Before you start designing, you should:

1. Which van you're going to buy. The size of your van will determine how many things you can fit into it. 
2. Understand your priorities, and what you will be installing in your campervan. 

Both of these things have already been covered in Stage 2. So if you did your homework, you should be ready to continue. If not, please go back to those two lessons first before continuing. 

Taking your time

Here’s the thing: you are designing what will be your home, so take your time. The aim is to build something you will be comfortable living in, whether you’re a weekend warrior or full time van-lifer. As exciting as designing the space is, it can also be overwhelming trying to get everything just right.

You will draw and redraw countless drafts in an effort to get it perfect, only to redo them yet again.

But the importance of having a general layout before you begin to build your dream van cannot be overemphasized. Before you get too excited about your plans, we’ll look at some ideas that will help you build a versatile and functional camper van.

Setting Your Priorities

First you should think about the must-have features you wish to incorporate into your van. Ask yourself questions about your lifestyle:

• Do you enjoy outdoor activities and need storage for bikes, climbing gear, or other equipment?
• Do you enjoy cooking and need a kitchen with as much counter space as possible?

Once you have some of these necessities in mind, you can start sketching the layout. Start with the simple parameters such as the size of the van, and ultimately the amount of space you have to work with. 

Again, go back to this lesson in Stage 2 if you need more guidance on how to do this.

Next, how do you imagine your life once you move into the van? If you’re still trying to figure out what the priority features should be,

Here are a few things to think about:

You may decide some of these things are not necessary, especially if your budget is limited, there are lots of different features to consider. 

You can decide on the specifics as you go along, depending on the amount of space you have. Decisions such as the exact size and type of bed, number and size of kitchen appliances, or the color of your walls, can be chosen later. 

Suggestions for your Van Build

The Bed

The sleeping area is the central feature around which you plan everything else around. The bed design and positioning will dictate how much storage and living space is left.

When planning the sleeping area, there are some essential questions. For starters, what size and design of bed do you think will be most comfortable? Think about your height and general size, and the number of people who will be accompanying you on your adventures. 

Most flexible bed designs are those that run width-wise across the back of the van, offering up more space in the living area behind the cab. However, this may not be a very comfortable arrangement for taller people unless they prefer sleeping curled up.

The best bed positioning for a taller person is along the length of the van, but this impedes the living space. 

If you will be living alone or with one other person, you can have a bed fitted for your needs. However, if you are unsure of how many people will be sleeping in the van, even in the short-term, you can build an expandable bed or beds. 

Living and Storage Space

If you plan on living and working out of the van full time, you may want to prioritize the living area and storage space should be among your top priorities.

The living space will likely have features such as a desk or table, a functional sink/kitchen area and a toilet, and other functional components such as coolers, water tank and kitchen appliances. The space should be planned well for cooking, eating, and sleeping comfortably so that you can be productive in your work.

Storage space is easier to plan. The most common places for storage space are un der cabinets and furniture such as the bed, couch, or counter/sink area. You can plan the space to be a lift-top compartment or pull out drawers. 

If designing overwhelms you, or you’re scared that you might leave out vital details, you can work with a professional campervan designer. Experienced vanlifers can also offer handy advice as well as assist in the designing process. Don’t be afraid to reach out for assistance; vanlife is not about doing it all on your own (make a post on our forum).

Where to look for Layout Ideas

Once you know what features to include in your campervan, you can start drafting your build. While it is tempting to want to design it all by yourself, you will be surprised at how much easier the designing process is when you look to others for inspiration.

There are loads of resources where you can find inspirational designs for highly functional and versatile campervans. You can check out different designs and customize them to your own space. You can also check out online platforms that let you design your build and get a virtual tour of your layout—more on that below.

You should explore online platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram for photos of campervan interiors. These are certain to give you different perspectives on how to organize the features in your van. @plan.to.van is a great instagram page for van layouts. 

You can also follow avid van-lifers who have learned first-hand what works and what doesn’t when it comes to designing a van’s living space. There are lots of videos on YouTube that focus on van build regrets – these are especially helpful.

However, take everything you see and read with a grain of salt, there is no right way to convert a van and be prepared to make mistakes and then rectify them.

Playing around with different Layouts

With all the ideas and concepts you’ve gathered, it is a good idea to experiment with various layouts. You can build a mock-up and see how everything fits in the space. Play around with different ideas and designs, including those you are not particularly excited about. Make sure you exhaust all possible layouts. Sometimes the layouts you don’t like initially may end up being the most practical or functional ones. Some tools you can use to create the mock-up layouts include:

• Making your Build multi-functional & adjustable

  
  When trying out different designs, be sure to maximize the use of the space. Experiment with the placement of different features to open up multi-functional use and storage space. For example, you can place a refrigerator or toilet inside of a bench or design a bed that pulls out from a slatted sofa.
  Don’t forget to plan for the water tank, generators / batteries, air conditioning units, and all other essential appliances. Here are some general ideas of popular layouts.
• Fix a permanent bed across the rear of the van and the kitchen along the driver side of the van. This layout works for shorter people and provides ample storage space under the bed.
• Fix a pullout bed and the kitchen along the length of the van. This layout is perfect for taller people and gives an open space from the front to the rear. It’s easy to organize and provides easy access to storage.
• Fix the bed across the rear of the van and the kitchen behind the cab. This seals the living area off, grants privacy and opens up space at the back of the van.

Multi-functional features are the trick to maximizing small spaces. Designing small spaces requires creativity on how to optimally use every inch. While the designing process can be overwhelming at times, it is important to plan well for functionality.

Theoretical functionality may sometimes differ from what you experience once you live in the van, so it is important to build the van so you can make future adjustments without compromising the structure’s integrity.

Avoid permanent fasteners such as glue unless it is absolutely necessary; use screws or bolts instead. When planning for the long term, it is extremely helpful to be able to make changes. Some of the best van builds can be completely disassembled and reassembled using common hand tools.

Test it out:

Whether you have your van yet or not, you can get creative and see how you feel about your layout.