I got a touch of luxury by glueing 3/16 closed cell foam onto my plywood wall panels and then wrapping a tight finish layer of marine vinyl over the foam. Just the right amount of give to the foam sandwich to suggest a padded leather wall.
I generally lean against carpet covering for walls since it absorbs odors and humidity.
My marine vinyl was a great deal---Polaris got out of the jetski biz and the remaindered seat material is sun, salt, water resistant---definitely leather like in its feel.
I am astonished at the like-new aspect of the walls after ten years of hard use hauling muddy and moist whitewater gear around. Trivial to maintain--just wipe a damp rag over it.
In my next-van fantasy I think of snowbirding in Mexico for a month while leather-and-brass-button panels from local upholsterers give me authentic leather panels. (Labor costs in China, Mexico and Poland are roughly the same----clever Ziggy here on this forum got some great van upholstery done in his native Poland by sending his old seat there to serve as templates for the new ones.)
Dan
