If you’re looking to refresh your motorhome’s upholstery but don’t want it off the road for an extended period, what are your options? Indeed, can re-upholstering really be done in a day?

The simple answer is, yes. And there are several firms that can give your motorhome’s tired interior a facelift.

We visited Regal Furnishings, based in Ilkeston in Derbyshire, which can transform an interior in just one day, although, larger American-style RVs may take a little longer.

Proprietor Barry Hartley reports that Regal’s refurbishment services are continually in demand from owners who have made the decision to reinvest in a sound ’van that’s perhaps not looking its best. Over time, cushions lose their firmness or collapse, and edges often show signs of wear or grubbiness.

So, how does Regal’s operation work?

Customers arrive with their ’vans the day before, so that measurements can be taken and patterns made, if not already held. While this is taking place, customers select from a wide range of fabrics or leather.

Customers are actively involved in the process and are shown the work in progress. An overnight stay in their motorhome, with hook-up in the secure compound, means the team can get to work early the next day.

During our visit, the original fabric in a 15-year-old Auto-Trail Scout was being replaced with two-tone leather.

All the Scout’s furnishings were being discarded, requiring new foams to be cut from large sheets of a chosen density for seating.

Bespoke creations

Some customers only require new foam infills, because the squabs have ‘seated’ over time or maybe the owner prefers firmer seating. Foam can also be sculpted for knee rolls.

Travel seats are complicated and take a considerable time to strip and rebuild. And in this case numerous hides were carefully measured and cut before being passed on to the skilled machinists.

The machinists construct the covers for the box cushions, which are quilted as required, and all the covers have zips. Curtains and tiebacks, along with retrimmed pelmets and various décor panels, finish the exercise.

Like some other upholstery firms, Regal Furnishings also supplies to a number of trade customers – a testament to the company’s professional finish.

Indeed, looking at the ‘before’ and ‘after’ shots of this Auto-Trail, it is clear that the company has breathed new life into its once tired-looking lounge. It’s now ready for many more happy and comfortable years of motorcaravanning.

Thanks to Regal Furnishings, Unit 4, Merlin Way, Quarry Hill Industrial Estate, Ilkeston, DE7 4RA.