Chic RV Renovation: Janelle Payne's Transformation with Mint Palisades Picket Tiles

In this inspiring episode of Tile Trends x Tile Club, we sit down with Janelle Payne, the creative powerhouse who reimagined her mundane RV into a dreamy mobile haven using Mint Palisades Picket Tiles from Tile Club. Learn how she turned an unlikely canvas into a chic sanctuary, proving that great design truly has no boundaries.

From Janelle's design inspiration to her tile selection, this podcast illuminates the journey behind the project. Listen as Janelle shares the challenges and triumphs of her unique renovation endeavor, and how the stunning Mint Palisades Picket Tiles were a game changer. Whether you're an interior designer, an adventurous DIY enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys aesthetic transformations, this episode is a must-listen.

Join us and get inspired by Janelle's creativity, and maybe even spark some ideas for your own tile adventures. Tune in to Tile Trends x Tile Club, where we explore the beauty and versatility of tiles, one amazing project at a time.

LINKS:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube:
• Website
• Shop Janelle's RV Tiles

Transcript

Lindsay F.
 
Welcome to tile trends by tile club, the Podcast where we explore all things related to tile and home renovations. I'm your host Lindsay Fluke eager and today we have a very special guest with us. Joining us is Janelle Payne known on social media as nailgun Nellie Janelle is an expert in DIY renovations, particularly when it comes to RVs. She recently incorporated tile clubs mint Palisades picot tile in her RV kitchen renovation. Janelle is also a mom and a social media influencer, balancing her passion for renovations with motherhood. Welcome, Janelle. We're thrilled to have you on the show today.

Janelle Payne
 
Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here with you guys.

Lindsay F.
 
Likewise. So we would love to start off our episode getting to know you a little bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your journey as a DIY enthusiast? And also how you got into renovating RV's?

Janelle Payne 
Yes, um, so really, I have I've been since I was a little girl, I've loved little challenges of what I could create. And I would say, me and my husband, we would always do little projects around the house. And I started filming it and putting it out on social media, because I would find that I would take pictures of like different projects we were doing, and they would just get lost. Like I had no idea where they were. And I realized that you could put you could save everything to like a little highlight on your Instagram. So I was like, Okay, well, let's just start filming some stuff. And that way, I could just put it on my highlight. And as soon as I started doing that, when we were doing our first it was actually a really large renovation of on our standards, we turned an old tack room into a studio at our house. And I just started posting things. And people were like, whoa, whoa, what are you doing? Well, I didn't know you could do that. And I'm like, Oh, I didn't think anybody would be interested in this. And slowly, they just were like, give us more updates. And so it just turned into a thing where I started filming everything. And then COVID happened. And my husband and I are actually both nurses were critical care nurses as well. And in our area, we saw there was a large need for travel, nurses housing, there's always a need for housing in our area. And I was I had this idea we had just finished the studio and I wanted another project. And my neighbor actually had this really, really old trailer that was like rotting away, basically. And I was like, That's it like I I've seen, I went down a rabbit hole on Instagram one day, and I had no idea that you could, like people even renovated Arby's, and it was amazing what they did. And I was like, okay, that if she'll get it, she'll let us have that. I'll try it out. And if we mess it up, we mess it up, if we can get it for a good deal. And so we went and asked her and she was like, thanking God because she wanted somebody to just take it, like she didn't even want us to pay for it. And we're like, okay, and so I kind of, I have the freedom of like, if I messed up, it's okay, it's we're not losing money on it. And we develop, we turned it into a little tiny homes. And during COVID We were able to get a lot of our travel nurses and they had it we made it into like a little place for them to stay. So it was cool. Like I had, I had nothing else to do other than be at the hospital. And then I had this little project that I had during COVID and it turned into just a love for tiny homes. They're really fun little projects that when you I love that it's like if you're in the house you don't want to do for instance, I did a cigar lounge. I'm not gonna make a whole house with like black interior and like crazy, you know, alcohol dispensaries, but in these little RVs I was able to just create these little spaces that I normally wouldn't have a chance to do. So that's like my favorite thing about them. I'm I currently just did a little girl kind of trailer and I've done a cigar lounge I've done just a lot of different themed looks. And so I feel like it just allows me to be really creative and try new things all the time

Lindsay F. 
Amazing. I like have  no words! from nurse, to DIYer. Like How incredible is that that you took something so horrible during 2020 of the pandemic? And then like out of that was born all this creativity and then a way to serve others who are helping in the medical field.

Janelle Payne
 
 That's it. Yeah, it was. It was pretty cool. It was a good part of a not so great time.

Lindsay F.
 
Ah, so cool. Like I would have never known you are a nurse. No, I just like by following you and like seeing your projects. So are you still practicing? Or is that kind of done?

Janelle Payne 

Yeah, well, you know, that kind of actually. So me and my husband are both nurses. When we had our two children, I cut back and I went what they call reserves. So really, I'm, I go about once a week into the hospital still. So it afforded me a ton of time, I wanted to be able to stay with my kids. And then by being able to do that is where I really started doing a lot of projects. And I always have them with me. I keep saying how my youngest one is going to start school this year, and I just don't even know what I'm gonna do. Like, I'm gonna have so much time. Because so many people are wondering, how do you do all that stuff with them? And, you know, Instagram will show you what Instagram shows you. I don't show you the 50,000 Snack breaks, I do, you know, but it actually being a nurse was it has really afforded me time to do DIY, because we do have such flexible schedules. And yeah, I know, a very random fact that I'm a nurse, most people don't know that.

Lindsay F. 
Like nurse, mom, DIY or Wonder Woman, there's a lot going on! You know, it's amazing. So I have five kids; four biological and a stepdaughter. And I know people all the time are like, how do you do it? You do? And we just you're if you're a mom, you just roll up your sleeves and go, you know, and joy along the way. So rolling that into my next question. I have loved watching all of your like content with your little son. And he's about the ages of my youngest as well. And I'm just so impressed with, like, your patience. I know you said like, we only kind of see the instrument, like hard things I know. But how does? Like what kind of inspired you to have your kids participate in these renovations? And how do you balance the like, for me, it would be the anxiety of they're gonna cut a finger off, or they're gonna get hurt? How do you bring your kids into the picture with your innovations?

Janelle Payne 
Yes. I mean, you know, I don't always I don't really think oh, they're gonna cut themselves or they're gonna hurt themselves. I think I just, they want to be a part of it. If I try and make them, like, just go inside, or go play or something that they're like, no, they want to naturally be with you. And I think society these days, I don't know, I feel like people are like, harboring their children almost like, it's like, no, you let them see the thing, hold, let them pull the trigger. I feel like the more you let them do these things, like knowledge is power, they're gonna be like, Okay, I understand that, that is a saw that cuts and don't go near it or just, I don't know, like, my kids have always wanted to be a part of it. And I want them to be a part of it. I feel like so many kids don't do things like that, where it's gonna only benefit them. And you know, when there may be teenagers are gonna be like, Oh, of course, I know how to cut a hole in the granite. You know, like when I was five years old, but yeah, I think they, they just they crave to learn all that stuff. And the more that you involve them there, it's just going to be natural to them. But luckily, we have not had any accidents with them.

Lindsay F.
 
I just I love like how step by step you're like, This is what this does. And now we're gonna do this and I just, I loved watching those and see you teach him. So super cool that you can kind of mix motherhood and, and you know, being a DIYer together.

Janelle Payne
 
I will say like, being able to look back on seeing them in the projects, like you don't realize, like at the time, it's like, you're making this take so much longer. Sometimes you're like, can I just can you just go and I'll just like take care of this really quick. But then when I see these videos, like I think I made a video on Mother's Day where I was showing kind of synopsis of like him helping, and it's just like, those are so precious. And I know when like, they get older, I'm gonna look back and be like, Oh, I wish they would be here right now. So it's really cool. It is cool.

Lindsay F. 

Awesome. Giving them just that gift of your time and attention while learning a skill like best of both worlds. So we brought you on the show today Janelle because title club did a really cool collaboration with you. And let's talk about that recent RV kitchen renovation. What inspired you to use Tile Club's mint palisades picket tile and how did it transform the overall look and feel of your RV's kitchen space?

Janelle Payne
 
That tile was made for that RV honestly, I am so happy that it worked out um it was my first time ever using real tile, and I have like in an RV, I've done it, you know, obviously in a house, but I have wanted to do it so bad. And finally I was like, Okay, I think this is the one it was a small enough space because you don't want to add too much weight into RVs you always have to be conscious of that. And I like was obsessed with the matte finish. And I love a good like traditional like subway tile, but the picket just gave it a little more character and it just it was so it was so perfect for that space, that pastel color, I couldn't find anything like it. Andand so I was so happy that it worked out and the way we installed it is definitely much different than you would in a normal house.I have like I said, it's my first time so all my followers are like what, what what's going on here andI plan to do like after summer when we go to see how long it lasts, I am very, very confident that it's going to last becauseinstead of using the normal mortar because of the movement and the grout you we you glue them down and then you use a silicone caulking in between like as the grout lines and that's just to help with flex and movement in a moving vehicle. Basically, I have seen other RV renovators and Van builders do this. So I'm pretty confident it's going to work and if you go in and you feel it, I mean, I've cleaned it down. I've done we've taken it on trips already and it looks perfect. But yes, it was just the perfect aesthetic for that look of pastel girliness that that RV needed.

Lindsay F.
 
 It was oh so beautiful. And I loved the gold, like hardware that you brought in this season. I was like, like, final finishing touch and then the pools on the drawers everything just like went together. So you're our first RV collaboration that walks through with cars in the past I think we've had some that have just done like the peel and stick vinyl. So it was really fun to see like real ceramic tile like installed in it.

Janelle Payne
 
A lot of my renovations I've done the peel and stick and I've had good luck with them. But it's just you can tell like it it's just like such a like whoa, you did that you know like it's it's it's really upscale looking and the faucet against it was perfect.We are in love every bit of it.

Lindsay F. 

So cool. So we always love to ask anyone that we collaborate with about the good, the bad, the hiccups everything along the way. So RV renovations often come with unique challenges. And could you share some insights on the specific considerations adaptations required when renovating an RV compared to a traditional home?

Janelle Payne 

Yeah, like I said, for tile installation, you definitely, I mean, I don't know because I've never done mortar and grout, but it makes complete sense that with the movement that there would be cracking. So my method of installing the tile was with an adhesive backing and then the silicone caulking. But another big thing that when I first started in RV renovation, so you want to put like change out the furniture or the couch or put a in this one it was very small. So I wouldn't say that but prior ones I've had to take out pouches and you can't just put another couch in like you have to be like well how much does it weigh, because every trailer has like a certain amount of weight that it can hold and so you have to be very conscious of how much weight you're taking out along with what you're putting back in. So every renovation we do we we go to like a Weigh Station and we make sure that after all of our renovations that they're within the I think it's GV WR don't quote me on that but like the weight restriction for that trailer, every trailer has one another thing that was huge was when you are attaching like I have had to build cabinets to put them in. You got to know like the the wall thickness and the studs are way different than a house like you're not using two by fours you don't so like your nails and your screws have to be really tiny so that they don't pop out the outside of the RV and just like all these little things where you wouldn't even think you just be like let me go build something you're like No, no, no, you can't because that's too heavy or that's too big or how are you going to get in the RV or out of the RV? All these little little things, different painting methods like a lot of them for their walls, they have like this wallpaper on them. So you need a really good primer, a specific kind of primer for the RVs but once you get it all, you know, under your belt, then you're like, Okay, I know how to do this. But luckily, with Instagram, YouTube, so much knowledge is out there. I get asked all the time, how do you know how to do this? And like go on Instagram, there's a million different creators that give you so much knowledge. And YouTube, you can pretty much ask the question, and they tell you. It's just trial and error at that point.

Lindsay F. 

I would have never thought there were so many just like little meticulous things that you've really like taking it to a weigh station.  that is like really interesting. And I'm sure it takes can take a lot of patience. But like you said, Maybe once you've kind of got it down to an art, you've done a few, then you kind of know what to expect.

Janelle Payne 
at first, when you're trying to figure it out. You're like, Oh, I didn't even think that I would. It's really hard when you're like trying to source things. And you're like, oh, this couch or this chair would be so perfect for the design, but I can't use it because it's too big, you know, and so it's just a matter of finding the design that has the correct weight or size. That's gonna go with it.

Lindsay F.
 
Yeah, so where are where have your favorites like RV travels, taken you wherever you guys journey to and really enjoyed visiting?

Janelle Payne
 
Oh, our last year we went, it was by far my favorite trip. We I did one of my biggest renovations I took a Ford Transit passenger van and completely cut gutted it, it was to a shell and built a van conversion. And we ended up I planned like a month long trip through Northern Arizona, South Utah, all that area. And we went to Zion, the Grand Canyon, you know, all the beautiful spots in that area. And it was amazing. And it was we were a family of four in a van. And everybody thought we were crazy. But it was actually extremely comfortable. It was one of our most memorable vacations that we've ever taken. And I honestly can't wait to plan another one. Awesome. So RV that you just renovated, what's in store for it? Where will it be going? We we have Well, so far, we're almost done with it. Like we think in about a week, we're waiting on the cushions. That's the last piece of the puzzle. And so hopefully in another week, but we only have a few small trips locally, I'm on the central coast of California. I don't know if you're familiar with it, but we have like some amazing areas in this little I don't know, our north to our south of us. So we're just gonna keep it locally all the beaches around here, but we do plan. We might be just taking it up north to Northern California, Oregon area, we haven't decided yet. We need to plan it all out.

Lindsay F.
 
Well, if you hit Northern California, come see us because that's where we are! That's so fun. Wow. So after you've renovated these RVs and like the transit van, do you ultimately like sell them? Or are you something that you keep for your family for future trips, it's never the plan, but that's always what happens.

Janelle Payne
 
So I never intend on selling and we always renovate and I'm like, Okay, we're gonna keep this one, we're gonna go on trips, we do go on trips, and then I get the bug to do another one. And my husband's like, Okay, we can't justify having the whole trailer park here. We've ended up selling every single one. This one, once again, we have no intention on selling, but you never say never. So we probably will. But we do plan on not selling this one until another one is complete. Because that is like, we have that little timeframe of wishing we could go on trips. And we don't have anything done at that time. So we do plan on hanging on to this one for a while. But yeah, we always ended up just wanting to create another one. And that's what happens. That's awesome.

Lindsay F.
 
So if any of our listeners like are near you, can they get a custom created RV? By nailgun, Nelly?

Janelle Payne
 
You know, I get asked that all the time. And no. As of right now, I feel I don't know, I just I enjoy it too much for him. Like I want to create whatever I want to create. And then if I sell them, everybody on my Instagram feed always is the first to know. And so if I do sell, it'll be posted on my Instagram and then kind of go from there. But I usually I'll help people like if they have questions about RV's or like their renovation. I have no problem giving my input but as of right now, I can't commit to doing projects for others at this time.

Lindsay F.
 
 So what are some of the most valuable lessons that you've learned as a DIY and DIY enthusiast and social media influencer that you'd like to share with our listeners today?

Janelle Payne 

Just don't quit. I feel like so many people ask me, like, how do you know how to do that, or you I mean, I wasn't good for you, you know, all the time. And I feel like the more you just practice and keep going, you're gonna get better. That's how it is with everything in life, like, you know, your first time is not going to be the best. And I didn't know how to do all this, I'm still learning to this day. And I feel like if, like, you are your biggest obstacle, if you want to do something, if you want to learn something, then you can do it. And it might not be at the same pace as somebody else. But if you try and you're committed, like you're gonna be able to do it, I see so many people that just kind of give up on things and, and just don't. If you want it bad enough, just keep going. Ah, that's some great advice. I think there are a lot of people I mean, I can admit to being like a closet, like want to be DIY or but like, I just don't have the courage or like the faith in myself that I could be crafty, if I tried. Yeah. So I love that hopefully, there will be people that are tuning in, they're like, I'm gonna do it kind of project. So I will tell you like, that's one of the coolest things about being an influencer. I hate I hate saying the influencer word. But it's so cool. When people I've had people like create DIY pages, and they'll send them to me and be like, I finally had the courage to do it. Thank you. Or like, you know, I learned so much from you. Or they'll take it tutorial that I've had on my blog, and create it and send me I'm like, Oh, my God, I can't believe you. Like, you copied me. Like, I'm still almost like impostor syndrome, you know, where What do you mean, you look to me for help, but it's really cool. It's so cool to see that you can inspire others, and then turn around, they're gonna end up inspiring others. So it's, it's a cool little place social media that has its faults, but it's great at the same time.

Lindsay F.
 
Definitely, I totally believe it can be used, you know, as a tool for good or for bad. And it's just what can find whatever you're looking for. And I'm so glad that we're finding you and being inspired by what you're doing. So you mentioned your blog and tutorials. Can you tell us a little bit about we're going to link everything in this podcast episode so our listeners can come and take a look? What will they find? And what kind of tutorials do you have there?

Janelle Payne
 
 So I have not been very good at doing them lately, but I will be again.Anytime I do smaller projects. I feel like a lot of times I'm doing huge overhaul like big projects. So it's kind of hard to do a tutorial on that. But yes, you my my websites nail gun daily.com Pretty, pretty simple to remember. And I like I've done outdoor fire pits. I've done outdoor furniture, like more modern couches, little tables, things like that, that I feel like people that want to learn something can easily attain it. And I just break it down step by step. And if you do do it, hashtag nailed it like Nellie.

Lindsay F. 

Well, Janelle, it was such a pleasure to have you on the show today and to get to know more about you and like see your heart and soul and like how much you just love and enjoy renovating. But also that you have this other side of you that's in the medical field helping and caring for others and mom extraordinaire, all the things. We are a woman owned company, and we just love collaborating and mingling with other women who are doing big things in the design space. So thank you so much for your time. Is there any final advice that you'd like to give to our listeners today?

Janelle Payne 

I can leave you with one of my favorite quotes. People overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can accomplish in a year. I think people need to look at things as like, step by step and at the end of the day, like you know, after you look back on that year, you're gonna be like, Oh my god, I can't believe I accomplished all that. But if you break it down into little things, it's it's it's a way you can you can accomplish it. Don't look at the overall picture. Look at the task in front of you.

Lindsay F.
 
That's amazing advice. I love that quote, I'm looking forward to women and people everywhere taking a listen to this episode and being inspired.

Janelle Payne
 
Yes. Thank you.

Lindsay F.
 
Thank you wishing you all the best on your future endeavors and we'll continue to follow you and make sure that our listeners can do the same.

Janelle Payne
 
 Okay, thank you for having me.

Lindsay F.
 
Thanks Janelle Take care.