Last week we shared our final plan for the exterior of the Spotzmobile. This week we can't wait to show you more of the transformation that is happening on the inside. This week we got started with all the fun touches!
The Spotzmobile, our Fifth-Wheel, is a 2008 Keystone Copper Canyon that we have owned for a couple years. It measures 34 feet and has a couple bedrooms with a den, kitchen and bathroom. It has two slides.
The interior was very typical of most campers.... lots of heavy upholstery in brown, earth tones. After our recent painting, we were left with a huge white, blank slate. We couldn't wait to get to work adding the touches that will make the space our own.
Our first task this week was to reinstall all 45 of the newly painted cabinet doors and attach their new hardware. That's a lot of doors, handles and hinges but we made it through! We chose matte black handles that we purchased on Amazon and love how they turned out.
Next we switched out all the old lighting fixtures with new LED fixtures. In case you are new to RV's, camper lights run on 12 volts so they work even when the coach isn't plugged into an electric source. The original lights were standard white plastic camper lights. Some ran on a single wall switch, but most had to be turned on and off with a switch on the fixture. We installed all new LED puck lights mounted in the ceiling throughout the coach and under the cabinets. We also added wall sconces in the den seating area. For the lights that required them, we wired in separate switches to each puck light. See video below of how we did it. We also installed a dimmer switch for the ceiling lights that already ran on a wall switch.
Next we installed wallpaper on the accent walls above the bed in the master bedroom and also on the wall in the hallway leading back to the rear bedroom. We used peel and stick wallpapers that we purchased on Amazon. It was pretty inexpensive and was very easy to install, especially if you have any prior experience hanging regular wallpaper. We chose a black and grey zebra pattern for the bedroom and a grey and white trellis pattern for the hallway.
Since weight is a big issue in an RV, we also used peel and stick tile as a backsplash in both the kitchen and bathroom. In the kitchen, we chose a white subway tile pattern which looks great with all the white cabinets. In the bathroom we picked a grey trellis tile pattern. This will really stand out with our new white vanity (coming soon!). Again prior wallpapering experience helped a little, but this would be an easy project for most anyone.
Also in the bathroom, we refinished our tub and shower unit. Over the years, the finish had turned really yellow and we want to resurface it back to white. We used a Tub and Tile Refinishing kit from Rustoleum that we purchased on Amazon. After sanding everything down, we applied two coats of the epoxy with a roller. The fumes were terrible but the result is worth it. What do you think?
In the master bedroom, we installed beadboard on the back of each of the steps and installed wood trim over all the exposed OSB board. We also extended a section of floor at the foot of the bed to create more room to walk around the bed. With this section, we were able to create some hidden storage space under the floor too! We did this in a space where we had removed an unused cabinet at the foot of the bed. All of these improvements finish the bedroom and preps this room for the new flooring.
Next comes some repair work on the rear slide so we can install new flooring. Stay tuned for that project! Until then, here's a video of all of this week's progress.