Josie Is a Regular Van Conversion With a Few Flashy Touches Inside

Most mobile homes, tiny homes, vans, or even skoolies follow the ideology of “less is more” but less does not have to mean barebones or unforgivingly compromising. With some forethought, patience, and creativity, a mobile home can have everything the owner needs, seamlessly integrated into its compact shell.

At first glance, this sounds like a daunting challenge, but information on this subject is abundant. There is a large community behind this lifestyle, eager to showcase build ideas, which helps potential nomads understand the design limitations and avoid costly mistakes.

That is exactly what happened here, as Josie was born due to its owners wanting to explore the world and travel before choosing to settle down somewhere. The two ended up stumbling across the concept of van life and converted this Ram ProMaster into a mobile home.

As such, this van needs to provide the necessary amenities and comfort for two people to live, work, and travel. But it does more than that, adding a touch of flair and a homey feeling while still maintaining a minimalist design philosophy with no overly complicated design choices.

This approach is perfectly illustrated by the van’s exterior, which is rather unassuming, in part due to the lack of windows. There are no elements that would immediately make it identifiable as a mobile home, apart from the solar panels and antenna on top.

On the inside, however, the story is completely different. While Josie does not boast any crazy elements, everything has been carefully thought of and implemented well. Storage is abundant, seating areas are modular, and there are even some flashy design elements.

The first thing that greets anyone who steps on board is the kitchen, which is absolutely beautiful. The owners enjoy cooking and as such, wanted to make it as nice as it is functional, achieved partly through the walnut countertops with their live edges and epoxy resign splashes of color.

On top of those slabs of walnut sits an induction cooktop, which is an increasingly popular choice despite its huge power draw due to the efficiency it offers. Next to that is the sink, covered by the ever-present removable chopping block. Also in the kitchen, a zig-zagged backsplash can be found, where the controls for the water pump and lights reside.

As above, so below, a vast host of cabinets have been integrated as well as a slide-out fridge, providing lots of much-needed storage space. Speaking of storage, there is also a pantry built into the opposite wall, which can slide out, allowing access to a few narrow, yet long shelves.

On that same wall, a bench has been mounted, fronted by a swiveling table, which serves as the dining room. As there is obviously not much room inside a van, this place also doubles as a work area where someone can comfortably do chores on a laptop. Also worth noting is that the couch can be lifted, allowing an additional storage compartment to be created.

Speaking of online work, this ProMaster also gets great internet, with download speeds of up to 40MB per second, which surely makes a lot of people jealous. This does not come without a price, however, as a cell signal booster mounted on top of the van is needed for those interested in good data transfer.

The bedroom is another cool area inside this van as it showcases that just because a space is small, it does not have to be plain and boring. Right in front of the bed, there is a sitting area with pictures from the owners’ nomadic adventures, great for receiving guests.

This place also serves as a second work area, as the dining room is much too small for two people to do their job at the same time. The swivel table can be taken off when not in use, and the place is converted into a queen size bed.

A plywood board slides from underneath the bed while the couch cushions are taken off and converted into an extension for the mattress. Additional storage cabinets, below which a sliding laptop stand for watching movies is mounted serve to complete the bedroom.

The aesthetic of this ProMaster is perfectly complemented by the ceiling. It is covered by pinewood slats with small gaps in between them that go from one end of the van to the other. Lights are mounted into one of the slats, spanning the entire length and providing a more upscale feel. Also on the ceiling, two vents can be found in the front and back, helping with the airflow inside.

The shower is a rather simple wet bath, with not much to speak of. One notable thing is that the owner said FRP boards are not the best choice for a shower cabin. Tiles are mentioned as a better option for those willing to go the extra mile.

Going into the technical aspects, everything inside this van is powered by two solar panels capable of generating a total of 720W, which goes into six 105Ah Li-Ion batteries. The 3,000W inverter is the final piece in the electronic puzzle that makes everything work.

Water is also well taken care of, with a 40-gallon (151 liters) fresh water tank and two 15-gallon (57 liters) units designated for gray water. This is all situated in the van’s “garage” along with tools, bikes, and even a hanging storage net for shoes.

Overall, this van is a great build that shows what can be achieved with some careful planning. It can also serve as a blueprint for other potential nomads to learn about the concept of a van conversion and maybe even build upon it.