I regularly receive emails from fellow caravan enthusiasts (from the UK, all the way to Australia) with questions about Dolly 1 and, more recently, Dolly 2. Very often, they’ve stumbled across my DIY caravan blog posts — or Pinterest pins — and ask for tips on decorating a caravan.
I’m asked what is the best paint for interior caravan walls. How to paint caravan cupboards. And what we used to hang the wallpaper. So finally, I’ve decided to make a little list of tips for decorating a caravan interior.
It’s super simple and the look that can be achieved is fabulous.
I’m going to split each DIY project into various posts. Painting and wallpapering the interior. Then all the fiddly bits like sinks and fittings, the upholstery.
And, finally, revamping the exterior.
There’s way too much content for one post — and there’s also a LOT of photos!!
Whether you have a vintage caravan that you’d like to freshen up or a static caravan that needs an overhaul, these tips should help you create the old ‘new caravan’ of your dreams!
Caravan renovation can seem daunting initially. But over the years, I’ve discovered that if you treat it in the same way that you would any other home DIY project, you can’t go far wrong.
Hopefully, my tips for decorating a caravan for beginners will help you on your way!
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Insider Caravan Inspiration
Whether you have a motorhome, a camper van, or a caravan, you can transform your recreational vehicle into the perfect tiny house on wheels. Ideal for family holidays and weekend getaways.
With a few simple updates (and a little bit of elbow grease) you can turn your van into a cozy place, to kick back and relax.
Keep reading to find out what caravan interior paint to use,
Decorating a Caravan » Part 1
Painting Woodwork and Veneer Covered Walls
The interior of most older caravans and travel trailers — even some new ones — seems to be a sea of brown. Or — worse — orange wood.
In some cases it’s real, in a lot of cases it’s chipboard; covered in a plastic wooden-look coating. The doors in both our vans have been solid wood but the surrounds have been constructed from a veneered MDF.
Either way, it can all easily be given a fresh, clean look with paint. Painting a caravan interior is one of the quickest ways to overhaul a tired-looking van.
How To Paint Caravan Cupboards
You can read my method for painting caravan cupboards plus all the woodwork here in this post.
You’ll find all kinds of info, including on what paint to use for painting caravan cupboards.
Annie Sloan chalk paint would also probably work well if you were after a flat, matt finish.
Especially as it seems to cover most surfaces without the need for priming. That said, although I’ve used it on furniture I’ve not tried it myself on a caravan, so don’t quote me on that!
Painting The Walls and Ceilings of a Caravan
We used the same cupboard makeover paint on the walls — and ceiling — of Dolly 1.
But for Dolly 2 we decided to try a different approach and although we used the cupboard makeover primer to undercoat the walls and ceiling — we did the second coat in standard white emulsion.
This was a triumph.
It saved us quite a lot of money and looks amazing — especially on the ceiling. It gives a lovely matt finish.
You’d expect it to flake or crack but a couple of years on and it still looks fabulous. I’m so delighted with the finish.
We painted all the plastic struts with the cupboard makeover paint first. Tthen went over the whole lot with the emulsion paint and a roller.
Decorating a Caravan
Now, there will be a point — probably when you’re half way though the renovation — that a sense of panic will begin to set in.
Don’t worry!!! This is perfectly normal!!!
Decorating a caravan is fun but can be a bit of a messy job. Particularly as you’ll be working in a very tight space.
Plus it doesn’t help matters if you’re a bit of a chaotic worker (like me). I don’t do things in order. I always start with the very best of intentions. But invariably things start to look like a total bombsite; as I don’t work in a logical sequence. It drives Mr D nuts.
Opening the door to chaos can be a bit overwhelming but — trust me — just work through it. Keep painting. It will look amazing eventually.
To give you a little spoiler alert — these are the kind of scenes that you may be faced with when you’re midway through decorating a caravan.
Not pretty.
And definitely alarming.
When you’ve spent a substantial amount of money on purchasing the van in the first place, it’s a slightly scary prospect to see looking like this.
But stick with it.
Give everything a couple of coats of paint and — bit by bit — the sea of orange wood will begin to diminish.
Eventually you’ll have painted every surface. Apart from the ones that you plan to wallpaper (if you’re going down that route).
Wallpapering a Caravan Interior
We’ve wallpapered both of our vans. Not sure what made me think that wallpapering a caravan was a good idea but it is.
It totally works.
I went for a shabby-chic feel for Dolly 1. It has been said (on more than one occasion) that it looked like Cath Kidston had thrown up on her. But I take that as a compliment.
Here’s how she looked before her makeover.
And after a little bit of elbow grease — a lot of paint — and one roll of wallpaper, she looked like this.
I went for a more graphic Orla Keily-esque look with Dolly 2 and used a range by Layla Faye from Wallpaper Direct.
Pop and have a look at the original post for more info.
What Tools Do You Need For Wallpapering a Caravan Interior
Wallpapering a caravan follows the same process as papering anything else to be honest.
I used standard tools — ruler, scalpel, brush, sponge and a papering table. And on both occasions I used a standard wallpaper paste; Polycell Maximum Strength, if memory serves.
The trickiest thing about wallpapering the interior of a caravan is trying to cut around tricky angles. But apart from that it’s no different from wallpapering a room in a house.
I wallpapered the ceiling in one of our bedrooms a couple of year’s ago so it’s something I’m quite confident doing.
I also quite like working on small surfaces — as opposed to large rooms. So in some respects I find it easier than wallpapering a house.
Some Tips For Decorating a Caravan
Here are my top tips for painting a caravan interior.
Make sure the walls are grease free.
Caravan walls can sometimes get a little greasy, due to cooking in such a tiny space. So making sure you give the surfaces a good wash down with sugar soap is always a good idea.
Paste both the wall and the paper. I always hang the paper from the top edge and trim the overhang at the bottom.
Make sure you smooth the paper down well and buff out with a dry wallpaper brush. This will get rid of any bubbles.
It can look a little bit alarming when the paper is wet. But the bubbles tend to settle down and disappear when the paste is dry.
I remember feeling so nervous when I wallpapered Dolly 1.
Would it be a waste of a £30 roll of paper? Will the paper stick? Would it last?
I had visions of the opening her up after the first winter to find the wallpaper hanging off the walls. Or peeling paint everywhere. But that never happened.
We had Dolly 1 for almost 6 years and the paper and paint looked as good when we sold her as the day it was put on.
So there we have it! A few tips on decorating a caravan. Next time I’ll talk about painting a caravan exterior.
Thanks so much to everyone who’s got in contact about Dolly 1 and Dolly 2. I love receiving your emails and would be thrilled to see how you get on with your own van makeovers.
Please do drop me a line with any before and after photos! Caro xx
Some More Posts on How To Decorate a Caravan
Looking for more tips on how to decorate a caravan? Check out these posts below.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Fantastic this has really helped me with ideas for my oldie but lovely caravan ?
Aaah I’m so pleased!! Send me some pics when you’re done Jacqueline :)
Thank you for the tips and advice, l am getting my first caravan on Saturday and can’t wait to put my stamp on it! So this has definitely been an interesting read x
Good luck Natalie! Send me some pics of your van when you’re finished :)
Both makeovers look incredible!
We’ve just bought our first tourer (2005 model) as a couple with 2 boys age 10 and 8. We’re so excited to begin our adventures. I want to give it a new look without changing everything. Mainly due to cost! Any tips? The furnishings are a burgundy colour. ??
Aaah thanks so much Lisa! If the soft furnishings are plain burgundy, you could just add some coordinating cushions — teal and cream would work really well :) Or if not, cover up with throws or make simple loose covers. I bought a roll of fabric which was enough for both vans.
I’m so happy that I came across your blog. We just got our first caravan and despite it not being dramatically outdated inside I really want it mainly white inside. Thank you for all your tips and advices. All the best from Paula & Maniek.
Hi Paula and Maniek! Thanks so much for your lovely message! Good luck with updating your van — I’d love to see some before and after pics when you’re done :)
Just about to embark on an old caravan makeover project, trying to spend as little as possible on it. Your makeover project is just what I was looking for to convince my husband that it’s worth the effort. The caravan is going to be static as it’s touring days are over and as it was given to us it’s not going to cost us anything to keep at our property. It will be a chill pad for our granddaughters and friends when they visit and an overspill to sleep extra guests. So keep your fingers crossed and I’ll post a photo when finished. We’ve recently cleaned the outside of it as it was green with moss and algae, it cleaned up beautifully.
Hi Yvonne!! It’s DEFINITELY worth the effort!! It’s one of the best decisions we ever made. Turning these dated little tin boxes into a lovely homey space is so rewarding. Good luck! Send me some before and after pics when you’re done! :)
jeg hat kjøpt en endre camingvogn som vi skal pusse opp, så det var spennede å lese dette onnslaget.
Tusen takk for meldingen Marit! Lykke til med oppussingen av bobilen. Send meg noen “før og etter”-bilder når du er ferdig! Jeg vil gjerne se :)
Love your blog! Great job on Dolly 1 and Dolly 2!
Question: everyone seems to paint with a brush. Has anyone tried just taping off the windows and using a paint sprayer?
Hi Patricia, thank you! And yes — I’m sure lots of people have used spray. I don’t have a driveway and wouldn’t be able to do that on the roadside, hence the reason I always use a paintbrush. But there’s no reason you couldn’t :)
Thank you for your tips
Due to rotting wood I have stripped my caravan down and now have a fresh new interior to start rebuilding, never done anything like this before so hopefully it will go ok?
Good luck Eifiona! I’d love to see some before and after pics when you’re finished! :)
Hello Caro!
What paint do you recommend for caravan bathrooms? Would like to paint my sink and the plastic walls.
Any guidance is appreciated :)
Hi Alice, thanks for your message. I have painted plastic walls with an undercoat of Zinsser Bulls Eye — followed by a top coat of my chosen colour. And I’ve also wallpapered the plastic walls too — this works really well. Re the sink — I haven’t (and probably wouldn’t) paint a plastic sink, as ours gets so much use when we’re in the van, and I don’t think any paint is impervious to chipping and wear after time, particularly if it’s getting loads of use. That said, if I was going to do it, I’d probably give it an undercoat of Zinsser, then a topcoat of something like Krylon spray. Not sure how it would hold up with all the use, so I wouldn’t advocate this though, if I’m being really honest!