SO… I’m back from the first road trip!! And now it’s time for me to show you around the inside of our DIY Campervan!
Welcome to our DIY Campervan!
Just to clarify, our van is not registered as a camper van yet, it is registered as a leisure vehicle as it doesn’t meet all the requirements of a camper van, such as a fitted gas cooker, windows, and water supply, but we are planning to do the rest slowly when we have the money! At the moment we have had two windows put in the back, and we have also insulated the van.
Furniture and Storage
Martin built all the furniture himself, using as much recycled wood as possible. This resulted in the total cost of wood being about £18! There is a tall cupboard for our wetsuits and another cupboard for our clothes. The bed is my favourite part…. it slides out from a daytime seating area to a bed, and also lifts up to reveal more storage space for equipment, food etc..
The Bed
I made the cushions for the bed/sofa with some foam pads, a bread knife, and some spray floor adhesive from Wickes which will glue just about anything. I cut and glued the foam pads to the right size, and covered them with cotton which was recycled from an old duvet cover (can you tell we are on a budget here…) You wouldn’t believe it, but It’s actually soooo comfy!
The Curtains
We chose this cute map fabric for the curtains, as well as a simple cotton lining, and used a sewing machine to make the curtains (after a lesson from my mum) They are hung onto a wire which is screwed into the door, so they can be taken down easily or changed if they need to.
The Walls
One day on the road trip when it was raining, we decided we wanted to brighten up the walls a bit! The images are all from magazines we had with us on the journey, and we cut the pictures into squares and arranged them like this:
Our next plans are to fit a roof vent and two more windows in the sides. We also need to seal the floor to it’s watertight, and fit in a small ‘kitchen’ area with a gas connection.
Has anyone else done anything like this before on a tight budget? I would love to hear any tips or comments!
I’ll keep you updated on the progress 🙂
Emily x
Emily Brookes is an Interior Designer based in the UK. Since graduating from the National Design Academy with a Bachelors Degree in Interior Design, Emily started her successful blog, Emily May Designs, which shares ideas and inspiration on how to create a beautiful home.
nice, foam cushions were a good idea