For years, we were lucky enough to run a Goliath of a Concorde motorhome. It wasn’t new (apart from to us), otherwise it would have been well outside our price bracket – we were buying a used motorhome.

That beast could comfortably seat a dozen people around the central table, and was a delight to drive, partly thanks to its Mercedes automatic gearbox.

Alas, time flies and we felt the urge to get back within that 3.5 tonne limit, as the regular medicals and sight tests were becoming increasingly worrying. So in 2017, we traded in our Concorde for a diminutive Hymer MLI 540, the shortest model in the range.

We got all the good bits that we enjoyed in the Concorde, including an Alde motorhome heating system, a full cooker, a garage, an automatic gearbox and more.

Practical Motorhome is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Maximising the space in my motorhome kitchen

What we didn’t have was as much space, but we found ways to maximise what there was. For example, there was a small hinged flap on the side of the cooker that partly obstructed the doorway. Using it was a bit awkward, because stuff could slide off it.

So it was time for my motorhome tool kit and resolve the issue. A new, larger flap, with an edging of polycarbonate strip, was made from some plywood, and covered with an acrylic sheet to finish it off.

The small hinged flap in the 'van's kitchen
The small hinged flap in the ‘van’s kitchen

However, the cooking area remained limited: the only working space was the cooker’s glass lid. If only we could get a shelf in there to use when parked up!

The problem here was that anything positioned over the cooker had to be high enough above the hob to be safe, and not compromise the three LED downlighters that illuminate the cooker and sink area. I’d need to carry out this motorhome maintenance task with care.

The brainstorm was aided by some clutter I had in my garage. I found a sheet of polycarbonate three-layer roofing panel that had been replaced in our conservatory roof a while back.

This is see-through and very tough. Some of you might remember the advert showing a Mini parked on the polycarbonate roof of a conservatory!

Some measurements suggested that if a suitably sized side panel was rested on the edge of a little tidy rack fitted by Hymer, the shelf would be just high enough to allow the glass hob lid to be fully lifted – well, almost!

A spacer made from a bit of plastic chopping board provided the necessary 6mm uplift, and some thin aluminium sheet, bent into a right angle, prevented it from falling off.

The open-grain structure of the polycarbonate
The open-grain structure of the polycarbonate

The other side was a support made from a bit more polycarbonate, which was attached to the top with some M5 screws and two wood screws to fix it to the adjacent vertical. I did radius the corner, although it was quickly pointed out to me that the open-grain structure of the end of this material was not particularly becoming for a motorhome kitchen!

Finishing touches to the motorhome shelf

Another workshop trawl revealed some glass fibre repair filler and this was made up and plastered into the end grain.

The glass fibre repair filler

I rubbed it down with an orbital sander, added more filler, then rubbed it down again for a smooth edge.

Black paint had been the plan, but dark blue paint was close to hand, so dark blue it was. The bonus is that the downlighters shine straight through the magic shelf. It has proven to be really useful, and all for the weight of little more than a couple of feathers.

See what the experts at Practical Motorhome have to say about the 27 mistakes you’ll want to avoid when on-site in a motorhome.

Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Motorhome, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. Double check any warranty is not affected before proceeding.


If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Motorhome magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things motorhome related.