An Open & Airy RV Renovation

By Jason and Vikki Feist

We’re a family of four who traded in the typical American dream, sold our home, and hit the road to create a better story of our lives—one filled with intention, adventure, and experience. We had been on numerous camping trips, from tents to RVs, but had no idea what we were getting into as a full-time traveling family, or exactly how incredible this new chapter would be.

Currently traveling across the United States in our 2021 Grand Design Solitude 378MBS-R, we are living larger and experiencing more than ever before!

Although our RV came to us beautifully designed by the manufacturer, we wanted it to feel less like what everyone with the same RV model has, and more like our own space. Having an area unique to our family’s style and needs was essential with our renovation. So after six months of living full time in our new RV, we began the renovation process to make our fifth wheel look and feel like home.

Before

After browsing social media and magazines for inspiration, we knew we wanted our space to feel bright, open, and airy. We really wanted to showcase the large windows throughout the main living space. The original RV furniture was dark, and the backs of the recliner sofas blocked the bottom of the large windows. Since our front yard views are constantly changing, having full access to the windows and bringing in as much natural light as possible was at the top of our list. Additionally, we knew we wanted to swap out the wall-mounted kitchen table and chairs for something that offered more flexibility in seating and storage. Without any RV renovation experience— but with the help of a skilled family member and some faith— we decided the time to renovate was now, so we went for it!

After

Our renovation process started with removing the existing RV furniture, which we were able to donate since it was only six months old. With the goal of creating a more open space, we began removing anything that looked or felt bulky. We started by removing all the valances and trim around the windows, and that alone made such a difference by really opening up the space, making the windows look and feel larger! Next, we removed the bulky slide trim and the chunky fixtures surrounding the fireplace. We also decided to take down the heavier, dark-colored light fixtures above the kitchen table slide and the kitchen island to bring in a simpler design.

Since we are a full-time traveling family, our RV renovation took place while we were on the road. Going without furniture in our main living area for several weeks was interesting, to say the least, but we welcomed the challenge and got creative, sitting on paint cans and using workbenches as tables.

After removing the light fixtures and the wall-mounted kitchen table, we needed to patch several holes. There were also two large holes above the kitchen table slide that needed larger patchwork. After the patchwork was done, the walls and ceilings were prepped for paint with a light sanding, a cleaning, and a coat of primer. Painting the walls and the ceiling white enabled us to create that open and bright feel we were seeking. Covering the pre-existing gray required one coat of primer and three coats of paint. We decided to use paint rollers instead of purchasing a paint sprayer, in an effort to keep things simple and cost effective. Each coat of primer and paint took about 24 hours to dry, and during this time, we worked on other projects.

After

The most exciting part of the renovation was adding texture with cedar boards! We added cedar boards around the slide trim on both opposing slides and across the ceiling to tie in the dark wood cabinets and the new lighter cedar board trim. This was also the most challenging part. Finding good-quality cedar wood boards was rather tricky. For this aspect of the renovation, straight boards without knots or splits are vital because you want a flush mount against the slide trim edges. When cutting cedar boards to the right dimensions, splits or knots along the boards can create severely damaged edges, taking away from the smooth finished look. After numerous trips to local stores without any luck, we finally found cedar boards of excellent quality from a specialty lumber yard.

After the major part of the renovation was done, we spent an additional week finishing off the look by bringing in color and tone with new furniture and a few accents. We are excited to move on to the next phase of our renovation with the kids’ mid-bunk room, then the bathroom and master bedroom in the final phase!

After

We are enjoying the bright and airy feel of our newlyrenovated space and the ever-changing views of our front yard through our large windows. This unique way of life brings us incredible memories, endless adventures, and more fulfillment. We are so grateful that we decided to go all in on renovating our RV and embracing the opportunity of creating a better life with full-time travel. If you’ve been considering remodeling your RV or going all in on a traveling lifestyle, we encourage you to go for it by turning your “someday” into creating your best life today! ■

Stay connected with Jason and Vikki on Instagram @createyourbestlifetoday