Replacing Dinette with Cabinetry

[Cracker]

After looking at numerous AS models offered by Bates RV during the Florida Rally in Sarasota, the additional room afforded by the absence of a dinette really caught my attention. I know that the wheel well and the exterior storage compartment on my 2000 30' Excella are both located under the corresponding dinette seats. That said, I would like to eliminate the rest of the dinette seats and the semi-fixed table, substituting a "credenza" of sorts in their place against the street side wall. I believe the top of the credenza would provide almost the same square footage for food preparation (--and other paraphenalia) that the table presently provides, and the cabinetry over the wheel well and storage compartment - as well as between those restrictions - would almost equal that of the dinette seat drawers. I wouldn't think that weight, or weight distribution, would change significantly. I would leave the cabinet at the front of the dinette in place and virtually unchanged. We have never used the converted dinette for sleeping - and we don't see any need for that arrangement in the future.

Has anyone performed a similar modification - or thought about it and abandoned the idea? If so I would certainly like to hear your comments - or, for that matter, anyone else's comments.

[overlander63]

If you decide to go with the credenza table idea, i have a surplus one that would be suitable to be refurbished, it needs a couple of repairs, but is priced much less than you can get one from Airstream for (come pick it up).

[Cracker]

Terry:

I appreciate the offer but I'm not sure anything has been made by Airstream to fit the described location. I want to match the existing oak and construct the "credenza" to fit between the bathroom wall and the existing cabinetry at the front side of the present dinette. It would probably be about 18" wide, fit just under the windows, and with doors as required. I might want to build it in an "L" shape, with the short leg of the "L" alongside the bathroom wall.

[Coastalview]

Cracker, Ironic that you want to ace the dinette, and replace it with a credenza. We were thinking about purchasing a newer trailer of equal length, with a dinette, but are now considering acing the credenza, to build a dinette in its place, in our current unit.Our reasoning is to be able to have the needed room to sit, while still using the front couch in the bed configuration. Jeff