Whether you choose to live in your motorhome full-time or just go on regular motorhome trips, chances are you will spend quite a few days and nights in your motorhome. And in a cosy campervan, that's even more fun. Decorating a motorhome really doesn't have to be as complicated as you might think. Whether you have a factory-made motorhome or a home-made one. Factory motorhomes are completely 'finished' but are often a bit daft. A personal touch is still missing. And suppose you've bought a second-hand self-built motorhome, or you're building one. Then you do want to put your own spin on it, right?
If you live in your motorhome, like me, it's especially nice to create a cosy atmosphere inside. After all, you're in it every day! I have a factory motorhome myself and very easily managed to create a very homely atmosphere with small modifications. Since you are often stuck with the colour palette of the factory motorhome, I chose one accent colour. Other than that, I used the colours of the motorhome. In my case, the accent colour is "monstera green" (just look at my curtains) and the base colours are brown, beige and grey. This prevents it from becoming a carnival - it's still a small space, of course.
I fully understand that not everyone is super creative or, like me, blessed with a mother who sews your curtains. That is why I have always come up with a 'creabea' and an 'easy does it' version for these three tips. So you can decorate your motorhome very nicely even with your two left hands.
Factory motorhomes often have very simple and, above all, boring curtains. Things that add nothing but do the job. And there are quite a few windows in such a motorhome, so you can imagine that with a different curtain fabric you immediately have a completely different motorhome!
How. Pick a cosy fabric. Plain in your favourite colour or dare to go for a cool print (see my curtains)? If you keep the rest of the motorhome calm in terms of colours and furnishings, a print will make you stand out. I bought my curtain fabric at a DIY store.
Get behind the sewing machine or look really sweetly at your mother, neighbour or grandmother. Use a rod or one of those plastic-coated steel wires to hang up the curtains easily. Don't want any fuss? Then buy clamps with a ring attached, which you simply slide over the rod or steel wire. Tadaa!
Buy ready-made curtains and a shower rod that can be adjusted in size. Chances are the curtains are a tad too long, but that is quickly solved with ready-made hemming tape. You fold this hem band between the curtain fabric and do this with a damp tea towel and an iron. Thread your curtain on the rod and slide (or twist, they are all different) it between the frame.
A cosy rug on the floor immediately creates atmosphere. It is also comfortable, as most motorhomes have a vinyl floor, which can sometimes feel a bit cold. Especially in winter, or early in the morning when the sun has not yet warmed up your motorhome. If the weather outside is wet, do keep in mind to put the rug away, or wash it. I myself have a sheepskin rug that I normally have on the sofa. But in the morning in winter, it's on the floor. It's just heavenly when you're barefoot making coffee!
Go wild in the bazaar, DIY store or buy some nice wool online and start crocheting a rug. You can find lots of free patterns on Pinterest. What also works just fine: crochet a row until you are at the width of the narrow piece of your camper floor, and from there go the length. That way you have a custom-made crocheted rug.
Buy a cosy rug, but pay close attention to the size. It's not easy to find rugs that will fit in the narrow aisle of your motorhome. I can tell you by now that a sheepskin rug looks very cosy, but low cupboard doors or drawers don't open easily anymore. Sometimes you can also buy rugs from the roll, which you can cut or trim to the exact size of your motorhome. Ideal for winter. Does the weather get nice? Then just roll it up and put it in the garage.
Cosiness in a house often equals flowers, figurines, pots, candles, dings and dangles. But then again, that house doesn't move and is a lot bigger than your motorhome. In a motorhome, it is especially important that everything is fixed and does not fly through the air as soon as you take the roundabout just a little too tightly. The solution for your motorhome? Nanotape. I use it all the time, and many vanlifers do too. You can buy this online from several online shops. Unfortunately, I have never seen it in shops, but it might also be available at a DIY store.
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Get started with macramé, or crochet. You can make the most beautiful pendants or flags, for example, and the internet is full of free patterns and ideas. For example, I made a hat pendant out of macramé (see picture above or on my Insta account). Or get to work with air-drying clay and make a holder for a tea light. I will try to make a small pendant lamp with this clay myself. On the beach you can find lots of shells, you can easily make holes in these using sharp nail scissors or a small drill and make a pendant out of them with fishing wire.
Buy a cosy fake candle (you know, with one of those little flames that just flickers for real) and stick it to the table with a piece of nanotape. Or other cosy things like a small pot with a succulent plant in it. Or a fake plant of course. This is how I brightened up my cabin with a garland of fake flowers (see picture below or on my Insta account)!
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My name is Claire (35) and I live in my Adria camper van. As an independent entrepreneur in online marketing, I can work from anywhere in the world. As long as the sun is shining (good for my spirits as well as electricity) and I have a hefty pile of local gigabytes of internet, you won't hear me complain. For the past few months, I have been living, working and holidaying a bit in Spain with my camper van.
In this series, I take you on an adventure. Here you can read all about travelling, living and working in your motorhome. Would you like to follow all my adventures? Check out my Instagram on @typicalcamper.