We rented an RV a couple of years ago to experience RV living and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Ever since returning the rented RV we thought about buying one for ourselves so we could take short and long trips with our two dogs. Life was busy and the timing wasn't right until last month.
After months and months of looking at online listings and YouTube videos of virtual tours we decided on a floorplan that was best for our lifestyle. It is a 24' Class C front-living plan with full-wall slide.
Most RVs come with dark cabinetry. As a home designer that loves white, the dark cabinets were hard to accept. In order to be able to live with dark wood cabinets I had to find an RV that had truly brown real wood cabinets (just in case I wanted to paint them in the future). A true brown would work well with grays and the yellow-green I love.
The dinette is an important area. It has to be multi-functional and comfortable, and for me, it has be good looking. I removed the back cushions and replaced with several feather filled pillows. The table is an unattractive plastic laminate so until we replace it with a rustic wood top I'm keeping it covered with a white tablecloth.
My husband and I are both self-employed so having a work area is really important when we are "vacationing". We often mix business and pleasure so having a comfy area that can fit both of our laptops is a must. Here is a snapshot of our mobile office area.
Cooking on the road is a big perk for us. I actually like to cook so having a real kitchen, although tiny, is important. The space needs to be work well and be minimized. Here a few products which I think are must haves to maximize space and functionality.
This rack is great! It is versatile. It can be a drying rack and also double as usable counter space.
These mats are much more absorbent than towels. It collects run off from the washed dishes. The only downside is that it takes a bit if time for it to dry out after getting very wet.
The hooks made for hanging over cabinet doors are mega useful. They can be used on cabinet door and drawer fronts. Great for dish towels. If you have closet doors they hooks can be used on the inside and the outside for jackets, dog leashes, bags, etc.
On a fun note, an outdoor rug is useful because most camp sites are dirt. So having a rug at your doorway helps keep the dirt out (or mud on rainy days). I like the recycled plastic rug because it does not absorb water. You can sweep off the dirt easily. The colors are often bold which is a great way to jazz up your campsite. Here is the link for the one I got.
Let's not forget about cooking. Cast iron skillets are perfect for over the fire cooking and using on the camper kitchen stove. We use ours daily. The Lodge brand is American made and is good quality.
Julie Fergus, ASID is a home designer working with clients in New Hampshire. Home base is Wolfeboro.