Making the Rear Dinette More Comfortable for Watching Movies

[KJRitchie]

We've had our 2008 Classic about a month now and we are trying to figure out the best way to watch TV from the rear dinette area. When the dinette is up for eating it's good for watching the news while eating.

When watching a movie we've tried putting the dinette down and spread out the cushions. This leaves the back window wall devoid of support. The rear back rest and bolster of the side couch seems to fit in this space but it falls over. When sitting on this large lounge facing the TV our legs stick out and it's hard to get comfortable. I thought about extra pillows but where do you store the pillows while the dinette is up?

What do you do to make the rear dinette area a comfortable viewing area for movie\e watching?

Kelvin

[murreywalker]

Kelvin, yours is a great question. I look forward to suggestions by others.

My missus would just as soon leave the dinette in the down position permanently, but when I ask her what we do when the morning comes 'round and it's time to eat, she just looks at me… ;-)

Anyone out there with a motorized dinette?

[zzlay]

Great question. The 27FB is my favorite floor plan, but my question is how comfortable is the dinette/couches for movies or a good book. heading to our local dealer tomorrow to see a 27EB. Will set aside some time just to sit and see how I like it.

[AWCHIEF]

I pulled one side and the table of my dinette out and put in a swivel recliner rocker. It was a very simple project with about 20 screws to remove the bench. Now I finally have a comfortable place to kick back and relax. I use small folding table for eating. Only room for one recliner in my little Bambi II but you should have room for a pair in your "big" trailer.

[dkottum]

Ours is a front dinette but the same deal. Knew it when we bought it with the idea we could install recliners if we really needed to. After 12 months total of actual living in the trailer we still like some things about the way it is now. So we may hold the course, staying as is for awhile at least.

Friends of ours thought the table was too wide to sit comfortably in their Classic 27FB, so he made a narrower table of wood and put the original hardware on it. They full-time.

We asked Airstream Service in Jackson Center to estimate putting in the newer 30' recliners and center counsel in our trailer, and rebuild the side bench to accommodate them and the electrical underneath. They quoted $4200. I suppose half that was recliners, some for the counsel and side cabinet materials, so maybe decent enough to get it done professionally.

doug k

[KJRitchie]

I remember seeing a youTube video of a rear dinette/side couch and though this looks convertible.

Modern Airstream Travel Trailer Interior Virtual Tour.mp4 - YouTube

[murreywalker]

The barrier to a comfortable area is the length of the dining table. While you can put more pillows to make the distance shorter (front to back), the problem of where to store those pillows/cushions grows with the number of pillows/cushions.

Just thinking out loud here, but has anyone seen a mod where the dining table is cut down and hinged similar to the recliner trailer's fold out table?

[Luckyducks]

Here's a link to what we did to be more comfortable in our Flying Cloud 25FB sofa/dinette area. Search on the word "recliner" to see what others have done. Russ

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f39/...ble-86598.html

[Foiled Again]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f46/...al-104190.html

This is a neat little footrest that can fold away when not needed.

The classic has a cabinet by the door for zipdee chairs which actually makes the seat by the door smaller, the International & Flying Clouds have a bigger seat with a v-shaped cushion that can be removed to make the seat more comfortable for TV watching.

I am dithering between going for recliners and a fold down table and just saying screw it and leaving mine alone.

Paula

[StreamNTyme]

I watched the video. I can not imagine having the drain pipe resting on my dishes.

We have made lots of changes working to use most of the dead space found behind areas in the 'stream. I hope the pics come through.
Some pics are inc. such as the new drawers below the refrigerator, lounge and wine drawer below the drawers in bedroom. Wine glass holders designed by my husband. Glasses do not fall or crack ever. A new floor was installed to replace the very thin cheap floor by Airstream. Additional insulation was installed when the floor was open. Dividers were installed in cabinets above the kitchen counter to keep supplies organized. New shelves were installed in the closet next to the shower. Lite was moved to the side, out of the way. Those are the pics included. Additional drawers are below the range and the three drawers in kitchen. Additional dividers installed in bathroom cabinets. Top access was made for lounge. Care was taken to secure ducts and any wiring found in the way of new additions.

[KJRitchie]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

The classic has a cabinet by the door for zipdee chairs which actually makes the seat by the door smaller, the International & Flying Clouds have a bigger seat with a v-shaped cushion that can be removed to make the seat more comfortable for TV watching.

I am dithering between going for recliners and a fold down table and just saying screw it and leaving mine alone.

Paula

I'm beginning to think we should've looked for a 6 sleeper with the front couch and dinette but too late now. The dinette and side couch is Airstreams defacto living area for most models now so we need to be innovative.

The storage area in the Classic, so that's why my father in law complained he couldn't sit on that side of the dinette. Taking the bolster behind the seat back gave him a little more room but he is a little over weight around the middle. I'm thinking of leaving that wedge bolster at home. When you remove it for more room now where do you put it.

With the two of us I think the solution to the problem is first figure out what position each of us need to be in to watch TV. One of us could sit on the street side propped up sitting or relining with legs sticking out a little onto the side couch. The other could be on the opposite side leaned up in the corner with legs stretched out an angled to point toward the 90 deg angle where the dinette and side couch meet. This allows that person a direct view of the TV also. Just need to figure out some back rest pillows that don't take up a lot of room when not needed. The front bedroom is being decluttered of excess pillows so we don't have to walk over them in the narrow aisle.

Other issues with the dinette/side couch:
I also notice when you put the heavy table down on the dinette supports it doesn't sit flush between the dinette seats like most folding dinettes. In the middle is a hump now. Maybe only an issue with the Classic. I'm not sure what it will be like to sleep on this either. I'll have to try one night.

I noticed this on the slide out gaucho bed, there is the ridge along the whole length between the frame and the slide out drawer and when I lay down on it I feel I'm going to roll to towards the middle of the trailer. But if the back rest is removed and is on the dinette rear wall the side couch is wide enough to sleep on without pulling out the bed drawer.

Maybe for movies I should put another TV in the bedroom and watch in bed, leave the dinette alone. Can't watch a DVD though, no wiring from the rear area to the front TV. Just coax from the antenna. Would have to buy one with a built in DVD.

Kelvin

[StreamNTyme]

Kelvin,
Ours is a FB which had a (too) short in depth seat on the lounge next to the door, caused by a huge useless bolster. So when my husband built the Zip Dee chair cabinet (see pic above in post #10) behind the lounge seat we were able to increase the depth of the lounge seat by 4-5" which made a big comfort difference. So now we have a much more comfortable lounge, a cabinet and a shelf (where my cat likes to sit). So no more useless space there.

[KJRitchie]

I really like all those improvements you've made. I wish I could work with wood to make drawers. Another glaring issue with our Classic dinette there is no drawer that pulls out of the dinette seat next to the door. I guess its because of the end cabinet. The factory really put a lot of velcro on that cushion too. Hard to get it off. Lots of room under that seat for some extra pillows. My subwoofer is down there but it doesn't seem to work. The side speakers seem to sound fine to use so I may take the subwoofer out.

I like your wine storage area. I'll have to look at my bedside wardrobe area. We are having a hard time figuring out how to travel with wine bottle. Funny, it wasn't a problem in our 17ft Casita.

Kelvin

[yikessue]

My smart hubby figured out how to get our subwoofer working. Give him a shout (stevesuemac) if you want help. Might be worth hearing it in action before removing it.


Sue

[zzlay]

So we went today to our local dealer and looked at a 27EB, 27 FC FB, 27 Serenity FB, and a 28 Serenity. Happy joy, the 27FBs taped out to 92" in the bedroom, plenty of space for the RQ Tempurpedic. Te 28 taped out at 87", a little tight.

The big surprise was the couches. In all four units, my wife DQ'd them because they were so uncomfortable. Flat, non supportive.


So I guess I need to think about recliners. A couple of questions:


Are the Classic 27FB couches better than the ones we saw?


Was/is the Classic offered with recliners? The salesman gave me copies of the order sheets, and I don't see a Classic offered with recliners.


I'm thinking 30 with recliners is the way to go.

[mefly2]

As our table is easily removable in our EB, the solution is much simpler. Just a simple "narrower" seat fabricated that is the same width as the side cushions (fits across the back on existing seat supports) and gives a comfortable sit. DW has made a trapezoidal foam cushion (that fits across the back) that we use on the sides and in the FB as well. Sometimes we like to just leave the rear EB door open and watch movies with a breeze. Of course, the easy solution is to simply retire to the FB and watch the vids there.

[zzlay]

Should have added more detail regarding the couches. In the EB, the couches are 1-1.5" taller/higher off the floor than in the FC or International. The extra height left my wife's feet swinging like little Edith Ann's in the big rocking chair. She's 5'4" tall -- about average I guess. The cushions in the EB and FC were hard and uncomfortable. The International's were definitely better.

We definitely liked the EB rear hatch but we don't have large cargo to carry in the back, so we're willing to trade the hatch for more comfortable seating. That's what led me to ask for comments about the Classic.