Camper RV Curtains: Tips & Ideas to Blend Style with Function

Life on wheels is a balancing act between wanderlust and minimalism–part adventure, part Tetris puzzle. Every inch of this pint-sized home must multitask to ease life both on the move and when parked. Custom curtains are more than mere window dressings here; they’re the fine veil between your rolling home and the wide open world beyond—softening hard edges, hushing campground chatter, blocking early light when you’d rather dream on, and framing the ever-changing view like a moving picture. 

Camper RV curtains have to pull more weight than their stay-at-home counterparts. Besides offering flawless performance, they have to work that quiet magic that turns an automobile into a home—and, at Sewn, we love helping them rise to the occasion. Consider this blog your GPS in this design journey, arming you with practical insights to help you dress those small windows with big personality while keeping you cocooned from the world outside. On to our fabric recommendations, installation tricks, and styling tips:

Set the Stage with the Right Mounting Position

Before getting to the curtains themselves, how and where they will be placed must be determined, because this little detail will influence many design decisions going ahead. The question is simple: Do you wish to mount the curtains inside the window frame or outside it? And here are some thoughts that’ll help you decide—

Inside mounting, or mounting the curtains within the window frame, requires that pre-fitted blinds be uninstalled. Unscrew any window valances, affix curtain tracks on the window frame, and then hang curtains on them. The curtains stay tucked within the window, keeping the window seat space neat and unfussy, and providing a practical solution for windows placed between wall-to-wall cabinetry.

Outside mounting lets you keep the pre-fitted blinds, if any. Here, curtains are mounted outside the window frame, providing the luxury to scale up their size, and extending the pole beyond the window so the curtains can stack off the pane. Not only does this maximize incoming light, but it also camouflages the small frame, making you forget for once that it’s a pocket-sized real estate.

Make Hardware Decisions with Careful Consideration

Where to mount is followed inevitably by how to mount. You need camper-specific hardware, designed for its modest scale, weight restrictions, and round-edged windows. Here are some of the options you can consider:

CAMPER VAN CURTAIN TRACKS: These are sleek, bendable tracks that can trace the windows’ shape with precision, so rounded edges are not a problem. 

SASH RODS: Traditional curtain rods, just in a miniature version, sash rods are useful for outside-mounting your curtains, and can typically be installed without any professional aid.

And if there are limitations to drilling inside the caravan, or you just don’t wish to work with power tools, here are some alternatives to consider:

HEAVY DUTY COMMAND HOOKS WITH SASH RODS: You can avoid screwing curtain brackets into the RV wall by sticking command hooks instead. Make sure that they have sufficient load-bearing capacity and that the hook is broad enough to hold the sash rod securely.

TENSION RODS: If the RV windows are framed by perpendicular walls, you can place spring tension rods between them and hang your curtains on them.

VELCRO & SNAP-ON TAPES: Both these tapes come in two mutually attachable parts. The coarse part of the velcro tape is affixed to the wall, and the smoother part is stitched behind the curtain header. The same goes for the snap-on tape: the part with the snap-on carrier is attached to the wall, and the part with the snap-on buttons is stitched to the curtain. The curtains are installed by attaching the two parts of the tape. The downside of velcro and snap-on tapes is that the curtains cannot be gathered to the sides. You’ll have to detach them meticulously every time you want to clear the window, and then reattach when you want coverage. Hence, these are best reserved for rarely drawn curtains.

Pick Fabric & Lining as Per Light Control & Privacy Requirements

Light control requirements change at lightning speed for globe-trotters: bright and breezy on the move, and a dark cocoon for midday naps. Insulation is no different: today you’re shivering on a frosty mountaintop, tomorrow you’re roasting in a blazing desert. Such swiftly fleeting orders call for curtains with ‘superpowers’ - or, in drapery-speak, fabric and lining designed for peak performance.

So, even though you choose a cotton, linen, or poly blend for its lightweight and hardwearing traits, give the curtains a Superman’s cape in the form of a blackout lining. And if you wish to skip the lining, choose a blackout drapery fabric itself. Woven with multiple layers and thermal coating, blackout fabrics, whether front fabric or lining, are engineered to block light, air, and sound. Let’s shine a spotlight on this impressive feat:

• Room-Darkening: Cutting off almost 70-95% of light, blackout curtains can turn your camper into a little burrow, unaffected by fleeting city lights, stubborn neon signs, and even the punctual sunrise, letting you summon the day and the night at will. 

• Thermal Insulation: The strong insulating properties of blackout curtains come into play when the weather is unfavorable, aiding your heating system by locking in the thermal energy in winter, and cooling the interiors in summer by keeping external heat out. This will yield energy savings that will help you save battery life for better things!

• Acoustics: Blackout curtains muffle sharp external sounds, so you can sleep undisturbed. Whether parked near the highway, in the thick of a jungle, or in an open ground with fellow campers, you can shut off the roar of moving traffic, chirping cicadas, and loud banters when you need a break. And the good news is that it’s a two-way street: your movie nights won’t disturb those parked near you either, adding an acoustic layer to your privacy.

Size Your RV Curtains Appropriately

Unlike perfect-fit blinds whose size is dictated by the window’s frame, curtains open the arena for the play of scale and proportions. You can go for dramatic excesses or trim down to the essentials. Most campers call for the latter to meet the demands of a modest footprint, making the following considerations pertinent when measuring your curtains’ length and width:

LENGTH: Although floor-length is standard practice in the drapery world, RVs are exceptions in their own right. This is where short panels and cafe curtains shine - allowing more floor space and minimizing tripping risks by relinquishing flaring trails, and maintaining a sleek profile befitting a compact window. But should you love the oomph of floor-grazing drapes, a wonderful opportunity awaits in the doorways and windows without built-ins underneath.

Short or long, always pay attention to the curtain’s drop point. Leave the curtains floating a tad above the countertop at the sink, where they can get soiled by water spills, and at high-traffic corners where you must keep them from coming under passing feet. And let the curtains graze the surface in a sleeping loft, where even a sliver of light must not be allowed to pass from under the seams. 

That’s the curtain length advice for RV camper curtains in a nutshell, but if you’d like to dig deeper before you decide, refer to our blog on 'How Long Should My Curtains Be?'.

WIDTH: Small panes look best dressed in low-body panels that look right for their size. So, style your RV camper curtains with moderate width, allowing them to gather in pleats of ample depth - neither too skimpy, nor too dense. For finer points on how to measure for your curtains, do visit our Drapery Measurement Guide.

Balance Style and Function in the Choice of the Heading Style

The heading style refers to the design of the curtain’s header - a detail that impacts how it drapes and operates. Sewn offers over a dozen heading styles, each with a unique combination of function and appeal. Visit our Drapery Headings Style Guide if you wish to explore these in detail. As far as RV camper curtains are concerned, these are the points to consider:

• Decor style: Headers are an immediate giveaway of your aesthetic. A ruffled rod pocket top brings instant cottage charm, a clean-lined flat panel top leans minimalist, and a tie top panel lends laid-back ease. Choose a heading style that will shape the look and feel you’re after.

• Operation: Headers with fabric tabs and pockets keep a firm grip on the pole, enabling the curtains to stay put on the pane even when you’re pacing on the road. Hence, they are ideal for sheer panels that you wish to leave permanently drawn for privacy. Whereas, headers with rings/pins/grommets are perfect for non-sheer and blackout panels that you will want to operate often, based on light control and privacy requirements.

• Light control: Opt for headers that offer full coverage in your sleeping area so that blackout goals are not compromised. Avoid styles with eyelets and fabric tabs here, that will inevitably let some light in through their holes and loops, especially if you’re inside-mounting the curtains.

Use Palette & Pattern Strategically for Camper RV Curtains

While color and pattern are essentially design style hallmarks and fall in the realm of personal taste, the small footprint of the RV calls for thoughtful considerations. Here, they are not mere aesthetic elements, but also strategic design partners. Hence, there are a few points to bear in mind:

• Palette: Light colors tend to filter light while dark colors block it. So, choose the palette wisely, using color as an additional layer of control, whether you want to block all light in your sleeping area or let more of it into your campervan kitchen. Avoid stark contrast with the wall to de-emphasize the smallness of the window as well as the space. Instead, you can match the curtains to the wall as closely as possible, blurring the silhouettes of the windows and creating a visual continuity that binds the entire camper into one large space rather than breaking it up into several small units.

• Pattern: Choosing vertically or horizontally oriented patterns like stripes, chevrons, and climbing vines helps to optically elongate or widen the space. Take advantage of their illusory power to make your tiny home ‘feel’ large. And, avoid large-sized and busy patterns that will make the camper feel even smaller than it is by cluttering it visually.

• Texture: If you wish to avoid printed curtains altogether to keep the space visually light, but also would not want to settle for plain curtains, think textured curtains. They sport just enough detail to save the space from feeling too flat.

HAUL 'EM HOME: Striped Curtains | Plain/ Textured Curtains

Shop RV Camper Curtains at Sewn

Curtains in an RV camper may be small, but their role isn’t. From ensuring a draught-proofed bed on cold nights to closing off the hubbub of the world for some precious me-time, well-curated curtains assist you silently in your adventure trips. And, they don’t just fulfill a function; they also set the mood and keep the spirit of home alive while on the move. So, make your design decisions thoughtfully and get your camper equipped with curtains that are as ready for the journey as you are. And now it’s finally time to explore Sewn’s collection, and find that elegant window drapery that travels light, works with might, and makes every mile feel a little more like home.