Camper Van Conversion: Design & Layout 101
Ft. Top 5 Van Life Comforts I Can’t Live Without
When we were kids, my siblings and I would build sanctuaries with living room furniture, blankets draped over to create just enough room to pretend we were launching into space. What kid doesn’t dream of having their own little hideaway?
A camper is a clubhouse on wheels, and at the end of the day, we’re all just grown ass kids who want to imagine, create and feel at home.
When you build a custom camper, you’re free to dream up all the features, comforts and flair you want. After all, this is your home, built for your needs and to your satisfaction. It’s a lot of work to dream and plan to this degree of detail, but the good news is you don’t need a degree in camper van design to tackle this stage of your van conversion.
In this write-up we’ll discuss some of the considerations you’ll want to incorporate into your camper design, and share various resources and inspiration to help you get started. We’ll zoom out and look at the broader categories associated with design; Function, Aesthetic and Budget. We’ll zoom in to determine your most valued comforts and how to work them into the plan. Finally, we’ll bring it all together and talk about budget flexibility and dispel the myth of “all or nothing”. So without further ado...
Design Considerations |Function
What do you want to build? A weekend getaway camper, or a full-time offgrid rig? What kind of appliances would you like to run? Is hot water crucial? Do you need a freezer? These are the kind of questions you’ll want to ask yourself when considering the functionality of your campervan.
Here’s a list of different categories you’ll likely come across while designing your van conversion
Categories To Consider
Personally, I needed a space that was comfortable enough to be sustainable for the long-term (3-5 years). Living in a van will definitely take you outside your comfort zone, but that doesn’t mean your zone has to be uncomfortable. Of course, the definition of comfort varies person to person. You’ll have to do some reflecting on what kind of comforts you wouldn’t want to live without, then start designing your vanlife around those. To paint a better picture, here are the top 5 comforts I can’t live without.
Top 5 Comforts I Can’t Live Without
1. Ability to stand
There’s many ways to live in a van down by the river, and not all vans are tall enough to stand in. This was a dealbreaker for me, because I really didn’t want to have to crawl around my living space. I also didn’t want to hunch over to cook (my posture needs work as it is).
The height of your ceiling = distance between floor and ceiling - (depth of insulation/sheeting + depth of subfloor/flooring).
If standing is a must for you, make sure to calculate this before pulling the trigger on a camper.
2. Ability to cook
And not just a can of beans. I like to cook, but if it’s super inconvenient I’m less likely to make the effort. I needed enough pantry space to store my food, and I wanted enough battery power to run an induction cooktop (or an instant pot).
If you primarily camp in fair weather, you can get by with an outdoor galley (otherwise you’ll get good at setting up the tarp). I don’t want to have to open my doors to make a meal when it’s snowing or pouring rain. Decide if you want to cook indoors, then plan accordingly for all the details (ie. heat source [propane/electric], ventilation [vent fans, range hood] and cabinets/pantries or other areas to store food and spices.
3. To have a fridge/freezer
This one definitely ties in with the ability to cook, a fridge/freezer is a must for me. Fresh vegetables for dinner, left overs from Red Lobster, cold oat milk and beer. I wanted to have the option to enjoy a smoothie for breakfast, so I needed a freezer for the fruit (and Ben & Jerry’s). You could keep a cooler with ice, but ice ain’t free, and you’ll have to keep up with changing it out regularly.
Pro Tip: Before you drop a cool grand on a brand new 12v fridge, google “scratch and dent 12v fridge”. I paid less than 1/3 of the retail price for my Norcold Fridge/Freezer just because it had a small dent and a few scratches!
If a fridge/freezer will make the difference for you, figure that into your plan when designing your 12v electrical system: check out our free energy audit calculator, conduct your own energy audit for planning purposes, or reach out for custom wiring diagrams and solar energy consulting.
4. To have a bathroom/shower
Shower & Composting toilet (in progress)
Outdoor showers are all the rage, and they’re cool as hell when the weather cooperates. But if you live in a region with seasons, come winter you’ll be wishing you had a shower indoors.
Cleanliness is Godliness
But it’s also self-respect and confidence enhancing. I highly encourage a means to wash up inside your van, but if you’re opposed to that option, you can always join a gym and use their showers.
A bathroom was a necessity for obvious reasons, namely, the regular biological processes I experience as a human; pooping and peeing. I explored a few options, including trying out this porta potty, but ultimately I decided that a composting toilet would be the most convenient and sanitary.
Quality composting toilets aren’t cheap though, typically ranging from $600-$1200+. After studying some composting toilet designs, I decided to build my own. This is a project I’m currently working on, so stay tuned for the full write-up.
5. Temperature Control
It’s easy to take temperature control for granted when you live in a home with running A/C and heat. Without proper insulation and other considerations for heating and cooling, your comfort will be at the mercy of mother nature.
Your van could see temps above 120 and below 0 (yes, we’ve camped in -30, and we were comfy af)
Ventilation, type of heater, insulation, and electrical/propane requirements are all things you’ll want to think about when determining how you’ll control the internal temperature of your camper van.
Check out the pros and cons between popular heaters.
Pro Tip: The best way to cool off without A/C is to crack a window and set your vent fan to blow air out, instead of blowing air in. Hot air rises, so this will purge the hottest air in your van while pulling in cooler fresh air (plus the breeze this creates feels great!)
Learn more about the temp sensor and other great van life products.
For those without pets, this comfort might not be as crucial. I have a dog, and he could overheat way quicker than I might. Since I’m not always in the van with him, I purchased a temperature sensor and can keep track of the internal temperature in the van on my phone via WiFi anytime I’m gone. You can program the app to send alerts anytime the temperature goes outside a set range (ex. 55-85 degrees).
Design Considerations |Aesthetics
This stage of the dreaming process is all about finding a style that reflects your values and personality.
What colors do you want to incorporate in your van? What kind of materials do you want to use to sheet your walls? How about the ceiling and floor? Think about themes you’d like to use for your cabinets, shelving and all the trim needed to achieve that finished look
Polished metal, dark walnut and black hardware
White walls, dark floor and beetle kill doors.
Now, I wasn’t trained as a professional interior designer, but I spent a significant amount of time imagining the type of space I’d want to call home, and I’m pretty stoked with the finished product.
To be fair, I wasn’t alone, but neither are you. There are countless resources online to draw inspiration from, and did you know I offer design consultation services?
Design Considerations |Budget
You might think this would be one of the more straightforward considerations you’ll face with your van build, but there are a few things to keep in mind when making the decision about how much money you’re willing to spend.
Before deciding on a fixed number, I’d recommend spending a bit of time reflecting on function and aesthetic. You’re building this mobile clubhouse in order to enjoy yourself, express yourself, and get more out of life. It’d be a shame to fixate on a low budget and sacrifice many of the features that would make this journey worthwhile.
“But..”, you protest, “I only have so much in my savings, I can’t spend more than I have!”
People are always spending more than they have. How many people do you know who bought their house cash money?
So then the question becomes,
“Does it make sense to take out a loan to fund this build if I don’t have enough money to do it the way I want right now?”
I can’t answer that question for you, but I can give you a few more questions to chew on.
“Is this van going to be my primary residence, or will I still be paying rent?”
“Do I feel confident in my ability to make payments toward a loan once I’m finished building?”
“Where can I cut costs without sacrificing function (priority) or aesthetic (secondary)?”
Hopefully these questions will help you arrive at a decision that makes sense for your individual circumstances. But before we move away from budget, I’ve got three more tips to share.
Tip 1: DON’T USE A CREDIT CARD, GET A LOAN
Sure, paying cash up-front is preferable, but not everyone has enough in savings to do this.
If you decide you’d like more money to fund your build, explore options for personal or business loans that you may qualify for. These types of loans typically have lower interest rates than credit cards, so you’ll be losing less money in the long run. Compare interest rates and choose the best option.
Tip 2: CAN YOU WRITE-OFF ANY EXPENSES WHEN YOU FILE TAXES?
Are you an entrepreneur? Since I own a business, I’m responsible for paying taxes on all my income. These taxes can be significantly reduced based on any expenses related to operating my business.
Since this mobile workshop is utilized for my business, I’m able to write-off many of the costs associated with the build. The particulars will likely vary for you, and I’m not a tax professional, so do your own research and get in touch with one if needed.
Tip 3: IT’S NOT ALL OR NOTHING
It doesn’t have to be the choice between living van life in your perfect van conversion or not building out a van at all. As long as you plan for all the comforts you’d eventually like to incorporate into your home, you can always design your build with those features in mind and add them down the road.
Planning Your Van Layout
You’ve envisioned the kind of space you want to occupy, and you’re ready to start playing with the layout. The easiest way to get started with this is to grab a notebook and start drawing rough sketches of how you might like to organize your interior space.
If you’re tech savvy, use the dimensions of your space to create a 3D model, or download and modify a free template from SketchUp.
Rough sketch of the basic layout
3D sketch with more of the finer details
There’s no shortage of van conversion layout ideas online, so do a little browsing to help spark ideas if you’re feeling stuck.
Final Thoughts
That about wraps up the initial design process. Rest assured, there’s still plenty more to come. Eventually we’ll be diving even deeper into the 12v electrical system, plumbing schematics, types of insulation and much more.
However, the very next step in design leads us straight to framing.
Check out Camper Van Conversion: DIY Framing here, but before you do, we’d love to hear your thoughts about design and layout in the comments section. What ideas were most helpful? What else would you add or like to see? Share your thoughts and favorite vanlife interior designs below!