DIY Archives - KREATING HOMES

Installing A Dishwasher In A RV

August 3, 2020 3 Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

When we first made a list of must-haves for our fifthwheel a dishwasher did NOT make the cut. Sure, it would be nice but it wasn’t a deal breaker. Fast forward 2 years add in a toddler and shelter in place orders and suddenly a dishwasher seemed of utmost importance. So today Im giving you the deets on our experience with installing a dishwasher in a RV.

Before and after installing a dishwasher in our RV

Selecting A Dishwasher

First, let’s start with which unit we installed and why. Obviously space is a HUGE factor so we needed something compact. That said, I wanted the output to be worth the sacrifice in space. I didn’t want to give up a huge chunk of my kitchen storage just so I can have a unit that washed 2 plates at a time(ya feel me??). We found the 18″ Frigidaire Dishwasher to be the perfect size for our space.

The next factor for us was weight. Some residential units are pushing 200 lbs and even the so called “compact” units come in over the 100 lb mark. Luckily, the Frigidaire Dishwasher we selected only weighs 54 lbs. We both felt like this was a safe weight to be adding to our space.

Installing the Dishwasher

There are basically two things that every unit will need: water and power. For us, this meant the easiest place to put the dishwasher would be our kitchen island. The island in our unit houses the sink and two electrical outlets. After a ton of brainstorming and measuring and measuring AGAIN we decided the right end of our island would work best. We had to sacrifice 4 drawers and 1 electrical outlet but it was totally worth it.

Removing drawers to install a compact dishwasher

Q removed the drawers, hardware, and outlet first(we have a project coming soon that will recycle these drawers!). Then he cut the cross pieces with a reciprocating saw and finished the small adjustment cuts with a jigsaw. The cuts were pretty straight but we didn’t stress to make these absolutely perfect as the dishwasher has a rubber flange that covers the face of the cabinets along the whole front edge.

Lastly, he hooked up the electrical to the existing box and used the Snappy Trap Drain Kit to hook up water. The kit really simplified the plumbing portion of this whole instal and it fit perfectly under our sink. Luckily Q is pretty handy and some of our previous renovations have given us a crash course in both plumbing and electrical. I’d say this job only takes an afternoon start to finish.

Was It Worth It?

This unit is advertised to hold “8 place settings” at a time. I wasn’t sure what that really meant for our family of 3 when we were shopping around. Now, I can say it holds a “full day” of dishes. That means all the dishes we use for 3 meals a day and countless snacks(hello toddler life🤦‍♀️). This even includes pots and pans(although I still hand wash our cast iron)! Overall, Im pleasantly surprised at the capacity.

We’ve used mostly the “normal” and “heavy” cycles but there are several others and even a handful of additional options. Things like heated dry, sanitize, delay wash, etc. The wash quality is awesome(even with little rinsing) and the noise level is minimal.

Its only been a short time but I already feel like its worth EVERY cent spent and inch of space sacrificed! If you’re just a weekender a dishwasher is likely a luxury you can do without. If you’re a full-timer I would say GO FOR IT!

So tell me, does your RV have a dishwasher? If not, have you considered installing a dishwasher? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

DIY, wine bar

Wine Bar Reveal

November 28, 2019 No Comments

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers! We are so thankful to have this little corner of the internet to share all our projects and adventures with you. We know its not standard blogger procedure(thats a thing right?) to do a reveal in the middle of a series but what better way to celebrate?! So today we’re giving you a full reveal of the wine bar and all the awesome before & afters.

Before & After

Seeing this blank space for the first time was so exciting! It was like showing up to a blank canvas with all our paints… we just couldn’t wait to dive in! And luckily both Bo and Nicole we open to our all crazy ideas.

Steel Pipe Shelving

We wanted to keep the shelving open to display all their pretty glassware and wine accessories. We considered faux beams, leather brackets, ladder shelves, and a few more but settled on the steel pipes for a more industrial farmhouse vibe.

Plant Love

We added a mix of real and faux plants throughout the wine bar. One request Nicole had for us was a “living wall” and we were happy to accommodate! We combined a few ready made units to give her the look without all the hassle. We also upcycled some old bottles into planters which we filled with succulents. Lastly, we found these glass domes at ikea and combined them with some pre-planted succulents to dress them up a bit.

Cabinets & Wine Racks

They had a handful of cabinets from their initial demo on the kitchen which we gave an update. A bit of paint and new DIY doors and drawer faces(stay tuned for the full tutorial!) . We also built a custom wine rack to add more bottle storage.

DIY Wood Tiles

We shared all the deets on these DIY wood tiles yesterday and we are absolutely obsessed! These came out better than we had even hoped and they make such a statement in this wine bar. This teal blue is everything!

Concrete Countertops

We love concrete! Its a medium we’ve worked with on several projects and even put in our own homes. We were so stoked when Bo showed an interest in putting a concrete countertop in the wine bar. Again, this added to the industrial farmhouse feel.

We had such a great time working with Bo and Nicole and we hope this bar is the hub for many fun nights and sweet memories over the years. And obviously we still have a handful of posts to share with you guys on the remaining projects so stay tuned!

So what do you think? Are you dreaming up your own wine bar? You know we’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

DIY, storage, wine bar

DIY Wood Tiles

November 28, 2019 3 Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

Often times as creative and DIY prone people we see things that are pretty cool and think “I could make that!”. And we have. Everything from furniture, home goods, cleaning products, clothing, accessories… the list could go on. We have tried a LOT of DIY projects and products. But todays DIY is a new one even for us. We tried our hand at DIY Wood Tiles for the wine bar and we are thrilled with the results!

DIY Wood Tile Wall for Wine Bar Backsplash

Initially Bo and Nicole requested a tile backsplash and we searched ALL the usual spots for traditional ceramic tiles. We went through sample after sample but nothing seemed to spark a real interest. And then we came across a look that had them both using exclamation points in text. We were so stoked! After a little more digging we quickly realized the tiles were custom, out of budget, and not even available for our time line. This is where the DIY brains started to kick in.

We started to play around with ways to get a similar “look” using alternative materials. We considered paint, vinyl, tiles we could refinish… and then we came back to our ol friend plywood. After mocking up a handful of tiles we managed to convince Bo and Nicole it was going to come out just perfect(even though we had NEVER done this or seen this anywhere before…Ha!).

Cutting & Routing

Once we had the measurements and realized we literally needed to cut hundreds of tiles it was time to call in reinforcements! Luckily they have a fantastic pool of friends that have been really willing to help out through out the renovations. With 4 sets of hands working all at once we were able to get every thing cut and routed pretty quickly.

We went with a rhombus shape and round routed edges for the final product. Obviously the shape options here are vast and you could play with so many different patterns and layouts(we really want to try hexagon tiles next!).

In the end, we chose to make the final tiles with MDF instead of plywood. It cuts perfectly smooth and its a fraction of the price. Also, being that the tiles would be completely covered you would have no idea what the material is from the outside.

Painting & Paneling

Now the fun part! We hand dipped each tile in a mixture of three different colored latex paints to mimic the look of glazed ceramic tile. Generally there is quite a bit of variation in hand glazed products and we really wanted to transfer that look into our DIY version. We dumped all three colors in a pan, gave it a small swirl, and got to dipping. This was easily the most time consuming part but totally worth it.

To get the look of a glazed tile we also needed to address the shine and finish. We’re kind of obsessed with resin & epoxy YouTube videos(anyone else relate??) so we thought this was a perfect opportunity to try a project of our own.

Epoxy Pour

In order to minimize the waste (from run off) we first glued the tiles to panels of 1/4″ plywood. These were cut to cover the backsplash wall completely when placed together. We taped the sheets together from the back, flipped it over, glued the tiles on, and then took the panels apart to epoxy. *Its important to note we only glued the tiles which covered the seams on one half. This way, the panels came together on the wall like puzzle pieces.

In case you’ve never worked with or heard of epoxy let me give you a quick overview of perks: its incredibly shiny when cured, self leveling, and simple to apply. So basically perfect for this project! We laid our panels on top of 2x4s covered in plastic sheeting for the application and drying. Q poured directly onto the panels, Nicole helped move product with a sponge roller, and Bo hit the top with a torch to remove air bubbles. Like I mentioned previously, the epoxy is self leveling so as it dried it also smoothed out and drained through all the crevices.

Hanging & Grouting

The next day we had 3 extra shiny panels that were ready to hang! At this point we had more helpers stop by and everyone agreed: this was starting to look just like tile! We attached the panels with screws placed in the crevices which would later be covered. In the end, you couldn’t tell there were ever three separate panels. It just appears like a traditional tiled wall or backsplash.

To further the look of ceramic tile we decided to grout the panels. The routed edges gave us the perfect sized surface gap for grouting without having to leave space between the tiles. Yay for more illusions!

We chose an epoxy grout in bright white to really make the shapes pop. It was our first time working with this kind of grout and its very different than traditional tile grout. We learned really quickly to only do small sections at a time, use a very firm sponge or extra grout float covered in a microfiber cloth to wipe away excess, and get extra hands to help move things along!

This grout doesn’t require sealer and it cures super fast. Which also meant we were able to attach the corner round trim to the exposed side(on the left), add the electrical face plates, and caulk all the outer edges the same night.

The Final Illusion

These DIY wood tiles came out better than we ever expected and thats not always the case with DIY projects. This felt like a big win! To be honest, we just cant wait for another reason to experiment with DIY wood tiles😍

So would you venture into DIY wood tiles? Have you seen a shape or pattern you think we should try next? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

DIY, storage, wine bar

DIY Pipe Shelving

November 26, 2019 No Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

A big part of any wine bar is storage. Wine, glasses, decanters, openers, accessories… there is a lot a wine lover starts to collect over time. Luckily most of this is also really attractive and perfect for something like open shelving. This DIY Pipe Shelving brings a ton of storage with a modern farmhouse vibe and we LOVE it!

Distressed Wood Shelves

The shelves were cut from 1″ thick Stain-grade-spruce/pine-panels. To get a more farmhouse look we roughed up the edges a bit with a hammer and even cut some chunks out randomly with a utility knife. Theres no right or wrong way to do this and TBH I find the more random you make your marks, dents, cuts, etc. the more authentic the distressing looks. We finished the shelves with few coats of penetrating stain in Weathered Oak.

Steel Pipes and Fittings

The shelves are held together by and hung with a combination of steel pipes and flanges. We used a mixture of 12″ and 16″ lengths for this project. The longer pipes gave the ceiling lights just a bit more clearance to keep everything nice and bright. The shorter 12″ pipes(plus flanges) were just the right height to allow both glasses and bottles to be stored.

The assembly is simply a matter of tightening flanges to the ends of each pipe and screwing the flanges to the boards. You’ll want to make sure the flanges are evenly spaced from the edges of the shelf boards to keep everything squared up. Its also worth pre-drilling your holes so you don’t risk the screws splitting any of the shelves.

Ceiling Mounted Shelving

When it came time to hang these we marked where the flange holes were and then checked for studs in the ceiling. Unsurprisingly not every screw would be hitting wood so we made sure to use some pretty heavy drywall anchors for the ones that missed. Its also really helpful to have a few extra hands when hanging these!

So are you loving open shelves? Ready to try DIY Pipe Shelving? Are you using steel pipes for any other DIYs in your space? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

DIY, plant lady, wine bar

DIY Wine Bottle Planters

November 25, 2019 No Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

Todays DIY project is the first in a mini series we’re doing here at Kreating Homes! This week we’ll be posting projects from an awesome collaboration we did with our friends the Cassels. We had so much fun consulting and assisting on their brand new WINE BAR and we cant wait to share all the deets with our readers! Lets start with these DIY Wine Bottle Planters which every wine and plant lover can make and appreciate.

Cutting The Wine Bottles

The internet is FULL of ideas on how to cut glass bottles. Everything from fire, string, & alcohol to professional bottle cutting rigs. Being that it was our first time attempting this project I went with something small, inexpensive, and simple: a handheld glass cutter.

DIY Wine Bottle Planter: bottle cutting set up

You can use tape as a guide to run your cutter around the bottle or you can get “fancy” like Q and build a holder out of scrap wood. Either way, you just want to be sure to make one single cut. By that I mean do not run the blade around and around several times. One single clean line makes for the most even and predictable breaks.

DIY Wine Bottle Planters: hot & cold breaks

Once you have a cut line around the bottle dip the end(enough to cover the cut) in hot water. Hold down for a few seconds and then move directly into ice cold water. Continue moving the bottle back and forth between the hot and cold until the top falls off. You will start to hear little snaps and cracks before the final break.

Prepping The Planters

DIY Wine Bottle Planter: Sanding the edges

After the top has been removed you need to soften the edges with sand paper. We found a sanding sponge easiest to hold while working around the bottle. Also, if you have any uneven breaks or if there are small chunks of glass remaining over the cut line you can generally snap them off with pliers (very carefully!) and sand.

DIY Wine Bottle Planter: Wine cork drainage

We filled these with succulents to keep maintenance minimal and the design cohesive. Succulents like well draining environments so we filled the bottom half of the planters with our old wine corks(bonus points for double recycling😆). If you dont have extra corks you could always use gravel or small rocks.

Fabulous Finish

As soon as we finished these I wanted to make more. So fun and the payoff for drinking wine and recycling never looked so good! And hey, with the holidays right around the corner I feel like they’re perfect for gift giving.

So are you ready to make a set of DIY Wine Bottle Planters for your kitchen or bar? Have a wine stash or special bottle you want to turn into a functional keepsake? You know Id love to hear all about it in the comments!

DIY, tiny living

Updating RV Doors

November 22, 2019 No Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

Doors. An absolute necessity but also generally pretty bland straight out of the factory. Our interior fifth wheel doors were not only bland but also dark and in rough shape. With a few extra supplies we were able to update all the fifth wheel doors with minimal work.

First Layer: Paint

We started this update like many of the others… with paint! Luckily this was also around the time we decided enough was enough and bought a paint sprayer. I know I’ve mentioned this before but I’ll say it again: total game changer! It took longer to set up and clean up the sprayer than it did to actually paint. Ahhhhhmazing! So a couple coats of the same Cabinet Enamel we used on the rest of the interior and these doors were already much improved.

The louvered closet door didn’t need much more. A set of new black hinges and a couple coats of spray paint on the handles and this was complete. Super simple and super effective.

Second Layer: Peel & Stick

The panty door was a different story. It has a faux stained glass insert that HAD to go. We weren’t willing to try and remove and replace the glass because that seemed like way more work than we wanted to attempt. So we decided simply covering the existing glass was best. Enter chalkboard vinyl and marble contact paper!

Because the faux stained glass had a raised texture we cut down plastic sheeting(made for lining wire shelving) and glued it into place. This left a perfectly smooth surface to cover with the chalkboard vinyl. We finished it off with PVC corner trim and a bead of construction adhesive to cover all the seams and seal everything up.

Lastly, the inside of the door needed some love. It felt like too much chalkboard to repeat on the interior glass so we went with something purely decorative. We had a roll of marble contact paper for lining the cabinet shelves and it was perfect for the updated color palette. Just cut to size, stick on, smooth out, and seal with a bead of white caulk! So easy🙌 And in case nobody has told you yet: these caulk tools are a LIFESAVER.

Before & After:

So have you updated your RV doors? Did you paint? Use chalkboard or contact paper? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

DIY, tiny living

Painting your RV

September 20, 2019 No Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

Painting your RV. It’s one of the things I get asked about most on this ol’ blog and all our social media. I wish I had a simple answer but as with most RV DIY projects… things are a little complicated. So let’s get into the details of what we used, why, and how it held up!

Cabinet Enamel

The best paints to use when renovating your RV!

For the largest portion of our painting we used Valspar Cabinet Enamel. It covers all the cabinets, drawers, trim… basically anything that used to be dark wood! For about 99% of all this we applied it by hand with brushes. This was EXTREMELY tedious! I did a ton of research and everyone has a different idea on what works best and how to do it but one thing everyone mentions: this is time consuming work!

More recently we used the same paint in a sprayer to refinish our doors. This was an absolute game changer! When it comes time to paint our next project on wheels I can guarantee we will be using a sprayer. I don’t care how long the “taping off” process takes. I know it will be less time than I spent with a brush in my hand! It also coats everything super evenly and gets into tricky spaces (like our louvered doors) easily.

The Pros:

Self leveling so there are zero brush strokes.
Dries hard so no worries about tacky cabinets.
Works well in a sprayer.

The Cons:

It chips if it gets scraped, scratched, crunched, etc… This happened a lot during all the renovating so that was a serious bummer.
It’s expensive. Depending where you buy it a gallon of this stuff can be almost double the price of a can of latex paint.

*A note about painting RV cabinets: no matter what paint you use or how you apply it you absolutely MUST cut the seams! Simply run a sharp utility knife down the seams were your cabinets are joined after your paint is dry. We didn’t learn this trick until after the first round of painting and we had a good amount of splitting and flaking from all the shifting that happens when you are traveling down the road. Serious bummer but super simple fix!

Chalk Paint & Wax

We used FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint on the faux shiplap walls in the slide that houses our dining room and couch. Its actually watered down for that project and I loved the white wash look we got. We have also used this on several smaller projects as well. Things like the dog bowls, plant stands, and our pendant lights. This has become my go-to for smaller quick projects and all things white washed.

The Pros:

No need for sanding! You can seriously paint right over any surface with the most minimal prep.
This paint is so flexible and forgiving. You can use it straight out of the can, mix custom colors, and even water down for a color wash.
The coordinating wax finishes off the painted surface without all the bother of fumes and chemicals found in other sealers.

The Cons:

Not as many color choices. You may have to mix yourself a custom color.
Sold in small amounts so not the most cost friendly option for larger projects.

Spray Paint

This one is the biggest surprise of the list! We’ve used spray paint for so many different projects over the years but the payoff on the painted projects in here are surprisingly impressive. The majority of the spray paint we used in this space was for fixtures. Things like the ceiling fan, pendant shades, and door handles were perfect candidates. All the projects we used spray paint on have held up perfectly so far which is a total win as its also saved us some serious bucks!

The Pros:

Quick and easy to apply (and quick to dry!).
Can be used on most surfaces.
Inexpensive.

The Cons:

Limited color selection and you cant customize by mixing.
Some surfaces require extra prep to ensure durability.

So, have you used paint on your RV renovations? Do you have a favorite? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

DIY, tiny living

Updating RV Furniture

March 26, 2019 3 Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

We’ve shared a handful of our fifth wheel projects now(yay!) and after getting a pile of the same questions regarding our furniture updates I thought Id get together a post to house all the links and info. Hopefully this makes it easier/faster for you guys to reference the posts as well!

Dining Table & Chairs

We built our dining table and you can read the post here. The chairs we ordered on Amazon and they came in a set of 4. Two of the set were used at the dining table and two were used at the desk located in the back of the fifth wheel.

Sofa

The original sofa that came with the fifth wheel was crazy heavy, a sleeper, and not even close to our style. We knew right away the sleeper feature was not important but the style was. After a lengthy online shop sesh we found this Dove Grey Sofa at World Market. It fits the space in our slide perfect and is super lightweight! It also comes in a few large sections making it easy to assemble(which we did once it was inside).

Headboard

Our headboard was originally a super flimsy corduroy and cardboard number(yikes!). Luckily, it was also one of the first things we swapped out. We found this headboard at a West Elm pop up store which meant it was an absolute steal! We unassembled everything so we could just use the actual headboard. Later we used the wood from what would have been the frame as shelves and other small projects.

We will be updating this post as the projects keep going so keep an eye out for more soon!

A list of some of our top posts to help with updating RV furniture! Check out the projects, posts, and products we are loving in our home on wheels!

DIY, tiny living

DIY RV Table

February 6, 2019 3 Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

Ok, lets talk RV furniture. And lets get real… the furniture that is considered standard in most RVs is generally pretty bland. And beige. Aaaaand bland…. Did I mention bland? Ok, you guys get the point. Seeing this first hand in our fifth wheel we knew the majority of the furniture would be scrapped. And while it would have been convenient to just find new pieces that fit our style and our space straight off the shelf that was basically nonexistent. Enter the DIY RV table for our fifth wheel!

The Original

In case anyone forgot how “charming” the original dining set was, lets go down memory lane…

Ok, maybe there was a slight hint of sarcasm there! Sitting in these chairs felt like a 3 bears episode. I was fairly comfortable but Q(standing over 6′ tall) felt like he was at a child’s table. Besides the size, neither of us could stand the style and colors in the set which made tossing the whole thing a no brainer.

If you follow me on Instagram you may remember the day we stumbled upon a West Elm outlet pop up store… seriously one of the most exciting discoveries ever! It also couldn’t have been a more perfect time because it was shortly after we purchased the fifth wheel and we were still in the planning phases.

As we walked through the store I only had a loose idea of what I wanted to do with our space. That said, I knew I needed to bring home certain items the second I saw them! Sometimes when you know you just know! And I knew the second I laid eyes on the Mango Wood Dining Table that it was coming home with us.

Obviously the table was way too big for the fifth wheel. Buuuuut when I saw that beautiful slab of wood I just saw a pile of DIY possibilities! Plus, at the crazy outlet price we were able to snatch 2 tables for a fraction of what a single piece of mango wood would cost anywhere else. I spent the next few nights sketching out plans and cuts to get the very most out of every inch of this top.

Repurposing and Customizing

A few days and online orders later and we got to work. We scrapped the metal base and very carefully cut the tops. Between the 2 tops we got 1 table, 1 desk(more on that in another post), wall shelves, and a few other small projects. I stuck with a simple square shape just big enough for 2 of these Eames style chairs. We also hit the edges with a bit of sandpaper just to smooth out anything kicked up by the saw.

Now lets talk about legs. I wanted something to coordinate with some of the other hardware in the space so I kept my search in the matte black finishes. I also needed the legs to be easy to mount, sturdy, and fairly light weight. These hairpin legs checked ALL those boxes! We pre-drilled holes to keep the tops from splitting and screwed the legs directly into the bottom of the table.

After attaching the legs and testing the table on the new floors we needed just one more accessory. Hairpin leg protector feet! The new floors are amazing but we didn’t want to chance any scrapes or scratches. These feet keep everything solidly in place without direct contact from the metal. If you’re using hairpin legs for any kind of DIY project I would highly recommend these! They’re lightweight, simple to pop on, and come in a ton of colors in case you want to get crazy with your design.

Its been several months and several trips and I can confidently say this was the perfect choice for us! I love that we were able to repurpose the table top because it was an absolute steal but I really love the style it brings to our tiny space.

The Upgrade

So, have you repurposed or customized any pieces in your RV? Have any plans to in the future? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

DIY, kitchen, tiny living

RV Kitchen Upgrades

December 31, 2018 4 Comments

This post includes affiliate links. For the full disclosure policy click here.

We did a number of upgrades to the interior of the fifth wheel but some of my favorites happened in the kitchen. Luckily not all the kitchen upgrades were major time consuming intense projects(like flooring or painting!). The ones listed here were some of the simplest and quickest DIYs we completed!

Stick on Backsplash

RV Kitchen Upgrades

[before]

RV Kitchen Upgrades

[after]

Peel and Stick Subway Tiles completely changed our tiny kitchen! They are so simple to work with and you can change your backsplash in minutes. Literally just measure, cut, peel, and stick! I picked these tiles in particular because they’re resistant to heat, moisture, bacteria, and mold. Plus they’re far less weight than actual tiles and thats key in RV makeovers.

RV Kitchen Upgrades

We’ve been cooking in our tiny kitchen for months and I still love these tiles! I’ve put them through quite the heat test as we cook at home nearly every night. They’ve also been washed and wiped them down with multipurpose cleanser after some of our more messy meal prep (think bacon grease and spaghetti splatters) and they still look like new. Absolutely stoked on these tiles and I’d use them again in a heartbeat!

Cabinet Hardware

RV Kitchen Upgrades

In my opinion, hardware is one of the easiest changes to make with one of the biggest payoffs. The original cabinets had small oil rubbed bronze handles and pulls which matched the very brown themed interior. They were ok but they weren’t great. And they definitely didn’t fit the modern look we wanted to bring to the space.

After a bit of searching I found a style that came in both a pull and a knob. We needed the pulls for the drawers and the knobs for the cabinets. They come in bulk packs which is awesome because they’re priced so well and we used them for the entire trailer. The multiple lengths also meant we were able to use the existing holes in the cabinets and drawers.

Faucet and Soap Dispenser

RV Kitchen Upgrades

Initially when we gutted the fifth wheel I really wanted a whole new sink set up. And that would have probably happened if we had no budget and endless amounts of time. Ha! As a compromise I decided to start with a new faucet and see if that changed the look of the sink enough. And guess what? Totally did the trick!

We went with a pull down faucet in matte black that required only a single hole. This also meant we had and extra hole in the countertops from the previous faucet. And guess what fit perfectly in that space? A soap dispenser! This also came in a matte black which matched all our new hardware. Both felt like total luxury upgrades and the dispenser meant one less thing on my countertops. These 2 simple upgrades totally changed our sink space without having to rip out the original or mess with the countertops. We consider that #winning!

Copper Dish Rack

RV Kitchen Upgrades

This one is more of a pretty purchase than an actual upgrade but I still feel like its worth mentioning! Knowing we’d be washing all our dishes by hand was a major downer for me. Like I’ve mentioned, we cook at home for nearly all our meals and in our previous spaces I really put our dishwashers to use. So, if I had to have dishes out drying I figured I’d at least find something pretty to look at. This copper dish rack matches a handful of other decor I have in the fifthwheel and its held up to even our heaviest pots and pans. Obviously a dish rack is one of the most basic kitchen accessories but I promise it feels like an ‘upgrade’ when you’re hand washing every single dish in your RV!

Mounted Paper Towel Holder

RV Kitchen Upgrades

Lets be honest, no matter how nice or new your RV is there’s just never enough counter space. Ever. So anything we could do to free up just a bit more was a welcome upgrade. This included things as simple as a mounted paper towel holder. We mounted ours on the side of the kitchen island so its nearly out of sight. We also went for a simple black design that matched the cabinet hardware so it looks even more cohesive.

Magnetic Knife Strip

RV Kitchen Upgrades

In our previous stick built homes I’ve always had a drawer organizer or wooden block for our kitchen knives. Unfortunately both took up more space than I was willing to give up in this tiny kitchen so I found a knife strip we could mount on the wall. At first I was a little worried whether or not it would be strong enough to withstand traveling with the knives hanging but we’ve really put it to the test and its held up great. The magnet on this is incredibly STRONG! Plus, it was super easy to install over the stick on tiles.

Surely over time we’ll find more ways to upgrade our space. For now, we’re just happy all of the upgrades were simple to add and functional so far. So, have you made any upgrades to your RV kitchen? Tried any of the ones I mentioned above? You know I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

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