After almost 4 years of full-time RV travel, we decided to complete some renovations to brighten up our RV interior. This project included an interior makeover, as well as changing out some of the furniture. Before we got started, we made sure to plan it out and set a realistic budget.
Remodel Vs New RV Purchase
Before the remodel, we had been talking about downsizing for about a year. So why did we decide to remodel the RV instead of trading it in for another? The main reason was financial. We were on track to achieve our goal of being debt free by the end of this year. Buying another RV would have kept us from that milestone, so instead we carved out a bit of the budget to remodel our current RV.
Since we are always budget-minded, we looked for ways to save money as we worked. We also fully documented all our actual costs, so you can see how much it costs to makeover your RV interior.
Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see all of the individual projects and the final costs.
Need Help? No Problem!
I’ll be the first to admit that decorating is not my strong suit. That’s where friends and Pinterest come in handy. I was really fortunate that we were at the same campground as a friend who had recently completed the most amazing interior makeover of her RV. She provided some much needed design advice and inspiration.
Another great place to find ideas for your RV remodeling efforts is Pinterest. I created an RV decor board to help me keep track of things I like. There are many great tutorials that provide step-by-step instructions on Pinterest as well.
Finally, one of my favorite resources is a website called RV Inspiration. It is full of ideas and projects to help organize, decorate, and renovate your RV (motorhome, Fifth Wheel, travel trailer).
So What Was The Plan?
Our plan included 4 main categories for our remodeling effort:
- Paint – We just wanted to paint the walls (not cabinets). No more weird beige pattern wallpaper! Yeah!
- Fabrics – We’re adding curtains and valances in the living area. We’ll also be adding fabric over the black faux leather cornices in the bedroom and garage.
- Furniture – We’re ditching the long dark brown sofa in our living room and replacing it with theater seating and a table/chair set.
- Personal Touches – This is where we’re going to have a lot of fun! We’ll add great splashes of color throughout the RV with a backslash and wall art.
The “Before” Tour
Here’s a video I filmed last year after 3 1/2 years of living and traveling in our RV full-time.
The “After” Tour
Here’s the after portion of the living room/kitchen remodel.
Specific RV Makeover Articles
Updating Your RV Window Treatments
RV Organization & Storage Ideas
Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplash and More
