Refreshing RV Interiors

Beginning with a small warehouse space in Elkhart, Indiana, Panel Solutions, a manufacturer of products for the RV and other industries, now boasts three subsidiaries, 100,000 square feet of operating space and over $15 million in annual sales.

Founded by Tom Zurek in 1997, the company was recently renamed Panel Solutions Group (from Panel Solutions Inc.) — to encompass its other brands of Tape Technologies and PS Designs. Today, Tom works alongside his children, Mandi Zurek, vice president of sales and design, and Jaclyn Morgan, vice president of product development, to further grow the company and expand its product offerings.

“We remain a family-owned and -operated company,” Zurek says. “Over the years, we have expanded both our decorative and nondecorative product offerings and the markets we sell to.” These markets now include mobile home, hospitality, commercial and residential design, retail and RVs.

Panel Solutions’ RV decorative offerings have been the cornerstone of the company for years and currently include kitchen and bath backsplashes, wall art, accent walls, cabinet door inserts and shower surrounds. The sewing division adds bedding, pillows, curtains, valances, headboards and shower curtains to the company’s repertoire.

“Our definite strength and what sets us apart is our printing capabilities and amazing design team,” Zurek says. “We can print on virtually any rigid substrate, which allows us to print backsplashes, wall art, shower surrounds and new Azdel wall panels. We also custom print our own fabric, which we use in our sewing division. The design possibilities are endless; essentially, we can produce any design a client requests in any color, pattern or texture.”

Panel Solutions’ unique selling points, such as their printing capabilities and the fact that all of the company’s products are printed in Elkhart, truly set them apart. The team prides themselves on printing to order, allowing customers to make “running changes” and ensuring they are never stuck with “old material.”

“Moreover, we offer exclusivity on designs to our customers. Once we have gone through the design and color proof process with our customers and they order a product for production, we will only sell that design to them until they no longer want to use it,” Morgan says. “This commitment to our customers and our innovative approach to printing are what make us a leader in the RV interior design space.”

With nearly 30 years of history, the Panel Solutions team has seen a wealth of changes in the RV industry, as well as many trends come and go. They strive to ensure they have a strong understanding of what today’s RV consumer is looking for in interior design elements for their vehicles.

“The most recent trends we are seeing is the return of some warmer tones in wood, fabrics, flooring, etc. as well as the addition of patterns,” Morgan says. “The switch from browns to gray RV interiors over the past few years made units feel cold and sterile.” Now, designers are bringing in natural wood accents, earth-tone accent walls and cabinets, and warmer fabrics.

“In my opinion, about 15 years ago, RV manufacturers started trying to produce units that had a more ‘residential’ feel. This concept is still a goal, but some are definitely pulling ahead and creating not only a residential feeling unit but a high-end one,” Zurek says. “In turn, I believe we are starting to see a fundamental shift in the value of interior design in RVs.”

Recently, the Panel Solutions Group had the opportunity to work with Gulf Stream Coach on its new Laura Ashley edition of Gulf Stream’s Vintage Cruiser. Although the Laura Ashley-specific project was new, Panel Solutions has partnered with Gulf Stream Coach on the Vintage Cruiser since its inception.

“We work alongside Gulf Stream to design, print and sew all of the Vintage interior fabrics as well as printing the backsplash and refrigerator inserts that add to the nostalgic feel of these amazing campers,” Zurek says. “The Gulf Stream Coach/Laura Ashley collaboration is one that Saylor Shea at Gulf Stream has worked on for some time and is passionate about. Over a year ago, Saylor Shea, Sue Fiedeke — an interior designer at Gulf Stream Coach — and I started discussing Saylor’s vision for this Laura Ashley unit.”

Once the “concept” was finalized, and Gulf Stream and Laura Ashley worked out their details, Zurek and the Panel Solutions team received the Laura Ashley art files.

“To clarify, our partnership is with Gulf Stream Coach, and their partnership is with Laura Ashley. Saylor, Sue and I went through countless colors and pattern placement rounds and eventually created the finished unit unveiled at Open House. It was an honor and a privilege to work with iconic Laura Ashley patterns and to see everyone’s hard work come to fruition,” Zurek says. “This type of partnership and product launch is not often seen in the RV industry. This is definitely the first to involve a brand as well loved and iconic as Laura Ashley, which is celebrating 70 years in 2024.

“Being unique and adorable is what I believe will draw consumers to this RV. The Laura Ashley fabrics and the Gulf Stream quality are the icing on the cake.”

Panel Solutions has also expanded its partnership efforts to include Azdel, a company that produces a waterproof, lightweight, eco-friendly wall panel. Panel Solutions has developed a way to custom print their wall panels, providing the ability to print any color, 3D textures, pattern or design to enhance any interior wall of an RV.

“This will allow RV manufacturers and interior designers to have custom wall patterns without the commitment to thousands of yards of vinyl or paper. We offer print-to-order and access to better designs and patterns,” Zurek says.

Looking ahead, Zurek says she and her sister, Jaclyn, feel there is a significant shift in the air; interior design is edging its way more toward the front of what consumers are looking for when purchasing their RV.

“We believe consumers are tired of seeing the same things repeatedly,” Zurek says. “RV manufacturers that are prioritizing interior design are standing out, making themselves more recognizable and, in turn, valuable. The products and technology to create curated and impeccably designed RV interiors are finally here and available; they are cost-effective and production-friendly.”