Old Bus Turned Tiny Home Hides Modern Interior Cleverly Designed To Fit a Family of Four

Sure, buying an RV can be a good solution. But there's a slim chance a pre-built one can fulfill all your wants and needs. On the other hand, converting a school bus can be a lot more time-consuming but also more budget-friendly. Moreover, you can design it exactly as you want to. You can learn more about why skoolies make for great mobile homes in this article I wrote not too long ago.

Going back to today's subject, I'd like to present the Gossett family, who lives and travels full-time in a self-converted, roof-raised 1992 BlueBird Wonderlodge bus. It measures a whopping 40 feet (12.2 meters) in length and 8 feet (2.4 meters) in width.

Before I go into detail, let me tell you more about how much this project cost. The family purchased the base vehicle for $15,000 (€13,861) – if you're familiar with skoolie builds, you might know this price is a bit on the higher side. That's because the family was fine with paying more to make sure they got a fantastic platform to build on. Specifically, they wanted a Cummins engine. In the end, the investment was worth it.

The conversion set them back an extra $45,000 (€41,583), bringing the total price of this mobile home to $60,000 (€55,444). That's a bit more than most of the bus conversions I've written about, but just wait to see what they have inside, and I'm sure you'll think it's not that much.

Outside, the bus is finished all around in dark blue paint. One drawback of this bus is that it has only one or two exterior compartments, based on what I could see. Usually, buses have more storage spots, which can come in very useful when living on the road.

However, there are a bunch of other features. On the passenger side, the family installed a small flip-up table, an outdoor unit for a mini-split, and a sizeable awning. Furthermore, there's a ladder that leads to the roof. Climb on top of the vehicle, and you'll discover an enormous wood deck and three solar panels (we don't know what capacity they have).

The Gossetts have made full use of every single available inch inside the rig and gave the interior a stunning, colorful look, blending white walls and ceiling with beautiful blue/green cabinetry and completing the look with many tasteful decorations.

You'll notice the bus's modifications as soon as you step through the front door. The family opted for a closed layout, meaning the driver's cabin is separated from the living space by a wall with a door. This change makes the space feel more like a home, as you don't see the driver's seat, constantly reminding you you're inside a bus.

Above the windshield, the family added a bookshelf, while the front part of the cabin was painted white, and a storage spot was devised underneath.

Step through the dividing foot, and you'll be in the "living room." This is where you'll start to see the aesthetically pleasing interior design of the bus. On the passenger side, the family fitted a 5.5-foot (1.7-meter) couch with storage underneath. You'll notice a huge TV and a large flip-up table on the opposite side.

There are storage spaces all around the TV in massive cabinets. Furthermore, underneath is where the family installed a diesel heater.

The kitchen occupies both sides of the following part of the interior. When traveling with your family, having a large and well-equipped kitchen is important. This one features a colossal sink, a Berkey water filter, an icemaker, a huge pantry, an oven/stove combo, and a full-size 12 V fridge.

It also has seemingly endless storage spaces: cabinets above and below the countertops, storage above the fridge, drawers, spice drawers, and more. What's more, plenty of light shines inside through two side windows and a skylight, and a penny tile backsplash makes the room look even brighter.

Next up, we have the bunk bedroom, separated from the kitchen by a door. It boasts a clever layout, with the beds on the driver's side and a long desk on the passenger side. Each bed has a twin-size mattress and two drawers, a smaller one for books and a larger one for clothes. Moreover, I love the fact that each bed has its own tiny porthole.

The next part of the bus is positioned a bit higher up, so the family devised a step. Integrated into this step is a vacuum, something I haven't seen before in a skoolie.

The last remaining part until we reach the bedroom is a tiny bathroom, split into two parts. One houses a shower and a composting toilet, while the other consists of a small sink, a mirror, and a large closet. By the way, water inside this bus is provided by a 75-gallon (284-liter) freshwater tank connected to a water heater.

Of course, two sliding doors separate this room from the others. Regarding the aesthetic, the family installed the same penny tiles you can find in the kitchen.

And finally, we have the bedroom. It features a queen-size bed, a mini-split, a washer/dryer, a long shelf, a closet, and two windows.

Underneath the bed, you'll discover the rig's electrical system, which was made using Victron components. Its highlights are four 200 Ah lithium batteries – the family explained they plan on adding more batteries to upgrade the rig's off-grid capabilities.

All in all, the Gossett family has meticulously converted this old bus into a mobile home that ideally balances practicality and aesthetics. It not only feels like a conventional home but also packs many of the creature comforts you'd expect to find in one.