This post may contain affiliate links.
The furniture in your RV is a great barometer of the year it was built.
Reupholstering the fabric or adding a slipcover can hide the age, but many RVers eventually choose to replace their old RV furniture with something new.
The question is: Do you replace your old furniture with furniture made explicitly for RVs or regular furniture?
What is “RV Furniture”?
When manufacturers build RVs, they design everything to be anchored into a moving vehicle. In general, RV indoor furniture shares a few characteristics:
- From chairs to couches to dinette tables, they design everything to bolt to the floor securely. Furniture for RVs will have all the anchors and appropriate pieces to install into the RV securely.
- A lot of furniture in RVs is adaptable into a bed. From fold-down dining tables to couches that turn into a bed, furniture in RVs is often aimed at increasing sleeping occupancy.
- Seatbelts are often built into the couch and/or dining booth area for safety. If an RV sleeps 6, it will also have seatbelts for 6.
- There are probably cupholders involved! Most RV couches and dining tables I’ve enjoyed over the years have had built-in cupholders. (Especially in motorhomes!)
- Particularly, RV beds and mattresses are often sized differently than regular ones to fit small spaces in your camper.
Pros of Choosing RV Furniture for Your Rig
All of the characteristics mentioned above keep RVers safe and comfortable on the road. Even after-market camper furniture will share the above characteristics.
Cons of Choosing RV Furniture for Your Rig
However, because of these factors, furniture made for RVs can be significantly more expensive than “regular” furniture.
Another thing worth noting is that you may have fewer options while shopping because there are often limited styles and colors available in recreational vehicle furniture.
How Do I Upgrade My RV Interior?
You can replace your RV furniture! You can even find the same brands of furniture that manufacturers use.
- Manual or Powered Reclining Options
First, you need to remove your old furniture.
Some RVers keep the old furniture to reinstall when they sell the RV.
After talking to motorhome owners who have done this, most ended up donating or selling the old furniture eventually since storing the furniture is a hassle.
Finding Used RV Furniture
Facebook Marketplace is a great spot to sell old furniture from your RV and can be a good starting point if you want to buy used furniture for an RV.
Read Next: How to Remove Your RV Dining Booth
Can You Put Normal Furniture in an RV?
Yes, you can choose to add regular furniture to any motorhome! We highly recommend it. You can opt for residential tables, chairs, stools, couches, and mattresses.
However, we don’t recommend adding a regular bed. If you need to remove your old bed or bunk beds, you’ll likely need to build your own or buy from an RV parts store.
Read Next: 15 Custom-Built RV Bunk Beds
Pros of Choosing Regular Furniture for Your RV
There are many pros to choosing regular furniture instead of “RV furniture.”
Weight:
RV couches can be significantly heavier than residential couches. You can replace your old furniture with a residential couch and save on weight.
Style and Features:
With regular furniture, there are more styles and sizes available, giving you better options as you shop and allowing you to find the furniture that best fits your style.
Price and Budget:
Most importantly, furniture designed to work in RVs is costly. You can find couches on Amazon for a couple hundred bucks, but RV couches will likely be $1,000 or more.
Cons of Choosing Regular Furniture for Your RV
If you choose regular furniture, you’ll need to find a way to fasten any residential furniture to the floor. Moving straps and D-rings attached to the floor are the easiest way to secure large items like couches or tables.
Dining chairs generally do not secure to the floor, but many RVers lay them on the bed during travel to ensure their safe transit.
Tips for Choosing the Right Furniture for Your RV
As you replace your old furniture in your camper, figure out first if you want to purchase RV furniture or regular furniture.
Regular furniture will save you money and be easier to shop for.
However, motorhome furniture will be the only furniture ready-made with all the safety features you need to navigate the highway.
Where to Buy Regular Furniture Optimal for RVs
Places to Buy Regular Furniture to Put in Your RV
There are countless companies selling furniture, but here are a few furniture companies particularly popular with RVers:
- Ikea
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Lovesac (Couches only)
- Home Depot (particularly for tables and chairs)
Where to Buy RV-Specific Furniture
When it comes to furniture made for campers, most people like to sit before they buy! But in many cases, finding the exact size and style you want in your area can be challenging.
Check your local RV dealers and service shops for furniture.
We recommend calling before you visit since many stores have little furniture in stock. You may have to drive to a more prominent dealership if you want to try before you buy.
It can be much more convenient to shop online.
5 Popular Places to Get Furniture Designed for RVs
There are many websites for ordering furniture designed for RVs online, but here are a few trusted websites to start:
- Camping World
- RecPro
- Amazon (Brands like RecPro, Thomas Payne, and Camper Comfort sell RV-specific furniture)
- Lippert (Thomas Payne line)
- Factory RV Surplus
RecPro has the best range of options and is known for its quality. From side tables to awnings to driver’s seats to couches—they have it all.
If you’re undertaking a major renovation and also need RV parts for your project, that’s an excellent place to start.
Here are some examples of RV furniture you can find online.
Replacement RV Furniture Options
RV Sofa Sleepers and Couches:
RecPro Trifold Sleeper Sofa
This sofa easily folds out into a bed to fit two. The website notes that if you need to add seatbelts, they must be installed by a licensed RV dealership.
Shop more RV couches and sleeper sofas here.
RV Dinettes:
RecPro 40″ RV Dinette Booth (Table Not Included)
If you want to buy a dining booth like this one, tables often need to be purchased separately. But don’t sweat; you can find plenty of RV tables here too.
This dinette that folds down into a bed (with the support of a table) can sleep one small adult or two kids. Shop dinettes in various styles and sizes here.
RV Bunk Beds:
RecPro Folding RV Bunk Bed with Safety RailMattresses Not Included
You can buy all the framing and supports to add bunk beds to your RV.
These pictured below even fold up and out of the way when they’re not in use!
Are you looking for RV mattresses? Check out this guide to finding the right mattress size.
RV Captain Chairs:
RecPro Nash Driver and Passenger RV Captain’s Chair Set
Drive in style and comfort! New captain’s chairs at the helm of your motorhome constitute a significant expense. Still, if you’re driving often, it is worth it.
There are only two styles of captain’s chairscurrently available here, and they sell in pairs.
Conclusion: Upgrading Your RV Furniture
Before you decide whether to upgrade the furniture in your RV with furniture made for campers vs. regular furniture, consider the pros and cons mentioned above for both options.
Not loving the look of RV-manufactured furniture? Check out 35 Sofas, Loveseats, Futons, and More to Replace Your Old RV Couch.
