New year, new aesthetic! We caught up with Renee and Brad of WiscoFlip, an RV renovation husband and wife who used to be fulltimers. With backgrounds in interior design, construction, landscape, and a love for RVing, an RV renovation business was
the perfect project for this family.
TB: Tell us a bit about yourself and your business, how did it all begin?
WiscoFlip: I’ve been an interior designer for 22 years and my husband, Brad, was in construction. When we built our home, we were full-timers (5 of us and 2 dogs). Some of our favorite memories are in RV parks with other RV families. We loved living tiny but when our house was complete, we moved in, renovated our rig and sold it. That was six years ago. When Covid hit, I wasn’t doing any interior design and we wanted a project we could both work on together at home. We purchased a fifth wheel and the rest is history.
TB: How would you describe your RV renovation aesthetic?
WiscoFlip: I personally tend to gravitate towards Coastal, Boho, and Modern Farmhouse but mostly our style is a mixture of clean spaces.
TB: Can you remember your first RV renovation? Describe it to us – was it a full RV renovation or one specific room?
WiscoFlip: Our very first RV renovation was when we lived fulltime. We took out carpet, painted cabinets and walls, put up wallpaper, and styled it. Today, we find ourselves gutting them almost entirely and rebuilding spaces to fit the aesthetic or the client’s needs.
TB: We all know projects often come with surprises along the way. Have you had any surprises come your way during a renovation project?
WiscoFlip: Yes, absolutely. I think it goes without saying that every renovator has experienced some sort of surprise at some point in their journey. The most recent RV we renovated had severe water damage. More than we’d ever seen but was hidden in the wall, etc. We gutted the entire bedroom down to the studs, replaced some of them even. We re-insulated, put down new subfloor, new walls, and started over. We also had to replace half of the roof, part of the kitchen floor, and the slide. Most of it could be avoided if folks would maintain properly recaulking and sealing every 1-2 years depending on the climate they’re in.
TB: How does designing for an RV differ from designing for a traditional stick and brick home, or a home without wheels?
WiscoFlip: So very different. There’s such a learning curve with an RV. Using lightweight materials and coming up with storage solutions can be a fun challenge. We almost always know somewhere in the rig we’ll have to do water damage remediation. So, unlike a sticks and bricks home, we have to fix the bones before we can begin the renovation.
TB: What three design tips would you give to RVers?
Wisco Flip:
I would say get the paint right (put the prep work in, it’s worth it). It’s also very important to use the right paint on the right surfaces.
Be patient and don’t take shortcuts and get a mentor! The outcome of your renovation and the longevity of it depends on doing it properly so you don’t have to go back to fix mistakes. Of course that could happen anyway, but taking measures to ensure good work will go a long way. Having a mentor who’s gone through the learning curve is such a great resource. We did that when we first started and it was a monumental game changer.
Make sure you pick an RV with good bones. It’s impossible to know exactly what the bones look like until you start the demo process but you can certainly get a feel for it by how well the rig has been taken care of. Inspect everything and look for soft spots in the floor or ripples in the walls. Look for delamination on the exterior, as well. Starting with good bones will allow your project to move along without huge delays in repairs.
TB: Are there any common mistakes you see with small space or RV design?
WiscoFlip: The biggest mistake I see is sloppy work. Paint peeling, trim not maching up, caulk not done properly.
TB: Your renovations turn RVs into even more beautiful spaces. Where do you find inspiration?
WiscoFlip: I’m inspired by so many talented individuals. A few of my favorites are Trina at RVFixerUpper, Pure Salt Interiors, Studio McGee, Kelsey Leigh Design Co, & the Hillary Style, just to name a few.
TB: Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
WiscoFlip: We just feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of the fabric of the RV community. You folks inspire, lift us up, and support our dreams all while living your own dreams. We are so grateful to have made so many wonderful connections. We’ve got some really exciting news we’ll be sharing soon that we hope will be a resource for the entire community to use.
Follow WiscoFlip’s beautiful RV renovations on Facebook at @WiscoFlip or Instagram @Wisco_Flip
