ith its back-to-back record sales years, the growing RV industry has not only enjoyed a newfound popularity among outdoor RV enthusiasts but it has also shed an even brighter light on how RV interiors have reached astonishing levels of performance.
Indeed, few would argue that the industry’s interior design segment has grown its supplier base, material choices, color palettes and design decisions to the point where form and style are just as important as functionality, durability and comfort. In fact, this burgeoning RV niche attracts new suppliers every year, many of which were previously dedicated to the residential market.
The newcomers to this niche, it could be argued, also are on the scene because savvy OEMs now see opportunities in targeting specific demographics beyond traditional price points. These can include hip, young design offerings for hip, young buyers, or more conservative classic styles for older buyers — and everything in between. And let’s not forget that the push to make RVs lighter, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly also has resulted in myriad new materials, films and coatings that have opened up a new age of color and variety.
“RV companies used to copycat each other and it’s not that way anymore,” one supplier said privately. “We now show a huge variety of product design to the (OEM) customer. They are no longer asking ‘who is doing what,’ but rather ‘what can we do differently.’ If they are looking for contemporary, or they are looking for farmhouse, there are choices they can make. Dark or light. Everyone is going to their own beat, which is really nice for both the suppliers and the consumer.”
Kelli Gierz, consumer business manager for ITC Inc., a lighting and accessory maker based out of Hudsonville. Mich., concurred that OEMs are looking to stand apart. It’s good for business, she said.
“We do see customers wanting to stand out,” she reported. “And that’s one of the things we excel at. We work in the marine industry as well and those companies have been on that path for a much longer time. We have many products that help RV companies look different and then we have many that work with us to customize solutions.”
At Georgia- based Toppan Interamerica Inc., a producer of décor films for furniture and flooring, Patty Holt, an RV account executive and design consultant, said there are a variety of trends that have developed throughout the last year.
“Wallboards continue with linens, natural fiber designs to add the feel of texture,” Holt continued. “We are also seeing larger accent wallboards in geometric designs, herringbones, chevrons, and more. The interiors today are giving true dimension and layering, which gives the right balance when designing an interior.”
Doyle Stump, executive vice president of innovation for Patrick Industries, also commented on the trends his firm is seeing in the RV interiors realm.
“Comfortable, warmer interiors are definitely on the rise, as opposed to the cooler, more clinical interiors we have seen in the recent past,” he said. “Lighter, brighter walls, curved furniture lines, natural wood tones and inviting textures are what our customers have been asking to see. Bits of neutral, natural colors are also creeping into RV interiors. Blues and greens on islands, fabrics, and feature walls will definitely have their place in future RV interiors.”
Of course, no discussion of RV interiors would be complete without a focus on furniture — and most RV furniture executives agree that, although the variety of styles is more diverse than ever, campers are increasingly looking for the “feel” of home in their RV, from luxurious couches to comfort-height commodes.
“I would say the biggest change I’ve seen in the last few years is we used to always trend behind the residential segment from two to five years. That window is a lot tighter now across the interiors segment,” said Andrew Mock, director of sales for Lippert’s interiors division. The largest supplier in the RV furnishings space since it entered the market around 2010 with the acquisition of Seal Tech, Lippert sells its furniture under the Lippert and Thomas Payne brands as well as under private-label branding.
He said that quality of components has been another big improvement.
“For instance, there are higher-quality coverings now in polyurethane,” he noted. “There has been an emphasis on putting on quality covering now, which is great to see.”
Variety of products available has also evolved to now include a wider assortment, he added.
“As an example, we probably have in each space — from stick-and-tin to motorized luxury — five or six different sleeping functions,” Mock said. “In cedar seats you have probably10 different ways you could build out a cedar seat. Then the low end, probably four to five different ways to add function to a jackknife or a storage sofa.”
In talking with other manufacturers in the RV furniture space, it was clear that most campers also want furniture that is kid-, dog- and uncle-proof.
“When we see people come into the design center, most are looking for more durable fabrics,” stated Ryan Biren, senior vice president of corporate development for Camping World’s new Allure furniture brand. “When they hit the road, they have dogs and they don’t want to get their fabrics scratched up. So, we are increasingly looking at durable fabrics that can withstand stain protection and weather and age appropriately.”
“Most people coming for a replacement are because of fabric-quality issues,” he added. “Would it survive the kids and the dog? That’s the big question they ask upon replacement — which gives us a good feel for what the market is looking for.”
Jason Miller, president of the Wakarusa, Ind.-based REM Industries, concurs. The family company was founded in 1991and specialized in free-standing, upholstered dinette chairs. But it now is diversifying into the rest of the RV furnishings market.
Today, he said, the company is producing dinette cushions for travel trailers, all the way through its high-end freestanding chairs and recliners; what’s trending now, he added, are the new woven vinyl fabrics that have hit the market.
Brian Pletcher, president of Pletcher Sales Inc., based in Bristol, Ind., also sees durable, stain-resistant fabrics on the comeback.
“Our big push right now is polyurethanes because everybody’s using it,” said Pletcher. “I have a strong feeling that it’s going to turn back to fabrics eventually, but it’s going to need to be a performance-type fabric so that the dealers have a story to tell.”
The company specializes in providing complete RV interior packages including comforters, pillows, window treatments, privacy curtains, hard valances, headboards and backsplash panels.
“We also offer upholstery products including performance fabrics, polyurethane, vinyl and leather,” Pletcher added. “Along with our manufacturing capabilities, we also import and distribute comforter packages, peel-and-stick backsplash panels and dinette chairs.”
And, as Biren pointed out, people also want electronics incorporated into furniture. “There’s a lot of interest in some phone-charging capability as well as cooling and warming of cups in the cup holders. So, there’s a lot of cool technology and electronics that are starting to be added to the entertainment side of the furniture and we’re introducing those as well,” he explained.
Then too, many higher-end suppliers, such as Bradd & Hall, a maker of luxury captain’s chairs, have gone to Ultraleather fabric replacing cloth.
“Mostly 90-95% of what we sell is an Ultraleather. It’s used in Cadillacs, Mustangs and they’re putting it in the 2022 Range Rover. It holds up nicely,’ said CEO Bradd Neidhamer.
Here’s a look as some of the latest offerings in the interior space — both furniture and comfort upgrades — you’ll find on dealer lots this summer:
“As far as design trends, the grays are still the decor trend,” said Mock. “That will be here for a while, and I’d say that more of a modern look to the sofas has definitely taken over. We’re all kind of getting rid of the over-stuffed arms and the big, poufy seats and backs.”
Allure has come out with two, patented easy-glide, easy-out featured sofas that extend into tight spaces, Biren mentioned.
“It’s very easy to maneuver and it uses the furniture itself as the cushion. So, our easy-out, easy-glide has been really two key products popular with OEM customers as it reclines really well and doesn’t require a pullout mattress,” he said. “It’s much simpler to support on the line and it is lighter weight.
“The biggest thing from a support perspective for the end user is if there’s an issue with a piece of furniture, they can come to a local Camping World and we can support that issue with units in the store,” he explained. “So, customers don’t have to wait for something coming from Elkhart. So with our Camping World network, it makes it very accessible to supply the OEMs.”
He explained the Revolution line is made of woven yarn that’s extremely durable. “It’s the yarn that we use and the way we weave it. It’s not something that I would call waterproof,” he said. “There are some fabrics out there now that will bead up water; that’s not what this is. You can’t destroy this stuff. And it’s got a pretty big presence in the retail furniture industry. And we think that more and more of these designers want their units to look like your home.”
“We’re doing pretty much Class A captain’s chairs,” Neidhamer stated. “But we’re also doing a few smaller ones. We’re working on doing some integrated seats, but mainly Class A with nice footrest chairs for passengers and all that kind of stuff.”
Neidhamer said the company’s newest, most deluxe captain’s chair is called the Contoura because of its ergonomic properties that conform to any shape. “We wanted to make a footrest that was comfortable,” he explained before saying Flexsteel, before it left the market a few years ago, made the best product in the industry. “Especially when it came to captain’s chairs, nobody compared to what they did.”
After selling Flexsteel chairs for many years, his designers integrated the best elements of its top selling chairs. “It’s a contoured fit,” Neidhamer continued. “It’s got side bolsters and back bolsters and we’re using an automotive-grade lumbar device in both a manual and power version. It features both high and low heat options. It has a footrest option. There are adjustable arms with six-way power settings as well. It’s really nice and is finished off with Ultraleather.”
“For new entries into our product line we have a 7640, which is our 310 toilet but it has a macerator and runs off of a pedal flush,” explained Clark. “It’s 50% less than our standard macerator but it gives the customer more. It’s very popular today because we have seen a second bath that has been added to many coaches that don’t have a lot of space for another tank. This allows the pumping of the slur over to the main tank.” He said the slow, quiet-close toilet seat has become very popular in RVs because of the sound reduction in the innate close quarters of camping. “That has just taken off to the point that this will soon be standard on all RV toilets,” he said. “No more slams in the middle of the night. Unlike on residential toilets, our wood seat is the top of the line.”
The MOD Leg system can support a dining table, desk or workspace, seamlessly changing positions with a single mounting location. Available in a wall or floor mount, the leg is height-adjustable with a 360-degree swivel. The wall mount with tilting functionality lets users move the tabletop to various tiled positions – as far as 90 degrees – allowing it to be locked and stowed against the wall when not in use. “Post-pandemic lifestyle changes have encouraged RV manufacturers to implement more modular and multi-use spaces, boosting interest in our spread of adjustable table legs which allow RVers to make more of their spaces,” Gierz said. 
With a modern design, the Contemporary Linear Light will complement all RV styles. It provides a more evenly lit environment and offers easier installation than traditional puck lights. One linear light can replace up to four puck lights. As a versatile, single-color diffused lighting fixture, it comes in three finishes and several Kelvin light color options that will brighten up any space. ITC also offers tape lights for installation around curves.