RV remodel before & after: our #cottagecore inspired DIY RV kitchen

We picked up our 2001 Mercedes Elnagh motorhome the day Barcelona announced its second lockdown. Originally, we’d planned on living in the RV for a while before starting renovations. But after the orders to stay in place, we figured “hell, what else do we have to do?” and dove headlong into our DIY RV renovation. After some initial demolition, the first big project we tackled was our RV kitchen remodel. Because this wasn’t just a ‘weekending’ vehicle, it needed to be ultra-functional, but even more so, we wanted it to feel like Home.

We’d had nearly 2 years of discussion and daydreaming about full-time RV life before we actually had our hands on our van. This gave us ample time to gather inspiration for the interior design. Though we do plan to live around Barcelona long-term, we don’t consider ourselves Beach People, so a beachy bungalow or boho vibe wasn’t the right fit. We prefer to soak up the sun and the sea from high up on the oceanside cliffs. In other words, we’re Mountain Folk and predictably have a soft spot for cozy cottages. I’ve long loved ancient stone buildings and traditional old world interiors, and with Chris’ Scottish heritage, it just felt right for us to go with a country house feel. Lived in and well-loved. Minimal on the kitsch, but extra helpings of warm and cozy. And I think that’s exactly what we managed!

Here she is, the transformation of our RV kitchen then & now

The caravan was in pretty good condition when we bought it, despite her 19 years. In the hunt for the perfect tiny house on wheels, we narrowed it down to a few really important must-haves. They mostly centered around: engine condition, off-grid capabilities, internal layout, and budget. We knew we wanted a bit of a cosmetic project and Ida (our van’s name) ticked all the boxes, while still giving us the room to play with paint, textiles, and personality.

How we chose the paint color for our farmhouse-inspired RV kitchen

Dish by Caterina Roma and curtains from Maisons de Monde

Because it was a small space and would need to be road-ready within a few minutes, I couldn’t rely on knick-knacks and lots of decorative pieces to communicate the aesthetic we were going for. Instead, I needed to be really intentional about paint color, kitchen hardware, and the few functional kitchen accessories we’d have space for.

Early on, we agreed to avoid painting everything white and realized we both loved the idea of farmhouse-green cabinets. (Funny enough, they’ve blown up in popularity since.) I love the pastels of French country estates and the wheaty accents of paired-back, modern farmhouses. And Chris is partial to color with a little more saturation. Those were our guidelines for picking the right shade of green for our kitchen cabinets. Looking back, it’s ironic that despite choosing not to go with beachy vibes, our color scheme nods to the ocean hues of our seaside city anyway—something we both love in retrospect.

Another key element to achieving the #cottagecore kitchen of our dreams was to add new kitchen hardware to the RV cabinets. The original push to close latches were a dated chrome finish and lacked character. So I swapped them for more traditional brass handles that could patina with use to give us that well-loved farmhouse look. To my surprise, what was meant to be a quick fix turned out to be one of the most time-consuming projects. If you want to replace your RV cabinet handles check out my easy tutorial to save yourself some time. In the end, they added the charm I was hoping for, especially paired with new brass hanging bars.

Why we installed hanging bars for the perfect storage solution in our RV kitchen

Storage is key to full-time RV living, so it was something we were keen to add more of during the renovation. Some people choose to park up in a single locale for a few weeks or months at a time, but we knew (after COVID) we would be traveling frequently for fun and to scout out a plot of land for our one-day bricks and sticks tiny home. With that in mind, we’d need to get as much of our day-to-day stuff secured or put away, so we wouldn’t be wasting tons of time shuffling things around every time we wanted to hit the road.

Adding kitchen bars was the right solution for us. It served multiple purposes like, keepings items organized while being easily accessible at all times, securing things in place but still allowing them to gently swing without breaking during transit, and it also gave me the opportunity to display accessories that were beautiful and meaningful, but not too stuffy—like items you’d find in a family cottage or farmhouse.

Items from Ja Ceramics, Coffee Sock, Ikea and Muy Mucho

It was so fun to hunt down just the right pieces. We tried to repurpose a lot of kitchenwares from our previous flat, many of which were gifts. We chose to commission a couple of important pieces (pictured left), so in the end, we only had to buy a couple of new things. Now, our very personal display consists of:

• custom-made ceramic coffee scoops and a charcuterie board

• sustainably-sourced cotton coffee socks

• varying sizes of wooden cutting boards

• blue and cream french-inspired tea linens

• little bits of leather, twine, and brass throughout

• and a place to display dried flowers from bouquets Chris has bought me on special occasions

I’ve adopted the Slow Home ideology with this home, so I’m sure this collection will change and evolve with our travels and as our family needs change. And I love how that’ll help mark our chapters.

We also upgraded our countertops with contact paper for a budget-friendly RV kitchen remodel

Of course, renovating the RV while we were living in the ~160sqft (14m2) space had its fair share of challenges: constant mess and dust, sharp tools and tripping hazards, lack of running water, and sometimes noxious fumes. Because of this, it required that we split our renovation goals into 2 phases: The Right Now and The Ideal. Though it’d be beautiful to add a butcher block countertop—in an ideal scenario—we’d have to investigate it more thoroughly because of installation and weight. It wouldn’t have been realistic to rip out the countertop, reinstall the water system, and replace the gas stovetop without the proper power tools or a safe place to escape to at night.

So instead, we went with a budget-friendly fix of paint and contact paper for upgrading the RV kitchen countertop right now. Even then, it did require we go without running water for over 2 weeks so we could repaint the sink (and bathroom shower)! We relied on the campground for bathroom breaks, showers, and cleaning dishes. Once it was thoroughly dried, I applied the contact paper and sealed the edges with silicone for protection. It was my first time doing it, so it didn’t turn out perfectly, but it looks a hell of a lot better. It’s livable and definitely much prettier now too.

Final touches, we used rugs and curtains for that lived-in coziness in our DIY RV makeover

Part of what attracts me to cottages and farmhouses are their heritage charm. I love that almost tangible feeling of familial love and collected memories in old homes. And though our lifestyle is a rather creative solution to challenges facing a modern world, I wanted our home to have that same essence. After all, just because we can change our exterior surroundings with relative ease, these 4 walls are still where we live out our lives together—laughing, crying, growing together.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek inside our little home. And that it helps you to get creative and rethink the space you’re already in, or just maybe, it’s inspired you to dream up a whole new reality for yourself. Whatever is right for you in this season of your life. Just like this is right for us, in ours.

How to replace your RV kitchen handles in a DIY RV renovation

Replacing kitchen hardware, like changing a cabinet handle, is one of the easiest things you can do to update a kitchen. That is, in a normal house. But RV renovation isn't normal DIY home reno and replacing the push to close latches in our RV proved more of a challenge than I would've expected. Which is part of what made it fun! And admittedly, a total pain in the ass sometimes.

After 2 years of planning, I quit my full-time job and my partner and I moved into our RV for full-time van life. Because this wasn't just a weekending vehicle, we invested in getting her extra homey and functional.

One of the biggest projects we took on in the first month was a budget renovation of the RV kitchen. I wanted it to feel like you'd wandered into a country cottage kitchen—plenty of warmth, femininity, and natural details. It also needed to be packed full of storage solutions that would be safe while in transit. If you're curious, I shared my inspiration and design plans in another post.

A key element to achieving the look was to change the push to close latches on the RV cabinets. They were a dated chrome finish and lacked character. Instead, I installed more traditional brass handles that could patina with love and use—and give a hint of that well-loved cottage aesthetic. (We also added interior cupboard closures for security later.)

I found just the right cabinet pulls for our RV at Bolibar hardware store in Barcelona. Their selection is impressive! Spanning tons of rooms, metal types, and aesthetic styles from modern to old world-inspired (my preference, of course). The staff was both friendly and helpful, despite my broken Spanish.

It wasn't until I was home, tools out, and ready to dig in, that I really realized just how much labor (and creativity) it was going to take to get these new door handles up and running. I thought I'd share the process I followed for upgrading our RV kitchen cabinets, so you can save some time and hassle in your own DIY van build.

Why is it harder than upgrading normal handles?

If you don't have your hands on your van yet, you might not realize that the door handles used in mobile homes differ from everyday hardware. I mean, your run of the mill dresser isn't barreling down the highway at 70 mph.

Most vans and RVs will have some sort of latch and pneumatic closer combo that secures the door while in transit. Highly important, so that the few prized possessions you still own don't come flying out while you drive and try impaling your dog...or so I've heard. 😬🙈

There's a variety of specific options, but the setup will look something like this:

Our RV had the push to close latches. Aptly named, you simply push the knobbly bit in to lock the door into place. Because they're an all-in-one fixture they leave big ol' holes in the door when you remove them.

I was committed to a specific vision for the kitchen in my head, so I had to find a solution for filling the holes in all 10 doors and ensure they'd hold up to the everyday force of opening and closing the doors. So with the challenges clear, here's what I used to tackle the project.

Supplies I used to complete the project:

• 10 cabinet handles + 10 screws

• 10 pull force cabinet latches + 40 screws

• 1 dowel rod

• Saw

• Hammer

• Flathead screwdriver

• Drill (to pre-drill hole and fasten screw)

• Spackle

• Sand paper (fine grit between 100-120)

Step 1: Removed the old closures

Kinda hard to tell here, but the screws were poor quality and pretty chewed up. So it was tougher than anticipated to get them out. After some research, I found a way to get the drill to catch the screw heads and was able to remove all 10 cabinet handles.

Once unscrewed, removing the main mechanism was pretty easy, but there was also a grommet (or metal ring) that proved a little more stubborn. I used a flat head screwdriver to gently hammer them out of the wood.

Step 2: Cut and sand dowel rod fillers

I'd started the project before having a plan for filling the gaping holes in the cupboards. And one night as I was falling asleep, the solution came to me! (I know, I know, this is the stuff of my dreams. 🤷‍♀️)

I bought a dowel rod that was at least 10x the depth of one of the holes and then hand-sawed it into 10 individual fillers. Each one the approximate depth of the door. Cutting each of these by hand was time-consuming. If we had one, a circular saw would've been a better option. You can also ask your hardware store if they offer the service.

Step 3: Hammer to size—avoid your fingers

Because I'd estimated the diameter of the hole—you always forget something before getting to the hardware store—the dowel rod was just a smidge too fat to fit. So Chris suggested hammering them down in size. Genius! This also helped ensure it was a snug fit that would hold up to daily use.

To do this, I set each of the dowel rod pieces on top of another hammer, holding them in place, I just hammered at them to compress the wood. Any hard, not-easily-dentable surface will do—you're meant to avoid hitting it anyway. Give it a good couple thwacks, then rotate it slightly and continuing hammering until you've made it the whole 360 degrees around the dowel.

Magically, I avoided my thumbs. Mostly.

Step 4: Hammer them into place

Then, my favorite part! Using just your hands, gently force them into the fillers into the hole left by the previous knobs. Just enough that they stay put on their own. Keeping it as flush and evenly inserted as possible.

I suggest hammering from the exterior of the cupboard (what you see) toward the inside of the cupboard in case you have any splintering from forcing it in, it'll be hidden on the inside.

You want it to be a snug fit, so the force of opening and closing the door doesn't pull the dowel rod out. I chose to screw through this same area to add my new knobs, but to be totally sure, you could reattach your new hardware slightly above or below the old holes.

Step 5: Spackle over to create smooth surface

To get a smooth finish when you paint them, I decided to spackle over the raw wood. I used an fast drying option I already had on hand, but for RV or van use, a flexible option might be best.

Step 6: Sand off excess spackle and then paint

I applied the spackle generously, so I sanded it down for a smooth finish. I then, primed and painted it with a fresh new color. I went with kitchen-specific paint to help it hold up to water and food grime.

Step 7: Pre-drill hole for new handle hardware

It's finally time to get your beautiful, new handles up! The screws that came with the handles were flat-tipped and therefore wouldn't drill through the wood. They're meant to screw into the back of the handle. So you'll need to pre-drill a hole that guides the screw through the wood. Nothing in a caravan is perfectly straight, so use your best judgment about the angle you drill into the wood. You want to make sure the back of the handle will sit flush against the door. You don't wanna end up with a crooked knob (hahaha ok ok I had to).

Bonus tip: Check your screw length

Renovating in a foreign country poses lots of challenges, like unfamiliar brands for supplies and expertise or recommendations that get lost in translation. The hardware store didn't ask what length screw I needed so they provided a universal one you can clip down to the size you need. Thing is...we didn't have metal clippers. So we had to handsaw every 👏 single 👏 screw 👏. I suggest measuring the depth of the door and providing that information to your hardware store so they can provide the right length screw upfront.

Step 8: Screw in new handles & voila, done!

Before

After