Interior Decoration - making your van your own

We felt the same way about our Cali interior, it’s so practical, but the grey can feel a bit cold and uninspiring over time. We recently did a light refresh that made a huge difference without a complete overhaul.

We added soft-textured seat covers in warm neutrals, swapped the curtains for ones with a more cheerful print (we went with mustard tones to complement the greys), and mounted a few battery-operated fairy lights with a soft glow. They’re cosy without being too bright and double as ambient lighting at night. Also added a hanging plant in a macrame holder near the rear window simple but effective.

If you're after more structured design ideas, have a look at what Bright Sparks are doing with custom camper lighting and modular accessories. Their setups are clean and functional, and they’ve got a few clever options that still leave your space adaptable. Great for subtle customisation that doesn’t scream “overdone”.

On a more creative front, I took some ideas from interior concepts I saw through dRAW Architecture. They have this knack for balancing space with personality, and while they focus on larger builds, the way they use colour and soft zones can translate really nicely into a van space.

Would love to see your end result every Cali ends up with its own personality after a few thoughtful touches!
 
We felt the same way about our Cali interior, it’s so practical, but the grey can feel a bit cold and uninspiring over time. We recently did a light refresh that made a huge difference without a complete overhaul.

We added soft-textured seat covers in warm neutrals, swapped the curtains for ones with a more cheerful print (we went with mustard tones to complement the greys), and mounted a few battery-operated fairy lights with a soft glow. They’re cosy without being too bright and double as ambient lighting at night. Also added a hanging plant in a macrame holder near the rear window simple but effective.

If you're after more structured design ideas, have a look at what Bright Sparks are doing with custom camper lighting and modular accessories. Their setups are clean and functional, and they’ve got a few clever options that still leave your space adaptable. Great for subtle customisation that doesn’t scream “overdone”.

On a more creative front, I took some ideas from interior concepts I saw through dRAW Architecture. They have this knack for balancing space with personality, and while they focus on larger builds, the way they use colour and soft zones can translate really nicely into a van space.

Would love to see your end result every Cali ends up with its own personality after a few thoughtful touches!
Sounds lovely - any pics?
 
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Have a look at Pixers website , they do a huge array of designs that can be use as vinyl wrap (table veneer) many have covered the tables and work surfaces with Pixers materials and I see no reason why you couldn’t cover the faces of the fixed units And work surfaces.
you can add colour in all sorts of ways
Knife edge trim insert to dash and anywhere there is a recess.
Seats , covers / retrim
Tables
Carpet, step carpet etc
cushions


only limited by your imagination.

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Its so worth reading old threads - get some great ideas!! I do love that table cover you have @sticky1
 
Well, I'm with you on the grey thing. Unless youv'e spent most of your life swabbing decks in the senior service, there's nothing about grey that's either welcoming or homely. Why people want to splash grey paint over everything at home these days giving their pad all the ambiance of one of His Majesty's Category A pleasure facilities, is a complete mystery to me. No wonder so many people say they have mental illness issues these days! There's nothing like sitting in a grey tent or grey Cali interior on a rainy day to cheer you up!

VW does drab particularly well. Drab interiors and a boring and a limited paint palet. Why?

So why not zhuzh things up with a bit colour and personality. Go for it!

Having said all this, personally I prefer the minimalist approach. The van is small enough as it is without filling it with all sorts of busy colours and random personalising accoutrements. Accordingly, we just have a flying carpet, a couple of loose cushions and a quilted bed cover.
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Yes, I know the grey waterproof seat covers don't help but it was a case of "you can have any colour you like as long as it's"... grey. Anyway they are a slight improvement on the much darker charcoal grey seat facings that VW provided.

P.s Mrs B insisted on making a whole lot of bunting which she likes to put up when we are camping. Frankly, unless there's some sort of special occasion to celebrate, I have never understood why. It just makes the van look like a circus attraction. So unless she grows a beard, I don't see the point.
…Has that Pasty been surgically enhanced ? I’ve never seen the like of it !
 
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