This Awesome 4x4 Camper Conversion Features a Practical Open-Space Layout and a Pizza Oven

Giuliano and Diana own this van, and we're taking a look at their creation. Because they can work remotely, they wanted to try living the van life at a young age. The two said that by using WeBoost (cell phone signal booster) and Starlink, they’re able to tune into work anywhere and anytime.

The couple came up with the design themselves, and they said that was the most challenging part of converting the van. By the way, what we have here is a Ford Transit which seems to be 4x4. Moreover, it's equipped with off-road tires and a front winch bumper, so it's ready to tackle rougher environments.

What made things increasingly tricky was the fact that they started building the camper during the pandemic, when there were shortages of all sorts of materials. Despite that, Giuliano and Diana developed a distinctive, open layout that maximized every inch available, one that you don’t typically see in other camper vans. Let’s take a closer look.

The first thing you’ll see when you enter the van is the kitchen, which is located behind the driver and passenger seats. To not smoke the interior when cooking on the two-burner stovetop, the owners came up with a simple yet effective solution – they are using a small portable fan, attach it to one of the overhead cabinets, and it vents the smoke outside through the main entrance.

In the middle of the kitchen, the couple fitted a pass-through door holding a small trash can. Right beside, there’s a large sink operated by a foot pedal, helping keep the water consumption to a minimum. Around, there are various storage spaces in the form of cabinets and drawers that hold toiletries, dishes, utensils, and more.

The kitchen’s “pièce de résistance” is the pizza oven, located in a drawer extending to the van’s exterior. Even though it’s pretty tiny, it does the job. You know you love pizzas when you still find a way to integrate an oven despite the lack of space. It’s also clearly a testament to the Italian origins of Giuliano.

The duo wanted a bathroom inside (just like most van lifers) but felt like a closed-off one would take up too much space. So, Giuliano devised an ingenious solution – at the touch of a button, a wooden panel in the floor retracts and reveals the shower's bottom.

There’s a railing on the ceiling and magnetic points on the base, designed to attach a shower curtain to them. This way, you can have some privacy while showering, and no water will be spilled. Furthermore, the toilet is neatly integrated into a drawer that extends right over the shower floor, so you can also use the curtain for privacy and prevent water spills inside the vehicle. However, it will only block sight, not sound. Still, the couple made room for other stuff by using this setup.

Moving on to the “living room,” you’ll notice a countertop which Diana describes as the breakfast bar. Right above, there’s a cabinet serving as a pantry. Part of the couple’s clothes is stored in a wardrobe next to the pantry, while the rest are in a cabinet nearby.

What surprises me regarding this camper conversion is the ample countertop space, in the kitchen, under the pantry, and opposite the breakfast bar. The latter seems like it isn’t used for cooking or meal-prepping, as it houses a small shrine and a bookshelf.

And lastly, there’s the seating area, which doubles as a bedroom. It’s complete with a swivel table, various storage spaces, and two relatively spacious couches. As in many other camper conversions, there’s a bed lift, which is especially useful to maximize space. In fact, it’s a queen-size bed, so there’s enough room for two people. Moreover, the area is designed to fit two additional guests to sleep on the cushions in case the couple wants to invite a friend or family. If there wasn’t enough storage space around the interior, the couple added extra ones under the cushions and under the bed.

The entire exterior is painted in Line-X, a protective spray-on coating that's scratch-resistant. On the roof, Giuliano engineered a system that lets him stack the solar panels on each other to make room for a deck. At the rear, you’ll find what Giuliano describes as the “garage,” which features a storage box and a spare tire.

Regarding utilities, the van is equipped with a 7.2 kW electrical system, an inverter, and batteries connected to 400 W solar panels on the roof. Furthermore, there’s an outdoor shower and a water filtering system.