>I've seen so many beautful GMC interiors which helps inspire me to make mine
>"NICE". What do you use for your interior walls and where could I find it?
>And cost would be important too!
Here's the Designer's Brain Dump -- some biases, observations, and
things to bear in mind....
First, our coaches leak, so anything you use on the interior walls
should be able to get wet and dry out without taking on stains. Note
especially that the nice plush, foam-backed knit headliner stuff used
in many cars will turn permanently brown in the first rain.
There are plenty of good options, though. Vinyl's an excellent bet.
We've got a nice one that we got from Jim Bounds, and was not
horribly expensive. It comes in all kinds of textures and colors, and
is easy to work with.
Second, the walls below the beltline (everything below the bottom
edge of the windows down to the floor) and the pedestals under the
couch and dinette all take a lot of abuse. Choose a fabric here that
can't get scuffed, snagged, or stained, because it will look shabby
very quickly (I've seen this happen within *weeks* of a new
upholstery job). A lot of people run low-pile carpet on these
surfaces as one good solution. Even cheaper: I used a fuzzy nylon
headliner material Jim also sells, in a color matched to the vinyl.
It's lightweight, water won't hurt it, dirt doesn't show, it refuses
to ding, and it gives the interior a nice acoustic quality.
Third, I'm a big fan of neutral-colored walls. There are several
reasons for this:
A) Choosing a neutral color will save you a lot of money in the long
run. The walls are far and away the hardest decorative element to
replace. You don't want to do it more than once every decade or two;
and if you choose the right material in the right color, you
shouldn't have to.
I did the Engine in a pale grey-beige-taupe color from ceiling to
floor, including the window valences. My thinking was that in 4-5
years, I'll be able to completely redecorate the coach if I want to
(and after the kids have had their way with it, I'll want to, believe
me), just by changing out the easier and cheaper stuff -- upholstery,
bedding, and any worn flooring. The neutral walls will be worked
right into the new decor.
B) The wall color has a huge visual impact on the whole interior.
Picking a wall surface in a light, calming color opens the space up.
Save the strongly-patterned or textured upholstery for the dinette,
couch, and bed cover. This way, the walls become the backdrop; and
the upholstery does the talking. (Also, good upholstery doesn't come
cheap, so minimizing the amount needed saves $$$ and lets you splurge
on something nicer and more durable.)
On the other hand, putting a louder color or pattern up on the walls
tends to make a small space feel smaller. (My galley suffers from
this effect, but I love my copper walls anyway.)
C) To keep any future update as easy and cheap as possible, I did the
front seats in the same vinyl as the ceiling. Also, because the seats
are the tallest item in the forward cabin, making them blend into the
walls visually opens up the interior.
D) Bear in mind that colors go in and out of style. Bright colors can
be out of favor in 1-2 years (which means finding coordinating
upholstery and other items may get tricky); but neutrals can hang
around in the market for 8-10 years. This means that when you want to
replace interior elements in future years, it'll be a lot easier to
find things that match.
E) I'm personally not a fan of bright white. It reflects a lot of
road and sky glare; and it shows every speck of dirt. You will
probably be happier in the long run if you choose something in a
beige, grey, very pale yellow or green, ivory/almond/eggshell, or
other softer neutral tint. It'll stay cleaner, be easier to look at,
and give your interior a lot more warmth and character.
Sara
--
>"NICE". What do you use for your interior walls and where could I find it?
>And cost would be important too!
Here's the Designer's Brain Dump -- some biases, observations, and
things to bear in mind....
First, our coaches leak, so anything you use on the interior walls
should be able to get wet and dry out without taking on stains. Note
especially that the nice plush, foam-backed knit headliner stuff used
in many cars will turn permanently brown in the first rain.
There are plenty of good options, though. Vinyl's an excellent bet.
We've got a nice one that we got from Jim Bounds, and was not
horribly expensive. It comes in all kinds of textures and colors, and
is easy to work with.
Second, the walls below the beltline (everything below the bottom
edge of the windows down to the floor) and the pedestals under the
couch and dinette all take a lot of abuse. Choose a fabric here that
can't get scuffed, snagged, or stained, because it will look shabby
very quickly (I've seen this happen within *weeks* of a new
upholstery job). A lot of people run low-pile carpet on these
surfaces as one good solution. Even cheaper: I used a fuzzy nylon
headliner material Jim also sells, in a color matched to the vinyl.
It's lightweight, water won't hurt it, dirt doesn't show, it refuses
to ding, and it gives the interior a nice acoustic quality.
Third, I'm a big fan of neutral-colored walls. There are several
reasons for this:
A) Choosing a neutral color will save you a lot of money in the long
run. The walls are far and away the hardest decorative element to
replace. You don't want to do it more than once every decade or two;
and if you choose the right material in the right color, you
shouldn't have to.
I did the Engine in a pale grey-beige-taupe color from ceiling to
floor, including the window valences. My thinking was that in 4-5
years, I'll be able to completely redecorate the coach if I want to
(and after the kids have had their way with it, I'll want to, believe
me), just by changing out the easier and cheaper stuff -- upholstery,
bedding, and any worn flooring. The neutral walls will be worked
right into the new decor.
B) The wall color has a huge visual impact on the whole interior.
Picking a wall surface in a light, calming color opens the space up.
Save the strongly-patterned or textured upholstery for the dinette,
couch, and bed cover. This way, the walls become the backdrop; and
the upholstery does the talking. (Also, good upholstery doesn't come
cheap, so minimizing the amount needed saves $$$ and lets you splurge
on something nicer and more durable.)
On the other hand, putting a louder color or pattern up on the walls
tends to make a small space feel smaller. (My galley suffers from
this effect, but I love my copper walls anyway.)
C) To keep any future update as easy and cheap as possible, I did the
front seats in the same vinyl as the ceiling. Also, because the seats
are the tallest item in the forward cabin, making them blend into the
walls visually opens up the interior.
D) Bear in mind that colors go in and out of style. Bright colors can
be out of favor in 1-2 years (which means finding coordinating
upholstery and other items may get tricky); but neutrals can hang
around in the market for 8-10 years. This means that when you want to
replace interior elements in future years, it'll be a lot easier to
find things that match.
E) I'm personally not a fan of bright white. It reflects a lot of
road and sky glare; and it shows every speck of dirt. You will
probably be happier in the long run if you choose something in a
beige, grey, very pale yellow or green, ivory/almond/eggshell, or
other softer neutral tint. It'll stay cleaner, be easier to look at,
and give your interior a lot more warmth and character.
Sara
--
