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You are here: Home / RV Decor / 35 Ideas for an RV Window Makeover
35 Ideas for an RV Window Makeover

35 Ideas for an RV Window Makeover

January 23, 2023 by Ashley Mann 52 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

If you're not loving the factory window treatment in your camper or motorhome, it's time to give your RV windows a new look!

This RV window makeover guide will show how RV owners have replaced or recovered their RV window treatments. Ideas include no-sew curtains, traditional curtains, and ideas for covering or even painting the installed valances.

Welcome to RV Inspiration!

If you're new here, we're all about making your RV feel like home by sharing renovation tutorials, decor and storage ideas, and the tools you need to remodel your RV to feel like home.

Watch this video for a taste of what you'll find here:

Before you close this browser, we hope to inspire you in your RV makeover. Let's dive in.

How to Remove Your Existing Window Treatments

Factory-installed valances are often bulky and can even block parts of your windows. For most window makeovers, RV owners remove the window treatments altogether. (Skip down to #15 to see examples of valance makeovers that don't require breaking out the power tools!)

Valances are easily removed and this video from Mountain Modern Life demonstrates how to tackle this project on your own:

Once you've removed the existing factory window treatments, they can be replaced with whatever you want.

Just remember to only use screws the same length (or shorter) than the screws that were in the valances you removed. I recommend holding onto the screws from the valances so you can reuse them or measure bracket screws against them.

Adding Curtains

Curtains are an easy and inexpensive way to personalize your RV. (And by far the most popular RV window makeover!)

1. Mount Curtain Rods at the Top of Your Walls

Traditional floor to ceiling curtains in a fifth wheel RV
by Danette Head

One common trick that can help make your windows look bigger is to mount the curtain rods along the tops of your walls instead of just at the top of the window.

2. Add Patterned Curtains

RV Window Makeover Ideas - DIY curtains, cornices, and more for motorhomes, campers, and travel trailers | rvinspiration.com
by Connie Tinkle

Combining patterned curtains with white curtains or sheers allows you to introduce a pop of color without making your decor look too busy.

3. Mimic Draperies

Formal curtains in an RV
by Jay Clements

The owner of this RV chose a Victorian-style decor for his RV makeover. He created a luxurious feel by covering the walls of his dining slideout with full-length curtains.

4. Sheer White Curtains

Sheer curtains in an RV slide
by Wendy Sullivan

Sheer white curtains can help a brown RV feel lighter and brighter (without cracking open a can of paint!).

5. Curtains Made from Sheets

White handmade curtains
by Jillian Sirriani

This RV owner made her own curtains out of white sheets to save money. White curtains create a look similar to sheer curtains, but will give you more privacy when they're pulled closed.

The white curtains in the photo above inspired me so much that I decided to make white curtains for my RV, too!  I made mine out of white twin-sized bed sheets from Walmart.

6. Use Command Hooks to Hang Curtains

When I made my curtains, I realized very quickly how time-consuming installing curtain brackets on so many windows is.

I came across an idea from an RV owner named Vanessa of using Command hooks to hang lightweight curtains as a way to avoid drilling more holes in the wall.

Command hook used for hanging RV curtains
by Vanessa Sumner

These look almost indistinguishable from curtain brackets but save a ton of installation time.

I borrowed Vanessa's idea and used adhesive hooks to hang my curtains too. 

7. Adhesive Hooks with Floor Length Curtains

RV curtains hung with Command hooks
by Tiffany Mass

RV owner Tiffany Mass also used Command strips and hooks to hang curtains successfully, making Command brand what I would recommend for hanging your curtains.

Create Your Own No-Sew RV Curtains

If you can't sew but don't mind a DIY project, here are some curtain ideas that don't require sewing.

8. No-sew Curtains from Bed Sheets

Cheap and DIY RV window idea: No-sew curtains made out of bed sheets
RV curtain made from a bed sheet

RV owner Danielle cut up inexpensive bedsheets from Walmart to make curtains for her whole RV.  By cutting the open ends of the top of the sheet, a pocket was created for hanging the curtains, and to hem the raw edges, Danielle first folded and ironed them flat, then used No-Sew fabric glue to keep them folded in place.

Cheap and DIY RV window idea: No-sew curtains made out of bed sheets
RV curtains made from sheets

The thin sheets let in a lot of light during the day while still giving a little privacy.

9. Pillowcases with Drapery Clips

Pillow cases used as curtains in an #RV | Window treatment idea for a #camper, #motorhome, or #traveltrailer
by Tara Medlin via Instagram.com/themobilemedlins

RV owner Tara Medlin used pillowcases folded to the right length to make these pretty curtains for her RV. The drapery clips hang from the rod and keep the pillowcases clipped closed at the right spot—no cutting or sewing required.

You can see more pictures including some close-ups of how she made them on her Instagram page.

10. Kitchen Dish Towels with Drapery Clips

Dish towels used as RV kitchen curtains
by Susie Crabtree

RV owner Susie Crabtree used dishtowels and drapery clips in the same way in her RV kitchen.

11. Burlap Curtains Hung with Clothespins

Cheap and DIY RV window idea: No-sew curtains made out of burlap coffee or feed sacks
by Brooke Seaman

These curtains were made by RV owner Brooke Seaman by using clothespins to clip burlap sack material to a piece of wire hung across her windows.  If you're worried about burlap potentially unraveling, you can glue bias tape around the raw edges.

Cheap and DIY RV window idea: No-sew curtains made out of burlap coffee or feed sacks
by Brooke Seaman

Frame RV Windows with Wood

Several RV owners have covered their RV windows with real or faux wood to make them look more like windows in a house.

12. Wood Framing with a Windowsill

RV window framed in oak
via Instagram.com/tinyhousetaylor

The first RV owners I saw do this were John and Robyn Crowhurst. John used real oak to frame two of the windows their 1990 toy hauler, and Robyn's dream of cooling a pie on her windowsill finally came true.

13. Wood Framing

Travel trailer RV with wood framed windows
by Brooke Seaman

RV owner Brooke Seaman framed the window of her travel trailer with real wood as well. 

Believe it or not, that is the same RV as the one with the burlap curtains pictured earlier! She often gets tired of how she's decorated and enjoys redoing everything. Her remodel is proof of what a big difference window treatments can make in a space.

14. Wood Framing with Burlap Roller Shades

Motorhome RV window framed with real wood by ModernMountainLife.com
via ModernMountainLife.com

Eric and Katie of ModernMountainLife.com wrote an excellent blog post about how they framed their RV windows (and another one about how they made the burlap roller shades above).

14. Rustic Wood Framing with Copper Pipe Curtain Rods

Painted vinyl flooring used to frame RV window
by Melissa Escobar

The owner of this RV, Melissa Escobar, used Timberwall brand peel-and-stick shiplap lumber to frame her windows. She combined many window makeover ideas using drapery clips, curtains, and DIY copper pipe curtain rods.

Non-permanent RV Window Makeovers

If you want to personalize and brighten your RV but are worried about making any changes that can't be undone, you might consider one of these ideas.

15. Pinning Fabric over RV Valances

Fabric pinned to cover RV cornice / valance
by Kristin Wissing

RV owners Kristin and Erica pinned new fabric onto their cornices. This can be one of the least costly ways to makeover your RV windows.

16. Recovering Valances + Blinds + Curtains

RV window idea: Fabric pinned to cover cornice / valance
RV window idea: Fabric pinned to cover cornice / valance

In addition to pinning fabric over her existing valances, Kristin also added residential blinds and curtains to complete her windows' new look.

17. Using Thumbtacks to Create a Valance

RV window idea: Curtains pinned over cornice / valance
by Yvette Tobin

RV owner Yvette did something similar by using thumbtacks to attach fabric atop the factory valances. Upholstery tacks could be used the same way. They are spiral-shaped so they won't come out as easily as thumbtacks might.

Then she hung matching curtains inside the window boxes using easily removable tension rods.

18. Bunching and Pinning Fabric

No-sew makeover for RV window valances

RV blogger Heather did this as well, bunching the fabric as she pinned. You can read how to copy her no-sew method in this blog post.

19. Lace Table Runners

RV window idea: Lace pinned over cornice / valance

RV owner Cathy pinned lace table runners to her valances, using a butter knife to tuck the ends in at the edges.  She also used tension rods to hang the lace curtains from under the cornices.

19. Ruffle Valance

RV window idea: Ruffled fabric curtain added to wood cornice / valance
by Debbie Gilbert

This RV came with wood cornices framing the windows, so RV owner Debbie added a ruffle hung with tension rods to give her RV a homier feel.

Cornice / Valance Makeover Ideas

20. Hanging Curtains Behind the Valance (+ adding lanterns)

RV window treatment makeover idea: Curtains hung with tension rod
by Penny Adams

RV owners Jenn and Penny worked with their RV's original decor by hanging curtains from a tension rod under the original cornice. Penny also added battery-operated lanterns on hooks, which she says she takes down while the RV is moving.

21. Hanging Curtains Behind the Valance

RV window treatment makeover idea: Curtains hung with tension rod
by Jenn Hogan

Owner Jenn Hogan used a simple tension rod to hang curtains behind her RV's valances.

22. Recovering the Cornice/Valance with New Fabric

RV window treatment makeover idea: cornices / valances covered with tablecloth
by Juanita Reeves

RV owner Juanita removed and then stapled new fabric over her cornices and tucked it in along the curved edge using a butter knife.

She started by covering each cornice with fabric cut from a cheap white bed sheet to make sure the original pattern didn't show through, then added a second layer made from a pretty tablecloth.

23. Recovering the Valances (sometimes keeping the RV blinds, sometimes adding curtains)

RV window treatment cornice / valance makeover idea
RV window treatment cornice / valance makeover idea
RV window treatment cornice / valance makeover idea

Angela Kevin recovered her valances, but mixed up her window treatments, keeping the RV blinds in the bedroom, but adding curtains in the living room and blinds in the bathroom.

24. Painting the Fabric Window Cornices/Valances

Before:

by Lisa Braddy

RV owner Lisa painted the fabric of her cornices using flat latex paint before adding curtains underneath. 

After:

RV window treatment makeover idea: painted valances / cornices
by Lisa Braddy

She used the same red paint on the upholstered chair as well.  

If you're new to painting fabric furniture, this article can teach you how.

Build Your Own Cornices (Five Tutorials)

If you like the look of valances and cornices around your windows and love a good project, you can build your own.

Here is a tutorial for building a cornice out of wood. (I'll show you a similar example next that uses luan as a lighter-weight option for RVs.)

If you don't plan on using tension rods to hang anything under your cornices, you can make a lightweight fabric-covered cornice out of foam using this tutorial, or even using recycled cardboard by following these instructions.

You can also build a cornice box with this tutorial. You could even use polystyrene foam molding to reduce weight.  

Or, if you prefer a more rustic look, these DIY-aged wood cornices might be a good option.

25. Remaking the Cornices/Valances

RV window treatment makeover idea
by Donna Balfanz

RV owner Donna removed the puffy valances that came with her RV (which she described as “80's prom dress”) and made her own cornices. She used 1″ x 4″ lumber for the ends of the cornice boxes and attached lightweight luan with a pin nailer for the top and front.  

She then stapled fabric over the entire cornice and glued lace to the front.  Finally, she hung them using “L” brackets and hung curtains from tension rods inside.

26. Build a Cornice Box

RV window treatment makeover idea
via doityourselfrv.com

This RV owner built and installed a cornice box and hung curtains behind it.  

DIY Shades and Blinds

27. DIY Roman Shades

RV window treatment makeover idea: DIY Roman shade made from mini blinds

RV owner Debbie Watt covered her park model RV's cornices with fabric and turned cheap mini blinds into pretty Roman shades using this DIY method.

Here is what it looks like on the back to give you an idea of how it works:

RV window treatment makeover idea: DIY Roman shade made from mini blinds
by Debbie Watt

28. DIY Stagecoach Valances

RV shade makeover by Christina. Visit RVLifeMilitaryStyle.com for tutorial.
by Christina via RVLifeMilitaryStyle.com

Another RV owner, Christina, gave the shades that came with her RV a makeover in stagecoach style. These valances stay up and give the RV a more country style.

29. DIY Burlap Window Shades

Burlap Window Shades by MountainModernLife.com

I already mentioned this renovation for their gorgeous wood frames, but I love these DIY burlap window shades Katie and Eric of Mountain Modern Life made for their motorhome. 

You can read their tutorial on how to make them here.

Wood Blinds and Curtains

30. Wide-Slat Residential Blinds

Blinds and curtains as window treatments in RV
by Lisa Dondrea

The wide-slat residential blinds and curtains used in this RV give the room the look and feel of a real house.

You don't often see wood blinds in RVs because they will swing and move as an RV moves down the road and can be heavy.

If you're stationary in your RV, this isn't a concern. But if you're a traveler, you can opt for faux wood blinds which are much lighter, and use L brackets to secure the base of the blinds.

31. Wood Valances

Reclaimed wood valance - DIY window treatment makeover idea for a rustic farmhouse style
by Kim Schmid & Jason Rotz

RV owners Kim and Jason built this wood valance for their RV by attaching old barn wood to their RV's factory-installed cornices.  The barn wood was screwed in from the back so the screws wouldn't show. They then hung curtains made from canvas painter's drop cloths from their RV's original curtain rods using drapery clips.

More Unique Ideas

32. DIY Fabric Accent

DIY window treatment makeover idea for a boho style
by Brooke Seaman

RV owner Brooke hung a garland made out of strips of torn fabric across this window to complement her bedroom's decor.

33. A Patriotic Makeover

RV window treatment makeover idea for Americana style
RV window treatment makeover idea for Americana style

After painting her cornices blue and adding new curtains underneath, RV owner Yvette embellished her windows with a patriotic berry garland, star string lights, and other Americana-themed decor.

33. Lace Screens

Lace screens: DIY window treatment makeover idea for RVs
Lace screens: DIY window treatment makeover idea for RVs
Lace screens: DIY window treatment makeover idea for RVs

RV owner Madeleine replaced the screens of her camper with lace, gluing the fabric to the inside of her window frames.  A similar (but easily removable) idea is to use a homemade starch mixture to paste lace to windows, resulting in a frosted privacy window effect. Learn how here.

34. Privacy Window Film

Window covered with translucent adhesive window film

You could also do away with window coverings altogether and apply removable privacy window film that lets light in but can't be seen through.

35. Upgrade Your Blinds with RV Day/Night Window Shades

Shadepro Replacement RV Window Shades
Day/night RV window shades from Shadepro

If you want to keep the factory-original look of your RV but simply need to replace your existing blinds, quality day/night shades can easily replace worn-out shades. 

These are a great option for keeping your privacy while letting light in during the day, and they do a great job of keeping the RV dark at night.

Shop RV Day/night roller shades here.

Get Started

I hope these 35 RV window makeover ideas have you eager to tackle your own RV renovation project.

Need more RV decor inspiration?  Check out these articles:

  • 20 Creative Ways to Remove and Replace Your RV Dining Booth
  • 7 Ways to Recover RV Dinette Booth Cushions
  • RVs with Farmhouse style decor
  • 26 Ideas for Replacing Your RV Sofa Bed and Couch
RV Window Treatments Pin Image

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Ashley Mann in front of window
Ashley Mann

Ashley Mann lives in a 38-foot, 5th-wheel RV with her husband and their cat, Professor Theodore. She enjoys the challenge of finding the perfect way to organize a space, and she loves seeing all the creative and clever ways people come up with to customize their RVs.

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Filed Under: Best of the Blog, Featured Post, RV Decor Tagged With: cornice, curtains, DIY, sewing, valance, windows

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Motion Windows says

    July 16, 2019 at 7:38 am

    Keep up the great work! Thank you so much for sharing a great posts.

    Reply
  2. Amelia says

    March 7, 2020 at 10:23 am

    I love seeing examples from real people. I feel like pinterest has become more about views and less about unique style. I LOVE that this website posts unique styles from real people!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      March 9, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      ❤️❤️❤️

      Reply
  3. faith says

    April 24, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    hi i jist bought a 1988 jamboree ralley and i wanted to renavate it but of course on a budget do u have any ideas or videos even where to begin

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      April 27, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Hi Faith, there are lots of things you can do to fix up an old RV without spending too much money! A good place to start would be my RV Makeovers Resource Page! There I have lots of links as well as a list of 99 Budget RV Makeover ideas you can download!

      Reply
  4. Ruth says

    April 29, 2020 at 9:05 pm

    I have bought a used camper. Previous owners replaced mini blinds with the wide wood look blinds. I want to paint walls but the holes from old blinds and balances will really show up. How do I fill the holes so they won’t show?

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      May 4, 2020 at 11:42 am

      Hi Ruth, I recently filled some holes in my painted RV walls and what I did was to first use the tip of a Phillips screwdriver to press the vinyl wallpaper at the edges of the hole into the hole so that nothing stuck out past the surface of the wall, then I filled it with spackling and sanded and painted over it, same as filling a hole in a wall in a house. After I was done you could not see the holes! However…I only did that for some holes you could see. For other holes I just hid them with curtains. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Charlotte Coan says

    April 29, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    This is a great overview of window covering options. I have just removed the entire window trim surround (valance, sides, bottom and shade) from two windows in my RV bedroom. I am curious about how and where you attached your handmade rod with the fancy knob on the end. The knobs clear the sides of the shade and the curtain falls nice and close to the front of the whole shade. So the hooks that you used to hold the rod….where are they attached? Are the hooks on the front surface of the top frame of the shade or are they attached to the wall above the shade? And did you use the sticky acrylic tape to attach the hooks? In any case, I think it’s just the solution for hanging my shades and lightweight curtains. I really can’t use a traditional curtain rod. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      May 4, 2020 at 11:38 am

      This is a terrible answer, but…I hot glued the hooks to the front of the shade near the top, right next to the screw (so I could still remove the shades if needed). (I would take another photo to show you but my RV is in storage right now.) I tried using the acrylic tape and it lasted for a while but eventually came down–that stuff is really best for flat, non-porous surfaces. If I had it to do over, I would not use such wide knobs so that I could stick the hooks directly to the wall over the windows, which was my original plan except that the knobs were too wide to allow that. I would probably just use cafe curtain rods that have small knobs built in instead of trying to make my own. I was just too attached to the pretty knobs after I bought them and was determined to make them work! Does that answer your question? Hard to explain in words!

      Reply
  6. Kathy Taylor says

    July 24, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    We have an Airstream RV with great fabric curtains. They are shaded to keep the RV cooler, however they are solid white. We are not interested in replacing, but would like to do something to add color, design, and some overall interest to the interior. Do you have any suggestions? We were thinking about someone doing artwork or a design of some sort on them.

    Thoughts? Thank you!
    Kathy

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      July 28, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      For artwork or a design, I bet a stencil and some fabric markers would come in handy. Also, have you ever tried using Rit fabric dyes? They can be risky as you may not get exactly the color you’re going for, but as long as you’re okay with experimenting and getting something close, it might be a good option. Maybe you could try with a less conspicuous curtain before doing the rest.

      Reply
      • Kathy Taylor says

        July 28, 2020 at 3:36 pm

        Thanks Ashley. All good suggestions and I will probably try it on a sample material before trying it on the real curtains 😁

        Reply
        • Ashley Mann says

          July 29, 2020 at 1:43 pm

          Good thinking! 🙂

  7. Amg Lowery-Lopez says

    October 31, 2020 at 12:20 am

    I did something different which not only looks great inside, but outside. In the evening it gives the RV a nice glow and stands out.. i bought these at Home Depot and they have so many designs.They run about $20-29.00, which can do a window and a smaller side window, or half a window panel like I did here.

    Enjoy,
    Amy

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      November 3, 2020 at 2:46 pm

      I love that idea!

      Reply
      • Beverly Barr says

        May 15, 2021 at 6:46 pm

        are these something you stick to the windows?

        Reply
        • Ashley Mann says

          May 18, 2021 at 10:39 am

          Which one?

  8. Gerri says

    January 9, 2021 at 8:05 am

    Just a questions to anyone that replaced original window covers.
    What to do with the holes left from the side coverings?

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      January 9, 2021 at 11:34 am

      I just hid mine behind curtains haha. But I did eventually fill some of the holes in my RV walls right before we sold it. Since we had painted our walls, I was able to fill them using spackling, sand them smooth, and paint over them.

      Reply
  9. Nettie says

    March 5, 2021 at 6:46 am

    I’m very handy and crafty and good at thinking outside the box, but some of these I thought were genius! This is the best rv renno post I’ve seen! Love ALL the idea. My cornice board actually goes to the bottom of the window to help facilitate the blinds (which I’m not ready to replace) so I think painting is my only option right now if I keep them.
    Well done.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      March 5, 2021 at 1:19 pm

      So glad you liked these ideas! Thanks for commenting! <3

      Reply
  10. Marsha Hatton says

    March 20, 2021 at 7:21 am

    Love ideas given for Window Makeover but so noticed the slide out molding in the pics from Angela Kevin. Looked more ornate, painted red, maybe copper metallic. Any clue as to how it was made?

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      March 22, 2021 at 3:19 pm

      I believe it is the original molding that came with the RV. My RV had some similar molding that was made from real wood stained a similar color to the molding in Angela’s photo. It was nice to have for setting decor on top. 🙂

      Reply
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