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quoteWhen buying a new caravan or motorhome, you usually find that interior design styles, upholstery, fixtures and fittings are chosen by the manufacturer.
Increasingly though, consumers are given the opportunity to pick and choose how certain parts of their unit will look; whether it’s a colour scheme, the materials used or even the layout.
To get your thoughts on the matter, last month we asked if you think manufacturers are getting it right when it comes to interior design? Or whether you think the buyer should have more input before a sale is agreed?
Chris was one of the first to get in touch: “Some of us don’t want to be reminded that we’re in holiday accommodation, some of us like home away from home and at home we don’t put wood, steel, textile, glass, granite look along with garish patterns and colours in one room – I’d prefer it not to be in my caravan. Accessories seem to be missed too: covers, throws, mats don’t seem easily available.”
Craig, on the other hand, is satisfied with his caravan’s interior: “The layout is the main reason we bought our Elddis; the extra wide side dinette makes a reasonably sized double bed instead of the usual bunk. As for the colour scheme, it’s quite neutral which allows splashes of colour to be added and the walnut cabinets will stand the test of time. Ultimately though it’s the layout that makes a caravan work, the colour scheme is secondary.”
The results are in…
With almost 300 votes, it’s finally time to reveal your verdict
A massive 59% of you voted in favour of more being done, telling us that manufacturers should offer greater choice.
The second most popular choice with a respectable 26%, came from those who’d prefer to design and decorate their unit themselves; whilst 15% of voters praised manufacturers’ interior design choices.
Let’s take a look at more of your comments
Andrew Harcourt says it’s easy enough to change caravan and motorhome interiors: “I recently bought a new motorhome, our first priority was length, then layout and the interior design did not come into it at all. Firstly each manufacturer offers several interior trims and upholstery choices, secondly they don’t matter anyway. If you don’t like any of them, just go to a specialist upholstery company and spend £500-£1000 and get exactly what you want. You can change the upholstery, you cannot change the length or the furniture layout.”
Margaret, however, like 26% of voters, prefers to do it herself: “I am looking to replace the flowery curtains and headboards in our lovely new caravan. I think they spoil the modern look of the caravan.”
Click here to read all the comments in full.
This is so interesting and informative post about motorhome interior design. Thanks for sharing such a great blog with us.
Am I surprised at the poll’s results? Not in the least! I probably appreciate design restrictions around weight, towability etc but if European vans can come up with something a bit more imaginative, why not British. How difficult is it to find something other than the conventional and very boring parallel sofa arrangement with chest of drawers at one end? Answer: almost impossible if you want a British designed van. How can you find something that’s comfortable to sit on AND sleep on? You can’t because of a British obsession with building leg rolls into seating (some of which, by the way, are so firm and high that your feet don’t touch the ground when sitting down). Quality of build? Not a touch on German vans. OK – so there’s a weight pay off but I’d rather tow a bit more weight than have tacky fixtures and fittings and cheap finish. The list could go on. Key areas for improvement for me are:
1. provide seating that has the same comfort value for sleeping as fixed beds. Uncomfortable made-up beds are absolutely the worst feature of British vans: hard, sloping cushions that cause backache. Please do something about it.
2.give consumers the option of whether or not they want fixed carpets, microwaves, central heating – fine if you want all this stuff but please recognise that not everyone does. They should all be added extras, giving people the opportunity to buy the design of van they want with the additions they want.
3. Give some choice over colour schemes/fabric designs which are not limited to what model you buy
4. Don’t assume that everyone wants a massive bathroom with shower. Living/sleeping space is often preferable
5. Think about introducing slightly wider vans – they make a huge difference to the size of fixed single bed and general spaciousness.
6. How about U-shaped seating at the front of the van (and not the sort with a ridiculous perch to sit on underneath the front window, but full depth seating). Very practical for families as allows 4 people to sit comfortably around a table and makes a spacious double bed.
If European van designers can come up with something totally practical, versatile, comfortable, of quality build, easy to tow and attractive to be in, why not British designers. I know where I’d rather put my money. Hope to see some action from these comments.
Hi Karen, that’s quite a list, thank you! We’ll certainly feedback your comments to the manufacturers, I’m sure they’ll find your ideas very useful.
Many thanks
Lucie
When my Wife and I were looking to replace our old (18 yr old) caravan we spent quite a time researching all the main manufacturers and their different interiors and designs. This took us a few months of ‘leg work’ and we made sure the shower would be big enough by actually standing in the shower tray and shutting the door. Some of those round shower trays could not accommodate a child let alone an average adult. Those caravans were dismissed early in the research. Also rejected were the ones with fixed beds……. Total waste of space in our opinions. Those with high front windows going into the roof seemed to be lacking in overhead lockers as with centre consoles…….They seemed to make walking through the ‘vans something like a ‘slalom’ event. We did not want a set of drawers around the front benches as I had always had a problem when sleeping near one and I would end up with my face hard up against a hard surface……….
The New One (as we called the search) had to be at least 4 berth and the separate dining area type was our main consideration, along with decent washroom facilities. We use our rig on sites that only have a tap for water and disposal. So our New One had to do what the old one did…….. We also use solar panels to charge up the battery and run the fridge and hot water on gas. So what did we settle on? A Baily Pegasus Milan 2…….. I know the design has been around a few years and our 2012 was probably one of the last….. But it has stood the test of time over the years and we hope this one will last as long as the old……… So the moral of the story, is when you look for a new ‘van, don’t go around with ‘rose tinted spectacles’…… We did at first but then reigned back on those impulses…….. So don’t buy the first one look around for at least 20 models and spend time doing so. It is a huge investment for all of us and getting it right is as much as pleasurable experience as using it so invest more time in your research………… Even though we go away in the New One at least once a month it still seems that we look forward to the next ‘long weekend’ away……… Which sometimes means at least a fortnight away from the ‘fixed home’…….
Thanks so much for getting in touch Andrew! It’s great to hear from someone who has shopped around. Caravans and motorhome’s are huge investments as you say, so it’s certainly worth doing your research.
We change our caravan when we can afford to do it, so we always look for good quality and an interior that will suit us and will last. Also in this day and age where it is unfortunate but people are not always of the so called normal size we look for a comfortable washroom area, some caravans still only provide for small people which I myself have been caught out with when I purchased one caravan thinking the shower would be ok, but unfortunately it wasn’t,so we lost a lot of money exchanging. So most important is quality and comfort.