you are completely within your ability.

None require technical skill and all can be completed with basic tools, a mind for safety, and on a budget.

If you’re up for the challenge, we hope this post will give you more than enough inspiration and ideas to complete your tiny home renovation.

Whether you’re sprucing up a pop-up camper or travel trailer, completely renovating a vintage trailer, building out a van or giving new life to a fifth wheel – you can use our examples to guide you to taking on and completing the projects you choose to do with your camper makeover.

That said, sometimes you have to start with the end in mind and find ways to hold on to those images of what the camper will look like when it is done when you are in the middle of a challenging project.

So, here’s a peek at each of the rooms in our motorhome before and after. We’ll reveal a few of the key projects in each room.

But be sure to continue reading this post and click on any resources we provide you on how to complete the specific jobs that may be of interest to you!

Our RV Living Room Remodel

Key Features:

• Wall and cabinet paint
• Vinyl plank floors
• Custom-built sofa sleeper
• New vintage light fixtures
• Window curtains
• Dinette removed & Desk Installed
• Cube Box storage
• Entryway steps and floor mat
• Water dispenser storage

Our RV Kitchen Renovation

• Walls painted
• Peel and Stick Tile backsplash
• Butcher block countertop
• Residential sink and faucet
• Painted bottom cupboards teal
• Custom wall storage and decor
• Bamboo roll-down shade
• Bamboo stovetop cutting board

Our RV Bathroom Remodel

• Cedar shower rebuild
• Vessel sink and residential faucet
• Custom composting toilet
• Copper toilet paper holder
• Wood dowel towel holders

Our RV Bedroom Renovation

• Walls and closets painted
• Barn door design and painted teal

Laundry chute

• Dog bed & Shoe Storage

Our Top RV Makeover Ideas

Although we’re proud of all of the transformations in our camper remodel, these are the things we’ve done that have made the biggest difference in turning an outdated motorhome into a brand new home on wheels.

Paint Interior Walls and Cabinets

Nothing will have as stunning an impact on a camper remodel before and after then taking the time and effort to paint the interior walls and cabinet. Older RVs typically have bland wallpaper pressed against the walls throughout the interior.

Wood cupboards are typically brown, boring and bare and the general look and feel throughout the entire interior tend to feel outdated, weary and not modern.

By painting your camper walls and cabinets a bright color – such as the white and light grey that we used – you really open up the interior, make it more modern, and give yourself room to make other features of your camper interior really pop.

Be warned, committing to this task is easier said than done. Because we wanted a consistent look and feel throughout the entire camper interior, we knew that we were undertaking a huge endeavor.

Not only did it take significant time to remove cabinet doors and hardware – including struts, latches and handles – but also prepping the interior for paint took significant time.

We had to use plastic to cover areas we did not want to get paint on, such as windows, countertops and appliances. And we ran blue painter’s tape around all edges of ceilings, fixtures, switches and other areas we wanted to trim with paint very carefully.

Of course, in thinking about the mess we could make on the floor we were certain that we wanted to replace the existing carpet and vinyl sticker floor. So we did not worry so much about dripping paint on the floor as we were concerned about getting it on things like our refrigerator, light switches and window frames.

The painting itself took multiple steps. We used a liquid sander to prep the interior for paint. This involved rubbing two layers of liquid sander on each surface.

Then we primed with Kilz primer. In most cases, this was also two coats. We used a paint gun for the first round of priming.

But we quickly realized that we were making too much of a mess and decided to hand paint and roll the second coat of primer. This step included trimming all corners and other delicate areas of the interior.

Finally, we added the paint to each surface by hand using brushes and rollers. We painted the walls a very light grey and the cabinet doors white.

We switched out the handles on all of the cabinets from tarnished bronze to a simple modern black. This contrast in itself really made the cabinet doors pop throughout the camper.

Installing Vinyl Plank Flooring

If adding paint throughout the interior was the single most impactful project for our RV makeover, installing vinyl plank flooring was easily the second most complimentary.

Because we lightened up the interior of the camper using white and grey paint, we went with a darker grey vinyl plank flooring to create a contrast between the floors and walls.

These two jobs together completely transformed the camper. And if we had chosen not to do anything more in our camper remodel, the paint and flooring would have given new life and a much more modern feel to the camper interior.

First, we removed everything from the floor of the camper that was not permanently fixed where we liked it. This included the sofa and dinette – both of which we intended to replace during our rv makeover.

Then we ripped out the existing green carpet from the living room and bedroom. This was not as challenging as we thought – though we did have carpet on the stairs and around cabinets that was a bit tough to remove.

From there it was a matter of snapping the vinyl plank flooring pieces together, positioning them on the floor as desired and then cutting them accordingly.

While there were some tight spots in some places the difficulty of the job was overcome by the immediate satisfaction in the transformation of the entire interior.

Building a Rustic Cedar Shower

Of all of the DIY projects we didn’t consider when we first began our RV renovation, building a cedar shower was at the top (shortly behind that was building a composting toilet and a sofa sleeper!).

However, as we began working on the flooring in the bathroom it became clear that the shower was going to be an eyesore in what was becoming an otherwise amazing makeover.

The shower lining was yellow from age. And there was a weary and outdated brass-colored siding that held the shower stall glass in place.

While we had always intended to repaint the shower with a bright white epoxy resin to give the stall new life, we had not intended to tear the whole thing out and rebuild it from scratch!

But that is exactly what we did! And what a transformation!

This project took more time in planning, measuring and thinking through the design than it actually took to build. As each shower stall is different, we consulted several online resources for ideas and inspiration.

But there were no exact plans that matched the needs of our shower stall or the wants we had in creating a vintage, rustic look to the camper interior.

Essentially we tore out the old glass shower walls, leaving the existing pan and plumbing in place, and then used wood to frame out the new shower walls. Once we had framed the shower walls we added cedar planks throughout to give it that rustic look.

We then sealed the cracks and crevices and painted the cedar with a waterproof coating that would prevent the wood from holding water. To add the final touches we built a shower curtain rod out of copper pipe and fittings and installed a few wood dowel towel holders.

Where the shower and sink meet we left a cubby shelf to be able to store soap, toothbrushes and other toiletries items next to the sink.

Constructing a Custom Composting Toilet

We didn’t realize we had a leak with our existing standard-issue RV toilet until late in our camper remodel. And once we started shopping for replacement parts and entire toilets we realized we may want to invest the money in a composting toilet.

But composting toilets are expensive. So we did a little research and came up with our own idea of what we could build ourselves. This by far was one of our most creative DIY RV reno projects.

After removing the existing toilet we had to cap the black tank, for obvious reasons. Once this was done we looked at the open area around where the toilet was, approximately 30 inches wide by 24 inches deep.

This was a blank slate for us, with the only catch being that we wanted to divert our urine into our black tank rather than into a reusable container.

With that restraint in hand, and knowing that we wanted to have a side of the toilet where we could store sawdust, spray bottles and toilet paper we set about to design the composting toilet.

Essentially we built the toilet using 2×4 and 3/4″ plywood and the requisite plastic diverter and bucket. We used a hose to connect the diverter to the black tank and installed a standard toilet seat on top.

Finally, we added piano hinges to allow the entire top of the toilet to lift up for us to be able to access the trash bags inside.

Designing and Building a Sofa Sleeper

When we purchased our old motorhome with the idea of completing a DIY camper makeover we knew we wanted to remove the old pullout sofa and replace it with one that had a little more function. Additionally, the existing cushions looked terrible and were not an option once we added paint and flooring to the camper interior.

So we tore the sofa out before we painted and spent the next little while considering the various designs we could come up with to replace it.

Of concern was the fact that our furnace was located beneath the sofa and was clearly not going to go anywhere. While we don’t typically use our furnace often, there was no sense in throwing it out.

But it was going to make the sofa design more challenging. A second complicating factor is that there were existing wires bundled up behind the sofa as part of the RV power system .

We already knew that we wanted to add additional battery capacity to our battery bank . And this gave us the idea to move our batteries inside the camper and install our solar controller and inverter beside the battery bank beneath the sofa.

With these criteria decided it was a matter of finding various examples of slide-out sofa beds that were not too complicated to replicate.

Of course, with our design nothing was standard. We had to move wires and build around the furnace. But ultimately we created a box to hold our batteries, inverter and solar controller and made the bottom of the sofa high enough to clear this and the furnace.

We built the sofa with slats that would allow it to pull out into a bed if needed but also put hinges on it so we could lift it up to access the area underneath.

We also repurposed the existing cushions by removing the outdated lining and sewing new covers made out of bleached canvass for a rustic look.

Installing butcher block countertops and residential kitchen sink and faucet

A dream of ours has always been to have butcher block counters in our camper. But when we lived full time in our truck camper there was little space with which to work with a new counter and it would have been very complicated and wasteful to cut out the holes needed for appliances.

However, with more counter space in our motorhome, we knew the minute we first saw the kitchen that we wanted to replace the outdated countertop, sink and faucet with a more modern, yet rustic farmhouse-looking setup.

Because of the size of the existing counter, we ended up purchasing a huge slab of butcher block that we measured and cut to fit the existing space.

We stained it to a natural dark brown to create a beautiful contrast between the white and grey walls and the dark grey flooring. The last step was going to be to find a proper sink and faucet that would match the transformation taking place in the kitchen.

Standard RV sinks turn yellow with age and our kitchen sink and faucet were no exception. So taking those out was easy.

But finding a deeper and wider residential sink was a challenge. We didn’t want to have to remove the existing drawers or do substantial changes to the existing plumbing. So when we found a great sink option we went with it.

It took a little time to find the courage in ourselves to cut the sink and faucet holes in our new stained countertop. But once we made that commitment and the holes were cut the kitchen really came together to transform the interior.

We did find that this makeover to the RV kitchen caused the countertop to sit a little higher than previously. But there is no doubt that the job we did completely transformed this room in our motorhome and was worth the effort!

Installing butcher block countertops and vessel sink and faucet in bathroom

In a similar fashion to the renovations to our kitchen area, we decided to remodel the bathroom sink along with the same style.

Removing the old yellow sink and faucet was a joy. And after cutting and staining the kitchen counter it was much easier to install the bathroom counter.

We opted to go with a vessel sink that sits on top of the counter to add a more modern rustic look. Incidentally, this required less cutting as we only had to bore 2 holes in the countertop – one for the sink drain and one for the faucet hookups.

We also centered the sink so we didn’t have to do much work to the existing plumbing as well. This section of our bathroom, with the cedar-plank shower next to the sink, has quickly become our favorite part of our camper!

Other Great Budget-Friendly DIY RV Renovation Ideas

Although those are our top renovations that gave our camper a modern and brand new look and feel, these are some other budget-friendly DIY ideas for your camper remodel or RV renovation.

While your camper or travel trailer may not have all of the same space as ours, we think you’ll appreciate the inspiration these ideas will bring to help you turn your older camper into an amazing, modern and comfortable tiny home.

Custom Barn Door Decor

Some travel trailers, fifth wheels and motorhomes have curtains to separate rooms. Ours had a pocket door between the kitchen and bathroom and sliding farmhouse-style barn doors to close off the bedroom.

However, not only were these doors broken and off track. But also they were bland and boring in comparison with all of the other makeovers we completed.

So we took them down, added some creative designs using thin wood slats and repainted them to the look and feel we wanted.

Foldout Trash Can

OK, so this definitely isn’t necessary. But with two dogs that like to check out what’s in the trash can and not wanting to ruin the beauty of the rest of our RV reno, we decided that hiding the trash can in the kitchen was ideal.

For this, we simply converted a cabinet door from one that opened sideways to one that dropped open from the top with the hinge on the bottom. We installed a strut to help hold it in place when open and then screwed a small trash can into the door.

This incredibly simple project was an easy makeover and great use of space in our camper.

Dirty clothes always have a way of being in the way in a small camper. And with an outside storage bay projecting into our camper next to our bed we decided we’d make a simple modification to account for our dirty laundry.

From inside the bedroom, we cut a door in the storage bay and installed a hinge so the door would lift. Now we can simply grab the handle, lift the chute door and toss our dirty clothes into a hamper accessible from outside the camper!

Adding or changing curtains in your camper is a great way to tie the room together while also providing the privacy you desire and blocking the sunlight when you want to cool the camper down.

Many campers come with pleated-style blinds that are not only unpleasant to the eye but also difficult to use and easy to break.

We installed simple curtain rods and sewed fabric to be able to easily slide over the rods and serve their purpose in covering the windows.

SOFA Cushions

Because we removed our old sofa and built a new one we had to find cushions that fit our new sofa dimensions. For this, we repurposed our old cushions but then spruced them up with some handmade canvas covers.

Simply soak canvas drop cloths in a bucket of bleach and water to uniformly color the cloth. Then sew the cushion covers accordingly. We added throw pillows as accents to tie the sofa into the rest of the living room interior.

Cube box storage

The entryway to our camper is a busy place. As such, we knew we wanted storage that would custom solve issues we faced in the past. We wanted to store shoes, dog leashes and quick-grab items like keys and headlamps in a way that did not conflict with the look and feel of our camper renovation.

While we considered building our own shelving and we experimented with some cheaply made shelves, ultimately we decided to go with 4 cubes from IKEA that we could face and secure in whichever direction we wanted.

This way we were able to have 2 cubes face the door for our shoes, 2 cubes face the living room for dog toys and then we cut a piece of butcher block counter for the top where we have baskets to store the grab-and-go items.

Water dispenser stand

After the dinette and carpet were removed there was a corner of the living room that was bare and empty. Knowing how valuable storage space is in a camper or van we knew we couldn’t waste this space.

So we built a small stand to hold our drinking water where we could also store our dogs’ food bowls beneath. It was a simple custom job that added to the interior makeover.

Standing desk

Most people would use the cabover space as an additional sleeping area. After all, that is its intent. However, we were more concerned with having a productive use of the space than an extra bed.

So we decided to convert the sleeping area into a standing desk that pulls out from underneath our cabover storage area. It is simple and very practical for our needs.

Front Door Entrance

One last project we took on to complete the amazing transformation of our camper remodel was to makeover the front entrance to our tiny home. We inherited a doorway covered in the same green carpet we removed from the rest of the camper.

So it was immediately obvious that removing it would reveal all sorts of options beneath the carpet. We opted to add decorative vinyl stickers to the fronts of the steps, to paint the side wall white and to cut a standard welcome mat in half to fit on the bottom of the two steps.

This part of the RV reno restored a new modern look to the entrance making it very welcoming every time we open the door to our camper

Wrapping Up our RV Makeover

Our camper was probably a sight to see when it rolled off the dealer’s lot in 1999. While nobody could predict what would happen when the year turned, it is easy to look back on our motorhome and see that some things were destined to need to be changed.

When we began listing the things we wanted to accomplish in our RV makeover we couldn’t see all of the jobs and processes that it would take to reveal the new, second life of our full-time home on wheels.

But the further we wandered into the camper makeover the more we started to see the amazing potential a complete renovation would have on the camper.

We hope that this post has provided you with lots of great ideas and inspiration for how to makeover your RV while sticking to a budget or without having prior remodeling expertise.

We’d love to hear some positive feedback from you on what you like best about our camper makeover, answer any questions you have and, of course, hear how your RV renovation or makeover has gone! Leave us a comment or connect with us on social media to let us know!

NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN WITH YOUR RV REMODEL?

No worries! We can help you get started on your RV remodel! From offering counsel and assistance in picking out the best RV to remodel to walking you through some of the major and minor tasks you may want to complete, we offer RV remodeling consultation to suit your needs!

About Author

Christopher Harvey

Christopher Harvey is the co-founder and main copywriter for Called To Wander. His passion is to create content that engages and informs readers and helps them to pursue the Abundant Life on the Road. Aside from writing, he also edits videos for the YouTube channel. He has freelanced for a variety of publications and consults with different brands on SEO and content strategy.

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30 before-and-after photos of the most stunning tiny-house renovations

• An old RV, school bus, or van can be completely renovated into a luxury tiny house. 
• Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh coat of paint to completely transform the vehicle. 
• Other tiny-house owners choose to completely gut the vehicles by redesigning a new, modern layout. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

For some, an old school bus, a rusted van, or an outdated RV can be a load of junk. In the tiny-house community , however, those vehicles can be remodeled into so much more.

All over the country, in fact, there are builders and designers flipping vehicles by giving them a coat of paint, modern furniture, and new layouts. 

Take a peek at some of these before-and-after pictures of tiny-house renovations.  

Before April Gilleland and Jason McMillan moved into their RV with their two daughters, they knew it needed a total makeover.

The original RV had dark, wood paneling throughout and dated furniture and appliances. The couple initially thought it would take just one week to renovate the entire RV, but instead, it took six weeks. 

After the remodel, the space looks brighter and bigger.

"I made sure it wasn't a closed-off RV," Gilleland said. "I needed it to be big and open. We customized it to fit our needs."

The kitchen was also a dark space that needed a face-lift.

The dark wood and extra cabinetry made the space feel smaller. 

Read more: These 8 luxurious RVs each cost more than $200,000 — take a look inside

The after photos show how a coat of paint can change an entire space.

Gilleland kept the original structure of the kitchen, except for the upper cabinets, and painted it all white to make it look warmer and inviting. 

Sarah Lemp, a Michigan mother, started renovating RVs in 2014 and bought this Coachmen Cadet RV from the 1970s on Facebook Marketplace.

Before she even begins renovating, Lemp said the first steps are to fix water problems and to remove damaged items. 

After the renovation, the space feels more up to date despite it being a vintage trailer.

She says some people are tempted to use trendy products, like cement countertops, but she thinks those are too heavy for the vehicle and instead uses light products in her remodels. 

Lemp also said removing outdated cushions or curtains is just as important.

The floral cushions and green curtains had to go.

Like Gilleland, Lemp also understands the power of paint.

"I did attempt to use a paint sprayer," Lemp told Insider reporter Samantha Grindell. "And it went faster, but it was also so much messier. I actually just prefer to roll it." 

Lemp also renovated this 1987 Taurus Camper in one week.

With some help from her children, Lemp was able to turn this kitchen and RV renovation around quickly.

The new space has bohemian, summer vibes.

The light cabinetry, striped pillows, and carefully placed plants make this feel more like a home. 

Although the bedroom looked completely busted, Lemp knew it had potential.

One side of the bedroom looked completely demolished and was not safe to use.

The bedroom after the renovation can now sleep four comfortably.

The bedroom now has four comfortable beds that are complemented by a fresh coat of paint. 

Trina Sholin also renovates RVs and turned this old vehicle into a luxury home.

This kitchen was pretty outdated, so Sholin had to give it a complete makeover . 

The farmhouse-style kitchen now has a large, modern sink and wooden beams in the entryway.

Sholin said she had to get creative with storage during the remodel because she eliminated the upper cabinets. 

The outdated furniture and carpet had to go as well.

During the renovation process, Sholin had to get rid of the recliner, the couch, and the filthy rug.

Now, the living room space has hardwood flooring.

With the old furniture out, Sholin filled the space with modern pieces and a cozy window seat. 

In this RV, Sholin had to completely gut the kitchen too.

The awkward kitchen seemed to cut off the flow of the RV. 

After the renovation, the kitchen is "unrecognizable," according to Sholin.

"I love the brick paneling, the open shelving, and the faux hood we built that is actually a cabinet," Sholin said. "Cabinet color is SW Pewter Green, and I'm obsessed."

The bathroom in this remodel needed work as well.

"If your shower has to be in your bedroom, at least make her pretty," Sholin said. 

The new shower has subway tile and glass doors.

It also has a " dreamy gold shower head ."

Read more:   A couple paid off $125,000 of debt in 2 years after moving into a 200-square-foot tiny house — here's how they did it

Christine Saldana and Kathy Mariscal purchased a school bus for $7,500 in 2020 to save money for their wedding and a family — but it was not in great condition.

They started watching videos on TikTok of people renovating their camper vans and school buses. 

"There were all these people doing it themselves, and we were like, 'We're two smart girls, we could figure this out,'" Mariscal told Insider's Monica Humphries . "Very quickly we realized that we did not know what we were doing."

After turning to friends and family for help on their renovation, Saldana and Mariscal turned their bus into a mid-century modern tiny home.

In all, the couple said the bus cost around $50,000, but they said it was all worth it in the end. 

"We made every single penny, nickel, and dime count for this bus," Mariscal told Insider. "It almost seems surreal sometimes. We did this."

Marte Snorresdotter Rovik and Jed Harris decided to convert an old school bus in Australia after they realized they weren't happy in their jobs.

In 2019, the Australian couple bought the school bus for $7,000.

"Rather than trying to make more money, we started looking at how we could need less money," Rovik  told Insider . "If we built an off-grid home in a school bus, we wouldn't have a mortgage, rent, or power bill, and this would allow Jed to come home from work and be with us."

After 18 months of renovation and an extra $28,000, the couple created a haven for their family while traveling around the country.

"The freedom is by far the best part," Rovik said. "Our much-beloved home is mortgage-free. We have no bills, all the time in the world, and the freedom to live wherever we want."

Likewise, Mike and Tawny McVay decided to renovate a school bus when they realized they weren't happy with their day-to-day lives.

In 2018, they bought a school bus for $5,000 and started renovating it with the help of their two teenagers. 

After renovations, the school bus is now a family home that fits two adults, two teenagers, and a large dog.

"We know we won't live in a schoolie forever," Tawny told Insider. "At some point, we will probably sell it to another family who wants to live out their travel dreams. I don't know what the next chapter holds, but I think we will know when we see it."

Siblings Tom and Sanne Hofker practically grew up in this Volkswagen in the Netherlands, being shuttled to and from childhood activities.

In 2020, their parents got a new car, so Tom and Sanne decided to renovate it  into a camper van. For two months, they worked to transform the interior. 

Read more: 20 photos of the most stunning camper van conversions of 2020

In the end, the camper became a bohemian paradise.

"I wanted everything in a warm color, so it didn't feel as cold," Sanne told Insider's Monica Humphries.

Meanwhile, her brother is already looking to expand. 

"We immediately started thinking about another project once this was done," Tom said. "And if we're ever going to build another camper van, we're going to go bigger."

Deanna and James Dunn completely flipped this drab van into a cozy tiny house.

They bought the Ram ProMaster van for $20,000 and started the renovation process in Deanna's parents' driveway in 2020. In the end, it cost them an additional $15,000 to remodel. 

Now, the van is a home for full-time living.

"We loved being able to take design risks and seeing it all come together," Deanna told Insider . "We love interior design, and we love creating a cozy space."

Read more: 70 photos of beautiful tiny homes that will make you want to downsize

• Main content

RV renovation – How to remodel a Camper on a Budget (Full Process)

By: Author Joy & Ken Kelley

Categories Farmhouse inspiration , Our Camper Trailer , RV feature , RV Inspiration

Ever since we posted the first picture of our remodel on social media, there have been so many requests asking to reveal how we did our RV renovation and the details that went into it, so finally here is everything that you should know to conquer a camper remodel!

So today we will be sharing a step-by-step post describing everything we considered and also the steps we took for our RV renovation. From the materials we used, the resources we checked, and some tips we picked along the way in our (one month) Camper remodel on a budget!

I’ve tried to cover as much as possible with this post, but if there’s anything in particular that you would like us to cover, just contact us! We are happy to share about all the things we learned in this process, the good and the bad and we will also cover a breakdown of the exact cost of this remodel in a future post!

(If you are curious about the source list of all the items in the camper, I have them linked at the bottom)

Now I want to share that in this post, we will be focusing on the interior RV renovation, we are still planning to paint and renovate the outside of our camper, but that is material for a whole different post! If you want to see a full tour of how it looked before, check this post .

I also want to mention that we did this renovation in the middle of 2018, so we have been using and camping on it for a while now. There are some things that we have changed along the way, so I will also cover that at the end of the post.

1 – Find an old camper

2 – plan the rv renovation, 3 – shop for the rv renovation, 4 – repair any damages, 5 – demo the inside of the rv, 6 – prep the different surfaces, 7 – add inner shelves or separations for organization, 8 – prime and paint, 9 – renovate countertop and table, 10 – add peel and stick backsplash, 11 – replace lights, 12 – redo flooring, 13 – add furniture, 14 – renovate the couch and dinette pillows, 15 – select mattresses and bedding, 16 select kitchen wares, 17 decorate and select different hanging methods, 18 – make it homey, 19 updates after two years of use, 20 – rv renovation resource list, wrapping thing up.

This post outlines the process that we followed in order to renovate our RV, and while my husband has experience in renovation while working with my father-in-law (he is a Licensed Contractor). We are no professionals at this. We just love sharing and hopefully helping others =]

I already shared how we came across our camper in the before blog post where I share what our plans were when we go it. We purchased it from a family friend for around $3,000 USA dollars, this is very cheap compared to what is normally available around us in California, so we jumped at the opportunity.

Here are some pictures of how our camper looked before, if you want to see a full tour of the before, check out this post .

If you are buying an RV from a complete stranger , we would recommend that you check the list we are adding below, because if any of those things are broken or not working correctly, it can set you down in your budget as repairs or replacements can cost a few hundred dollars.

• WATER DAMAGE : This is one of the most common issues in the RV world because the roofing on RV’s has to be re-touched (especially if the RV sets outside in direct sunlight) yearly or every a few years depending on the kind of roof sealer the RV has.Direct sun can wear the protective layer of the roof making it weak and allowing rain to cause many issues, from fully collapses roofs, to damage in interior walls and nasty mold inside and outside the walls. So if you find something with a little bit of water damage, it could be that you still have to replace a big portion of it. 
• WORKING APPLIANCES : If you are buying something smaller than a pop-up or teardrop camper, you want to make sure that the included appliances like the stove, oven, microwave, and refrigerator are working properly. 
• FUNCTIONAL WATER AND BATHROOM : Again, this only applies if the RV you are purchasing includes it, double-checking that the water tank, as well as the water systems inside the RV, are working is very important! 
• AC and HEATING SYSTEMS : Depending on the season you purchase your RV, one of these might be overlooked, but it’s important to check both when you are purchasing to make sure that there’s no extra repair that you will need in order to use them. 
• TIRES, BRAKES and TOW SYSTEM : These while super basic, could be items that you don’t pay too much attention when trying to assess the state of the interior, we had to replace the whole breaking systems in our camper, and we are so glad that we did look before taking our first long trip because not having enough braking power could have been not just a mistake but an accident waiting to happen. 
• AWNING : I’ve seen many campers that have broken awnings, and while you can easily find replacements for the fabric for one or two hundred dollars, replacing the whole system can get super expensive, like almost a thousand of extra dollars depending on the size. So it’s definitely something you should check. 

The main reason why we recommend you check all these things before purchasing is because those items will be expensive to replace or fix, so if you can get away with not having to invest money on the basic functionality of your RV, you will have more money to allocate to make it look AMAZING!

The planning phase of your RV renovation can seem like such a not important thing to focus on, but if you (like us) are working on a budget, planning your priorities and where you want to splurge is super important to keep the renovation (and yourself) organized and account for everything you will need to purchase.

There are so many steps I recommend in order to plan the “look” of your RV so that you achieve exactly what you have in mind, spending as little as possible.

• Define your decoration style : This is such an important step, because, in order to outline your remodel, you do need to know what style talks best to you. In my case, I love the mix of Industrial, Modern, and Farmhouse. So I focused on some items for each that really made me happy and decorated from there. 
• What items in your style will you want to include : Even when two people like the same style, there are preferences that we have over the items that we like in each style, so it’s important for you to select what you want to include that is important to you, this could be bedding, a rug, decor pieces, wallpaper, etc. 
• Select what items will be your “big ticket” items : After you have all the items that you wish to include, select when ones that are the most important to you. In my case, it was the peel and stick subway tile and the black kitchen sink . I wanted them so bad that I allocated a big portion of our budget to them and compromised on other items that I wanted but that ended up being not so high in my list, like the kitchen faucet and the bathroom sink and faucet. 
• Find budget-friendly alternatives for expensive items : As I mentioned, I decided that items in my list were not as important, so I found very cheap alternatives for things like the kitchen and bathroom faucet and the bathroom sink. (I ended up paying $25 for the kitchen faucet by getting a 50% off coupon from Google Shopping, $4 for the bathroom faucet and $6 for the new bathroom sink from E-trailer during a sale) So if you wait for sales or use extra coupons, your cost can go down a ton! 
• Make a list of all the basics you will need : From the outside in, when I first started to plan the remodel I overlooked the number of items we would need that are just basics, like tape and paper to cover while painting, sanding paper, and tools like drills and hammers that if you don’t already have, can add pretty quick to your budget. So make a list of basics, if you don’t have the tools, check to see if you can borrow or rent instead of buying. 
• Make a list of all the decor and extra items you will need : I know that by now you get that I am a list-making lover. But when planning a complex project like an RV remodel, staying organized on the things you need to do and how much you will spend on it can help you stay on track of the budget and also of the task you need to get done. I made a list of everything we needed to buy, where we will buy it and how much it was, that way I could organize our shopping trips (shopping with 3 little ones is complicated enough as it is, am I right?) and stay in budget! 

Of course, this is just how we did things, there is no right or wrong way to approach a project! If you don’t like list-making, that is totally ok =]

As I mentioned, during the planning phase of our remodel, I made a list of everything we had to purchase, separated it by place, and also by importance.

The basics that will get us started were at the top of the list, the decorating items and things like flooring were at the bottom because we would not get to that until pretty much all the painting was done.

As I shared in our 5 biggest lessons we learned while renovating our RV post, we live in the mountains so shopping is already a full-day thing for us because most stores are 45 minutes down the mountain.

We basically shopped in person only at Home Depot and Ikea, and everything else we purchased online at Amazon and a few things from Target .

I recommend that you double-check the return policy on anything that you purchase for the remodel because until you see it where it’s supposed to go (even after measuring) you might change your mind.

Working with small spaces is tricky, and sometimes you will find something that you like but that it’s not necessarily the best use of the space. So that’s when the decision of what’s more important to you will weigh in.

I also recommend getting an Amazon Prime account because you will receive your items so much faster!

Before anything can start, you have to fix any water damage or other damages that your RV might have, especially if they are interior damages.

If your damage is only in the exterior, make sure that your RV is protected against the weather while you wait to get to it, that way it will not get worse.

Once the damages are addressed and fixed, we can move to the FUN part! Well, at least that is my husband’s favorite part of any project! DEMO!

Depending on what you plan to do with the interior of your RV, at this stage you might need to take cabinets out, or like in our case, take all the doors of the cabinets out!

We decided against taking too much of the storage out, and instead, we only took the pieces that were outdated (TV stand and music system) and used the space in a very bad way.

By removing those cabinets we saved enough weight to replace with something different, we found a cabinet for the bottom at the idea that was the exact measurements we wanted and taller than the old one so we could take advantage of the storage.

We also took all of the countertops, the one in the kitchen, bathroom, the table in the dinette, and the counter in the nightstand of our bedroom.

In most RVs, you will find a mix of particle board cabinets, some solid wood pieces, and veneer coverings. Most walls are either painted boards or wallpaper.

And depending on how old your RV is you might find even more surfaces like glass and poly doors and other plastic panels.

Preparing each surface for an efficient and successful covering is not only the most time-consuming part of this whole process but also one of the most important!

If you read my post about the 5 lessons we learned while remodeling , you already know that prepping was something we didn’t invest too much time in the beginning, and we ended up working double because of this!

So, How do you prep and RV for paint?

The short answer is, it all depends on the kind of surfaces that you have and the condition of your walls and cabinets.

Most old RVs have either a mix of particleboard (fake wood) and real wood, wallpaper and some have peel-and-stick surfaces.

For all the real wood parts in our RV, we decided to use liquid sander since we didn’t want to have to sand like crazy, every single part of the cabinets of the RV.

As the name hints liquid sander it’s a liquid that helps remove all the “gloss” out of your surfaces, we used about 2 layers of that, and then we lightly sanded all the parts that were going to be exposed to a lot of wear just to be safe.

For all the particleboard parts, we sanded a layer off (lightly) so that the primer would have a better surface to adhere to. We used a hand-held orbital sander that made the process so much faster than doing it manually!.

The sanding part, while annoying is super important to not skip over because if your primer doesn’t adhere well, the paint will chip with any minor scuff.

We didn’t remove the wallpaper on our walls because it was in very good condition , so removing it would have been more work for pretty much the same result.

So we decided to plain on top of it instead.

If you need to remove your wallpaper , I’ve read good reviews about this wallpaper stripper and also this wallpaper streamer that uses only water, no chemicals.

Just to be safe I wiped our walls (with wallpaper on) with this TSP substitute , this way I knew the surface would be spotless and in the best condition, so our primer would adhere better.

For all plastic parts, I washed them with the same TPS substitute as I did the walls and used spray paint for plastic, taping around the edges.

Because we rolled the paint on the walls and ceiling, painting around the already painted plastic parts was super easy.

(Ken did try to spray the camper instead of rolling, but he didn’t like how the coverage looked, so we opted for rolling instead)

Since I purchased containers to organize the kitchen as much as possible, I asked Ken to build extra shelves inside two cabinets so that my basket containers could fit perfectly, this way I was using every single inch inside the cabinets and keeping everything labeled and organized.

We did this at this stage so that we could paint those cabinets and later add shelf liner along with all the other cabinets.

Below you can see the finished shelves, with liner and the boxes on top. I used black vinyl to cut oval and rectangle labels and used a Posca ink marker to write the labels (and the spice jars below my sink )

Below the left picture, you can see how I used these containers , and boxes from Ikea for above the sink. For the right picture you can see that I used 4 baskets from Target for the area above the couch, we left the last cabinet at full height for all the tall kitchen appliances.

Just as important as selecting your paint is to select the right kind of primer.

As I already mentioned if you plan to paint over different kinds of surfaces as we did: wallpaper, laminate, etc.

We definitely recommend you select a shellac primer ( Zinsser Bullseye is what we use) or good oil-based primer.

Water-based primers can moisten and sometimes lift off a porous substrate, and that can cause the paint to lift or crack.

And if you have any laminate (fake wood) you want to go with an oil-based paint that will “attach” better to the surface.

To Prime our walls and cabinets, we used the Rust-Oleum Zinsser Bullseye primer because we’ve had a great experience with it in the past, and it’s good for pretty much every surface we’ve worked with (it’s oil-based).

I could not recommend it enough and at Home Depot we got the best price for it, we rolled the walls and also sprayed the bathtub before using this tub refinishing kit .

In our camper, the only particleboard parts we had were mainly the cabinet structure, bathroom structure, and countertops but since we replaced all countertops, we only worked on the rest of the surfaces.

When we selected our colors, I knew we wanted two very contrasting colors. So when looking at swatches we decided on using BEHR Night club for everything that was dark and BEHR Silent White for everything light.

Probably one of the most common questions we get asked on Instagram is how did we refinish the countertop and didn’t break the bank in the process.

Because I wanted a very special sink (this one) we allocated most of the kitchen budget towards that and the peel and stick subway tile.

This left us without the kind of money we would need in order to get a “real” butcher block counter.

So we put our thinking caps on and thought about using something different for the same look. After some research in our favorite stores, we found the perfect solution, this Ikea tabletop used for desks.

The only problem was that our counter was longer than the tabletop.

So we decided to also change the table in our dinette, this way we could use the remainder of that cut to finish the countertop.

It worked so perfectly! The seam is behind our stovetop, so I placed a basket on the back to cover the seam.

I am so happy with the way that the counter looks, they have worked perfectly even without any treatment on the top.

We considered doing a layer of poly sealer but decided to try and see how it went without it.

Below is a top view of the table in our dinette, this one was super simple, Kenny just cut it to size and switched the mechanism from the old table.

Because this table was a little more narrow than the older table, in order to make the transformation to a bed work. Ken added pieces on each side of the dinette (the bottom part) so that the width would compensate for the missing 1 ½ inches from the desk. He also added a small piece of wood at the bottom of the edge he cut to add support and strength when used as a bed.

This way, it looks good, but it’s still functional in case we need to use the bed of the dinette.

As I’ve already shared, one of my priorities was to get the black sink and the peel and stick backsplash tiles. I did SO MUCH reading of all kinds of reviews in order to select the Smart Tiles, at the time there were not many options, but from what I read, they had some of the best reviews I found.

I selected the full white subway tile because I really liked the look, I kept going back and forth about either selecting the ones I did or the ones that have the gray “faux grout” and I was *this* close to going with that one =]

The instructions are super simple and it was pretty easy to install, you do want to make sure you have a clean surface and the necessary tools for the job.

You will need:

• Cutting surface – I used this self-healing cutting mat
• Metal ruler
• Box cutter or Xacto knife
• Small level
• Sharpie or a pencil
• Masking tape or painters tape

I like starting by making a reference line where the top of my first row should go, I used the level to mark and make sure it was straight. A note here would be to make sure that the RV is level because if the RV is not level, your line will not be straight.

You also want to start at the bottom-left side of the area you want to cover and work from there to the side and up.

I used some sheets of newspaper to create a cutting template for the windows since they have those tricky curves that you want to cut as clean and close as possible.

I also dry-fitted all my pieces with painter tape and peeled a bottom edge while still having the painters tape on the top, so this way they were perfectly positioned. Once about ½ an inch was stuck in the bottom, I removed the painters tape and proceeded to remove the backing of the rest of the piece, this made the process super easy, and I had no need to remove any pieces to re-adjust.

I was so excited to have enough of it leftover to also add a little piece of backsplash in the bathroom!

Peel and stick wallpaper

If you follow us on Instagram, you probably already know that I am a little obsessed with “faux wallpaper” I call it faux, because in order to save money I used shelve liner as wallpaper for all of our accent walls in the RV.

I basically used two different kinds, the shiplap one , and the gray chevron .

One “hack” that helped me make seamless lines when adding different sheets of the chevron shelve liner , was to cut the edge of the pattern in order to place it as close as possible to the edge without having crazy lines.

I’m sorry I am one of those people that little miss-alignments in patterns would just drive me bananas, and I will see it every time I enter the bathroom, so I wanted to try and make it look as seamless as possible.

I have to mention that this shelf liner has stood out the test of not only time but also, humidity and heat.

Something that the shiplap one didn’t!!! I’ll explain more about the issues we ran into at the bottom of the post, but what you should know is that I am not happy with the shiplap shelf liner. We store the RV in the high desert, so it gets super HOT and sadly the shiplap paper shrank with the fluctuation of temperature.

Don’t get me wrong, the cubbies that I have in my craft room (that I cover with this exact same one) are still holding beautifully! But there is not such an extreme fluctuation of temperature in our house, so it makes sense.

I did learn my lesson with that one though, and as I am going to go over at the end of the post, I recently ran into LoomWell , a company that carries wallpaper that is resistant to higher temperatures . So I plan to at some point upgrade to one of their patterns for some of the shiplap walls.

One thing I was so happy to find out when doing research on light fixtures was that you can use any kind you want for an RV , the only thing is that you need to use low voltage light bulbs , for our camper we used 12V light bulbs for the light fixtures that needed bulbs.

In the picture below you can see how it looked when we detached all the lights from under the cabinet , and ceiling.

I knew I wanted something brighter, more efficient, and less dangerous than those lights (I’ve read horror stories of burns with these bulbs!)

So I knew LED lights and bulbs were the way to go. So let’s discuss what we ended up doing for each area:

Couch area light

For the lights above the couch area , I fell in love with these set of scones below, they were in my price range and also in the modern farmhouse look I was after, you can check them out here .

The only downside of the set of scones is that they do not come with switches.

But that can be easily fixed with these little guys , just drill a hole on the side and connect them like you would any other switch.

(if you have done electrical work before, if you don’t know what you are doing, please ask for advice from a professional, don’t risk injuries!).

Bedroom light

For the light in our bedroom, we pretty much did the same thing, I made sure to select something that was more flush because we are both tall.

I settled for this ceiling light that had just the perfect industrial feel and accompanied it with this bulb , we also added a switch .

I was planning on using this remote control switch , but it made the bulb look too long (I think they are better suited for bulbs with lampshades that are not see-through, so I’m saving them for our brick and sticks house)

And this is how it looks in our bedroom:

Dinning light

For our dining room, I wanted something special but also budget efficient. So we decided to make our own light using the same bulbs we had for our bedroom , a shelving bracket , a vintage cage lampshade , and a pre-made lamp cord .

Since we wanted to make another for our house, we purchased everything in pairs, it was cheaper, but you can definitely buy everything in singles.

We already had a switch from the old light we had there, so we didn’t need another switch, but if you do, this is the one we used in all other lights that needed it.

All other lights

For every other light in the camper, we replaced the old lights with these small round LED lights , why?

• they are smaller.
• they save a ton of energy.
• and look SO MUCH BETTER.
• the light is so much brighter than the yellow low light that our old ones gave.

Let me show you a closer look:

I am so in love with them!

You turn them on and off by pushing in the circle in the middle, and after they are off, that little piece glows in the dark, so they are easy to find!

You can see our new LED lights in action in the picture below, they are in our ceiling and also under the cabinets, we replaced the ones in our bathroom, the boy’s bunk beds, and under the cabinet in our bedroom as well. 

We used 16 of them to replace all the lights that we had left.

I also wanted to mention that since we purchased everything on Amazon using my Prime membership , I knew I had the option of returning if I didn’t like what I had ordered.

Because I wanted to be able to test options before buying in bulk to replace all the lights in the camper.

I purchased 4 different alternatives for the remaining lights.

That way I could see in person the kind of light they give and how they looked in the camper.

Once I was happy with the bulb size and the kind of light that gave (some are warmer than others, so if you want a cooler light, the best way to go is by testing)

I purchased the total of lights I needed to replace (and in the case of the bulbs, I purchased extras, so we could have them in hand in case one broke.)

Also, just a note: I mistakenly bought bulbs that were not 12V , and they pretty much died as soon as I tested them in the camper.

So make sure you read the details carefully! I, of course, could not return those, because it was my fault for not reading the details.

Ps. NOTE OF CAUTION – We are lucky to have my father-in-law that is a licensed building contractor nearby, and Ken has electrical experience as well. BUT if you are not sure, please don’t put yourself in danger when re-doing electrical work, and either consult an electrician or hire one instead.

If you are familiar with snap flooring, adding flooring to your RV would be the exact same process.

One thing that Ken was not happy about was that he didn’t account for the expanding of the flooring with the very high temperatures we experience where we store our RV, he added a little bit of room for expansion, but what he normally does at home.

If you are going to store your RV in an area that gets very hot, I would recommend you account for a more than average expansion of the floor.

We do want to see how this peel and stick flooring or this one behaves to see if that would be a better option for our next renovation.

I’ve seen that some people also use peel and stick floor tiles for RV renovations and while I want to give those a try as well, I will probably make a full post diving onto the possibilities of flooring for RVs.

We only added the corner white cabinet from Ikea, Ken bolted it to the wall to make sure that it would not move. We added it before adding the flooring, so the flooring goes to the edge of it and not under it. We don’t plan to switch it so it made sense to us.

If you are not 100% sure if you will put something in your RV permanently, make sure you only added it after you re-do the flooring.

Also, in the beginning, I wanted to fully replace the couch, and place a regular sleeper sofa there, but then we realized that our water tank was under there, so we decided not to mess with it and just make new covers.

In our case, we didn’t change as much as we wanted and did more cosmetic upgrades instead. So I have no experience changing too much furniture, but I did all the research when I considered switching the RV couch for an RV sofa bed and posted it here .

This is probably another of the most asked questions that we get. So I had to include it as a point and I will elaborate more on each one in a full post later.

I basically selected 2 different fabrics in order to make the new covers.

For the couch, I selected a long hair Minky fabric that was super fluffy, I love the idea of having that for the winter, so it was almost like having a blanket for the cover.

And for the dinette, I selected a great water-resistant fabric , so that I could wipe it down. Since we have 3 little (and very messy) boys, I needed something that I didn’t need to wash every two minutes.

I purchased my fabric from fabric.com but unfortunately, the exact same ones I purchased are no longer carried. But they are very similar to this grey waterproof one and this black minky .

To make the cover I basically placed the fabric inside out and pinned the corners, I sewed the edges and make sure that I have enough fabric for the edges to come all the way in so we can hook them using the hack I describe below.

Cover securing hack One hack I used to make sure the cover doesn’t move is to attach curtain hooks with wire to different parts in the bottom and back of the couch.

This way I could hook the cover (that is basically fabric with sewn sides) and make it stay in place even when transforming the couch into a bed and vice versa. The more hooks you have the more you can secure the cover.

And for added security, I also added 3 in the middle, those are a little tricky to hook because you will have to shove your hand in the middle until you see the fabric from the bottom, then hook them.

For me, it works better when I keep the couch semi-folded in order to hook the bottom and middle best, I hook the back once the couch is in an upright position.

Dinette couch covers

I used a fabric similar to this grey waterproof one, and I made covers by contouring the cushions with the fabric.

I used elastic around the edges to secure them but they ended up moving a little bit, so I added two extra pieces on each side so that I could tie them down and secure them better.

I did this for the big bottom ones and the small backsides I just made them using an envelope fold in the back since I made them with the fabric inside out, and super-tight, while they are a little tricky to pop out to wash, they stay without needed any extra ties.

We decided to get brand new mattresses and bedding for the bunk beds and also our bedroom.

Our bedroom mattress is a standard RV Queen so we just purchased this one . We love that it has cooling gel and honestly, we sleep better in that mattress than we do in our bricks and sticks house.

But if you are looking for different mattress sizes for RVs, we have two awesome recommendations for you:

They are 100% made in the USA and part of Brooklyn Bedding, specialized in RV mattresses and with 4 different options of comfort.

Bear offers RV mattresses that have a breathable Celliant Cover to help improve athletic performance, also 100% made in the USA.

Master bedding : Our sheets and comforter are from Ikea, and while they still have the inner comforter, I was not able to find the duvet cover online, and I have not seen it anymore at the store, but this one is very similar . I actually liked the pattern in the camper so much that I wanted something similar for our bed at home, but Ikea does not carry California King sizes, so I bought this one, and I am loving it!

I also added a hand-lettered pillow with back background, you can check my pillow collection here , you can change the background color to any color you want!

Bunk beds bedding : The duvet cover is the exact same one as the one we have in our master bedroom, from Ikea (they have different patterns per each side) but I found this one that is similar , and use it in our brick and stick home, along with the buffalo plaid one)

To finish up their bunk beds, I hung one of my favorite pieces of artwork, the “ Little one, you will move mountains ” and while this is a swaddle, I am working on adding it to my shop as prints and tapestry. And also these adorable log pillows .

We purchased everything for the kitchen of our camper, from plates, cups, and wine glasses, to pans and pots. Of course, we made sure to get as many things as we could out of melamine so that it would not be at risk of breaking when driving.

• Melamine dinnerware : We purchased a set very similar to this one from Target.
• Melamine cups and wine glasses : I love these cups and also these wine glasses , because mama needs her wine!

Behind stove storage : This basket , with these metal and plastic containers + these wooden handle utensils + this ikea knife block (without the base) and a couple of faux cactus .

We hung so many things in the camper, and while for some of them (very few) we Did use screws with anchors, for all others we selected options that would not hurt our walls like:

• Poster hanging strips
• 3M hooks (with metal hook)
• 3M hooks (full white)
• Heavy duty Velcro (for frames)
• Museum putty (for thing on top of the shelves or counters)

I used this wall grid panel (spay painted in white) and re-assemble long-ways, so it would fit the space better.

I added some decor and pictures that I sealed by running them through my Minc machine and some lamination pouches , this way I have the margin to hand them with clips without ruining them.

I think that the most important point of renovating an Rv, is to add all the details that will make YOU feel not only comfortable but as if you are in an extension of your house.

In our case, I really wanted to add details that were hand-drawn by me. So on top of the door, I added a vinyl piece that reads “ home sweet camper ❤ ” and the great part is that cutting it is a pretty easy process, and installing that one was super simple. Just make sure you have a big enough transferring tape with a grid, or cut the bottom to align with the door.

In our bedroom, I also added a vinyl decal that has a US map with an “ Our next adventure is… ” This one was a little more complicated because I had to cut and also apply it in pieces because the size I wanted was too big, but I added separations in the map between States so that it could be easier to cut separately.

If you have a cutting machine and would like to use the same files, you can find them on my Studio Website:

• Home sweet camper ❤
• Our next adventure is … USA map
• Exit with arrows

I also created a print for the entryway that reads “Together is my favorite place to be”, you can get a copy of that print in the Barefoot Detour Teespring store here.

After many, many stays in our camper, there are only a few things that we’ve updated that we plan to upgrade.

I wanted to address them here one by one so that I can explain myself better =] so the very first thing is:

Couch area sconses

While I loved the look of the first ones we had , the boys pulled them down a bunch of times because they were a little low, this made them sag a little. So we upgraded them to these ones that have two sets of adapters, one in the bottom and one in the top, unlike the other ones that only had one at the top. I love the new ones, and now they sit much higher, so my boys don’t even touch them (other than for turning on and off, of course)

Shiplap wallpaper

I have to make a note about this because I am going to change the wallpaper (shelve liner) I used for our accent walls. We store our camper in my husband’s family ranch in the high desert, so it gets HOT.

The shelf liner has shrunk because of this, and I was so sad! I did not know that this can happen with the heat, and I plan to switch to a temperature-safe wallpaper, like Loomwell . I have this dotted pattern and this one in the realm of possibilities.

Hanging solutions

While I still love all the solutions that we selected for the camper, there are some things that we have switched from 3M foam hangers to regular screws for the basket next to our bed since it holds somewhat heavy items, we decided to just secure it that way Kenny will not wake up with a basket in his head.

Couch cover

Since it’s summer I decided to switch the super hairy couch cover that I made in Minky fabric, for something that does not get as hot.

I picked this one and used the same hooks I set up for my DIY cover to make sure the cover fits nice and tight.

I like that it’s so easy to switch, so I might get another color so I can change the look every once in a while.

What to know where I purchased all the things we used in our remodel? You can shop my pictures on this page I set up or check my list below, I’ve tried to include as many things as possible =]

• Prep : Liquid sander + orbital sander + wash walls
• Primer : This oil-based primer rocks!
• Paint : We used   BEHR Night club  for everything that was dark and  BEHR Silent White  for everything light
• Flooring : We used one from Home Depot, but I am not too happy with how it expanded. We are planning on using this one or this one for our next restoration.
• Spray paint : We used spray paint for plastic and regular Rustoleum all material for the hinges.
• Shiplap wallpaper : I used this one , but it shrank a little with the hot temperatures in the summer 🙁
• Bathroom wallpaper : For our accent wall I used this shelve liner from Target
• Peel and stick Backsplash : we used Smart tile subway Tiles in full white
• Kitchen Countertop + Table : We used this desk from Ikea
• Black sink : This is one of my favorite kitchen items!
• Oil-bronzed pulls : These ones fit the holes of our old ones perfectly, but measure before you buy!
• Light fixtures : We recently upgraded our couch are sconces to these ones , I love that they have integrated switches, just make sure you add 12V light bulbs .
• LED ceiling lights : These are the ones we use all around our camper , they are amazing, bright, safe, and they look way better than the old ones.
• Roll-blinds blackouts : We purchased the blackout blinds from Ikea, but they no longer carry those exact same ones. We were lucky to find them when there were going to be discontinuing, so they were about 40% off. I did find other options like these ones , and these ones that are very similar .
• Mattresses : We recommend to check Bear RV mattresses and RV Mattress by Brooklyn bedding for the best RV mattresses available!
• Wall mesh organizer : I used this wall grid panel (spay painted in white) and re-assemble long-ways so it would fit the space better.
• Bed-side basket : I used this one and attached it with 3M strips first then upgraded to screws.
• Window greenery garland : I got it from Ikea, but it was a seasonal item, this one is super similar , just a little shorter.
• Always and forever pillow : Find it here and you can also check all my other designs here , choose any color background you want!
• Master bedding : Ours is from Ikea, but I have not seen it anymore, this one is very similar (I bought it for our bricks and stick home)
• Bunk beds bedding : They are the same ones from Ikea (they have different patterns per side) but I found this one that is similar , and use it in our brick and stick home, along with the buffalo plaid one)
• Log pillow s: I love these , they took a super long time to arrive, but they are adorable!
• CMK letters : These are the boy’s initials (they all have the same initials) I just purchased cardboard letters from a craft store and painted them with black spray paint and hung with poster strips .
• Smart TV : We have this 28″ smart TV , it was a perfect size! And we mounted it with this thing , but bolted it through the wall (I used the backs to hold blankets) + We changed the plug cable to this white one .
• Entrance mesh organizer : We purchased ours in the same section of Target, and since then has been discontinued, but I found a similar one here .
• Entrance white cabinet : We purchased a combination from Ikea, is this Billy box and this Oxberg door together with one of these pulls .
• Together is my favorite place to be print : I drew this and you can buy a copy in different sizes via Zazzle
• Behind stove storage : This basket , with these metal and plastic containers + these wooden handle utensils + this Ikea knife block (without the base), and a couple of faux cactus .
• Melamine cups and wine glasses : I love these cups and also these wine glasses because mama needs her wine!
• Kitchen rug : I love this one because it washes so well!
• Refrigerator notepad : List-maker gonna list notepad from my shop
• Copper mugs and hanger : We purchased these ones and love it to make mescal mules, we u sed this Ikea rod to hang them, I also found this one at Target that is super similar.
• Hoop succulent DIY : I used regular embroidery hoops , placed them on top of a silicone placemat , and hot glued small rocks for the bottom and faux succulents in the middle
• Triangular planter set : I got these ones and added a few faux succulents .
• Bathroom towel holder : I used this one .
• Shower curtain : I selected this Boho inspired one from Amazon.
• Outdoor rug : I love this black and white pattern .

I hope this post encourages you to renovate your RV or to just tackle a small area in your camper. We are all for small steps, so if you feel overwhelmed, just start with one area and move from there on =]

And share this with anyone that you think could use help with a remodel! Contact us if you have any questions! We love staying in touch =]

Want to save this post for later? Just pin any of the images below =]

Happy remodeling!

Merri jones

Tuesday 1st of August 2023

This is amazing! We have a very similar camper and are wanting to Reno for our family travels. Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of the info, advice, links, etc! That is so helpful and I appreciate all the time it will save me as a mom who otherwise might not be able to have the time to embark on what is usually a very overwhelming project like this. Thank you!!!

Ps did you happen to find any covers for the banquet cushions that were already complete and did not require sewing? I am trying to avoid the sewing but have not been able to find other covers. Thanks.

Tuesday 22nd of August 2023

Hi Merri! It makes me so happy that this post helped you! =]

I actually bought covers for our 5th wheel and while the fabric is not as good as the fabric I purchased for our dinette, it's a solid option if you would rather not sew them! I used covers and made sure to add clips to keep tight in the covers. Here are the links: - covers: https://amzn.to/3sshBHD - clips: https://amzn.to/3Z0YqkN

I hope this helps!

Sunday 4th of December 2022

Hiya! Do you remember where you got the black s-hook holding the towel on the wall in the bedroom? Thanks!

Friday 31st of March 2023

Hi Beth! I purchased them from Target in 2020, they were on the sale rack, and I could not find them on their website, I'm sorry!

Wednesday 31st of August 2022

Hi! Your renovation has been an inspiration for my hubby and I. We have the exact same trailer and finally took the plunge to update it. One issue we have run into is changing the lights by the sofa. I chose similar farmhouse style sconce lights and LED 12v Edison bulbs. They came with cords but my Hubby hardwired them in for a cleaner look. When we turn them on they lit up then "burned out" immediately? Are we missing something obvious in the install? My hubby is a mechanic and has wired a lot of different lighting etc. but not in the camper. Any thoughts?

Thursday 7th of July 2022

Your camper looks awesome!! Do you have the info on the ikea tables you bought??

Monday 22nd of August 2022

Hi Doris! The exact desk that we purchased is not available anymore, but they have one that is supposed to be the updated version: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/anfallare-tabletop-bamboo-00465141/ for the bathroom, we used their cheapest desk tabletop =] I hope that helps!

Wednesday 27th of April 2022

Hi! Your remodel is amazing! I love everything about it. We are looking to buy a camper soon and I love what you’ve been able to fit in yours. Can you share the length/size of your camper? Thank you!

Monday 2nd of May 2022

@Sam, Thank you so much! I'm so happy you like our renovation. Our camper is about 29 feet long =]

Camper remodel ideas (How to remodel a Travel Trailer under $ 200)

Camper remodel ideas – how to remodel a travel trailer under $ 200 –  just follow these 5 steps :.

We bought an older camper and remodeled it because the best vacations we have ever had were in RV’s, cruising up and down the West Coast. Even when our son Sean was still a baby, that was the best vacation ever. This was our freedom , we could do whatever we wanted to do. He grew older and we still rented RV’s, cruising all over the US.

Sean still remembers all the kids he met in the State Parks, going imaginary hunting and fishing with them. Nobody had to look after the kids, they ran around all over the campground, in the woods, learned how to make a fire and how to use a knife. Everything was easy and it was total freedom for him and of course for us. Happy days.

Now, years later – our son is not going on vacation with us anymore – but we still have a lot of memories thinking about these vacations.

So we decided to buy an older camper for the two of us and our dog and remodel it. (Don’t forget to check out the must-haves for the dog ).

Why are all campers brown on the inside?

Unfortunately, every camper we looked at was pretty ugly and needed serious renovations. No matter if it was a tiny little Travel Trailer or a huge Motorhome. The interior was ugly. I guess the brown color is supposed to hide the dirt? 

Anyhow, we bought one in decent shape (no leaks or any kind of issues) and then I started with the Camper remodel.

DIY Travel Trailer remodel

If you are wondering if you can do this on your own, YES YOU CAN! As long as there aren’t any major issues with your camper and we are only talking updating, making it pretty, then yes. If you know how to use a paint roller, a brush and a carpet knife, even better. Then you can do it definitely.

Just to be sure, I remodeled this Camper by myself – saying you can do this too!

If you want a quick overview, what the Top 5 things   are you should do to glam up your camper, you can download the Checklist right here:

The top 5 things to remodel your camper-2

And here are the 5 steps of my Camper remodel journey:

How to start with a Camper remodel

This is how it looked when we bought it: so dark and uninviting, not very pretty at all. But of course, this look can be changed easily. So don’t be scared. 

Camper remodeling ideas (how to remodel a Travel Trailer under $ 200):

• First I removed all the ugly brown valances and just left the blinds on the windows. Or you add pretty curtains.
• Then I decided on a maximum of two main colors . White, light grey, light blue is always a good option to start with.  I picked a light blue paint for the walls.
• After painting the walls,  I painted all cabinets and doors with milk paint. No need to sand them down. The beauty about milk paint is that you don’t need to sand or prime anything before painting.
• I added some glam with teal backsplash tiles in the kitchen. It took me almost a whole day, because I tiled it without grouting and it was a little tricky, but so worth it. Easier and much faster if you buy self-adhesive tiles, just stick them on the walls and done. That’s what I did in the bathroom.
• First I thought I would keep the floor, but the brown beige color sucked all the light in and didn’t look good with all the other colors. So I added a new white floor. I glued the new self-adhesive vinyl tiles on top of the old one. Looks great. It took me (with a little help from my husband) about 5 hours to get it done because some of the tiles had to be cut to fit.      Here are all the tips “ How to lay new floors in your RV “ .
• Of course, the couch was brown/beige also. I cleaned it first with a carpet foam and brushed the stains off. Then covered it with a white/gray sheet or just use a blanket.
• I added some splashes of color with a tiny rug, pillows, sheets, and a curtain. Most of these items I didn’t have to buy.

Look inside RV’s and find out what you like and dislike

Before you start with your remodel, make sure you know your color scheme . It just makes your job so much easier knowing what you are doing. This is my mood board from the Camper remodeling:

Here is how our Travel Trailer looks now after the remodel, so pretty and clean and inviting.

How to start with painting

I painted all the kitchen cabinets, the storage cabinets, and the bathroom door with light gray Milk Paint. It is super easy to do and goes relatively fast.

If you need more details, here is how to paint Camper Walls and Cabinets

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. 

What is the best tip to paint the kitchen cabinets fast and easy?

If you are thinking about remodeling your camper, paint your kitchen cabinets and the doors. They are normally dark brown and it creates such a dark atmosphere.

And I have the best and easiest tip for you:  Use Milk Paint . You don’t need to sand or prime the cabinets! After painting the cabinets with Milk Paint, you add three layers of  Top Coat for paint protection, let it dry for 24 hours and you are done. 

The only thing you need to do is clean the cabinets well and wipe them down with Top Coat (takes all the grease off) and then you start painting. Learning to use Milk Paint and Top Coat was a total game-changer for me,  because who loves sanding down cabinets???

Especially if your cabinets are not real wood. Most of them are laminate with wood decor – you definitely don’t want to do that.

I ordered all my paint and accessories on Amazon,  but you might be able to get it at Lowes or any other paint store also.

How long did the Camper remodel take?

The Camper remodel didn’t take very long. I worked about 4 to 5 hours every day for a week until it was done. I did almost everything on my own.

My husband helped me a little bit with the vinyl floor cutting. I decided to add a vinyl peel and stick planks on top of the old and ugly linoleum, which took me about 4 – 5 hours.

It was so worth redoing the floors because it added so much more light to the interior of the Camper.  We added the vinyl floor planks on one Saturday afternoon.

How much did it cost?

Altogether I spent a maximum of $ 200 on the paint, accessories, and floor.

I used one quart of paint and one quart of top coat which is about $ 60. The peel and stick vinyl floor was $ 70.

To paint the walls I used Sherwin Williams paint with primer and it was $ 20. The backsplash for the kitchen was a free leftover from a different project. But peel and stick tiles are very affordable at Lowes or on Amazon. If you are lucky you find some tiles on sale. 

Of course, it depends on the size of your camper how much material you need and if you have to buy everything from scratch. I didn’t have to buy brushes and paint rollers. 

We also bought a new mattress (the old one was still in good shape but I rather have a new mattress) for the camper and a small rug in front of the kitchen cabinets.

Pillows, the curtain, blankets, and the storage boxes I didn’t have to buy. I am sure you have some spare decorating articles at home too.

Using your own decorating items is always the cheapest way, or just make your own.

Get access to my Resource Library and download some of my printables and checklists. Print them out and decorate your RV.

Final thoughts on the Camper Remodel:

It really was a fun project because I love to renovate things. Makes me feel so much better, especially when it turns out so pretty.

So, if you are thinking about packing your kids and going on unforgettable journeys, or you just go without kids, try it out. If you need more detailed information and all the links where to get the material and so much more, get my Ebook. You just follow step 1 to 10 and you are good to go:

Why wait to remodel your dated RV or Travel Trailer?

It is always a good idea to rent a camper first before you buy one. Try it out first, if camping is something you would like to do.

Check out RV share, a great place to rent an RV.

If you are thinking about buying an RV or Travel Trailer, here are some tips to help you decide. RV or Travel Trailer  

My best day ever is waking up early in the morning somewhere on a State Beach on the West Coast, putting on my running shoes, and going for a run on the beach.

Nobody is out there, just some dolphins, turtles, and maybe some fishermen. Peace and freedom – what an amazing luxury that is.

I will see you on the road,

Conny xoxo 

Related Articles you definitely want to read:

RV/Camper 101 for first timers

Camper Remodel Ideas on a Budget

How to Remodel a Camper Trailer Easy and Cheap

How to lay new floors in your Camper 

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11 Comments

We are picking up our new/user travel trailer tomorrow. I am not familiar with Milk Paint. Since the cabinets are usually always brown, using milk paint right over the brown is no problem? The milk paint comes out nice and vibrant, like there was brown underneath? I hope I’m making since. Your travel trailer looks amazing!

Hi Gina, yes no need to sand or prime. Just clean the cabinets well with deglosser or TSP. My cabinets were also brown. And the good thing about Milk Paint is that it doesn’t smell, no odor at all. Do the steps I am recommending, clean with TSP, clean with fresh water, use a brush for the first coat, use a foam roller for the second coat. Take your time in between coats and let the paint dry. If you have any questions, email me. It is going to look great. What color scheme do you have?

How did you do the counter tops? Did you replace the sinks & faucets?

Hi Teresa, I painted the countertops with Milk Paint and then added 3 coats of Top Coat. I did not replace the sink and faucet. Hope this helps.

I have the same camper and I am in the middle of the renovation. It looks great

It looks so great! I am definitely referencing this in the future.

Thank you Deserae, I am glad you like my ideas.

It looks great!! I will definitely use these tips!!

Hi Alicia, thank you and yes use these tips if you are ready to update.

I love the after pictures!!! Such a transformation from brown to colorful and unique. Thanks for sharing your tips on how to accomplish this:)

Thank you Maria. Yes the transformation only with some paint makes a huge difference.

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RV Remodel: Turning Older Into Legendary

Published on May 25th, 2021 by Brian Newman

“By golly, these darn new-fangled RVs are making our Freya’s Chariot look bad.” If you find yourself saying this about your Classic Era (1971-1989) or Neo-Classic Era (1990-2007) travel trailer, there are some great ways you can upgrade your old RV to outshine those young whipper-snappers with a little RV remodel. While the manufacturers and vendors deal with the shortage of RV parts, we’ll show you some affordable ways to take advantage of in-stock items and outside industry materials to find solutions. You’ll also learn about the many creative ideas artisans around the country offer that you may not have thought of yet.

Legacy Era RVs

First of all, like any artist or interior designer, let’s start with the canvas your working with: that’s your RV. If you have a 1960s Shasta AirFlyte, older Airstream, a Coleman Pop-up, or original Winnebago Brave, these iconic RVs draw their own attention. Giving them a good once-over with exterior cleaning products will draw a crowd.

In this discussion, we’re talking about those motorhomes and travel trailers that are the forebears of today’s RVs. In many ways, your coach has features the Modern Era (2008-Present) doesn’t. Examples would be a 1991 Jayco Eagle travel trailer, a 1994 Cobra Sandpiper fifth wheel, or a 2000 Damon Escaper Ultra Sport Class A motorhome. Each one of these RVs has a story to tell. While you may not know its individual past, the Cobra and Damon are significant. Did you know that Forest River began in 1996 by using the assets of Cobra? On September 2, 2003, Thor Industries completed its buyout of Damon. The new daughter company became one of the root brands solidifying Thor Motor Coach.

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When you have a legacy RV remodel, you’re rolling with a piece of RV history . Not only are you representing the past, but you’re also reusing a built coach, which may already have some significant upgrades in it and has some life left. The average lifespan of an RV is 20 years, but with the proper TLC, your home on wheels can last so much longer. Over 70% of all Airstreams are still on the road today.

Why We Chose a Legacy Motorhome

Brian and Marianne Newman have lived the full-time RV life in their 2001 Fleetwood Pace Arrow since 2018. Brian is a second-generation RVer, and Marianne caught the RV bug from him. When the Newman’s toured the many motorcoaches to find their new home on wheels, they purposely chose a Neo-Classic Era over a Modern Era RV. The vital components like the chassis, engine, transmission, frame and other essentials were still in great shape. The RV had less than 50,000 miles on it, and the few repairs it needed were manageable. The empty-nesters decided they could use their money to upgrade the features they wanted instead of investing in a high price. 

Their RV remodel plans include changing the living room furniture, new countertops, and upgrading to a 50-amp electric service to ultimately convert propane features to electric. One of the latest projects they completed was turning the old front TV cabinet into a memorial cabinet to have a space for their four-legged pack members that have crossed the rainbow bridge.

Don’t Be Afraid To “Ruin” the Value With an RV Remodel

One of the most significant advantages you have compared to the Modern Era RVs is that your coach has already gone through the depreciation value curve. New RV buyers will lose up to 30% of the value in the first year and continue downward 20%-30% each year after that. The average new RV purchaser will keep their coach for around 8 years. After that, they’ll sell it to upgrade, transition to a different RV category, or leave the lifestyle. If a new model year owner considers upgrading a feature, they have to think about how it will impact the resale value later. As a legacy RV owner, don’t be afraid to have fun upgrading and adding your personal touches to it. If you do plan on upgrading later on, from a dealer’s perspective, this may be the last ride for “Sweet Bessy,” so dress her up to the nines. 

Whether your RV remodel upgrades work or not, you’re learning. The most successful RVers are those that know how to work on their units themselves. You can perform over 90% of the maintenance and repairs yourself. The conventional RV building methods (wood frames and corrugated aluminum) used many of the same tools you have in your hardware bay during the Classic and Neo-Classic Era. Go ahead and attach that locomotive cowcatcher to the front of your Class A motorhome (Marianne won’t let Brian add it to their Pace Arrow). Add creative exterior decals, create RV workspaces by hand, or do something simple like updating the couch cushions. Make your legacy RV yours.

RV Remodel: Outdoor Decor

Setting up an inviting outdoor space.

The best way to say “Howdy Neighbor” is to start with an inviting front porch. You could pick up a simple doormat to place it under your entry steps, but go for the gusto! There are plenty of RV outdoor rugs to choose from, whether you go to a big-box store, camping store, or online. If you don’t like what you see, make your own. 

In the 1980s, this author’s RV outdoor rug was the faux grass used on miniature golf courses. It rolled up well and withstood the weather (although it was heavy). The best rugs allow water to flow through and maintain their integrity well. Bamboo outdoor carpets are durable, waterproof, and can handle the weight of outdoor furniture. You can find personalized RV doormats on Etsy to place under your entry steps to compliment whatever outdoor rug you use.

Accommodate Your Potential Guests

For your RV outdoor furniture, quality and quantity is everything. You don’t have to break the bank, but you want tables, chairs, and other pieces that look inviting but won’t fall apart after a couple of uses. Always have two empty chairs set up and available. Angle them a little toward the road. You’re telling people who walk by to take a moment to say hello. A closed-circle configuration says this is a “member’s-only” club.

Mood Lighting

When you really look at those built-in RV LED awning lights, what do they say? The LED lights light up the outdoor space, and there are color variations, but where’s the unique personality? Using RV hanging awning lights, or “twinkly lights” in the RV jargon, can be a stylistic solution to solve your outside lighting concerns for your RV remodel. You can go “old school” with pink flamingoes or gnomes to match your lawn versions. There is the various color-themed version to match the season, your RV, or your style. If you want to dress up for the evening, there are even crystal RV awning lights. 

Camper Smarts Tip on Outdoor Furnishings: Most of us that live the RV lifestyle live by the friendly and trusting spirit of the RV Community. Some are still learning, so if there is something outside near and dear to your heart (or wallet), make sure you secure it before turning in for the night. As a good neighbor, make sure you keep an eye out for your neighbors too. RVers always look out for each other.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

Your travel trailer’s outdoor kitchen consists of a side rail to hang your favorite barbecue or other propane cooking device. Adding one or two folding tables will give you enough counter space for additional RV cooking devices. If you can sacrifice a door-side exterior bay, you can build a sliding drawer with a built-in grill and sink connected to your RV’s LP and plumbing. Learn more about these and other DIY projects that are easier than you think for your RV remodel at Do-It-Yourself RV .

RV Remodel: Interior

A welcoming first impression.

When you bring your guests inside, you want it to be just as inviting. Check out some of the excellent RV remodel interior design accessories we recommend to help you finish your look. You’ll be amazed at what $10-$20 can do.

Give a Facelift to the Floor

More than likely, if your motorhome or travel trailer has a manufacturer date before 2007, you have carpet. If you want to keep it, renting a steam cleaner with a hose attachment can bring it back to that original color. You can also add some area rugs for problem spots. It covers the permanent stain and adds a dimension to your overall interior design. If it’s time to rip out the carpet, they’re doing great things with laminates today. Peel and stick wood planks are designed to look like wood but have vinyl durability. It comes pre-glued, so after you line things up, just peel off the adhesive paper and stick it down. You can use a carpenter knife to cut the slats to size. The same is true for the thousands of tile patterns. RV manufacturers use tongue and groove flooring seen in brick and stick homes. You can do this too, but it’s more involved with your time, money, and effort. The finished RV remodel flooring project has a distinctive look and can be worth the effort. 

Getting New Furniture Without Buying New Pieces

The Classic Era was known for the farmhouse floral decor fabrics. The Neo-Classic had more modern styled floral, striped, and leather furniture. If you’re not ready to rip out and replace your furniture, there’s a lot you can still do with the cushions and covers. Custom RV cushion covers can change your dinette, sofa, and other seating. There are artisans around the country that let you choose the fabric you want and put them together. If the foam need replacement, a quick run to a hardware or craft store will solve that. You may have a memory foam mattress that has a firm bottom layer that’s still good enough for repurposing. 

Elkhart, Indiana, the RV Capital of the World, is home to over 80% of the RV Industry. The region is home to a large Amish community that dates back well before the first recreational vehicle company hung its shingle. If you have the opportunity to visit a town center, their highly-prized handmade Amish quilts are worthy of any art museum wall.

Displaying one on your sofa not only upgrades your interior design, but the quilts can also keep you warm on cold nights. The stitching patterns and techniques are family traditions that date back many generations. You may even have the opportunity to meet the artisan too. Remember to respect their religious traditions about photography and video. No piece of furniture is complete without a decorative pillow. Whether it’s a solid color, complimentary pattern, or personalized decorative pillow that acts as your “welcome aboard” signpost, pillows can be the cozy cap to finish your interior design creation. Personalized prints come with any welcoming message or phrasing you want (including the subtle innuendos and double meanings similar to the movies of the 1930s).

Gaining “Silver and Gold” During an RV Remodel

Suppose you and your family were on that TV game show where families guess the top answer of people surveyed. The host asks the question, “What’s the biggest concern in RV kitchens?” How would you answer it? The number one “golden” answer is storage and the second “silver” is counter space. Classic and Neo-Classic Era motorhomes and travel trailers did pretty well with the counters, but storage was always a problem. Three-way refrigerators and 2-in-1 range ovens were dependent on propane. There are ways to drop the tank in an age of energy independence, so you’re free from LP. An RV remodel almost always involves the kitchen in some way.

If you want to install a solar panel system , check out our discussions on the topic. We always recommend consulting a professional and performing your research. It’s complicated, and you can get hurt if you make a mistake. The benefits of a solar system can be worth it with some RV lifestyle adjustments . For some simple kitchen solutions, getting a custom flush mount or butcher block sink covers to give you the meal prep space you need. If your RV doesn’t come with it, there are stove covers and flip-up counter additions you can install too. There are many portable kitchen islands for a significant amount of counter space for brick and stick homes that fit well in mid-size travel trailers or larger.

If you cut off your propane, you can change your stove to a flush electric range or conduction version. Many microwaves now have convection capabilities. Use the open oven space to add an apartment-sized dishwasher or cookware storage. When you changed the dinette cushions, you can also refinish the table or add a freestanding one. RV accessory companies may have a table that fits your dinette, so you can still use it for additional sleeping space. To finish it right, table runners add the right amount of color and protection to the table.

Don’t forget to use a tabletop computer mount for the ergonomic benefits for those who use the dinette as an RV office space. We also recommend sitting where you can’t see the TV or the best scenery outside the windows. It’s great to take a break, but a 10-minute breather shouldn’t turn into 10-hours. For RV storage solutions , you’ll find a plethora of gadgets and gizmos to organize your cabinets, closets, drawers, and shelves. Those that use small campers like teardrops and pop-ups find that tent gear works well. Larger RVs can find cookware that stacks together, foam organizers, or repurposing cloth shoe trees. 

RV Remodel: Making the Bedroom a Luxury Suite

In the RV world, mattresses don’t stick to the 4 standard sizes you see in residential homes. You’ll find short queens, extra-large twins, and other variations . A good portion of bed companies cater to RV mattress sizes, so you can find the perfect one that fits best. If you choose memory foam, RVs aren’t as airtight as houses. Humidity and heat wear down their elasticity quicker. Choose a thick mattress, so you don’t feel the plywood base, and use a moisture-control barrier layer underneath it to lengthen the life.

To update your cabinetry’s look during an RV remodel, try a new set of hardware. RV handles and hinges are a lot less expensive than replacing doors or cabinets. When you go to the hardware store, take one of the handles and knobs with you to match up bolt hole lengths and have actual comparisons. When window day and nightshade wiring breaks, it’s frustrating trying to open the window. There are RV shade repair kits to restring them. You can also upgrade to the new zebra shades or try some great no-sew DIY shades and RV window covers.

From the Water Closet to the Powder Room 

Dry bathrooms in RVs give you a lot of opportunities to update and upgrade. Smaller travel trailers still use plastic composite commodes, but porcelain RV toilets are always better if you can do it. Secured shelving, functional art, and new accent wallpaper can knock years off your coach’s look and enhance storage.

When you redo the bathroom sink, go porcelain or stainless steel. Add an LED light fixture and faux tile backsplash to manage your RV’s weight (natural tile can quickly eat up a significant portion of your cargo carrying capacity). Marianne’s looking forward to the shower redesign because she’s had her eye on that teak bench for years.

Chores Are a Bore, Make It Fun!

Why do people spend many hours of their leisure time in the garage fixing up old cars, making crafts, or working on various other hobbies? Because they enjoy the work, the accomplishment of a challenge, and seeing the results of what they did. Another definition for this: fun. Brian refers to his RV as a 35-foot hot rod. While it’ll get 0-60 mph by tomorrow, any maintenance, repair, or upgrade he completes on it feels like an accomplishment. Most of the time the work isn’t difficult. The hardest part is learning what to do and taking that step into the unknown. 

Marianne’s experience is a little different. With her limited mobility due to her disability, having a smaller household space makes it easier to perform daily tasks to participate in the care of the motorhome. The RV hacks and other RV DIY solutions she learned about made full-time living better through the various social media and RV LIFE online forums within the RVing community. The point is, many of these projects are cheap and can be fun if you make it that way. The reward is seeing your unique vision coming together. You may have a whole laundry list of projects, but don’t overburden yourself by starting them all at once. Start small, complete it, and move to the next one when you’re ready. Create a plan (adjust for the unexpected), and stick to it.

While camping stores, online stores, and YouTube are great resources, don’t totally rely on the 21st century. You’ll find great RV remodel ideas online from our sister website Do-It-Yourself-RV, like 10 DIY Projects That Will Improve Your RV . Talk to your campfire friends at the campground too. Many veteran RVers have the skills to walk you through parts of the repair or maintenance process you’re having a hard time figuring out. They may even have the tool you need and let you borrow it instead of running out and altering your vacation budget.

As you travel, check out the antique or craft shows you pass by. In these uncertain times, the local businesses struggled to survive the economic shockwaves of the Global Pandemic. If you need a decorative or functional item, these local artisans and craftspeople may have a high-quality piece that feels more special than the item online. If your RV needs repair work beyond what you can do, many mobile RV repair technicians are highly qualified and come to you. They’ll work within your budget and timing. They’ll help you realize your vision for your RV because, more than likely, there’s an RV waiting at home for them.

Happy Trails!

About the Authors

After the first 50 miles in a rented Class A motorhome, Marianne caught the RV Bug Brian had as a legacy RVer. A few years later, the Newmans joined the full-time RV lifestyle in 2017. Together with their two working-class fur-babies, they explore the RV World together. Like John Madden, Brian hasn’t “worked” in years because he gets to write about his passion. You can read his feature articles on Camper Smarts and other RV LIFE Network Affiliates. Mari enjoys working alongside her husband occasionally but focuses on other ventures in social media.

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About the author:.

Brian Newman and his wife joined the full-time RV lifestyle in 2017. Brian has been a freelance writer since 2019 and has a diverse background that includes literature, religion, business, finance & investment, disability, recreational vehicles, and U.S. history.

4 thoughts on “RV Remodel: Turning Older Into Legendary”

On our trip down to Cali a couple of weeks ago we stopped at the Rest Area on 395/21 and saw a group of beautiful oldies. There was a lot of love with those units…

Our overall plan with our 2001 Pace Arrow exterior is to restore it to factory+. Instead of redoing the decals, I want to replace the design with paint. Add some clear coat to really make it shine

Some pics to illustrate the ideas being talked about might be nice.

We have our “entry” level 1990 Hawkins Motor Coach DP. We love it so much that we are restoring/remodeling the inside first. Now we just plan to keep it and enjoy life with it. Thanks for the great article and ideas!

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