23 FB 2014 Serenity Dinette Replacement

[Lualou]

We came close to trading in our AS recently when I questioned myself “why”? We love everything about this trailer except the dinette area. We took out the stock table. My husband replaced it with a 24” round table using the original pedestal. It is now a more spacious area but not more comfortable. My question is, has anyone modified their 23 FB seating? Did you pull out the stock dinette and replace with a loveseat or recliners? Did you build New seating? Surely I can’t be the only one who wants something more comfortable without trading in. Please share photos if you have modified this space. Thanks in advance.

[pcskier]

You are not the only one. I love the queen and the full bath, HATE the dinette. I always turn mine 90 degrees when using it, just to give me a little breathing room. But then it blocks the hallway, and the fridge door hits it.

I have considered adding a smaller table top as well. Would love to see a pic of yours if you can post it. Or email it to peter@phkemp.com if easier.

I do believe some folks have removed it all and put more of a sofa, or 2 loungers, and then use tv tray tables. I want to keep the table, but just make access easier.

[dmbecke]

How about something like this idea from a 25 ft

[Muriel 1]

I found a 24x24 table top makes a comfortable and spacious lounge area.
It can be rotated for lounging or dining.
For 3-4 people it is fine.
For 1-2 people it as roomy as a table in a restaurant.
It is also nice as a work station.
I find the ultra leather cushions perfect.
Tom

[TruckerFritz]

Very interesting... will follow this thread as we too would like to do "something" with the dinette.. wife doesn't want to loose any storage under the seat, and I don't want to bang my head on the over dinette storage cabinet.. gave some thought to a good quality (wooden) folding table and chairs but they'd sure bang around on the road.. at this time thinking of just taking out the seating on one side and leaving the one over the tire.. just thinking...

[KMH25TWIN]

This won’t help much but will at least go to show you’re not the only one. Have 2016 25’ FB twin. I need to keep the sleeper space but it is hard to watch video w table up. Pretty comfortable with table down and cushions arranged in “lounge” configuration, but that too isn’t perfect. Planning on configuring a fix similar to the way the new Globetrotter is set up. In my case, I think it is more of a table modification and customizing some cushions.

[Lualou]

Originally Posted by pcskier

You are not the only one. I love the queen and the full bath, HATE the dinette. I always turn mine 90 degrees when using it, just to give me a little breathing room. But then it blocks the hallway, and the fridge door hits it.

I have considered adding a smaller table top as well. Would love to see a pic of yours if you can post it. Or email it to peter@phkemp.com if easier.

I do believe some folks have removed it all and put more of a sofa, or 2 loungers, and then use tv tray tables. I want to keep the table, but just make access easier.

My husband bought the table top online. He attached it to the pedestal that came with the trailer. He stained the top with a light stain and applied a few coats of poly. We opted for a small one. There’s just the two of us. It’s big enough for morning coffee and evening martinis!

[Lualou]

We took some measurements and I don’t think that something for a larger trailer will fit ours. We have those wheel wells to deal with. We found a really comfy loveseat at IKEA. We thought we might set it on the wheel well in the back and add extended legs to the front but we realized that the backrest would block out half our windows. Back to the drawing board!

[Gleverett]

We have a 2015 25'FC FB twin that we had the dinette removed and replaced with two wall hugger recliners at the factory. We purchased the Lambright wall huggers from the Lambright factory which is about 150 miles north of Jackson Center. We had a custom built cabinet under the wall where the TV is mounted and a fold out short table stand between the two recliners. They did a great job but it was not inexpensive. The two recliners have a fold up and swivel table thats on the chair which is removable. If anyone desires I can give you more info and send photo's. I tried to upload the photo's with no avail. guyel841@gamail.com

[dmbecke]

Originally Posted by Gleverett

We have a 2015 25'FC FB twin that we had the dinette removed and replaced with two wall hugger recliners at the factory. We purchased the Lambright wall huggers from the Lambright factory which is about 150 miles north of Jackson Center. We had a custom built cabinet under the wall where the TV is mounted and a fold out short table stand between the two recliners. They did a great job but it was not inexpensive. The two recliners have a fold up and swivel table thats on the chair which is removable. If anyone desires I can give you more info and send photo's. I tried to upload the photo's with no avail. guyel841@gamail.com

I wish Airstream would offer this option

[Lualou]

I love your solution with the recliners. I checked them out online. Love the trays too. In your opinion, how many feet of space would we need to sit two side by side? How many feet is required for depth without reclining? We have the wheel well that would allow for some reclining. I ask because the shipping cost is hefty. I would hate to find out I misunderstood their measurements. I appreciate any additional info you can provide. Thx Louise

[Gleverett]

The two Lambright chairs are not large swivel recliners. They can be as close as 3" from the wall and still recline fully. Ours are screwed down to the floor so they don't move while towing and the swivel tables are perfect for eating or working on a computer. As far as how close together they can sit together all I can say is with the dinette and seats removed there is plenty of room in the 25' which I would guess is the same width as the 23'. If you send me an e-mail I'll attach the photo's of our conversion. I haven't been able to upload the pics on the air forums.

[Gleverett]

Factory dinette conversion. The cabinets were custom built using the old dinette table top. The small table between the chairs is where some of the electronics had to be moved to. It has a small flip out counter that can be used as a coffee table. We eat our meals on the swivel arm tables attached to the recliners. These chairs swivel/recline and are wall huggers that only need 3 inches of space from the walls. The cabinet below the window is where the outside storage compartment is but now smaller and another inside storage on top. We actually have as much storage in the large cabinet drawers as before and now its more user friendly. The recliners are for small to average size adults. If you are large folks they may not fit your body very well. I'm 5'11" 210 lbs and there comfortable for me.

[Lualou]

Thanks Gleverette! You have been so helpful. I love your blue recliners. They look awesome in the space. We will explore and hopefully replace. Once we do, I’ll post pix. Thanks to all who responded.

[PKI]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f142...-166374-9.html

Note 23FB thread is a good source of 23FB specific information. Believe the '14 has the free standing bench, so modification of your coach may be easier. The down side to this mod is the loss of storage space over the axles, so give that some thought.

Go to post 132 on the link - Linda posted the mod they did to open up their coach.
Go to post 135 on the link for the captain chair pictures - Randkk was kind enough to share his mod.

Glad you like the coach. Pat

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Gleverett

Factory dinette conversion. The cabinets were custom built using the old dinette table top. The small table between the chairs is where some of the electronics had to be moved to. It has a small flip out counter that can be used as a coffee table. We eat our meals on the swivel arm tables attached to the recliners. These chairs swivel/recline and are wall huggers that only need 3 inches of space from the walls. The cabinet below the window is where the outside storage compartment is but now smaller and another inside storage on top. We actually have as much storage in the large cabinet drawers as before and now its more user friendly. The recliners are for small to average size adults. If you are large folks they may not fit your body very well. I'm 5'11" 210 lbs and there comfortable for me.

Looks great. Unfortunately, it likely won't translate over as a 23FB solution, since the 25 dinette is spread across the back of the trailer (where the bathroom is on the 23 FB), plus you have an extra 6 inches to work with. The 23FB has a dinette along the side, and might be really tight to try to fit recliners in that space. And the wide wheel well to deal with.

[OTRA15]

As Pat mentioned a few days ago, FYI there is a thread dedicated to the 23FB:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f142...um-166374.html

. . . with a broad following of fellow owners.

[gsp_]

Has anyone reduced the width of the dinette table & seats in a 23fb? The aisleway feels quite narrow, and this might be a viable modification if only two use the TT. I haven’t tried measuring how far the wheelwell extends into that space - but I can drop by a dealer this week to see if it’s feasible.

Top is original, bottom is proposed modification:

[Fair_Enough]

Originally Posted by gsp_

Has anyone reduced the width of the dinette table & seats in a 23fb? The aisleway feels quite narrow, and this might be a viable modification if only two use the TT. I haven’t tried measuring how far the wheelwell extends into that space - but I can drop by a dealer this week to see if it’s feasible.

Top is original, bottom is proposed modification:

gsp, The wheelwell extends about 16" out from the wall. The top extends about 38" now. Its about 70" now and could be about 72" / 73" wide. So, it could work.

I've come to the conclusion that there really isn't a good solution for this dinette issue. What might be best will vary for some of us. I knew going in, that it can't stay that way. But, you might have something there my friend. That solves passing by each other / narrow isle issue... which is the biggest we face. Plus your idea is good for 2, since the dinette only looks like it would seat 4, until you try it. Kind of like the bed that looks walk around, but isn't. Oh, and on my older 23FB, the dinette would cut down quite easily. I would want new cushions. I would also reduce the dinette table top's width and length as well. Pic. I show the approximate location of the boxed in wheelwell.

I thought of building a desk under the two large side windows. Pic attached. At the maximum width (72") about 21" out from the wall... extendable to 38". With swing out supports / legs it could function as a bed. Seating would be two small and comfortable armless office chairs. For travel they could lay on the bed, I suppose.
Clint

[Toornburg]

Here is a small write up of our Dinette project

Ditch the Dinette-compressed.pdf

Sorry the compression affected the photo quality...