Design is by far the most intimidating part of this project. This build is full of compromises, so every design choice means giving something up. Many choices also dictate what I’m going to have to spend time and money on.
So far, I’ve avoided a lot of design. I’ve built things I know I’ll need no matter what, like walls and floors and electrical systems. That said, I do have some ideas about what I want in the van in the end.
I know I want:
- Space to sleep 2
- Space to seat 2 in the back of the van
- A fridge
- A sink
- A little counter space
- A way to cook, not necessarily with the doors closed
- Enough storage for a week-long adventure
I also have some layout drafts that I’m considering and editing as I go. They all have a counter/kitchen on one side and a bed/couch on the other. In a space this small, the bed pretty much has to fold into a couch if I want to have both.
Being on the road and living in the van for a few days has made a couple things clear. Given that one side door will be walled off, it should be the passenger side door. It’s nice to be able to quickly move from driving to being inside the van, so leaving the entrance on that side makes sense. It would be awesome to be able to reach the fridge from the front seat for mid-drive snacks.
So I know some of what I want in the van, but I’ve yet to nail things down to where I’m ready to build them. Thankfully, I still have plenty of projects left before I need to make any scary decisions. I need to insulate the walls and ceiling, put in a skylight/fan, and build out the ceiling and lights. All in all, it might be a while before you see Design Round 2.
