Stunning Bespoke Van Conversion Allows You To Experience the Freedom of a Mobile Lifestyle

Seen as the best and most versatile type of vehicle for a mobile lifestyle, camper vans are a popular choice among those who decide to embark on such an adventure. They are easy to drive, park, and turn around while also offering a reliable foundation for a comfortable mobile living space.

Most converted vans come with interior layouts tailored to cater to the needs of a travel-loving individual or couple, but there are professional builders out there who can turn your dream of experiencing van life as a family into reality. One of them is Chelmsford, England-based Vanpuravida, an experienced outfitter that started out in 2018 and specializes in creating bespoke camper conversions based on their clients' wildest dreams and desires.

We've already seen their Polly camper van that allows a family of five to experience van life together, and now we're looking at another family-friendly build called Bonnie. This is one of the company's first projects and is designed for a family of three with a clever layout that enhances comfort and functionality.

For people who've been living all their lives in a traditional house or apartment, it can be hard to imagine living in such a small space, especially with a small child, but Bonnie is fitted with all the mod-cons of a modern house, albeit in a tinier package.

It is based on the company's signature Pyrenees layout, which is normally a two-berth conversion, but it has an optional child bed. Designed with a Scandinavian theme, this camper van focuses on simplicity and coziness, with amenities meant to contribute to an easier and more comfortable life on the road.

While most camper conversions have the kitchen at the front and the lounge/sleeping area at the rear of the van, Bonnie's designers adopted a very different approach. They put the lounge behind the divider wall that separates the cab from the living quarters and the kitchen and bathroom facilities toward the rear, enhancing the feeling of space and creating a corridor that essentially enables you to walk through the entire van.

The lounge doubles as a sleeping area inside this van and is located right at the front. A modular sofa bed on the driver's side faces the sliding door, leaving plenty of room for easy passage. The strategic placement allows van lifers to commune with nature even when they spend time inside, as they can still admire the surrounding views with the van door open.

The cleverly designed sofa converts into an L-shaped configuration with a drawer-like module if you need more seating space. Ideal for this kind of conversion where space is at a premium, a floor-mounted removable table can be installed in front of the sofa to turn the space into a dining area. And when night comes, you can put the table away and fold out the sofa into a double bed for maximum comfort.

The adjacent kitchen has custom-made gray cabinetry, a beautiful worktop and splashback built with materials sourced from a local veneer supplier, plus modern appliances. A square black sink, a two-burner cooktop, and a small fridge ensure its functionality and make cooking on the road easy.

A narrow wall with an interesting open shelving system with copper elements creates a sense of separation between the lounge/sleeping area and the kitchen. It is a great solution for livening up the space with some potted plants.

The opposite side of the van is occupied by a large closet, a cabinet that houses the fridge, and the child's bed that sits atop the fridge and converts to a neat pull-out drawer during the day. A safety net anchored to the ceiling protects the child during sleep. This is another clever design trick that maximizes space and adds a third berth to the build.

The bathroom is another standout feature inside Bonnie, as it has immaculately crafted walls and floors with microcement coating that offers a natural and rustic look. It includes a toilet, a shower with golden hose and showerhead, and a built-in shelf for toiletries.

The interior design is dominated by earthy and natural tones with beautiful woodworking details that complement the Scandinavian style beautifully, such as a paneled feature wall with a geometric pattern and the wood-paneled ceiling, that give it a tinge of rustic style. The designers managed to create a calm, relaxing ambiance using a color code of gray, brown, and natural wood for kitchen cabinets and benchtops, with the walls and most of the other cabinet doors painted white to keep the interior bright.

Other noteworthy features that make Bonnie stand apart is a Whale Heat Air underslung LPG unit that provides heat throughout the van, including in the bathroom, and a couple of stylish acoustic speakers in a bespoke copper color installed in the living space to provide a high-performance sound system.

Vanpuravida's Pyrenees layout can be built on a Mercedes LWB Sprinter or Volkswagen Crafter L3H2 chassis and starts at £38,990 (which is approx. $49,060 at today's exchange rates). The price does not include the cost of the van base itself.

With its thoughtful layout that provides a perfect blend of comfort, style, and practicality, the Bonnie van conversion might serve as a source of inspiration for couples or small families who want to build their own rig to embark on road trips or other four-wheeled adventures.