5 Ways We Customized Our Camper RV
If you ever stepped foot in an RV, you'd notice the wallpaper covering the walls and the window drapes that look like they belong in a ’70s-style hotel. One of the great things about owning a camper is the freedom to update and customize it to fit many styles and needs.
In January of 2021, we upgraded our original RV for a Heartland Torque 371 and began renovating it to fit our needs as a soon-to-be family of four. I may have been a little insane to think it was a great idea to move into a new RV, fully renovate it at 5 months pregnant and work full time. I soon realized it was a lot to undertake pregnant or not. We are still making some renovations a year and a half later, however, it has come a long way from when we purchased it. Here are the updates that have made the most impact:
1. Customizing the Main Bedroom into a Nursery/Guestroom
My first renovation in our new camper was customizing the main bedroom into a nursery/guest room. I started by ripping out the king-size bed from the room. Once the bed was out the carpet was removed and new flooring was installed. Next, a twin-size bed replaced where the king bed was originally. This can be used to be for guests, but mainly for my mother as she would be staying with us for a few weeks after the baby arrived. The bedroom slide-out had a closet and dresser that were built-in, however, there was no functional use for it so I removed them both. This allowed for a nursery area for the baby which was the perfect size for a mini crib.
2. Updating Window Treatments
One of the easiest ways I updated our camper feel to make it feel more like home was by removing the valances. These were above every window in the camper, so I updated them with curtain rods and curtains. This small camper customization made such a huge difference.
3. Converting the Toy Hauler Room into our Main Bedroom
When we purchased our RV, one of the reasons was to use the toy hauler room as our main bedroom. This process began by leveling the slope in the back of the room and adding insulation to the floors. Then we built the subfloor using plywood, and laid the flooring.
With the help of a family friend, we also created a patio wall/door by framing the opening of the toy hauler room with wood. Insulation was added into the frame, we used drywall to create a wall, and added storm doors. This allowed us to always have our toy hauler door down to utilize the patio and be able to use the room without being exposed to outside elements. We also removed the old seating on the Happijac rails and replaced them with a customized queen-size bed and frame. This moves up and down to allow the room to function as a playroom when the bed isn't used.
4. Updating the Interiors with Wallpaper and Paint
Painting the walls white is one way to make customized RVs feel less outdated. Instead of sanding the walls, I decided to use gripping primer paint which took about three coats to cover the walls completely. Not being a huge fan of painting I prefer to use wallpaper when and where I can. Using peel and stick wallpaper that has cute trendy prints is a unique option to add fun texture and design to the walls. I added marble wallpaper to our bathroom walls along with peel and stick herringbone backsplash above the sink to create a more modern look.
5. Removing our 2nd Bathroom
The toy hauler room was built with a half bath that had a toilet and a small sink in the corner. However, the bathroom was so tiny you’d have to leave the door wide open to use the toilet. Instead of having an impractical second bathroom, the toilet was removed, we sealed off the sewage hole, and capped the waterline to instead use it as a closet.
