This Budget-Friendly Camper Van Is a Cozy and Creative Mobile Haven for a Family of Four

Meet Matt, Erin, Amy, and Taylor and their mobile haven called "Vanilla." It's a converted 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 515 offering 10 square meters (108 square feet) of interior space. Unlike most van dwellers I write about, who live in the United States, this family travels all around South Africa.

Before we take a closer look at the rig, let me tell you more about how much it cost to build. This couple reached out to a dealership to get their hands on this Sprinter van. After they told the employees what they planned to do with this vehicle, the dealership decided to give them a huge discount, even more than the family expected. They spent R380,000 (around $20,125) on the van. By the way, the "R" stands for South African Rands.

The couple then invested about R140,000 ($7,414) into the conversion, bringing the total price to R520,000 ($27,540). If you're familiar with van conversions, then you probably know that $7.4K for a conversion is very low, even for a DIY one. However, this family managed to keep costs to a minimum by using many of the materials they had left over from building their house.

I'll start with the exterior features. This rig is finished in white and boasts black lower panels and a yellow-orange strip that serves as a nice pop of color. At the rear, you'll discover a rack holding two 3-kg (6.6-lb.) propane canisters, an outdoor shower, and two kid's bikes.

On the passenger's side (keep in mind this van is a right-hand drive since it originated in South Africa), the couple fitted a 3-meter (10-foot) awning attached to a roof rack. By the way, Matt made the awning and the rack from scratch. Moreover, the roof rack holds three 110 W solar panels, a spare tire, and a storage box.

Pop the sliding door open, and you'll notice a warmly-designed interior. Part of the entrance is covered by a floor-to-ceiling unit with a laundry basket, a "tech cupboard," an access door to the electrical system, a water gauge, and a small shelf. On its side, there are some cabinets and drawers, as well as a massive slide-out pantry.

Of course, a full-time tiny home on wheels requires adequate utility systems. In this regard, this rig is equipped with a decent power system, its highlights being a 210 Ah, 12 V battery connected to the 330 W solar panels on the roof.

Matt explained that it's enough to last them 4-5 days. In the summer, they can go indefinitely, as there's a lot of sun and the family doesn't typically use much power. Moreover, they have a shore power connection installed and visit designated campsites quite often.

For the plumbing system, the family installed a water heater connected to a 65-liter (17-gallon) freshwater tank. Furthermore, the water ends up in a 65-liter greywater tank.

The first area you'll be in once you enter is the lounge. It boasts an L-shaped couch made out of benches and two seats with Isofix, storage spaces underneath, three overhead cabinets, and a TV mounted on a swivel.

One of the benches in this area hides a toilet on a drawer slide – I love that it matches the rest of the van's aesthetic, as it has a wooden seat. Furthermore, you get extra storage space above the driver's cabin on the headliner shelf.

Another notable element is mount nearby, which allows you to attach a tabletop, perfect for eating or working on your laptop. Moreover, this tabletop can also be installed outside.

The next part of the interior is occupied by the kitchen, split into two parts. It features a two-burner stove, a decently sized stainless steel sink with an extendable faucet, two spacious butcher block countertops, and an enormous 95-liter (25-gallon) dual-zone fridge/freezer box housed inside a drawer.

For storage, the family uses numerous drawers and cabinets underneath the countertops, as well as two substantial overhead cabinets, one on each side. Other notable kitchen features are a skylight, wall-mounted spice racks, fruit baskets, a mirror, and a bread bin. What's more, regarding design, the couple opted for blue cabinetry paired with blue hexagon tile walls.

The last part of this rig's living space is the bedroom. To enter, you'll have to pass through an arched entryway, a beautiful touch.

One of the challenges of traveling with kids in a camper van is privacy, especially as they get older. In this family's case, there isn't any privacy, as the parents' bed is right below the kids' beds.

The kids have two drop-down beds mounted to the wall. They can folded up to make extra room. Furthermore, the parents sleep on a custom-made double-sized mattress. Other notable features are two reading lights and two windows, one on each side.

The cool part about this bedroom is that its frame boasts two extensions – when pulled, you can create an enormous king-size bed. The family can add a tent to the rear doors, enclosing the space in the back.

You'll find some extra room left underneath the bed. It serves as a garage, and the family uses it to store skateboards, roller blades, snorkeling gear, tools, and more. What's more, the two rear doors have a shelf and a cubby, as well as an attachment to mount an outdoor shower.

All in all, this is a stunning family mobile haven. It efficiently uses every single inch inside, it's aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly, it serves as a source of joy for the entire family. The cherry on top is that this camper van was pretty cheap to make.