9 RV Wall Covering Ideas to Create a Unique Accent Wall
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The interior of a camper in its original condition can be a bit bland. Here are some unique RV wall ideas to incorporate into an RV makeover to create a beautiful accent wall or add visual interest to a bedroom, kitchen, slide-out, or other area of your RV.
1. Painted RV Walls
One of the best and simplest ways to revitalize your RV interior is to paint the walls. While some people prefer bright white and others prefer a colorful RV interior, fresh paint will go a long way toward making your RV feel more like a home.
For all the details on how to paint RV interiors, including the best methods and products to use, check out this Complete Guide to Painting Your RV Interior.
Painted walls don’t have to be a solid color, either.
In the Airstream below, renovated by professional renovation company The Lot, the white walls were painted with dots in multiple shades of brown to create the look of wallpaper without any of the headaches associated with wallpaper. (No chance of it peeling off the walls in cold weather!)
2. Beadboard Wall Paneling
Adding texture to your walls creates visual interest, even if all the walls are painted the same color throughout the RV. One way to do that is with beaded wainscot paneling, a.k.a. beadboard. It’s cheap and lightweight, making it ideal for use in a camper.
You can use beadboard to cover the bottom half of a wall with a strip of chair rail molding along the top of the paneling. Or you can cover the wall from floor to ceiling, as seen in the photo below of an RV renovated by professional renovation company Wayland Ventures.
There are multiple ways you can install beadboard in an RV. The most effective way would be to use construction adhesive and trim nails to attach the paneling to the wall. But if you want the option to remove it later, you can skip the adhesive.
For a completely removable, no-damage installation, try using acyrlic mounting tape to attach the beadboard paneling to the wall. I’ve not tried this method myself, but I have used this type of mounting tape for other projects in my RV. It holds securely but can be removed cleanly, leaving behind no residue.
Another option would be to use textured beadboard wallpaper, which can be painted any color.
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There is one potential drawback to beadboard wallpaper. Since it’s made of a soft foam-like material, it can be scratched or punctured, so it might not be the best choice for a high-traffic area or for people with pets or kids.
For a smaller accent, consider doing a half wall of beadboard for a makeshift wainscoting effect.
3. Faux Brick Wall
Add texture to a solid-colored wall with faux brick, as seen in this travel trailer renovated by Wayland Ventures.
You can buy the fake brick paneling at a home improvement store and then paint it any color you like.
4. Wood Plank or Shiplap
Another wall covering idea popular with many RV owners is shiplap or other types of wood plank walls.
Painted shiplap is a popular look in farmhouse and coastal remodels, like this all white remodel:
To make your own shiplap wall, check out our guide: How to Create a Shiplap Wall in an RV.
5. Tile Walls
Tile offers limitless options for creating an accent wall in your RV.
For years, RV owners have been using 3D peel-and-stick tile on their kitchen backsplash. But you can also use it on a whole wall, like this RV bathroom using white peel-and-stick subway tile.
Another fun option I’m seeing more frequently is colorful peel-and-stick Spanish tiles like these:
If you have enough weight allowance, you can use real tile in an RV, like the RV kitchen shown below.
It’s recommended to use flexible grout that will give slightly to prevent cracking with the movement of the RV.
6. Wallpaper
Wallpaper is an easy option for personalizing your RV, especially if you don’t want to do a complete renovation. In the RV pictured below, the tan and white herringbone pattern wallpaper complements the brown walls and unpainted cabinets that were original to the RV while making it look less “boilerplate” and more modern.
The one potential drawback to using wallpaper in an RV is that the extreme temperature changes caused by storing the camper in cold or humid climates can cause it to peel off the walls and fall down.
I share tips for preventing this from happening, along with more gorgeous photos of RV wallpaper inspiration, in my article RV Wallpaper Tips and Ideas.
Feel free to get bold with your accent wall, like this colorful motorhome!
7. Slat Wood Wall
To make the slat wall headboard in the bedroom seen below, the owners of this RV cut a sheet of 3/4″ plywood into 1-inch strips (slats), then used a brad nailer to secure the evenly spaced slats to a sheet of 1/2″ plywood from the back so that the fasteners would not be visible. The whole panel was then screwed into the studs behind the walls for stability.
Professional renovation team BB & the RV used wood slats to create a design on the wall of this travel trailer, contributing to the mid-century modern style of the living area.
Slat walls also look great in the bathroom! The natural wood look warms up the space and looks great in any color.
8. Board and Batten
Board and batten and wainscoting are two timeless accent wall designs that are widely popular in the RV renovation space right now!
How to: Build A Board and Batten Wall in Your RV
We often see board and batten in bathrooms, which can serve as a bold accent to the small space. One of my favorite b&b remodels is this bathroom wall that was made from the old cabinets the renovators ripped out!
You can paint your board and batten a fun color to make even more of a splash.
9. Wainscoting
Wainscoting dates back hundreds of years, but it’s a timeless design style that’s having a major resurgence.
Wainscoting includes any wood paneling that covers the lower portion of a wall. We often see simple vertical wood planks with trim, as seen above. This next renovation used beadboard and trim to create colorful wainscoting in their cottage-style makeover.
9 RV Wall Ideas for a Bold Accent
Which of these designs is your favorite? Share in the comments!
For more RV renovation inspiration, check out these articles!
- 34 Renovated RV’s with COLORFUL Interiors
- The Complete Guide to Painting Your RV Interior
- Can you paint over RV wallpaper? Spoiler alert: Yes! Here’s how.
Ashley Mann spent three years living full time in a 38-foot, 5th-wheel RV with her husband Josiah and their cat, Kitty. Her favorite thing about RV life is 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.
