Custom Camper Van Is Home to a Family, Prioritizes Sustainable and Non-Toxic Materials

I've covered several families that live in mobile homes. I believe it's more challenging than living by yourself or with your partner because raising a kid is tough enough on its own. Still, imagine growing up while living in a van. I know that some of you are already thinking of it as a nightmare scenario and seeing the bad parts of it, while others imagine the better sides and how it can form you as an outgoing and adventurous person. After all, it's all about perspective and the kind of life you want to live and to offer your children.

Tommy and Ashlee met in Hawaii while both were living a nomadic life. They eventually got married and were inspired to try this lifestyle by another couple who lived in a camper van. After building and selling their first van, they started their second project, the camper we're checking out today. And with a baby on the way, they made several modifications to make family van life a possibility.

What we have here is a Freightliner Sprinter 2500 van. They had a clear vision for their tiny home on wheels: use sustainable and non-toxic materials. For instance, instead of using vinyl flooring (some variants can be toxic), the couple opted for Marmoleum, a material similar to a linoleum sheet made from natural raw materials. Not only is it non-toxic and sustainable, but it gives the floor a beautiful, concrete-like look.

Let me tell you about the other non-toxic materials inside this mobile home. The wood and paint, as well as the leather handles, were specifically chosen to be non-toxic. Moreover, the couple used wool to insulate their van – it doesn't get more natural than that. Wool is sustainable, easy to install, and hygroscopic, which means it absorbs water from the air.

Having a non-toxic van doesn't mean you have to sacrifice aesthetics. As soon as you step inside this rig, you'll discover a beautifully designed interior, with a wooden ceiling and walls paired with striking blue cabinetry with leather handles and rattan inserts. It's a simple yet appealing and clean design.

Straight ahead, you'll find the kitchen. It features three spacious overhead cabinets, a sink, an oven with a two-burner stove, and more than enough counter space to cook any meal. What I like about the kitchen is that the couple maximized every single inch available. For example, there was some dead space behind the oven, so they devised an extra storage spot.

Another notable feature I'd surely include in my future van build is a water filter. In this case, Tommy and Ashlee fitted a Pristine Hydro water filtration system underneath the oven. This tiny product not only makes your water as clean as possible, but it also reminalizes it.

To fit a massive Dometic fridge/freezer, the couple extended the countertop above the drawers it's stored in by a bit compared to the rest of the cabinetry. Using some additional butcher block they had left over, they created a sizeable pull-out desk, perfect for working or enjoying a meal.

Next, let's see how the duo modified the van for their little kid. Of course, with optimum safety in mind, they devised a seating area with a double seat complete with a professionally installed child seat. When they're not driving, they remove the child seat, fold down, and flip up the large double seat, creating a ton more space inside.

When traveling with children in a van, it's essential for them to have their own space. In one of my previous articles, a couple living full-time in a short bus cleverly devised a play cave for their kid. This is what Tommy and Ashlee did, too, only a bit smaller due to the lack of space. Their kid has his own space underneath the bed, featuring a tiny baby armchair, some toys, and a tiny light he can turn on himself.

And finally, the last part of this camper's living space is the bedroom. You'll discover an almost-king-size bed with a custom mattress fabricated from two layers of three-inch (7.6-centimeter) organic latex. Moreover, there's a tiny window that can be opened, a light fixture, an overhead cabinet, and a 12 V Nomadic A/C unit.

The space underneath the bed was used as a garage – you'll find lots of stuff inside. The couple houses the electrical system there, consisting of 600 Ah batteries connected to 600 W solar panels on the roof, a battery-to-battery charger, a solar charge controller, and a 2,000 W inverter.

Other notable elements in the garage include a propane-powered water heater with an outdoor shower mounted on one of the rear doors, a propane tank, a large Dometic deep-freeze refrigerator, and a 25-gallon (95-liter) freshwater tank, which the couple says lasts for 4-5 days if they're conservative.

You're probably curious about the price of this van. It was all quite costly, to be frank – the base vehicle was $25,000 (€22,851), and invested around $45,000 (€41,132) in the conversion, bringing the total price to around $70,000 (€63,984).

Naturally, Tommy and Ashlee get a bunch of questions regarding how it is to travel as a family in a camper van. To sum it all up, they said they stay outdoors as much as possible and thrive on constantly being in the presence of one another, so privacy is not an issue for them as it is for other couples.

One thing that's lacking in this camper (or that they forgot to mention) is a bathroom. Of course, you have the outdoor shower, but how about a toilet? This is a deal-breaker for lots of people, but they seem to have no problem with it.