Have you been dreaming about updating your caravan seat cushions but don't know where to start? Do you have a limited budget and would like to freshen up your caravan space? Here is one simple method to get a new look.
This update shows you how to transform an L shaped lounge commonly found in caravans. The table drops down to form a single bed using the seat cushions and a spare piece. You can easily tailor this information if your seats are configured differently.
In our van the original seat cushion was maroon and the back cushion was a pattern named Persian Ruby. Yuck. So dark and although only 6 years old, sooooo dated.
It was a daunting task to reupholster the caravan seat cushions but it really was worth trying to do it myself. I figured if I really couldn't do it and stuffed it up, I could then get it made by a professional.
Find a pre made sofa cover close to the dimensions you need for your van cushion.
I scored a discontinued IKEA sofa cover for a total of $60 in a dark blue, a colour I knew would work well with the interior of the caravan.
The fabric was a cover made specifically for a chaise lounge and it already had similar dimensions and the zipper was already sewn in. The most difficult part was sewing the triangular corner of the two seat cushions.
The easier part was sewing the velcro strips I wanted instead of adding another zipper. I can sew but I'm not THAT good that I can sew a zipper with confidence.
The trick to making this cover so quickly and with a professional result was using the pre made sofa cover.
Keep your costs down by reusing the existing foam cushion pads.
I reused the original foam seat pads. They had been designed to have humps on the edge where your knees sit for extra comfort and buttons were originally in place between each hump. I didn't want to add the buttons again after putting on the new fabric. I felt the buttons made it look old fashioned and I wanted something more modern. However, as I didn't remove the humps from the foam, the new fabric didn't sit well and was loose in that area.
We went camping with the new look seats in and it was a major improvement! It was still annoying that we had to carry an extra piece to form a single bed. Surely there must be a better solution?
Reupholstering the back rest van cushion was freakn scary.
Well, scary for me as it involved CUTTING OFF the fabric and really committing to the process. There was no turning back once the scissors did the deed.
The fabric was stapled to a back board. The back board was screwed into the caravan wall.
A Phillips head screwdriver was required to removed the board from the wall.
Off it comes! Then you get to spend the longest half an hour of your life unpicking the staples. Unless you work out you can tug at the fabric and the staples pop out easily, like I did.
Reupholstering the back rest van cushion required ZERO sewing skills.
Simply place your chosen fabric over the foam with enough over hang to staple into the back board.
Below is a visualisation of what my chosen fabric would have look like. Of course I would have covered the sides too. This is just a photo to represent what it would have looked like overall.
Sadly, but not really, my plans changed direction. Honestly, the way the cushions transformed into a mattress was making me freakn nuts! I had become a mad woman determined to find a solution that was gorgeous AND functional.
Read how I transformed a mattress into seat cushions and changed our set up for good.
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Hi Mia
I am interested in reupholstering my seats after watching your video! once the backing board is off and recovered, how do you screw it back on to the van wall?
Laura
Hi Laura, I haven’t screwed my seats back onto the wall as I now convert all of the pieces into a single bed. I believe the only possible way to secure the seats now is to use strong Velcro, I’ve seen it done like this in a Winnebago we used. I bought the Velcro but didn’t need to use it because the seats are a snug fit and don’t slide anywhere. Hope this helps, Mia