5+ Ways To Renovate Your RV Interior

An RV is the ultimate home away from home. It has everything you need to be comfortable and can be taken wherever you wish to roam. The real problem is that these homes-on-wheels often don’t feel like home, at least by default.

Older models tend to be outdated and falling apart. Meanwhile, newer RVs are often bland and lifeless. Many times, floorplans can be improved and furniture can be made more comfortable, and a little splash of color helps almost any RV interior.

If you’re looking to renovate your RV interior, you may feel a bit overwhelmed as you consider options. If you aren’t sure where to begin with such a project, we recommend checking out the options below to find inspiration for making your trailer or motorhome the getaway space of your dreams.

1. Switch up the RV furniture

One of the first things many people do when renovating an RV is switch out the furniture. This is not a bad idea at all. Changing the furniture can give your RV interior an entirely different feel.

It can also help remove old, stale smells and provide more comfort to you and your family as you travel. Best of all, putting new furniture in your RV gives you the freedom to rearrange, choose new types of furniture, and really tailor your RV to your needs.

Need some ideas for how to find the perfect RV furniture? Check out our tips below!

Find the right seating

You will of course need some sort of comfortable seating in your RV. You could replace your couch with another couch, and in many cases this is the perfect thing. However, there is also the option of replacing your couch with chairs or recliners.

In order to ensure you can get furniture through the small RV door, you might consider shopping at IKEA (check out some of our favorite options here). If you have a motorhome and need to make sure the furniture you buy is travel-safe, try Flexsteel instead.

When picking your seating, consider other needs as well. Need more sleeping space? A sleeper sofa or futon might be best. Want more storage? Some ottomans and couches offer additional storage.

Change up your table

Dinette seating is fine if that is what works for you, and recovering the seating and adding coordinating pillows might be just the thing to spruce up your space.

However, it is important to keep in mind that there are other options. Folding tables and extending tables provide plenty of space to eat while also offering additional floor space when meal times are done.

Another option is to build a small bar across a wall and add stools, saving a lot of floor space while still holding onto some permanent sitting spaces.

Add something new

When replacing your furniture, consider what you want to put back in. Some people don’t actually need a table and can easily get by with TV trays.

Meanwhile, there are RVs that come with two couches, and many find that excessive. There’s a good chance that you’ll remove one thing and want to replace it with another thing entirely.

For instance, some people like to add:

• A dedicated office space
• More sleeping space
• More food prep space such as a custom island, extended countertop, or rolling coffee or food prep cart.

2. Change up the walls

RV walls are notoriously bland, if not downright ugly. Because they’re the backdrop for your entire living space, it can be really hard to overlook the walls, and changing them up a bit can make a world of difference.

Here are some ideas for how to do just that.

Grab some paint

The first and most obvious solution is to grab a can of paint and a paintbrush. Some people will use bright colors, while others prefer muted tints. We’ve even heard of people painting an entire wall with chalkboard paint or magnet paint, providing a fun creative surface where tons of personal details can be added and changed regularly.

The only problem is that painting RV walls and cabinets can be difficult. The slippery covering used on these surfaces doesn’t hold paint well, meaning sanding and priming are key. Check out these tips and these instructions to learn more.

Put up a backsplash

Don’t want to do a full paint job but still want to add a bit of character to your walls? A backsplash in the kitchen and bathroom can help a lot. Better yet, adding a backsplash is a surprisingly simple and inexpensive project. Here are instructions on how to tackle the job.

3. Replace the RV flooring

The floors in a travel trailer or motorhome can get pretty gross, especially if they happen to be covered in carpet. If your floors have seen better days, replacing them might be just the thing you need to do to make your RV look and feel like home.

We recommend avoiding carpet, as it tends to gather dirt during camping trips and vacuuming isn’t always possible when power isn’t readily available. Instead, look into the many hard flooring options out there.

Some people like the big sheets of vinyl like the ones used in these flooring replacement instructions. Others prefer floating vinyl plank flooring. Many caution against using peel-and-stick tiles as they tend to shift during travel, causing problems down the road.

4. Re-cover your windows

Windows are a major focal point in any home. Unfortunately, many RVs sport some seriously unattractive window coverings. If you are one of the many unlucky RV owners to have these ugly window dressings in your home-on-wheels, we highly recommend replacing them as soon as possible.

What you replace your window coverings with is of course entirely up to you. We love these shades from IKEA, but many people prefer to purchase RV-specific day/night shades or make coverings of their own.

5. Small projects

The four major changes listed above will make a huge difference in how your RV looks and feels on the inside. That said, you don’t have to stop there. There are plenty of small projects you can do that add personal touches and create that cozy feeling we all want to have in a home.

Some of our favorite ideas are:

• Replace faucets and sinks
• Replace cabinet hardware
• Replace door knobs
• Hang artwork
• Change the shower curtain
• Change the bedspread
• Add pillows to the couch
• Throw down some rugs

For more RV interior renovation ideas, check out our previous post on 8 Ways To Instantly Make Your RV Cozier.