hen it comes to buying a brick-and-mortar home, realtors know that the mantra is “location, location, location.” In the RV arena, salespeople are well aware that it’s changed — to “floorplan, floorplan, floorplan.” Granted, the RV still needs to fit a budget, but it first needs to fit a buyer’s lifestyle — and budgets have been known to “grow” in order to accommodate that “perfect” floorplan.

Finding it, however, sometimes takes a few tries. What looks good at first may prove to be unworkable after a being on the road for a while. But unlike moving furniture around in a stationary residence to change the layout, RV owners who get tired of the floorplan have fewer options. Most, in fact, ultimately trade their RVs for one that offers a more suitable floorplan for their changing lifestyle — which can be very expensive when depreciation enters the picture.

A good alternative — and one that has gained a lot of traction lately in the RV world — is to remodel, taking advantage of new furniture and entertainment/convenience options.

We consulted with owners who just couldn’t live with the floorplan in their 2015 Tiffin Phaeton 40-foot motorhome any longer and stuck around to document the results. In this coach, an L-shaped couch (or often referred to as J-lounge) dominated the living room, with the TV mounted on the wall shared by the “jack-and-jill” bathroom. The bathroom was in fact the driving reason for buying this motorhome — the mid-coach bath is a good feature for those wanting better access to the bathroom from the bedroom. But as they discovered, watching TV from the couch was uncomfortable — and the opposing dining area felt out of place visually to the owners.

Also, since the owners did not entertain overnight guests, the bed built into the couch served no purpose and was never used — and it crowded the driver’s seat when turned toward the living room. After a number of years complaining about the floorplan (and wishing for a theater seat arrangement), they finally decided to remodel the living room in lieu of selling the motorhome and buying a new one.

Borkholder is no stranger to the RV industry, having spent more than 20 years in various capacities, primarily working in factory cabinet shops. He has also rehabbed houses, capitalizing on his ability to build fine furniture. While he offers a number of pre-designed tables and workstations, his forte is to dig in and figure out how to customize interiors.

To get the project started, the owners visited Borkholder’s farm and spent a couple of days discussing options. Borkholder listens to the owners and then works with them in designing a plan from scratch; there is no need to come to his shop with plans from an outside source. He’s incredibly creative and, knowing his way around RVs, can make decisions that offer convenience and value. Of course, the popularity of his work means you can’t just drop in; figure on about two months lead time to get an appointment.

Complying with his Amish culture, Borkholder does not use a computer. He does have a phone that’s kept in the shop, which — along with his generator and power tools — is allowed by Amish rule in order to make a living.

Once the plan was penciled in, the owners had to do some shopping. Settling on the theater seating was a no brainer. Offered exclusively through Lippert, the Thomas Payne collection boasts an extensive number of options, and once you sink into the company’s theater seats, you’re hooked. For this project, right- and left-hand recliners (part numbers 2020129336 and 2020129337, respectively) were chosen with Norlina fabric upholstery. The light beige fabric has a handsome texture that is very smooth to the touch. This is a departure from the Ultraleather upholstery originally in the couch, and desired by the owners for its warmth in colder weather and somewhat better resistance to scratch marks from their dog and cat. Once the center console (part number 2020129339; 12 x 34 x 31 inches), with matching fabric is added, the entire ensemble is about 67 inches wide; only 4 inches of space is needed to the back wall to allow for full reclining. Fully extended, the recliners stretch 64 inches.

Power ports are also built into each armrest, designed to accept an optional reading light, fan and wireless phone charger. The same ports can also be used to accept a unique wine caddy, a small swivel desk and a clip-on armrest tray. We didn’t get a chance to check these items out during the install because of a backorder situation.

Getting the theater seating through the front door of the motorhome was easy since the ensemble is modular and the backs can be removed. Mounting is facilitated by interlocking hardware that requires no tools, and it only takes a few minutes to assemble the entire set-up; the seats and console were plugged into a nearby 120-volt AC outlet. The owners elected to forego fastening the seats to the floor, since the motorhome exhibits good ride control; it’s probably best to screw them to the floor in travel trailers and fifth wheels. The Thomas Payne recliners are priced at $749.95 each and the center console is $259.95.

Considering the Thomas Payne seating took up less space than the factory L-shaped couch, the plan also called for additional cabinetry on both sides of the theater seats, providing quite a bit of increased storage and counter space. Originally, a small recliner was tucked into the space behind the couch and immediately adjacent to the TV. With the addition of the twin Thomas Payne recliners it wasn’t needed; the remodel plan called for a wine cooler to be built into matching cabinetry. A modern-looking wine cooler was purchased from Best Buy for $799. The two-door, dual zone Insignia (model NS-BC2ZSS1) is designed for mounting inside a cabinet and can hold 21 standard wine bottles and is also suitable for water and soda bottles. A nice benefit of purchasing appliances from Best Buy is the ability to procure warranty service just about anywhere. This was a strong consideration for the owners, who live in the motorhome fulltime.

Components for the television lift must be integrated carefully into the wood structure to assure smooth operation; Borkholder fabricated the metal brackets as well as all the woodwork. Although Borkholder follows strict Amish tradition, exceptions are made for using power tools needed to make a living.

The only caveat was rewiring the TV to the satellite receiver, broadcast antenna, surround-sound components and cable connection. Previously the wiring logjam from the factory was reworked by Advanced Satellite, a Junction City, Oregon, company specializing in RV entertainment systems. Months before the Tiffin’s interior redesign, upgraded stereo components, speakers and controls were added to enhance listening pleasure. Advanced Satellite, being familiar with the system, was contracted after the interior upgrade to re-route the cabling to the new TV location. The project was completed flawlessly at a cost of $1,500.

The wall vacated by the TV allowed for an unplanned opportunity to convert the area into a bar that holds wine, spirits and wine glasses. Borkholder designed a system to control the bottles and glasses and offer a beautiful touch to the living room, aesthetically and functionally — and it was built in such a way as to prevent the glasses and bottles from dislodging from their positions when the slide is in travel mode.

Obviously, RVs are made to be on the road, and that’s the rub. Hardwoods can sweat up to 16%, according to Borkholder, which can lead to splitting. In order to compensate for the stresses imposed by a moving vehicle and changing climates, veneer tops and side panels were chosen which, said Borkolder, provide superior strength and longevity. (I can attest to the quality of Borkholder’s work; he built new furniture for our fifth wheel three years ago and his upgrades have endured more than 30,000 miles of torturous highways without any signs fatigue. And under full-time living conditions, the countertops show no signs of wear and tear.) Owners looking to remodel their RVs should be cognizant of weight and come to the party armed with accurate figures from a local scale. Of course, some of the additional weight will be offset by the removal of the original furniture and fixtures, but it’s also important to know the capability of the slideout (especially in a fifth wheel or trailer) and be aware of the impact of any shift in weight balance. The weight changes in the project motorhome were not an issue.

In the end, the interior remodel opened up the living area visually and added a big dose of luxury that complemented the factory décor beautifully. With the cockpit seats turned toward the living quarters, the entire living room becomes a much warmer environment for entertaining guests — something that was less feasible with the original L-shaped couch. The ability to sink into the new Thomas Payne seating, recline to an almost horizontal position, adjust the lumbar support, get a massage and warm your tushy is a game changer.

If the owners can stay awake, they can gawk at their new surroundings.

Stain is applied using a cloth or from a spray gun, normally reserved for the larger pieces.

The Thomas Payne theater seats are upholstered in a stylish fabric, rather than Ultraleather, which is smooth to the touch. Seats recline into an almost horizontal position providing tremendous support and comfort. Trying to stay awake is not an easy task.

Custom RV Furniture
(574) 354-2905
customrvllc.com

Lippert
(574) 535-1125
lci1.com

The completed remodel adds beauty and comfort while opening up floor space in the liv- ing room. A nearly perfect blend of theater seating, cabinets and additional countertops transforms the area once only occupied by a couch and small recliner.

Custom RV Furniture
(574) 354-2905
customrvllc.com

Lippert
(574) 535-1125
lci1.com