Five Renovations To Make Your RV Feel Homey Without Power Tools

Tips for Making Your Home-On-Wheels More Homey

1. Plants and Decor 

Tip number one is the easiest one: Decor. The throw pillows and bedspreads that come from the RV factory are usually fairly generic and swapping them out for pieces that better reflect your own taste can go a long way in making your RV feel homey. 

While many people are afraid to remove the factory-provided decor in case they decide to trade in the RV, you can always put them in storage if you’d like more personalized items. It is amazing how much of a transformation can be achieved by simply adding a few well-thought-out blankets, pillows, and rugs. One of the great things about personalizing an RV interior is that a little goes a long way! By incorporating the colors of existing elements, such as walls, cabinets, and flooring, into your design plan, the overall feel of the finished space will be more cohesive, creating a fresh and inviting feeling with minimal effort! 

Another great way to freshen your space is with plants. While plants and RVing might not seem to go together, there are a few ways that you can successfully cultivate a green thumb while on the road. 

Attaching a bit of museum putty/wax to the bottom of your potted plants and other decor items can help keep them in place on travel days without permanently altering the surface. If you would like something a bit more secure for your little plant babies, you could also use adhesive-backed velcro strips to keep the plant in place. Soil-free gardening kits and wall plant systems can also be fun ways to enliven your space with greenery.  

4. Slideout Trim 

The last tip we have for you today is a bit more involved than picking up a few pillows at the local home decor store, but with a few simple tips, this top-requested RV upgrade can be done easily. If your slide-out trim, also known as slide-out facia, has seen better days or you just want to change out its looks, swapping it out for painted or stained wood can be done in an afternoon (without any power tools).  

Most RV trim can be easily removed with a screwdriver and a bit of patience. After the old trim is removed and measurements of the slide-out have been taken, it's time to go shopping. Lightweight wood planks, like cedar or pine, can be cut to length on-site at most home improvement stores. We often use 1x6 pine common boards, sanded, and then stained and sealed, or painted. After the boards are prepped they can be attached to your slide-out using a generous application of construction adhesive and held in place with a few woodworking clamps while the glue dries. Now you have beautiful, custom trim to accent your RV interior design! 

Whether you are traveling in your RV for a three-day weekend, or for months at a time, having the living spaces of your RV really feel like an inviting home makes all the difference in living tiny.  

5. Headboard 

The headboard space above the primary bed is a fanatic canvas to do something fun to personalize your RV and create a more homey space. Want a fun farmhouse feel? Maybe some faux-shiplap is in order! Want to let your inner artist out? It's a perfect canvas for a mural! Feeling a little bohemian? A small wall tapestry or fun woven rug can easily be attached to the wall with picture hanging strips. Wallpaper, geometric feature walls, or rustic wood planks can all be used to create a fun headboard focal point. This small but impactful area is perfect for letting your creativity run wild without having to tackle a massive project.