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RV Bathroom Remodel Tips & Tricks

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

RV bathroom from above - before RV bathroom remodel tips

RV Bathroom Remodel Tips & Tricks

RV bathrooms are generally thought to be small, cramped, and unattractive. They’re purely utilitarian, so you want to spend the least possible amount of time in there. But if you try a few simple RV bathroom remodel ideas, you may find that the room can become a great addition to your living space!

Remodels don’t have to cost a fortune and even small changes can make a huge difference. It all comes down to using the space wisely and updating some of the features that are more drab and outdated. Lots of people have turned their RV bathrooms from closets to spas, and it’s a process that leaves room for flexibility and individual preferences.

Below are 6 RV bathroom remodel tips and tricks that you can try to take your bathroom to the next level of comfort and style!

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Use wall space

One of the best tricks for improving your RV bathroom is to use as much wall space as possible. Floor space is always limited, so the walls are going to be the best place to hang storage units, towels, decorative hangings, and anything else you want!

Many bathrooms come with a few cabinets built-in. These can either be replaced, renovated, or left alone (depending on how useful they are). If there are multiple cabinets blocking your wall space, you may consider removing one to free up a bit of usable space.

Once you have some room, you can install things like towel rods, hanging storage baskets, and toiletry organizers. The freedom to choose what goes where is a huge benefit when it comes to an RV bathroom remodel.

Install new lighting

Another simple aspect that can change the entire look of a room is the lighting. Lots of RV bathrooms have dingy lighting that feels cold and flat. One great remodel involves switching out the lighting for something fun and bright. A hanging accent light or a rack of bulbs can bring warmth and personality to this room.

Skylights are another great feature to consider! Some RVs have these built-in, but in other cases, you may need to add your own. This is a remodel that will take more money and effort, but the results are often well worth it.

Paint the cabinets and walls

Another drawback of traditional RV bathrooms is that they are usually somewhat outdated in their design and color scheme. Lots of them incorporate wooden cabinets and brown speckled walls. There’s nothing wrong with this design of course, but in a small space, it can make the room feel cramped and dark.

Using light colors to paint the walls and cabinets can go a long way to helping you complete your RV bathroom remodel. White is one of the most common colors for redesigned to choose from, but any light color works well. Once the room feels a bit brighter and more open, you can use contrasting colors to create some visual interest.

One common tactic is to paint the walls and cabinets a light color and then use a dark countertop for contrast. This will give the bathroom a sleek and modern feeling!

Update the fixtures

Going along with the theme of updating old features, let’s talk about bathroom fixtures! This includes things like cabinet handles, towels racks, the faucet, and even the toilet paper holder. Fixtures are basically any little accents that complete the functionality of the bathroom.

Again, many people tend to overlook these when doing remodels. They are very small details, but they can be quite effective when they match the decorating style of the room. So if you’re going for a more industrial look, you might use stainless steel fixtures. On the other hand, if you want a more rustic and vintage look, rose gold or copper might be the way to go!

Updating the fixtures also gives you the chance to install the items you prefer. If you prefer door handles over simple knobs, you can do that! If you don’t like the existing faucet and want to replace it with a special one, you can do that as well. There’s a lot of flexibility built into this step and it’s fairly cheap to update these small accents.

Decorate the shower and sink area

Now that the base of the bathroom has been dealt with, you can focus on the fun part of an RV bathroom remodel. Showers are fairly utilitarian in an RV, but you can change that! There are lots of options here, such as creating frosted glass, adding tiles to the shower, and installing baskets for soaps.

In most cases, the sink could also use a splash of color. Backsplash is a common and easy way to decorate the wall behind the sink. There are countless options when it comes to color, pattern, and materials. If you want to go the extra mile, use some cute soap holders or fake plants to tie the whole area together.

Sinks and showers are designed to be useful, but that doesn’t mean they have to look boring! Decorating them will make the whole room feel more inviting.

Incorporate patterns

Finally, you can wrap up the RV bathroom remodel by incorporating some fun patterns in the room. There are lots of ways to do this, but it’s usually best to just pick one or two so the room doesn’t look cluttered and cramped. For example, you could use a fun shower curtain, hang patterned towels, and paint designs on the walls.

In some cases, you might even have enough space on the walls to hang a few pictures. Patterns can add visual interest to a room and are a great way to display your personality and style. If you want to make the space seem larger and more vibrant, try painting a radiating design around your mirror. This draws the eye outward and makes the room feel larger.

There are lots of simple ways to remodel an RV bathroom. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune and you will be able to enjoy the benefits for a long time.


RVers looking for valuable how-to information have learned to go to the experts. Forums such as iRV2.com and blog sites like RV LIFE, Do It Yourself RV, and Camper Report provide all the information you need to enjoy your RV. You’ll also find brand-specific information on additional forums like Air Forums, Forest River Forums, and Jayco Owners Forum.

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