Bed Modification

[Samanthahhi]

Hello!

I have a full size bed that is set up against the corner (here is the link to my model and floor plan: http://www.rvguide.com/specs/gulf-stream/travel-trailer/2012/conquest-ultra-lite/19kd.html)

I am trying to come up with a creative way to turn the bed around so that you don't have to crawl over another person to get in and out of it. I think that when my slide is out, I have enough length. However, when the slide is in, I would need to somehow slide it up into a sort of "headboard" position.

I keep thinking there must be somebody who has created a track system for just this purpose. Who knows...maybe I am that person and I just don't know it yet.

I've read a lot about the Air Dream Mattress and it seems like this might have some of that flexibility (is it a durable mattress?)

My questions are these...

1) Is the Air Dream slightly flexible and durable(originally I was thinking of going with a futon, but that is heavy).

2) Any modification ideas out there?

Samantha

[Escargot]

Congratulations!!

[Samanthahhi]

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions.

I finally made the decision to purchase a floor plan I really like. Wasn't sure I would ever find one, much less afford it, but then, quite out of the blue when I had stopped looking, I found one AND I can afford it. Going Saturday to pick it up!!!! It is 6ft longer, the bed is turned around and it is even a queen....SPLEE!! < a sound that indicates sheer happiness and bliss...lol!

[Samanthahhi]

You can't actually get to the foot of the bed. While they show "floor" space. There is actually a wardrobe that comes down to about a foot of the bed. It's the weirdest wasted space as you can't stand or even crouch there, so we put drawers.

[64thunderbolt]

I don't quite understand why you would have to crawl over the other person if you could walk around the foot of the bed as shown in the pic of the floorplan.

[Samanthahhi]

Thank you, Kiwi, sage advice. I really need to cool my jets and just love what I have...which, I really do!

[AllegroD]

Uh. Won't narrowing the bed also reduce resale value and appeal? I would not buy anything less than a queen width, and if I had to mod it to get that back, it would cost you, the seller.

If you are going to own it for several years, make the mods. If you are looking to turn it over in a couple, the sales guy is probably correct and I would suggest that you live with it for the short time

[Samanthahhi]

I have found a camper floor plan, finally, that I have fallen in love with and the bed is NOT in the corner. It is 6ft more than our current camper and a higher quality. I do love the length of my current camper.

My rv sales guy says to leave it alone and just save up for the next camper as I will lose value if I modify.

And yet....I came up with the coolest reno on it.
1) Remove the mattress

2) Reduce the width of the bed and turn that open area under the mattress into two large interior drawers. the other area towards where the head of the bed is now would remain open to outside access.

3) Keep about 6-8" near the head of the bed's storage area intact to cover water pump and access by a small flip down door. This would also serve as "side table" and support for next phase.

4) Find a sofa bed (futon) and place where the bed used to be. Yes, I would still have a "corner" bed, but, I have also opened this area up into a daytime living nook which would feel less cramped when cooking and such.

I am so enchanted by this idea and know it is possible. But on the one hand, I don't want to effect my RV value. Then again, I have a lower end RV and the value evidently drops by like $2,500 a year.

Would a dealership really take off in a trade-in on a reno if the reno was done nicely?

Samantha

[ryanallie1]

Hi All.

Well, I guess that's just one of the problems you have to deal with when you buy a trailer with one of the crappy corner beds. Hope you not to far "Over Your Head" in debt on your Tralier.

Next time, buy a trailer that has a bed in it that you realy like. So you to, can be a "Happy Camper" Too.

Just "Funning with you". Those Trailer with those crappy corner beds, might be ok for some who is very short and small. Do to my Hight and Build, I would never, ever buy one of those type of trailer no matter how cheap they were. Tie for another Newer RV, with a real Bedroon in it.

Good Luck. Happy Travels. Dan & Jill & Two Small "Yorkie Kids" who love to Travel as much as we do.

[TravelingTeache]

Our travel trailer had the head of the bed in the slide, and a box to support the rest of the mattress. It ran across the width of the trailer. We have removed the bed completely and the box and plan to put a mattress & boxspring set on a metal frame, just like in a house. It will now run with the length of the trailer. The headboard will be the bottom part of the wall on that end of the trailer, and he is planning to build pieces to accept the 2 legs closest to the wall, so the bed won't move when we are using it.

Hubby plans to use a tie down strap, hooked to eye bolts on either side of the slide to simply flip the bed on its side and strap it in for transit. He is custom building drawer storage in the slide, so the bed will keep the drawers closed during transit, as well.

We hope this will work, the numbers seem to support the idea, but we are not quite there in our reno project yet. This should give us more floor area for transit storage of the large outdoor trashcan we use to store our outside carpet in, as well as our folding chairs which used to live in the bed box.

Here is my website, which chronicles our project: Traveling Teacher. I will be updating the site as we progress toward the end of our project.

[doxiemom11]

I agree about the magic sofa bed. We have a flexsteel one in our class a and it's very comfortable. I do like that murphy bed with the table for your situation and layout though.

[TXcampingfamily]

I have to agree with others that a murphy bed in place of your dinette might be the answer. You could replace it with a murphy bed that has a table like this or maybe one that has a sofa like this.

[doxiemom11]

Is there enough room to put the bed where the king dinnette is, eliminate the dinette and then put the sofa, tv etc where the bed was as you suggested? I would rather have a sofa that a dinnette. TV trays would work for eating at. When we were in the house, we always sat in the living room on the sofa to eat (just the two of us) and only at the table when we had guests. If you invite guests over, you can be outside at a patio or picnic table.

[AllegroD]

Samanthahhi wrote:
so that you don't have to crawl over another person to get in and out of it.

Some of the suggestions would give you more floor space during non use of the bed. I do not believe any of them solve the part of your question I quoted above. IMO, you will not achieve this. With a full size RV bed & given TT floorplan, no orientaion change will get you this. If you move the fridge, maybe. Do you really want to relocate that? Means sealing and cutting of exterior wall and rewiring and where would you move it to?

[Bumpyroad]

Samanthahhi wrote:
Are the jackknife beds comfortable to sleep on? Any recommendations on these?

NO, NO, NO there always is a welt, groove, button, roll to the canyon in the middle, etc. in every jackknife sofa. a magic sofa bed at bradd and hall is a similar type device, but ends up with a smooth/flat surface to sleep on.
people try to make a jackknife comfy with an air mattress, etc. but they are NOT comfortable.
Now as secondary sleeping areas, if you want to limit the time company stays over, one would be great.
bumpy