It never ceases to amaze me how talented people are at renovating their vintage campers. It just goes to show that you simply cannot judge a book (or travel trailer) by its cover. If you’re interested in bringing your vintage camper back to life, check out these stylish and budget-friendly ideas!

Check out what this RV owner did in just 2 short months with her 20ft 1974 Skyline Nomad.

Paint the RV Interior

The first (and fairly easy) step of any successful RV remodel is paint.  A fresh coat of paint makes everything old look new again! In this case, Afton used white paint and shiplap to create a bright, neutral palette for the interior of her camper.

Just a few quick notes on painting the RV interior:

• Preparation is key. Take the time to clean all surfaces well. Use something that will clean off all oils and residue.
• Always use primer. Primer is critical to creating a base for your paint to adhere itself to. This is especially important if you are drastically changing the wall color or painting over wallpaper. 
• Give each coat adequate time to dry. Peeling paint is often a sign that you didn’t allow each layer to dry before applying the next one. Also, lesson learned the hard way: peel all your painters tape off before the paint dries. Yes, you will have to use more tape for the next layer, but trust me, it is better than peeling away your hard work later.

Easy RV Mods: Countertop and Backsplash

Did you see that countertop? I love the warmth it adds to the room! Here are a few pointers to make this type of counter last as long as possible:

• Seal it thoroughly. Wood can gather germs, grow mold, stain, or even warp in shape when exposed to moisture. To counteract these unwanted effects, you’ll need to seal your butcher block countertops immediately following installation and on a monthly basis afterward.
• Don’t use it as a cutting board. Don’t chop directly on its surface. Knife blades can cause uneven wear on certain regions of your countertop.
• Watch this tutorial on making a countertop with flooring…genius!

Updated RV Flooring

Speaking of flooring… Did you know that replacing old flooring is one of the easiest ways of sprucing up the interior of your RV? If you want something that looks like wood, but without the weight, plank-style flooring can be a great option. Mountain Modern Life has a fabulous tutorial on how to do everything from prep through completion.

RV Furniture to Fit

Another thing I really love about this camper remodel is the furniture that fits (and doesn’t overwhelm) the space! And you don’t need to buy furniture made specifically for RVs or campers. You can shop at Ikea or even flea markets to find something unique that works for you.

Custom Artwork

If you are in love with this camper remodel as much as I am, check out some of Afton’s reclaimed wood artwork in her Etsy shop, Vivid Woodworks and follow her adventures in this Skyline Nomad travel trailer on Instagram.

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We finished the living room/kitchen remodel of our RV two months ago, so it’s time for me to work on the next step: the RV bedroom makeover. I’m sure it is no surprise that our bedroom is brown, on brown, on brown. Actually, there is even a little black and tan mixed in too.

I definitely plan to add a little more color with paint, curtains, and new bedding. In search of inspiration, I turned to Instagram and hit the jackpot! Here are some of my favorite ideas.

Paint

Painting over my tan wallpaper will be the first step I take. Just look at what a huge difference it made for Mandy Wilson’s RV makeover!

She also added a sliding barn door painted a deep blue to add a nice pop of color. Follow her on Instagram to see more photos as they’re posted!

Curtains

We have two little windows on each side of our bed with drab tan shades and blac faux leather valances. They have got to go! I adore these striped navy curtains Thuy Ellison used in her RV renovation. I love how lightweight they are to allow the light to come in when the shades are up.

She used the same material over the dresser and large window as well. Head over to her Instagram to see the rest of her amazing RV interior remodel!

Click here for a tutorial on how to make no sew curtains. 

Headboard  & Window Boxes

I’m in awe of the work Mandy and Thuy have done to transform their RVs. I don’t think I’m brave enough to have quite that much white in my space. I’m going to use this idea from Stacy.

Check out her video tutorial below — the bedroom view is at the 5:20 mark. Better yet, click on the video and subscribe to her channel. She has some AMAZING ideas for decorating and organizing the RV.

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If you’re thinking of remodeling your RV or even just sprucing it up a bit, you know it can be costly. We tried to stick to a budget during the process. In this article I’ll share our itemized costs, as well as a few tips for saving money.

Before & After Video

Want to skip the article and cut to the chase? Watch this short 3 minute video where we briefly discuss the costs and share before & after views of the RV.

RV Remodel Costs

Below I’ll explain what we accomplished during our mini RV renovation and makeover with the cost by category.

Paint

The first step to brightening up our RV was to paint over the beige and brown wallpaper. I used two coats of Glidden Gripper Primer and two coats of Glidden paint in eggshell finish. I also painted the wood trim on our valances with Glidden paint in satin finish. The total cost for the primer, paint, and paint supplies (brushes, pans, tape, drop cloth): $106.

Click here to see my article on Painting Over RV Wallpaper.

Curtains

The next step was to make no sew curtains. I purchased fabric shower curtains and used heat bond tape to shorten the hem. I also used fabric shower curtains to cover the sliding glass door over the deck in our toy hauler and the loft space. I needed 5 fabric shower curtains for the project. The total cost for the curtains, tension rods, and rings: $150.

Click here to read my post on options for Updating RV Window Treatments. It includes a tutorial on making no sew curtains and other inexpensive options.

Backsplash

The backsplash that came with our RV was metallic brown and was falling down. Since the RV kitchen is really in the main living area, I decided I wanted to create a focal point with my new backsplash. I painted the panel pieces I purchased a bright teal that was also in my new curtains. Cost of new backsplash tiles (I already had the paint and supplies): $80.

Click here to see pictures of my changes, as well as other options to renovate your RV kitchen.

Décor

After painting and adding curtains, I purchased some decorative items to provide some pops of color. This included a new cutting board, wall art, rope trim, and more. I could have saved here, by making some simple DIY items, but I got a little carried away shopping. Total cost of new décor: $251.

Furniture

The most expensive part of our overall RV remodel was the furniture. We originally had a long brown 5-cushion sofa. I didn’t like it because half of it was directly across from the kitchen area. I decided to replace with recliners and a drop leaf dining table with chairs. After extensive shopping for recliners, we decided to purchase theater seating from Camping World for $1,755. It includes two electric recliners (with heat and massage) separated by a center console.  I purchased the perfect sized drop leaf table from Ikea for only $140. Finally, a friend of mine was selling two chairs she was replacing for only $60. Total cost of new furniture: $1,955.

Total Cost of Living Room/Kitchen Area Remodel: $2,542

While this may seem like a lot of money for such a small area, it really made it more functional for us. There are several ways to save money and achieve a very similar remodel. I’ve listed them below.

Ways to Save on an RV Remodel

Coupons & Sales

One tip that my friend and design consultant, Lisa Brown of Always on Liberty shared with me was to use coupons. You can find these the traditional way by getting a local Sunday paper and going through the sales flyers, but an easier way is to download the stores’ apps. Every store we shopped at had an app that provided coupons and notified you of sales. Most of them provided a special one-time coupon for downloading the app as well regular weekly coupons.

In addition to coupons, most stores have a bargain bin or special sales rack for things they no longer stock. When I went shopping with Lisa this is the first place she looked for items. Keep a list of things you’re looking for with measurements so you can be ready to jump on those good deals! My main problem here was being impatient. I wanted everything right away. Lisa was much smarter about her RV makeover and waited until an item was on sale to purchase it.

DIY

Another way to save money on an RV makeover is by making your own décor. There are so many fabulous tutorials on Pinterest if you are looking for ideas. For example, I could have saved more money by purchasing fabric using coupons and making my own curtains, but I fell in love with the fabric shower curtains that I ultimately used.

Furniture

As I mentioned above, our biggest ticket item was the tricked-out theater seats that Sean picked. Originally I had selected a similar option for only $599 (a savings of $956), but they were manual. Seeing how Sean is still working while we are traveling full-time (click here to read about how we earn an income on the road), we decided we could afford to splurge on this big ticket item.

Design Help

One of my favorite websites is RV Inspiration. It is filled with tons of ideas to help make your RV feel more like home. I was totally inspired by her article, Beach Themed RV Makeovers. She also has a fabulous book on RV organization and storage called Create Space From Thin Air: Ideas For Adding Storage To Your RV. This full-color, 36-page e-book will help you discover new potential storage space in your RV or tiny home! With over 75 color photos and 60+ ideas for storing and organizing, you cannot go wrong here.

The book includes:

• Ideas for adapting solutions to fit your needs
• Ways to make use of vertical space for storage
• Tips for finding and utilizing empty space
• Ideas for modifying furniture and built-in spaces to add extra storage
• Step-by-step action plan to help you discover the best storage solutions for your space

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