Homer Bedroom Update
Bedroom Update
One of the most important rooms for Dave and I is the bedroom. We cannot overstate how wonderful it is to fall into bed each night and get a good night’s sleep. It may be because we are aging, but we are done crawling into a bed from the bottom or rubbing our butts along the wall as we try and get into bed. In all the campers we have owned, we have done the bare minimum to get it comfortable for us. For Homer, we went the extra mile and really made it our own.
As you can see from the before photos, the first thing we did was remove those mirrored doors from the couch area. I personally am not a fan of that look and if you have ever tried to clean them, you know how hard it is to get the corners done. Plus, I like to display some of my favorite ‘found’ items from the locations we visit.
Next step was paint and trim. We primed our walls and ceiling with Zinsser stain blocking primer to make sure we had a clean, white surface and no previous wall board pattern would show through. Then two coats of a satin, warm white, wall paint. Dave removed all that formal trim, including the headboard, and we replaced it with basic cedar boards, which we stained prior to installing.
I still wanted some sort of accent wall and love removable wallpaper. There are sooooo many styles and patterns to select from and if you decide to change it out at a later date, you simply peel off the old, and stick up the new pattern. When searching for my choice, I wanted something that would be able to flow seamlessly through all our rooms and wouldn’t be too busy or bright.
Our final step was to paint the cupboards, dresser and doors. I did two coats of Rust-oleum milk paint in
Eclipse for the cabinets and then a good once over with a satin polyurethane. Rust-oleum oil-based paint on the doors with the high gloss finish and our basics were covered and done.
Storage and Organization
Storage solutions and organization are key when living fulltime in a small space, and even if it’s just for a weekend, you have to store all that stuff. Once we had our washer and dryer installed, we needed to make the most of every inch of space we could find. This was an easy, DIY project. We simply added shelves we cut from particle shelf boards supported by the same particle board to support them on the sides. We used this product as it does not seem to bow or bend and cleans up easily with soap and water. I added a few baskets of varying sizes to store my items and basically doubled my space.
In addition to the shelving, we added a Sterilite dresser to our hanging cupboard for additional drawer storage. We don’t hang our clothing, and this works great as we each get two additional, deep, drawers for all the t-shirts we have been collecting on our travels. Final part is an adjustable peg rack to store belts and our most often used jackets. A collapsible laundry basket tucks neatly in the space between our dresser and couch and easily holds multiple loads of laundry.
Doing Double Duty
One of the things Dave and I need is a space to work. Sometimes he might be working at the kitchen table and I may need a space where I can work that’s separate from him. We started by trying to work in the same room with a pop-up coffee table, but it was just too big for our living room, and we were still in the same room. Sigh….. I searched for solutions and found the murphy desk. I had no idea they made such a thing and now I love mine. We attached it to the wall, in studs, and set the height so I can sit on our bedroom sofa and work away. This is the perfect solution for us.
It’s all about the Bed!
If you’ve ever tried to sleep on the mattress that comes with your RV, you know how uncomfortable they can be and then they start breaking down, and it’s even worse. The first thing we did was replace our mattress with one we used in our previous sticks and bricks house. I also wanted our pillows and bedding to be as soft and comfortable as our previous home, and since moving into Homer, have become obsessed with having my bed as comfortable as possible. Since we swapped out our headboard and added in the pine shiplap as part of our update, I found a soft sided headboard that just sits on top of our mattress. Super comfy against the head and the cover is washable.
DUVET COVERS – I have one down alternative comforter I bought and just switch out my duvet cover depending on the season. A darker color for fall/winter and a lighter color for spring/summer. I love that if we get too many dog prints on them, I simply unzip and throw it in my washing machine. It fits perfectly and doesn’t require a laundromat.
In fact, I like this idea so much, I sewed one myself for our sofa cushions. The fabric that came with the RV was stiff and a taupe color that showed every dog print and spec of dirt. I found some inexpensive polyester fabric and basically just made a big rectangle with an opening on one end. I slide it on and if it needs to be washed, just throw it in my washing machine. Comes out great every time.
PILLOW COVERS – I like my bed to have a little “pretty” on it each day and just like my duvet, I use pillow covers to change over my bed pillows from dark to light, based on the season. They fold into little squares and are easily stored in my cabinet with my sheets and other bedding.
Flooring – The one item we kept, initially, was the bedroom carpet. We like a little soft under our feet when it’s cold outside. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for me to learn that it seems to be the cheapest, nastiest carpet they can find. I tried cleaning it and no go. Finally, I ripped it out and installed a vinyl, peel and stick, plank floor. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t move or buckle as we head down the road. The slides go over it easily and we have had no scratches. Still wanting a little softness under our feet, I purchased a set of rugs that I use in both our bedroom and living room. I like the colors and I really like that I can replace it in the event it gets too spotty and I can no longer clean it. (Remember we have those pups). Again, soooo many options to choose from, it can almost be overwhelming
Adding the Pretty
The final step is all the “pretty” I add to make it feel like home. I found the majority of it just by stopping in at Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target and other small-town stores. I also make a lot of my own “pretty”. Old boards with a stenciled saying on them, table runners, inexpensive gauze curtains cut in half and hung with some curtain rings, and of course, my large mason jars filled with all my beach finds. My favorite new “pretty” are the driftwood bird pictures I made with found items. Love this feel and the colors are calm and soothing in the bedroom.
No matter your decorating style and whether you want to add a few touches or change it up completely, have fun making it your own. Everyone deserves a comfy, cozy and relaxing place to sleep after a day hiking, biking or just having fun on the beach. Turn your RV into a Homer and have fun with the process.
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