Living in an RV full-time can be an incredible adventure, but after years of being surrounded by the same dark, cramped-feeling interior, even the most dedicated road warriors can start feeling claustrophobic. What started as a minor complaint about feeling closed in turned into one of the most transformative and expensive upgrades an RV couple could undertake.
The psychological impact of living in a small space with dark walls cannot be understated – it’s like being trapped in a cave on wheels, except this cave has slide-outs and a diesel engine.
We found a great video from the Rivers To Ridges RV that showcases an incredible interior painting transformation that completely changed their home on wheels.
1. The Dark Reality of RV Living
After nearly four years of full-time RVing in their 2021 Grand Design Momentum 397TH-R, Deena from Rivers To Ridges RV reached her breaking point with the dark interior. As she explained in the video: “I started feeling after four years of full-time RVing in our RV I started feeling like the dark walls were closing in on me and I really needed a change.” The original cabinetry featured dark browns, blacks, and grays that initially seemed sophisticated but eventually became oppressive in the confined 400-square-foot living space.
It’s like living inside a chocolate bar – sounds sweet at first, but after four years, you’d probably prefer vanilla ice cream. At least when walls are literally closing in on you in an RV, you can drive away from the problem… oh wait, the problem drives with you!
2. The Negotiation Phase – Getting Your Partner On Board
One of the biggest challenges wasn’t the actual painting process, but convincing her husband Danny that this massive undertaking was necessary. Deena admitted: “I finally got Danny on board It only took a year and a half about.” This highlights a common struggle in RV relationships where one partner sees the urgent need for change while the other is perfectly content with the status quo.
A year and a half of convincing? That’s longer than some Hollywood marriages last! Danny probably thought he could outlast her enthusiasm, but underestimated the power of a woman who’s tired of feeling like she’s living in a bat cave. Pro tip for RV husbands: when your wife starts mentioning “dark walls closing in,” it’s time to start researching painters, not psychiatrists.
3. The Professional Approach – Finding the Right Team
Rather than attempting this massive project themselves, the couple wisely hired professional painters who were referred by friends in California. The transformation took approximately five days, with all surfaces being properly primed and spray painted. As Deena noted: “They came to us right our RV was on the side of their home They came to us and did it all in about five days All of the paint has been primed and spray painted and it looks so beautiful.”
Five days to completely transform their home while parked at their kids’ house – talk about the ultimate house guests! “Thanks for letting us stay, by the way, we’re having strangers spray paint our entire house in your driveway.” At least it wasn’t a meth lab conversion, which would have been harder to explain to the neighbors.
4. The Color Psychology Revolution
The couple chose two sophisticated Sherwin Williams colors: Pure White for upper cabinets and trim, and Sea Salt for lower cabinets and doors. Sea Salt was particularly meaningful as it was a color they’d loved in their previous Florida home. Deena explained: “it’s a light color Sherwin Williams light color called sea salt that we actually had in our home in Lakew Worth Florida for years and we loved it.”
They literally brought their Florida home memories into their RV – it’s like emotional baggage, but in the best possible way! Sea Salt sounds fancy, but let’s be honest, it’s basically “light blue-green that makes you think of vacation.” At least it’s not called “Overpriced Hipster Teal” or “Coastal Elite Anxiety.”
5. The Bedroom Transformation – Creating a Bright Sanctuary
The bedroom received special attention with the wall unit cabinets painted in Pure White and nightstands featuring Sea Salt tops. The couple also made the smart decision to replace dark trim with natural poplar wood, which they left unstained to showcase its natural character. As shown in the video: “we um replaced the original trim over the slide out with this beautiful natural uh popppler wood We left it natural We didn’t want to paint it We love the colors and the characters in the wood.”
Nothing says “I’m committed to this lifestyle” like upgrading your bedroom in a vehicle that could theoretically drive away at any moment. The natural wood trim is like adding a tuxedo to a motorcycle – it shouldn’t work, but somehow it’s classy. Plus, poplar wood sounds way fancier than saying “we nailed some tree parts to our walls.”
6. The Bathroom Miracle – Making Small Spaces Feel Spacious
Even the tiny RV bathroom received the full treatment, with cabinets, medicine cabinet, and linen closet all getting the bright white makeover. The transformation was particularly dramatic in this confined space. Deena was amazed: “This is a really small space but the painting and the wallpaper which we did a few months back really makes it feel bigger It’s a lot brighter for sure.”
If you can make an RV bathroom feel bigger and brighter, you’ve basically achieved the impossible – it’s like fitting a cathedral into a phone booth. The fact that they also added wallpaper shows serious commitment to the cause. Most people can barely stand to be in an RV bathroom long enough to use it, let alone redecorate it!
7. The Kitchen Revolution – From Cave to Culinary Paradise
The kitchen transformation was perhaps the most dramatic, with upper cabinets in Pure White and the island painted in Sea Salt creating a bright, clean workspace. The contrast between old and new was striking, with Deena noting: “all the upper cabinets are the spare white lower cabinets are sea salt It just it just brightens everything up It’s so much nicer and cleaner looking.”
A bright, clean RV kitchen is like finding a unicorn – beautiful, magical, and makes you question everything you thought you knew about reality. The fact that they can now actually see what they’re cooking instead of fumbling around in a dark cave is probably worth the entire cost of the project. No more accidentally adding salt instead of sugar because you couldn’t see the labels!
8. The Surprise Discovery – Hidden Wood Treasures
One of the most exciting discoveries was that their original dining table was actually real wood beneath what appeared to be laminate. The painter stripped and restained it with Minwax Early American stain, revealing beautiful natural wood grain. Danny was particularly excited about this transformation: “Our dining room table Believe it or not this is the original dining room table that came with the RV We had no idea this was actually real wood.”
Finding real wood under what you thought was fake wood is like discovering your lottery ticket is actually worth money after using it as a bookmark for two years. It’s the RV equivalent of finding treasure in your attic, except the attic is actually your dining room and it’s been hiding in plain sight this whole time.
9. The Lighting Challenge – Professional Perfectionism
The painters initially wanted to paint around the ceiling lights, but the couple insisted on removing them for a truly professional finish. Danny figured out the spring-loaded mechanism, allowing for complete coverage. As Deena explained: “our painter was not a big fan of removing these ceiling lights He just didn’t really feel comfortable enough Um so he was going to paint around them Well we didn’t really want that.”
Danny became the RV lighting whisperer, conquering spring-loaded fixtures that intimidated professional painters. It’s like being afraid of a tiny mechanical puzzle while wielding spray guns and ladders all day. Sometimes the smallest details require the biggest courage – or the most stubborn spouse!
10. The Unfinished Business – The Office Dilemma
The couple chose not to paint Danny’s office/garage area to save money and because all their belongings were stored there during the painting process. However, they’re still debating whether to complete the transformation. Deena wondered: “what would you do here would you paint the cabinets and the door the bathroom um or would you just leave it as it is i tend to want the whole flow to go the same way.”
Danny’s man cave remains the last bastion of dark, brooding masculinity in their bright, cheerful home. It’s like having a gothic cathedral attached to a beach house – architecturally questionable but emotionally necessary. Plus, every man needs at least one dark corner where he can brood about things like proper hitch weight distribution and diesel fuel prices.
