RV INTERIORS HAVE CHANGED dramatically over the last decade. These aren’t the dark, cave-like campers your Grandpa grew up with. RV décor today is brighter, more inviting, and inspired by the latest residential design trends—reimagined with RV-specific innovations. Perhaps no other models highlight this better than Forest River’s ZEN travel trailers and destination RVs, available in their Salem and Wildwood lineups.
Step into a ZEN this year and you’ll be greeted by fresh design touches—statement lighting, mid-century modern accents, and eye-catching furniture choices. Less obvious is how and why Salem and Wildwood have created a one-of-a-kind aesthetic you won’t find anywhere else.
Let’s explore what motivated Forest River’s approach to the “next-level design” in these ZEN models, and highlight the top floor plans we saw at the 2025 Hershey RV show.
Key Takeaways
- Elevated Interior Design: Forest River’s 2026 Salem and Wildwood ZEN models showcase a modern, residential-inspired aesthetic with exclusive furniture, panoramic windows, custom blade-style lighting, and two-tone cabinetry—features developed in-house to set them apart from other RVs.
- Innovative Functional Features: Beyond décor, ZEN floor plans introduce practical upgrades like the Versa-Tilt bed for added space, concealed microwaves, a pull-out dining table with fireplace, bedside steps, coffee/bar hutch options, and smartphone app control systems.
- Diverse Floor Plan Options: The ZEN lineup spans travel trailers and destination trailers, from compact couples’ campers like the 250ZEN to spacious luxury layouts like the 270ZEN with custom recliners and island kitchens to large multi-bedroom destination trailers like the 42ZEN designed for full-timers or seasonal stays.
Exclusive Furniture, Blade-Lighting, and More
But first, what is ZEN?
ZEN not only refers to the unique design approach in these trailers, but it also signifies the addition of some new floor plans and the renewal of several fan favorites. For instance, previous models like the 28VIEW and 29VIEW—now the 280ZEN and 290ZEN—got a decor overhaul while retaining some of Salem/Wildwood’s most popular layouts.
Jon Sare oversees Forest River’s Salem, Wildwood, and Ozark lineups as the General Manager. If you followed our Hershey coverage last year, you might recall our article on the major changes in the 2025 Salem/Wildwood lineups. Ozark is following suit this year, but you won’t see Wildwood or Salem resting on its laurels either.
We recently caught up with Jon and asked him about some of the things you’ll find in these RVs that you don’t see in many others.
“[ZEN is] where we start getting into these light features that go floor-to-ceiling, and then seem to grow out of the ceiling itself,” says Jon. And upgraded lighting is far from the only unique design feature in these 2026 Forest River campers.
Furniture
“For example, those chairs [in the 270ZEN], they don’t exist in the industry [outside of Salem and Wildwood RVs]. We have an exclusive on those chairs [and] those are actually recliners,” said Jon.
The Salem and Wildwood team was adamant about using a previously unseen chair design to make that rear living space feel more open and airy. Then, they combined that with one of the largest rear windows we’ve ever seen in a travel trailer. “We were able to achieve a window size of that nature and make it reliable by going to [thicker] 4mm glass.”
Lighting
While LED lighting is nothing new, Forest River’s Salem and Wildwood campers feature “blade-style” lighting in place of traditional LED puck lights. The design team also put their unique twist on the lighting over the kitchen and living area in the ZEN models. “That light above [the kitchen island] did not exist,” says Jon. “And even the ending of the live edge of the light bar…[it’s something] you haven’t seen on any other RV.”
Images by Camping World
Cabinetry
Plus, the Salem/Wildwood team updated their interior cabinetry, offering a two-tone design with a black textured finish on some cabinets, which complements the natural wood grain finish on the others.
“[A lot of this stuff] we’re literally developing [in-house],” says Jon. “Even the Televator…we developed a new mec[hanism]…and cycle tested it thousands of times. And we believe we have a more reliable system, for less money.”
What’s Better About Salem/Wildwood ZEN?
Images by Camping World
Building on the theme of an elevated RV design, these 2026 ZEN models come with a laundry list of features—all designed to make RV camping easier, more relaxing, and, well, more zen.
But a list of features doesn’t do much good if you don’t understand the “why” behind each one. So let’s run down the outstanding features in these ZEN Forest River Wildwood and Salem campers to detail how they’ll improve your camping experience.
- Versa-Tilt Bed expands the floor and walkaround space in the bedroom by 14 inches, giving you more room to get dressed…or even practice a seated morning meditation without waking up the kids.
- Pull-Out Table w/ Electric Fireplace makes your dining area customizable for 2-4 people while placing the fireplace directly across from the jackknife sofa, keeping you warm when you’re cuddling or watching TV (featured in the 250ZEN floorplan).
- Bar/Coffee Hutch provides a versatile area to create your ideal coffee station, set up a cocktail bar when hosting guests, enjoy extra meal prep space, or anything else you need. Plus, the mirror conceals the microwave (featured in the 270ZEN and 250ZEN floorplans).
- Concealed Microwaves hidden behind a mirror or a strut-supported panel over the range provide the functionality of this kitchen appliance without interrupting the contemplative ZEN interior design.
- Bedside Steps make it easier for everyone, especially your four-legged travel companions, to climb into the primary bed at night.
- The Remote Control App System lets you directly monitor and control all RV systems (e.g., thermostat, awnings, lights, tank capacities, etc.) from your smartphone (N/A on FSX and destination trailers).
- Panoramic Windows bring in natural light to complement and highlight the ZEN’s interior design. They also add to your experience by bringing you closer to the most zen aspect of any camping experience: nature itself.
Featured 2026 ZEN Floor Plans from the Hershey RV Show
After our exclusive Hershey tour, these were our favorite ZEN floor plans for 2026.
Salem/Wildwood 250ZEN
Specs
- Length: 29’10”
- Dry Weight: 7,138 pounds
- Cargo Capacity: 2,587 pounds
- Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4
With an ideal compact layout for two, the 250ZEN is an excellent addition to any list of the best couples campers under 30 feet. It stays in that sweet spot for half-ton towing and accessibility to more campsites with length restrictions, while offering an elevated interior design.
The floor plan boasts a full-width rear bathroom with a sizeable countertop, great linen storage, and a spacious shower. The L-shaped kitchen features smart upper shelves and built-in hooks for towel storage. And we love that the team behind Wildwood and Salem Forest River campers built a versatile closet or pantry space next to the fridge, allowing you to enjoy dual wardrobes or pack extra dried goods for longer trips.
Check Price and Availability:
Salem/Wildwood 270ZEN
Specs
- Length: 33’7”
- Dry Weight: 8,598 pounds
- Cargo Capacity: 2,687 pounds
- Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4
Still a couples-friendly layout, the 270ZEN takes a noteworthy step up from the 250ZEN when it comes to campsite luxury. Dual opposing slides dramatically expand the living area and kitchen, making room for a central island with barstool seating and that never-before-seen rear living area with custom recliners and a massive picture window.
The 80” trundle bed gives you room to sleep two kids or guests, and offers an easy-to-convert design that’s a touch different than a standard jackknife sofa. The luxury continues with that versatile countertop for a coffee hutch or cocktail bar, but we also love that this floor plan is a candidate to add to our list of the best travel trailers with washer-dryer prep!
Check Price and Availability:
Salem Grand Villa/Wildwood Grand Lodge 42ZEN
Specs
- Length: 44’11”
- Dry Weight: 14,404 pounds
- Cargo Capacity: 2,400 pounds
- Sleeping Capacity: Up to 8
The 42ZEN brings elevated design into the world of destination trailers, offering an excellent option for full-timers or those seeking an RV for long-term seasonal camping. It’s a candidate to add to our list of the best two-story RVs, and it’s also the rare camper with three bedrooms—all featuring a queen or king-sized mattress.
Your family will enjoy two full bathrooms in this Forest River camper—one off the front primary suite and another below the rear loft, which features washer-dryer prep. The central living space also has ample seating for large families—thanks to a huge sectional sofa across from the fireplace and TV, along with barstool seating at the end of the kitchen island.
Check Price and Availability:
Other ZEN Models
Wildwood
Learn about other new RV trends, innovations, and head-turning models we found at the 2025 Hershey RV Show:
What’s your favorite interior or exterior design feature of these ZEN campers? Let us know in the comments below!
