Have you ever walked into a room and thought, “This just doesn’t work, and I can’t look at it one more day”? That’s exactly how I felt about our RV earlier this year. Last May, I had back surgery, and during that time, we purchased a new-to-us Class A motorhome. We were so excited to purchase our dream…a Tiffin Class A. We absolutely fell in love with the coach the moment we saw it. The layout was perfect for us, the space felt comfortable, and we immediately started dreaming about all the trips we would take.
From the beginning, we knew we wanted a coastal theme inside the RV. There was already a framed turtle print in the RV from the factory, and the Allegro Open Road décor theme was called Ocean. That seemed like the perfect starting point.
So naturally, I leaned into the RV coastal décor idea.
I bought a bright turquoise comforter that had an ocean theme. Quilted into the comforter were starfish, seashells, and seahorses. We also picked up turquoise items for the kitchen to match. At first, I loved it. But every time I walked into the RV, something felt a little off. But since decorating is not exactly one of my talents, I couldn’t figure out what the problem was.
When a Decorating Idea Doesn’t Work
This February, I finally admitted to myself that the look just wasn’t working. Now let me be honest here… I have loved the ocean and the beach my entire life. If I see something with shells or starfish on it, I’m probably going to love it. But I came to realize the comforter looked more like something a teenage girl would pick for her beach-themed bedroom than the relaxed coastal look I wanted for our RV.
In my heart, I’m still that teenage girl who loves ocean décor. But I’m also 60-plus years old, and suddenly the RV bedroom felt a little too youthful. So, I had one of those decorating moments many people recognize:
“Okay… I’m done. I have to fix this.”
Finding an RV Coast Style
The challenge was figuring out an RV Coastal color palette.
The RV already had:
• warm wood cabinets
• taupe seating
• neutral flooring
Whatever I chose had to work with those existing colors.
After thinking about it for a while, we decided sea glass would be a great color direction. I could see it in my mind and loved it. It felt coastal without being overly beachy, and it would look good against the warm cabinetry.
So, I found a beautiful comforter on Amazon with a light sea-glass background and white coral pieces, and, best of all, it was labeled “sea glass,” so it had to be the one to buy. I also found a blanket for the loveseat that looked like it would match. Problem solved… or so I thought.
When the Plan Changes
The blanket for the loveseat was suddenly backordered for a month. And when the comforter arrived, it turned out the color called “sea glass” wasn’t sea glass at all. Instead of a greenish sea glass tone, it was actually a soft coastal blue. At that point, I had two choices.
Send it back… or see how it looked in the RV.
So, I put it on the bed. And I immediately loved it. The calmer blue tone worked beautifully with the wood cabinets and instantly made the bedroom feel more relaxed. That’s when I realized something important. Instead of trying to force sea glass green into the RV, I needed to pivot the color palette to blues.
Building the New RV Coastal Look
Once the comforter was in place, everything else started falling into place, too.
First, I added a navy waffle blanket folded at the end of the bed. The darker navy added contrast and helped anchor the softer blue comforter. I added a small 12″ x 20″ pillow that says “love you to the beach & back” to finish the bedroom.
Next, I went back to search for the loveseat blanket. Since we were now working with a blue palette instead of sea glass, I started looking for a blanket with different shades of blue. After being disappointed with the colors on Amazon, I went in person to shop for the blanket and found the perfect one. It added texture, color, and a relaxed coastal feel to the loveseat without overpowering the small space.
The Perfect Pillow
Because the loveseat is small, I didn’t want large pillows taking up the seating area. Instead, I looked for one small lumbar pillow that would add a little personality. I wanted something slightly whimsical but still grown-up. The pillow I chose has navy starfish with a soft turquoise accent on a neutral linen background. It ties together the shades of blue from the blanket while still keeping the coastal theme subtle.
A Surprise Color Connection
Once the blues were in place, something funny happened. I realized that the color tying everything together was navy. The navy blanket on the bed anchored the bedroom. The loveseat had a mixture of light blue and darker blue threads. And suddenly, navy became the accent color throughout the RV.
That’s when I remembered something. My bathroom towels were already a muted grayish navy. So, I swapped them. I moved the newer towels into my bathroom at home (which gave that space a little refresh, too) and brought the navy towels into the RV. They worked perfectly.
Using What I Already Had to Create an RV Coastal Theme
Once I saw how well the navy worked, I went through the house to see what else I could use. I grabbed a few navy kitchen towels and swapped them with the turquoise ones we had originally purchased for the RV kitchen.
Now the entire RV has a consistent look:
• soft coastal blues
• navy accents
• warm wood cabinets
• neutral seating
It felt coastal without feeling like a themed beach bedroom.
A Small Coastal Touch
While we were in Port Aransas, I found one more fun addition. A small whale butter dish in a local shop. It was one of those things that just made me smile, so it came home with us and now lives in the RV kitchen. Little touches like that add personality and remind us of the places we visit.
The Best Part of the RV Coastal Refresh: It Cost Less Than $100
The best part of this entire refresh? Between the new items and the things I already owned, the total cost was under $100. We didn’t replace furniture. We didn’t repaint cabinets. We didn’t remodel anything. We simply adjusted the color palette and added a few carefully chosen accents. And now, when I walk into the RV, I feel exactly what I hoped for from the beginning: A relaxed coastal space that reflects our love of the beach without looking like a teenage girl decorated it.
Simple Ways to Add RV Coastal Décor to Your RV
If you’re trying to create an RV coastal look without replacing furniture, start with small changes:
• coastal bedding
• throw blankets in ocean blues
• navy accent towels
• natural textures like baskets
• small beach-themed accents
These simple updates can completely change the feel of an RV interior.
Items We Used in This Refresh
The starfish throw pillow added a soft coastal feel to the seating area without taking up much space. view on Amazon
The comforter, this simple update, made the space feel fresh and comfortable. It’s lightweight, which we like, and it fits the bed well without much overhang. view on Amazon
Butterdish similar to ours, view on Amazon
The navy waffle blanket adds a simple layer of comfort and texture without making the bed feel visually heavy. view on Amazon
I added a ” Love You to the Beach & Back” small pillow to the bed. It is a small accent that brings a little bit of personality into the RV while keeping the space light and uncluttered. View on Amazon.
The blue throw blanket on the love seat was purchased locally because I wanted to see the colors before purchasing.
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