On the Road Again

The Rv Market Continues To Innovate With Practical And Thoughtful Designs

BY JENNIFER G. WILLIAMS

he recreational vehicle market exploded over the past few years, with many seeking to satisfy their wanderlust while maintaining social distancing in a grand way. And while industry experts have seen a decline in demand due in part to a softening economy, the RVs being shipped today are outfitted with a wide array of high-end details and thoughtful options for maximizing space — while being ever-mindful of weight. Today’s RVs are a far cry from what they once were, with suppliers seeing a major shift in consumer expectations over the past 5-10 years. In a market that once saw an assembly line of cookie cutter layouts with dark, wood-paneled interiors, RV design production now seems to be mirroring residential design trends — from using mixed metals for hardware to warm neutral tones for cabinets and floors. And companies are using advanced laminates and lightweight materials to achieve new levels of comfort and luxury.

“In the past you saw a lot of conflicting patterns, wood grain colors and RV interiors and now we're seeing an expectation from consumers for a more cohesive and designed interior,” says Erin Curtis, vice president of marketing and development at Genesis Products. “We’re seeing a move towards lighter and brighter colors and a move away from cool grays — much like what we’re seeing in the current home decor market.”

“I think the main shift that we've seen is being able to offer a more cohesive approach to designing RVs and really assisting OEMs in helping them choose the right materials and have everything look consistent,” adds Kayla Niedbala, RV marketing coordinator for Genesis.

“Our product team does a really great job evaluating residential trends and being able to translate that to an RV perspective,” she says. “I think we're definitely moving more towards custom solutions based on the unit and we're able to engineer things in

LEFT: GENESIS PRODUCTS RV INTERIOR — UNITY, MANUFACTURED BY LEISURE TRAVEL VANS a way that makes spaces more multifunctional with things like converting a space in say the kitchen area to become a desk or extra counter space. The engineering portion of that is become more and more important.”

BELOW: NEW DECORATIVE HARDWARE COLLECTIONS FROM GENESIS PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY CURATED TO APPEAL TO RESIDENTIAL TRENDS, FROM ULTRA-MODERN TO CLASSICALLY TRADITIONAL.

BOTTOM: REVEGO FROM BLUM IS AN INNOVATIVE POCKET DOOR SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS SPACES TO BE OPEN WHEN IN USE AND SHUT AWAY WHEN THEY ARE NOT NEEDED. REVEGO IS AVAILABLE FOR DOUBLE AND SINGLE DOOR APPLICATIONS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. MARKET IN 2024.

And being mindful about sustainability is key in today’s market, says Curtis. “Right now, everything that we do is made out of a composite wood, which by its very nature is a carbon neutral product,” she says. “And as we become more environmentally aware as a society, our younger consumers have bigger expectations for sustainability in all aspects of their lives.”

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Lightweight Luxury

Essentially a mini home on wheels, RVs have become a true home away form home, and that includes all the conveniences consumers find in their non-wheeled homes. Some consumers are even swapping their permanent addresses for life on the road and expect the style and comforts of home wherever they may be.

That means incorporating the latest technology and lighting has become as important as finding innovative and creative ways to organize and store items to take advantage of every square inch of space available.

And while some higher-end RV models still use real wood and stone in their design, there has been a definite shift toward what is commonly used in the European caravan market, using high-end composite materials and integrating minimalist design and advanced hardware to help maximize the functional space.

ABOVE: HÄFELE’S FINELINE KITCHEN ACCESSORIES OFFER A SYSTEM OF DIVIDERS, PLATE RACKS, WINE HOLDERS AND OTHER ACCESSORIES WARMLY FASHIONED IN FINE JOINERY AND IS OFFERED IN VARIOUS FINISHES TO MATCH YOUR CABINETRY. THE RAPID PULL-OUT TABLE SYSTEM FROM HÄFELE CAN SERVE AS A BEDSIDE TABLE, EXTRA COUNTERSPACE OR A RETRACTABLE DESKTOP.

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