15 RV Patio and Campsite Decorating Ideas

Patio and campsite decorating ideas for all types of RVers

Here are some campsite setup ideas that are portable, lightweight, and don’t take up too much space to help transform your RV patio, campsite, or the dirt patch next to your camper into an outdoor living room.

1. Get an outdoor rug.

When we first started RVing, I have to admit, I didn’t get the point of outdoor rugs.  To me they seemed unnecessary if you have a patio, and hard to keep clean.  But after seeing these photos of how an outdoor rug can transform a space, I can finally see why people want them.

Additionally, when you’re camping somewhere you don’t have a patio, outdoor rugs are great to throw down on top of gravel, sand, grass, or dirt to create an even surface and keep you from tracking so much mud or sand into your RV.

If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of a plastic rug, there’s a company called Fab Habitat that sells rugs made from recycled and sustainably-sourced materials, including outdoor rugs made from recycled plastic.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Plastic outdoor area rug
2. Padded saucer chairs
3. Outdoor throw pillows
4. Portable coffee table
5. Flowers for the table
6. Adorable pup

2. Add some weather-resistant throw pillows and other decor.

Some outdoor throw pillows and a few simple decorative items can transform the area outside your RV to a relaxing outdoor living area.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Black and white outdoor rug
2. Beige zero-gravity chairs
3. Outdoor throw pillows with tropical covers
4. Boho macrame wall hanging (which these sturdy removable hooks will let you easily hang on your camper).
5. Accent table
6. Tropical leaf garland

3. Hang string lights.

Using lights to decorate your RV never goes out of style, and there are so many fun options to choose from.  To hang your lights, Camco makes these plastic clips that are designed to clip on an RV awning (and can be left in place even when your awning is rolled up), or you can use these clips to attach the lights along the edge of your awning fabric.

Don’t have an awning?  You can hang lights directly on your RV with these weatherproof adhesive hooks, or you can hang them from tall shepherd’s hooks, which make a nice place to hang plants as well.

(You can also have an RV awning installed if you would like to add one!)

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Acrylic LED string lights – solar or plug-in
2. Medallion pattern outdoor rug
3. Metal cafe table and chairs
4. “Hello” coir welcome mat
5. Bench glider
6. Potted plants

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Colorful string lights
2. LED rope lights (on the ground)
3. Garden flag which can be hung on a metal door with magnetic clips

The string lights seen in the photo below were actually made by the RVer who shared this photo with me, inspired by some bear lights his grandparents hung on their RV in the 80’s.  To make these lights, he collected plastic honey bears and attached them to a string of large bulb Christmas lights.

4. Add a garden flag or a personalized sign.

Garden flags and welcome signs are a fun and easy way to decorate your campsite.  You can find a large variety of them at any store with a lawn and garden department as well as on Amazon, but personally I prefer personalized and handmade ones.  You can find lots of neat personalized garden flags and handmade welcome signs on Etsy.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Metal garden flag on a garden flag stand – I couldn’t find that exact one online but this one is really cool.
2. Mason jar lantern hanging from shepherd’s hook – Again, couldn’t find the Michigan one, but this one is cute.
3. Pot of flowers
4. Hammock with portable folding stand

5. Add step covers.

I recently came across these RV step covers and wished I’d discovered them long ago.  Not only do they look nice (and come in several different colors), these step covers, which fasten to your steps with an elastic bungee hook, will help cut down on dirt and sand being tracked into your RV.  And unlike a welcome mat, they can be left in place during travel, giving you one less thing to pack up when it’s time to go.

6. Decorate with plants.

A few hanging plants really go a long way to beautify an outdoor space. The kitchen sink is a good place to set your plants in the kitchen sink of your RV during travel.

Tip: As pretty as the ready-made hanging flower baskets are, it’s usually cheaper in the long run to pot your own.  Also, I recommend self-watering planters with a drainage plug unless you are okay with watering every day or are spending the summer somewhere that gets a lot of rain, because hanging baskets tend to dry out quickly.

Note: You can’t bring plants into the state of California, and if you drive from the U.S. to Canada with plants you’ll have to have them inspected.  For more information and ideas about RVing with plants, take a look at my article about mobile gardening.

All of the decor seen in the photo below can be packed up fairly quickly and doesn’t take up too much space.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Happy Campers garden flag
2. 3D wind spinner garden decoration
3. Colorful hanging planters and coconut coir planter
4. Folding director’s chair with attached tray
5. Outdoor rug (Here’s the one in the picture)

The photo below is actually my own RV when we were parked in the Kansas City area a few years ago.  I used shepherd’s hooks to hang potted plants around the perimeter of my patio, and I used weatherproof adhesive hooks to hang string lights along the side of my camper (since we were parked under trees and I preferred to keep our awning rolled up so my plants could get some sun).

7. Add a privacy screen.

Some trellis panels like the ones shown below can be used to add visual interest, hide the “ugly” parts of your RV, add shade and privacy to a motorhome’s front windows, create storage under the tongue of a fifth wheel, or add shade around a patio.

Even just one panel of inexpensive and lightweight lattice leaning next to your camper’s front door would make a nice place to hang plants or decor.

 

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A post shared by Elisabeth Daniels (@elisabethwriter) on Oct 18, 2017 at 1:51pm PDT

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Lattice panels
2. Decorative sign
3. Potted hibiscus trees
4. Yard ornaments
5. Antique chair planter – see how to make one here.

8. Hang curtains from your awning.

The RVer who shared this photo with me hung tab curtains along her awning which can be closed to block the sun or create additional privacy.

If you don’t have a bar along which to hang curtains, I believe you could also use a grommet punch to create holes in a sheer curtain and hang it along the edge of an awning with these curtain clips.

If you want to hang curtains around your patio area and don’t have an awning, you could run a piece of rope between two tall shepherd’s hooks and hang curtains from that.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Sheer tab curtain
2. Folding round patio table
3. Seashell tablecloth
4. Indoor/outdoor rug
5. Acrylic chairs
6. Over-railing flower pot / coir holders

9. Create a screen room

If bugs are your problem rather than sun, a screen room can make your time outside more enjoyable.  One subscriber solved this problem by purchasing a screen tent to set up next to her RV.

You can also buy a screen room that will fully enclose your RV awning.

10. Get some bird feeders.

Birds at feeders are fun to watch, and it’s especially fun when you’re in different parts of the country to see species of birds other than what you may be used to.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Camper bird feeder
2. Set of zero-gravity chairs
3. Cutout barrel side table
4. Brick pavers laid down directly on the grass to create a temporary patio

I have hung bird feeders directly on the windows of my RV.  I used this suction cup hanger to hang my hummingbird feeder, and it never fell down.

I also used heavy-duty adhesive hooks to hang regular bird feeders where my cat could watch them.  I recommend only hanging lighter-weight bird feeders using these hooks, because after several months of holding a large, heavy feeder, one of them did break.

If you find birds are colliding with your windows, you can add some decals for their safety.

11. Add a fence.

If you have dogs or small kids, a portable pet pen is a good way to let them enjoy fresh air without wandering too far, and can help you create a nice patio as well.

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Portable pet fence
2. Folding adirondack chairs with cushions
3. Green and beige leaves outdoor rug
4. A folding table
5. Plants

12. Create atmosphere with a fire pit.

What’s camping without a campfire?  However not all RV parks and campgrounds provide fire pits, so you may need to bring your own.  If you’re camping in an area with a burn ban or just don’t want to mess with firewood, a propane fire pit is the answer.

13. Build a temporary patio.

One creative RVer wanted a patio, but didn’t want to install anything too permanent, so she ended up building one out of free lumber and plywood.   She even suggested a way to make a DIY wooden patio like this portable, which is to build it in two halves connected with hinges.

Later she ended up stenciling her patio with acrylic paints.  She recommends applying a clear coat afterwards to protect the wood from weather.

Ideas from the photos above:

1. DIY plywood patio
2. Fire pit
3. Pallet used as base for grill (a grill mat may be added underneath for safety)
4. Flowers / plants
5. Pink outdoor rug

14. Add a deck.

Some RVers who are parked permanently or who always return to the same place have built a deck or porch next to their front door.

RV owners who travel from place to place, or who don’t have DIY construction skills, a company called Sunrise Decks makes a lightweight, completely portable RV deck or porch which can be set up in under half an hour.

15. Use multi-purpose furniture.

If space is limited, you don’t have to own separate chairs for inside and outside.  The vintage-style rattan chairs decorating the space in front of Mavis the Airstream could be used as living room furniture and brought outdoors only when needed.

Ideas from the photos above:

1. Fab Habitat brand eco-friendly outdoor rug (made from recycled plastic)
2. Rattan lounge chairs (Here are the ones in the photo)
3. Mexican blanket
4. Plant in a woven basket
5. Adorable pup wearing a sweater

Inspiration for Long-Term and Permanent Campsites

Pictured below is the RV of one of my former RV park neighbors whose campsite landscaping really impressed me.  She and her husband were retirees and permanent residents of the RV park.

The brightly colored furniture really makes this campsite pop!  I also love the hanging basket hosta garden in the woods.

Ideas from the photos above:

1. Metal patio furniture – can be spray painted whatever color you want!
2. Hostas in baskets hung on small shepherd’s hooks
3. A striped hammock hung between two trees

This photo was shared with me by one of my email subscribers.  I love how she used a large piece of found driftwood as the centerpiece for several items of garden decor.

I couldn’t decide which photo of this next stunning patio to choose, so I decided to include them both.  Since the couple who live in this RV stay parked here permanently, they installed the patio pavers and built most of the furniture themselves.

Ideas from the photos above:

1. DIY pallet sofa – See how to build one here
2. Reclaimed wood trunk – See how to make one here
3. Pink & turquoise Mexican blanket for chilly evenings
4. Metal cutout side table
5. Folding wooden bistro table and chairs
6. Concrete propane fire pit
7. Hammock chair swings – See how to make a frame like theirs here
8. String lights
9. Plants

This last stunning RV deck and mudroom was built by one of my email subscribers at an RV campground in Utah they own which advertises “unobstructed views of the Red Cliffs, Vermillion Cliffs, and the Kaibab Plateau, with epic sunrises and sunsets, and the darkest skies in Southern Utah.”  (Definitely added to my bucket list!)

Would you like to share a picture of your campsite?  You can add it to the comments below! 🙂

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