Complete RV Remodel Under $1200: Before & After (with pictures!)

With an older RV, camper trailer, or travel trailer, it can be difficult to see beyond mauve carpet, a worn couch, and a yellowed bath/shower. Taking on a full update is no simple task, which is why we found ourselves so inspired by Missie Linson’s 2005 Dutchman Denali.

Not afraid to take on a project of this size, Missie painted, put up new wallpaper, added stick-on tiles to the kitchen, and completely revamped her bathroom–all for $1200.

We think you’ll enjoy a peek into this remodeled RV.

Kitchen

When we first saw Missie’s remodeled kitchen we were immediately drawn to how she used wood, stain, and polyurethane to create a beautiful countertop.

It’s an affordable way to give a kitchen a modern look, pairing so well with white, gray, or a colored cabinet.

Before

During

After

Living Room

Brand-new gray faux wood floors, new molding around the slide-out, and brand-new furniture, Missie’s new living room underwent a total transformation.

One of the common features of a 2005 Dutchman is the glass-door cabinets (we have them on our model as well!) so how was Missie able to modernize the look? She opted to keep the glass fronts, but just paint the cabinets white. Check out how great it turned out.

Before

After

Bathroom

The bathroom turned out to be the highlight of this remodel. The gray painted cabinets, stained wood countertop, and vessel sink (or sit-on-top sink) look amazing.

She refinished the bathtub/shower combo with Rust-Oleum’s Specialty Paint For Plastic Spray, turning it from a yellowed-look to bright white.

Before

After

Bedroom

Fresh wallpaper, paint, and bedding gives this bedroom a completely new look.

We love how Missie removed the cabinets and replaced them with small, rope-handled baskets, creating a functional way to store odds and ends.

Before

After

Lighting

Before and After

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My husband and I have been married for 31 years, we have one daughter, son-in-law, and identical twin granddaughters.

I am always doing some kind of project around the house. I enjoy remodeling projects and I like the challenge of it. Before the camper remodel I recently just finished remodeling our house, LOL.

I always am doing something.

Along with spending time with our family, we love to camp, ride motorcycles, and fly fish. 

Did you buy an RV to renovate or did you already own it?

When we bought it I knew I would eventually renovate it.

Why did you decide to renovate instead of buying it already completed?

The cost for one, and also I wanted to make it our own with the style that we like.

I love doing this kind of thing so for me buying one already completed wasn’t even a thought. 

Did you have a budget in mind before you started? Did you stay under it or go over it?

I did have a budget in mind.

I wanted to stay right around $1000.00 and ended up going over by around $200 which isn’t too bad I don’t think. 

Do you travel with your RV or do you have it parked?

We travel as often as we can.

I have a full-time job and we own a motorcycle shop so our travel right now is limited to weekends and vacation times.

But, eventually we would love to travel for more extended periods. 

How long have you been RVing?

We have been camping in various different ways for years, tents, pop-ups, small campers, etc.

This is our first larger travel trailer and it is a 2005 Dutchman Denali.

Was it easier or more difficult than you thought?

Honestly, it really wasn’t either one.

I had a vision of how I wanted it to look and because I am always doing some kind of “project,” (LOL), I knew some things were going to be more difficult and some things would be easier. 

What was the most intimidating thing before you got started?

There really wasn’t one.

I knew some things would be hard and some easy but neither intimidated me. Once I got my husband fully on board with letting me do the remodel, I couldn’t wait to get started on it. 

What was the hardest part of the whole renovation?

I would say the hardest part was removing all the carpet.

Getting all the staples out of the floor after the carpet was removed was the hardest.

Would you do anything differently if you started it again?

No, not really.

I think it’s helpful to have a plan, a vision of where you want to go with the remodel.

If you don’t do this before you just dive in and start tearing things out, you’ll realize you’re not sure what you want to do. 

What is your favorite part?

Honestly, I love it all.

I’m not sure I could pick just one part. It turned out exactly how I had envisioned so I am very happy with the final outcome. 

Any favorite materials that’d you’d recommend to someone who wanted to do it too?

Yes, I used Rethunk Junk Paint by Laura on all my cabinets, trim, bathroom door, and the 2 small tables in the camper.

This paint requires no sanding, it is really awesome stuff and so easy to use with multiple colors, stains, and glazes to pick from.

I use this paint on almost all of my furniture/cabinet projects. It can also be used on many different surface materials.

You can check her out at Rethunk Junk.

I also have a friend who is a local retailer of the paint, you can check her out on Facebook as well under Maggy B’s Creations.

A big thank you to Missie for sharing with us her beautiful remodel. Even when you work full-time and have obligations that keep you “home” during the week, having a place to escape to for a few weeks a year and on the weekends is a great opportunity to getaway.

You can find Missie on Facebook as well as Instagram.