5 Easy Ways to Update your Brown RV Decor this Weekend
STOP! Put down that paint brush.
Just because your RV interior is brown, dark, and dreary, you DO NOT need to cover every surface in white paint. Seriously, painting takes a lot of time and chances are very high that you won't even like it when you are done since white is a color that doesn't always play well with others. (But that is the topic for another article.)
The brown wood cabinets in your rig are not what it is causing to to be so dark.
Really. It's the soul-sucking, baby-poo brown, matte-finished walls, highlighed by ugly beige carpet, and dreary fake-wood vinyl floors that are at fault. The sad part is that often, the whole interior in perfect factory-new condition.
Don't worry, it doesn't take a lot of money or time to brighten and refresh a dark-brown RV interior.
Grab a friend or two, pick a couple of the five suggestions below and have fun this weekend giving your RV an instant refresh.
1. The power and ease of peel and stick wallpaper
I never thought that my best decorating friend would be peel and stick vinyl wallpaper.
I'm a design snob. Seriously, I can't help it. I was raised by a designer and contractor, and went to interior design school. In those days, none of us would even consider putting vinyl wallpaper on our walls! Then I bought an RV.
Now I live in less than 200 sq ft and have six different wallpaper patterns, on purpose. And it works!
Factory RV walls are not built like a regular house. They are built with sheets of boards with a vinyl layer on the front. DON'T tear this layer off. It is an integral part of the wall construction. You have to either paint it or wallpaper over it. Because our RV spaces are so small we scratch and scrape the walls easily making vinyl wallpaper the better choice. It is durable and easy to clean. And, since peel and stick exists, why not use it?
One bonus of vinyl wallpaper? Light reflects back from the inherent sheen of it's surface and adds freshness to a dingy room.
For a weekend project, start small. Choose something that you see as soon as you enter your rig(like the ends of my dinette) or a space that is really dark and ugly (think a bathroom/water closet). I suggest using something with an all-over pattern - it is easier to line-up on our often less-than-perfectly aligned RV walls, and hides more wear and tear from RV life.
Blues, yellow, greens, cream, and gold tones flatter brown cabinets. Stay away from greys and pure white.
I was so happy when I found the wallpaper for my dinette that I stayed parked in the Target lot and applied it right then.
Whatever space you choose to cover, you will be amazed at the instant difference. It will be lighter and feel fresher. Don't be afraid to use pattern and color. Afterall, you can change your mind later, this paper is removeable!
2. Recover tired dinette seats: Baby crib sheets are my go-to choice
Dinette seat cushions are notoriously ugly.
Yes, there are a lot of ways to recover tired and worn cushions. You can sew your own, hire an upholsterer, or shop online for ready made options on ETSY or AMAZON. But my personal favorite, especially for a weekend makeover, is to use baby crib sheets.
Why Baby Crib Sheets?
- The fitted corners help keep them in place (even if they aren't a perfect fit)
- They are soft to the touch
- They are so easy to remove and wash so that we don't need to worry about pets, spilled food, or, just basic life and it's adventures.
You will have to scroll past a lot of dinosaurs and pooh bears!
I know, most baby crib sheets are designed for a "younger" crowd but I've found some great classics like oxford stripes, gingham checks, Rifle Paper flowers, and overall Dots at POTTERY BARN.
PRO TIP: There are two common sizes of baby crib sheets. I use the the mini-size 38" x 24" option to cover both the seat and back cushions of my dinette. Measure before you shop.
3. Cover the floor with a new area rug (or several!)
I believe that large area rugs are a must have for a happy RV life. For so many reasons. They can:
- Add color and life
- Hide any ugly. old, or worn flooring
- Provide another thermal between the road and our feet.
Choose a rectangle runner for a hallway or kitchen, and a larger size to fill a whole room (space). Choosing a larger size mean you can cut it on-site to fit around corners, stairs. and weird shaped dinettes or sofas for a custom fit. This makes a space look bigger and more expensive, and it can help the rugs not slide around since they fit into place like a puzzle.
PRO TIP: Outdoor rugs are the best choice for the interior of our rigs. They are designed to hold up to life. To clean them, just take them outside, hose them off, then drape them over a picnic table for a quick dry.
4. "Tile" the backsplash and update a faucet
I know, you've already thought of both of these.
Faux tile is almost a right of passage for any home renter of RV owner.
This is one spot in your rig that you can choose almost any pattern: classic subway tiles, bright morrocan designs, stripes, flowers...anything! If you make sure that it includes the tones of your brown cabinets and whatever the counter material, you will know that it works. Because of all the black in my kitchen area, I chose solid black horizontal faux listelli.
RV faucets are pretty much quite ugly.
But don't just go out and buy whatever grabs your fancy. The scale of everything in an RV is smaller than in a stick-built house. Wherever you shop, ask for help. Take a photo and measurements of the sink or basin area. Examine your space. Is there a medicine cabinet the basin faucet needs to fit under? How many holes are in the counter? Don't try to install a trash disposal, side spray, or soap dispenser. There usually isn't any extra room under the counter for them.
RV's don't have great water pressure, accept this. (Again, a topic for another article.)
PRO TIP: Park your rig (trailer or motorhome) in the parking of lot of Home Depot (or your favorite plumbing supply store) when you are changing an RV faucet - especially if you are using a "regular" household style. RV parts are NOT the same as you'll find in a standard house. I suggest you take your old faucet into the store when choosing your new one. This will save multiple trips back and forth, to find suitable hoses and connectors.
5. Don't Forget the jewelry! (aka hardware)
The fastest way to update tired brown cabinets is to change the handles and drawer pulls.
Brown cabinets have a warm-undertone. This means that the you should skip the cool finish of polished chrome but black, bronze, and gold-toned metals look great.
No need to get fancy in your choices here. Find something that feels good in your hand, and avoid handles with sharp corners or ends. Because space is tight in our rigs, we bang into these handles way more than we ever would in a larger space. And no, the drawer pulls and handles do NOT need to match the exposed hinges on your cabinet doors. It's okay to start with the handles and pulls now, then change the hinges later, or not.
Don't forget the door handles!
Modernize an old round handle by buying a lever-style option. They look better and are so much eaiser to use.
PRO TIP: Either take an existing drawer handle into the store when you are shopping OR look at the back of the cabinet doors and measure the distance from the center of each screw. This is how you will know if the new handles will fit. Order by this dimension NOT the total width of the handle.
BONUS TIP: Buy some woven baskets to add visual texture AND to hide "stuff"
Charger cables, mittens, dog leashes - they all need a spot to live. The easiest way to corral them in an RV is in good-looking basket. Just dump stuff in and, voila!, it looks intentional. Baskets are also easy to tuck into odd corners or stick on the bed when travelling.
Don't forget to create a Mood Board before you start! It's better to plan ahead to know that your ideas all look great together and that what you want is really in stock and available.
Most of all, relax and have fun. And embrace peel and stick wallpaper, even if you are a bit of a design snob like I was. it's perfect in an RV!
...............
I HAVE A QUESTION: I am trying to decide what products to create to help you refresh your RV interiors.
I truly want to know how I can help you.
Color scheme mood boards? An eBook to on "How to DIY your own RV Makeover"? Everyday design or decor advice?
Let me know in the Comments below. I'd love to hear from you.
Thank you,
Janice T.
👉 SHOP THIS LOOK
Black and white striped wallpaper Livette's Wallper on Etsy
Metallic Crosshatch wallpaper on dinette frameThreshold at Target
Metallic Striped geometric wallpaper in vanity area RoomMates on Amazon
Baby crib sheets on seat cushions TL Care on Amazon
Floor-mounted rotatable table Manufacturers' Select ITC on Amazon
TRIED. TESTED. KEPT.
MY FAVORITE RV LIFE PRODUCTS THAT I'VE TESTED, I USE, AND I RECOMMEND.
I've love the indoor/outdoor rugs from Safavieh, especially the Courtyard Collection
I've been buying them for more than ten years and can testify to their quality and durability. They survived a flood in my previous home, winters outside through storms and snow, and now, everyday life in my RV including red Arizona desert dust, and PNW mud and cedar-tree droppings. They are durable. They come in a lot of shapes and sizes. And best of all, they look great!
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