RV interiors - may not interest the men

WI

M Wilkie

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
1,350
Location
Michigan
One thing that we really like about our little RV is the bright white cabinets. They make the small space seem larger and don't try to imitate real wood. Design trends have shifted to lighter interiors (think white kitchens), but the RV industry still seems stuck in the brown interior groove for the most part. Only some of the higher end products are changing it seems. I wonder why this is? Many people end up painting over their brown walls with good results.
http://www.houzz.com/rv-interior
 
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I know everyone has their preferences but IMO, painted wood is horrible.

I totally despise painted wood in house/camper cabinets, trim, etc. To me, it just looks phony and cheap.

Again, just my opinion, however, if you like it, that is OK with me.
 
But much of the "wood" in RVs is rarely real wood. It is photographed wood look. Maybe most people don't notice. And even medium colored "wood" darkens the interior and makes it look dated and small. Just my opinion. We live in norther Michigan where so many people have used wood paneling in their homes. Unless it is real knotty pine it looks awful and turns many people off, especially younger people. Different strokes for different folks as they used to say.
 
My two favorite woods are oak and cherry....with the least favorite being knotty pine. Never been a fan of wood paneling.

It's wonderful we all have different tastes and varying opinions or it would really be a dull and boring world ~ everyone would only want one size/type of spouse, one brand for a vehicle and we'ed all have an identical camper.
LOL
 
I like birch and maple. We have red oak floors in our home and refinished them with Bona natural -light. But you would hate our kitchen cabinets. They are real wood painted black at the factory. But birch butcher lock counters. Lol!


https://flic.kr/p/LWTWm2
 
:) yes, I would not like your cabinets. Nothing is more beautiful that the warmth and beauty of natural wood with the intricate grain giving character.
 
Just so you don't think you are alone in your preferences ;O) … I LOVE the white cabinetry in our trailer !! As soon as I stepped into it 5 years ago I knew it was the one :O).
Maybe it's because I'm a Florida/California girl and I like my house and trailer bright and as open to the outdoors as possible with an open floor plan .
It makes our tiny trailer look twice as big inside .
We added some additional cabinet doors on some of the blind corners that were hard to get to and it was easy to match the color paint and find similar hardware .
I've met some other folks in campgrounds with the white interior , so we are not alone ;O) .
Nora and Gary
 
Thank you Nora! I'm glad we agree on why we love our trailer interiors. I just don't understand why many of the newer trailers have not followed this very popular design trend. You do see more of it in high end trailers. Women love white kitchens. But the up-north home we bought a few years ago has natural pine trim throughout. We never considered painting it white. It goes with the location of the house perfectly. But we are thankful no one put paneling on any of the walls.They are drywall with a skim coat of plaster over them...really smooth.
 
2008 160x, I actually have it listed for sale, but I just took out this last weekend, our family of 4 (all of us this time!!) and fell in love again, just sad it will be my only time out this year with it.....that was why I had it for sale, just seems sad it can't see more camp time. I'll store it again over winter and hope the kids sports seasons allow a little bit more next year
 
Sorry. Seems like sports rule families lives nowadays. We didn't play sports but we spent all of our free time outside playing, hiking, fishing and just being. But it's an expensive item to just sit there.
 
We love all that too but it does take the back seat to sports, my daughter started volley ball in middle school now too, my son and daughter both play travel baseball and softball and love it so I find it hard to say, no sports for you we're going camping, ultimately both activities are for them, but I'm the one who loves camping the most so I'm the one that has to accept that. I still will camp when I can and if I keep the price higher it'll stay with me longer, friends of mine thought it was much newer than a 2008 since the inside was so clean, I'm sure the white cabinets and fabric covers
Helped to make it
Look newer, I also had to remove the wallpaper trim, blah stuff ....
 
Yes, understand. Sounds like you have done some of the things we did too. That wallpaper border had to go! We feel that we have enough storage without opening up and areas that weren't already for storage since we just camp for a few nights at a time. For longer trip we could store clothes in the back of our Liberty I guess. But I know many have opened up those speaker bays at the ends of the overhead cabinet. And we left the bunk over the bed intact just for more storage. We keep an extra blanket, a toaster, the propane coffee maker, a little electric heater, the electric coffee maker, a portable fan, some books, etc. we left the thin mattresses in there for padding. Works great. I don't think making it into a shelf is utilizing it better.
 
I think I'd also just leave as is. I just did cosmetic things and the lift since my tow vehicle was so tall. I do enjoy the lift although it makes it a big step up into the trailer, it could be solved if I bought a new step to put on it, but for now I'm good with my little portable step stool that was multipurpose :) I also took the shower curtain out of bath since if I need a shower I'd likely just use the outside one anyhow. Do you feel a lot of pull with the liberty? I had a traverse and mine did have a lot of pull and tug feelings, but now it's like it's not even back there. I also don't have electric brakes with my model and not sure about yours. I think if I did anything else to mine it would be a cover for the gas stove to allow more counter space. I had a serving tray over it last year, but I used it for something else and didn't have it in the camper this last weekend. I have moved my stuff around a little and bought a couple items for most of my storage since I cook outside 100% of the time, it just made it easier.

Here is my stool- holds bug spray and cleaners
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stack-On-20-Step-N-Stor-Tool-Box-Red/14958236

and this now holds my plates, cups, bowls (paper and plasticware), storage containers, utensils, can openers, measuring cups, anything I'd want to have to serve a meal or help prepare. I figured if I sold my camper, I'd still be able to tent camp until I found another camper and the time :) Meanwhile I use my drawers for extra batteries, foil and cling wraps, baggies and such. I use my closet for extra TP, Paper towels, camp forks, lights, trash can etc. In my bath when not using I keep my broom and my laundry line (which came in so handy!) https://www.walmart.com/ip/Honey-Can-Do-X-Frame-Folding-Metal-Drying-Rack/21958250

I think after just a year I have how I like it down and the items I actually use vs just to have. I recently sold a little from my camper stash that others said "you need this" after being out and about, I didn't really use so why take......

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Keter-Ma...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n
 
You've got three great products there. We never have used the shower. It's just so tiny and so far the State Parks and other campgrounds have them. We could utilize that shower better with that drying rack for the other towel. Now it just hold the big plastic pitcher that I collect the dishwashing water in after I wash the dishes. Then we use it to flush the toilet. The Dawn in the water is s great grease cutter for the black tank. We still get enough gray water from rinsing dishes, etc. our 189 has a double sink with a sink cover that I can put on the burner when I do dishes. A microfiber mat with one of those Camco dish drainer combos works fine for just the two of us. My photo gallery has pictures of some of our closet mods, etc. again, I love your three product ideas and the fact you raised the coach
Actually our Liberty has done a great job pulling the 189. We don't have real mountains in Michigan but we do have some pretty big hills in places. It tracks really well and doesn't seem to struggle much at all. Gas mileage is about 14.6 pulling and only 20 not. We do have brakes and a brake controller and an equalizer hitch.
 
nice idea about the dish water! I never thought of that one but I had a friend that had to do the bag of ice and dawn down the potty when she didn't do her full hookup right (left drains open the whole time). I use the outdoor shower for washing dishes unless I have just a few. This last weekend I used up some paper products and saved on time. I use a grill to cook on unless we want smores and apple pies :) I agree MI doesn't have more than a few hills in the middle of the state and I don't venture very far with mine yet. Hubby isn't a camping fan and if I take a "real" vacation to see stuff I want him with us. The fact that he went with the kids and I last weekend was HUGE and I loved he was there. It was a rare incident for sure :)
 
We have some nice hills between us and Cadillac and we found some good ones in the north east on our way to the Rogers City area. We take the back roads if possible. More to see. There is a video showing how the ice cube trick is really useless. Makes sense to me that it didn't do much. The installed sprayers or after market sprayers seem to be the best choice. I have put a cup of Dawn and a cup of liquid Calgon down the toilet when partially full too. Then drive around to shake it up some and dump. The Calgon makes things slippery. Lol!
 
Hi,

Just found this post - I LOVE the white cabinets! I've had a lot of visitors complement them when they stop by, too. I love painted wood, anyway LOL, I painted my old, dated oak cabinets in my home white, and it made such a difference in my kitchen - it looks twice as large. I have beautiful hardwood floors (real) and that's plenty of wood :)

I have to say, I use my shower every time we camp. I have a 189FBR so maybe it's larger than yours, but I re-did it and altered the shower curtain rail and there is plenty of room in it now. Even my 200+ lb, 6'3" husband now prefers it to the public showers. I love the luxury of taking a hot shower, and getting dressed in my own private, clean space. Don't have to wear shower shoes haha I have a post about it here - Wacky Pup I've done tons of mods, even painted my ceiling like clouds, but I won't paint over the white cabinets LOL

Liz
 
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