Heartland Wilderness RV Kitchen Renovation and Faux Stone Backsplash Tutorial

My client for this RV based the whole design of this rig around a burgundy kitchen, and I couldn't love it more! I love using color, and a camper renovation is a great place to add a fun pop of paint that you might normally not use in a sticks and bricks home. This kitchen underwent a total face lift and it turned out beautifully!

AFTER BEFORE

I know that some are you are saying, "WOW" and some are going... "That looks the same..?" While yes, the color contrast in this before and after is similar (dark cabinets, lighter walls) I did so much to make this kitchen function so much better while also looking more updated!

Here what I did..

The only demo that happened in this kitchen was taking out the sink and faucet. The microwave and stove were removed for easier painting.

Then all the cabinets were sanded and prepped for paint, and all surfaces were cleaned. I sand with 80 grit and 120 grit sandpaper, and I clean everything with a 50/50 vinegar/water mixture. I primed it all with STIX primer, walls and cabinets. Then I painted the walls with Sherwin Williams Duration in Alabaster Satin and the cabinets with Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane in Carnelian Satin. (Colors linked below)

Then it was time to build the space back up!

I started with painting the countertops with a marble epoxy countertop kit. You can read more about the steps I took to I achieved this faux marble countertop on a prior blog post, RV Kitchen Renovation and Countertop Paint Tutorial.

Then I used a peel and stick tile for the backsplash, but used a few of my favorite hacks to make sure it will last a very, very long time!

RV Backsplash Tutorial

Step 1: Apply Musselbound. Musselbound is a mortar replacement that is meant to be used with real tiles, but it works amazing to ensure your RV peel and stick tiles don't peel up in the summer heat. It's a double sided adhesive mat that you just peel and stick on.

Step 2: Cover the entire area that you want to tile in the Musselbound. If you are working on a wall with a window, gently remove the window frame to get the tiles all the way around the window easily. Just be careful that you don't push on the window too much, it might fall out!

Step 3: Remove the backing on the Mussselbound and start applying your peel and stick tiles. With most peel and stick tiles, you can use a razor knife to score and cut easily for corners or other places that need to be cut. With the Musselbound, you really only get one shot to place the tile since it's so sticky, so take your time lining it up!