Top tips for bringing luxury to your caravan

If you are looking to bring your caravan up to date, are looking to refresh it, or want to give it an entirely new look so you can enjoy luxury caravan holidays, there are lots of ways you can give it a facelift.

If you are looking to create your own posh caravan it doesn’t have to cost a fortune and there are some simple and easy changes you can make to help modernise it.

Read on to find out the top tips for bringing luxury to your caravan and then you can show it off on holiday at caravan parks in Cornwall.

Tips to make a posh caravan

• Reupholster your caravan and spruce up its furniture
• Change the curtains/blinds
• Change the interior lighting
• Add some designer vinyl to your caravan
• Beef up the security and safety of your caravan
• A full valet
• Add luxury with accessories and simple touches
• Improve your sound system
• Consider buying outdoor furniture and an awning

Reupholster your caravan and spruce up its furniture

If the upholstery in your caravan is a bit outdated or is looking a bit worn, then you can replace it. You may also want to think about replacing any cushioning that has lost its support or any mattresses if your caravan has a fixed bed model.

By transforming your vehicle in this way, it will be a fraction of the cost compared to upgrading to something new. Of course, the cost depends on what you decide to replace it with as a new carpet might be cheaper than vinyl flooring.

Graham Bell, who runs the Caravan Vlogger site, says he has made some changes to his cupboards and added new lights:

“We all love a bit of luxury, especially whilst in our caravan. There are many ways to make your caravan more luxurious.

“I’ve recently replaced the overhead cupboard door hinges with soft close ones. Sometimes with cupboards, especially those over the bed, the handles can easily slip from your hand causing the door to slam shut, but not so with soft close hinges. Another thing you can easily do is replace the standard reading lights with LED lights, which are dimmable and come with USB charging points.”

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Change the curtains/blinds

If you are looking to transform your vehicle into a posh caravan another easy change you can make is to alter the curtains or blinds.

You can choose curtains or blinds that are not only fashionable, but you can pick ones which will improve insulation and blackout.

Graham Bell from Caravan Vlogger tells us that changing curtains and carpets are easy ways to modernise a caravan: “Carpets can be replaced with something with a deeper pile, although you need to bear in mind any additional weight of course. Removable ones are ideal and there are a few specialist companies that deal in replacement caravan carpets. The same is true of curtains, nothing ages a caravan more than the colour of the curtains. It wasn’t too long ago that orange and brown were the colour of choice for caravan manufacturers. Now, you may like orange and brown, personally, as I age, I’m becoming more beige in my tastes.”

Change the interior lighting

If you find that you need brighter lights in your caravan, you can simply switch your existing bulbs with new LEDs and they will brighten up your life as well as save you money as these types of bulbs use less power.

If you are looking to make bigger adaptations to the lights in your caravan, you should speak to a fully qualified electrician to carry out the work. Something that is becoming more popular is adding USB sockets as this allows you to charge devices such as phones, tablets and other electrical devices.

Alternatively, you can buy lamps or bed reading lamps and add them to your caravan if you are looking to make your vehicle more fashionable.

Dan, who is the founder of Meet the Trudgians, tells us that he added background lighting to his caravan, but he also suggested adding LED candles.

“A caravan can be a cosy, warm and inviting place to be right throughout the year, regardless of the season or the temperamental British weather. To that effect, one enhancement we have always made in our caravans is the inclusion of mood lighting. This can be done either by adding LED lights as background lighting or just adding LED candles that gently flicker in the background. These are inexpensive, safe and provide a warm glow for ambient lighting, lovely for reading or watching the TV.

“In summer, outdoor lighting can have two benefits. Using a candle that is designed to be used outdoors and is also laced with citronella can keep bugs away in warm summer evenings. Never use a candle near or inside an awning. Only use them outside in open spaces.”

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Add some designer vinyl to your caravan

Although it is still a relatively new concept, something that people are doing to add luxury to their caravan is adding some designer vinyl. This is when a vinyl-type coating or wrap is added to the outside of your caravan to transform the look of it.

You can opt for an all-over fitting, add designer vinyl to part of your caravan or just add it to the interior of your caravan.

Another benefit of adding designer vinyl coating such as this is the fact it can stop damage being caused to your caravan such as stone chips if you are towing the vehicle.

Beef up the security and safety of your caravan

Making a posh caravan isn’t necessarily all about changing the interiors of your caravan and adding fancy lighting, you need to consider its security and safety.

If you are planning to go on luxury caravan holidays and want to enhance your caravan security, there are lots of things you can do.

There are window alarms you can buy or for a slightly cheaper alternative you can buy new locks for doors and windows. There are also locking devices that can be fitted to the axle and wheels of caravans.

In terms of safety, there is equipment you can invest in such as Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems, reversing aids and safety bands that will keep the wheel on your caravan in the event of a deflation or blowout.

A full valet

One of the simplest ways to make your caravan feel more luxurious is to get a full valet for it that covers the inside and outside of the vehicle.

By getting a real deep clean of your caravan you can get rid of stains, smells, scuffs and other marks. You can do a full, deep clean of your caravan but one of the best options is to hire a professional to do it for you and some caravan cleaners can even come to your home to clean it.

If you decide to clean the outside of a caravan yourself, you will need to use plenty of water and avoid using washing-up liquid as this can cause corrosion. When cleaning your caravan you should use a soft sponge and a small amount of cleaning solution as this will gently remove dirt from windows and other surfaces.

Add luxury with accessories and simple touches

Adding a bit of luxury to your caravan doesn’t have to mean you spending lots of money as you can add some simple touches that are cost effective.

You can add little extras such as rugs or carpets and this can add a bit of extra colour to your caravan as well as add a bit of insulation and comfort underfoot. You can also look at adding some fun cushions.

If you have a colour theme for your caravan then you should consider buying accessories that tie in with your themes such as cups, plates, pans and kettles.

Karen Beddow, the author of the Mini Travellers blog, told us that she has added home comforts to her caravan when going on holiday:

“I like my home comforts when we are caravanning, so I was happy to share a couple of the things that I’ve picked up along the way to ensure that extra element of luxury that is relatively low cost and most importantly when towing – low weight. Firstly, my handheld vacuum, it makes it just so easy to hoover up crumbs, bits of grass, and pet hair that make the caravan look really dirty in no time at all. In the same vein, I take a washing basket as this also keeps the caravan tidy as all the dirty clothes and towels go in one place. It also makes transporting the washing to the laundrette easier.”

Another way to add more luxury to your caravan is to give it an uplift by installing a microwave oven, awning, fridges, a new heating system or hot water systems. For installing new air conditioners and heating systems, especially if your caravan was built before 2015, you will need to ask dealers about fitting such systems.

Adding new air conditioners and heating systems is another popular accessory you can add. Dan from Meet the Trudgians said: “Caravans can get incredibly warm in the summer months, and with the summer of 2022 being one of the hottest in recent years, the addition of air conditioning is an accessory worth considering. Whether as a roof-mounted unit, bolt-on item or stand-alone device, air conditioning is a good way of keeping the temperature down inside the caravan. Air conditioning units have improved vastly in recent years, they are quiet, consume low amounts of power and can keep pets cool too.

“Some air conditioning units also can operate as heaters as well, especially helpful when setting the caravan up, as these units can heat up a space in a very short period of time.

“However, if air conditioning is not an option, an additional fan can help circulate air and create a through draft.”

The founder of the Caravan Vlogger, Graham Bell, says it is worth investing in accessories for your caravan and this could range from installing air conditioning to something simpler like a mattress topper:

“Most modern caravans come with good heating systems and insulation. After the summer we’ve had, you might consider getting air conditioning. We have a roof-mounted version, however, there are portable ones available, which are caravan specific. Although they aren’t the cheapest of accessories, they certainly help keep you cool when in the caravan.

“If that isn’t enough, you could invest in a mattress topper and some specialist bedding. Not all caravan beds are comfortable, some regular sheets don’t work well on caravan beds. Replacing a mattress is expensive and mattress toppers are relatively inexpensive, there are specialist caravan needing companies that can supply these items.”

ALSO READ: How to make your caravan feel like home

Improve your sound system

Even an old caravan will have some form of radio and speakers, but this is something else that you can upgrade. You may want to install a digital radio if your caravan doesn’t have one, but if your system has Bluetooth connectivity you can look at buying new speakers.

You can also replace existing speakers with newer models if you are looking to improve your sound system and upgrading to newer speakers doesn’t need to cost lots of money.

Consider buying outdoor furniture and an awning

Making your caravan more luxurious doesn’t just mean altering its interior as you can create a great outdoor space by adding items such as outdoor furniture and other accessories.

Dan from Meet the Trudgians told us why buying an awning or outdoor furniture is a great idea: “Caravanning is a great way to explore the UK. A few items can make touring more enjoyable and relaxing. Good outdoor furniture provides a relaxing space outside. Chairs, tables and cabinets all help to create additional useable space. An awning provides more space as well. These can range in price but do create a huge increase in the living area.

“Finally, a BBQ allows you to perfect your cooking skills, and share the sights and smells of delicious food cooking on a grill. These items can help create the outdoor relaxed lifestyle no matter if you are a couple, a family or a solo caravanning.”

ALSO READ: A guide to cooking in a caravan

This article looks at the different ways you can add a bit of luxury to your caravan, including changing your curtains and blinds or adding new air conditioners and heating systems. If you want to book a break at our Looe caravan park, you can book online or call one of our team on 01503 262447.

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