The best campervan interior ideas

Thinking of changing things up or stuck on campervan interior inspiration? We’ve rounded up a world of campervan interior ideas just for you.

You can brighten up your lives by adding a bit of extra colour to your campervan interior—new cushions, throws, stylish accessories and more.

There are campervan upholstery specialists and interior design specialists who offer great service and will be able to tell you which fabrics are best suited to campervan life.

Before you jump into jazzy colours and funky prints to brighten up your campervan interior, it is always worth considering what will happen when you decide to sell up or trade in your camper. Will your choices hinder your resale value? It’s always worth having this in the back of your mind before you make any rash decisions.

Decorative throws…or two

It’s amazing how big a difference adding a throw to your lounge seating can lift the whole interior of any campervan. It’s a mark of your style and personality.

Think multi-functionality, though. There should be other uses for the throws than just decoration. For example, they can be used to warm up when you’re sitting outside or as an additional layer on top of your bedding if things get chilly.

Top tip: Seek out fabrics that aren’t just comfortable but also safe (i.e., non-flammable) and that are a bit harder wearing than usual.

Add some colour to your cushions

Manufacturers may try to add a little pizazz to the campervans they’re selling via the odd scatter cushion. However, the likelihood of these cushions being the highest quality is slim.

Investing in alternative colourful covers for the cushions they already provide is a great way to upcycle them—without breaking the bank.

If you’re feeling really fancy, you could even go as far as having different cushion styles for different events and times of the year.

One particularly good idea is to have outside cushion covers. Stores such as IKEA do colourful outdoor cushion covers at a reasonable price, making it easy for you to remove or switch out when it comes to bedtime. That also solves the problem of where to stow pillows when not in use!

Top tip: Make sure those covers are easy to take off for washing. And keep the originals safe—they’ll come in handy at trade-in time.

Change up your curtains

If your campervan comes with fabric curtains, there’s another opportunity to add a bit more colour and, at the same time, quality.

As well as picking a new colourful, uplifting fabric, this is a great time to upgrade any linings for better insulation or even add blackout material for a better night’s sleep.

Top tip: Keep curtains away from naked flames. It might seem obvious, but some fabrics can be highly flammable and may lead to irreparable damage as well as health and safety issues.

Cover your floors

Chances are your campervan has a solid floor with a covering that’s tough and easy to wipe clean—there may even be carpeting throughout.

Rather than going into full renovation mode, adding a simple rug can completely transform the look and feel of your campervan.

Ideally, you’ll want to look for rugs which are comfortable and warm under bare feet—but make sure it’s a material that’s easy to clean and machine washable, as well as easy for shaking out any dirt that is always going to accumulate in a campervan.

Even a small doormat-style piece of carpet can make a lot of difference—and, of course, it’s an excuse for jazzier hues.

Pet-friendly products are often a good choice here—even if you don’t have four-legged travel companions, they’re often soft but hard-wearing, ideal for your regular trips.

Top tip: Ensure any added rug or similar doesn’t impede the opening of floor-level locker doors and moving seat mechanisms. 

Upgrade your lighting

The latest campervans will often come with all-LED interior lighting—which isn’t just more efficient and longer lasting. Still, it’s usually brighter than the likes of traditional tungsten bulbs and fluorescent strips.

If you don’t have LEDs, why not upgrade?

Bulbs are often interchangeable, or you may want to enhance any existing lighting, such as plug-in LED strips.

Your imagination is your limit here, with all manner of colours, dimming and flashing functions and more available these days.

Of course, there’s nothing to stop you from adding extra lighting anywhere you feel it’s needed. For example, you could add mains-operated reading lamps, which are often easier on the eyes and can come in all shapes and sizes.

Top tip: Include a dimmer switch in your upgrades, allowing you to set the lighting to fit your mood and be perfect for any occasion.

Cover your seating

If a throw isn’t going to cut it, you may want to consider additional permanent covers for your seating, cab and lounge.

Options here include bespoke, harder-wearing covers designed to fully protect the original upholstery or slips, which can be removed and interchanged.

If you want something more natural, why not consider sheep’s wool? Warm in winter and cooling in summer, it’s very versatile. Sheep’s wool also allows you to shrug off the dirt and, the more stubborn of which, can be brushed out when dry. 

Top tip: If you’re getting new seat covers, don’t forget the armrests—they often show more signs of wear and tear than the seats themselves.

Tint your side windows

Technically, tinting your windows might not feel like an ‘interior idea’. However, if your side windows don’t offer any light protection, considering tinting film could make a world of difference.

It’s a relatively inexpensive way of adding a bit of extra privacy to your space and protecting any longer-term damage caused by direct sunlight on soft furnishings, in particular.

Top tip: Stay legal. Check the Highway Code and the law regarding tinting allowances for windscreens and cab windows.

Quick campervan interior fixes

If you want to make a couple of quick fixes, here’s plenty more you can do to enhance the interior of your campervan and make your camping life all the easier:

1. Add hooks for hanging up clothes, photos or any other decorative pieces—but be careful what you’re screwing into. Stick-on hooks will sometimes suffice.
2. Window stickers can provide a little bit of colour and interest to the room without having to put up pictures.
3. If you want to paint woodwork, it’s worth double-checking the actual material. Some “wood” could actually be veneer, and in this case, it might be worth using something such as vinyl wrapping.
4. Adding extra shelving to any particularly tall lockers gives you more space and storage.
5. New locker handles and catches are another way to add a pop of personality to a small space without making too many big, permanent changes.  
6. Invest in non-slip matting to hold down your trinkets, like plans or decorative ornaments. This also works well inside your cupboards.
7. Utilise your campervan kit as colourful accessories by buying fun mugs, glasses, utensils and crockery.
8. Wanting a new table? Adapting existing leg fittings with a new tabletop cab easily transforms your campervan interior.

Specialist campervan insurance through Ripe

If you’re spending time making your campervan feel like your own personal home from home, you may also want to consider keeping it safe.

Through Ripe specialist campervan insurance, you can insure your campervan against things such as theft, accidental damage, fire, and floods. If the worst were to happen, emergency accommodation cover ensures you would be covered for the cost of hotel accommodation or replacement vehicle hire if your campervan is stolen, damaged, or uninhabitable and you’re more than 50 miles from home.

Learn more about how campervan insurance can help you, and get an instant online quote now.