This Mobile Home's Design Makes It Feel More Spacious Than It Is

One such build that manages to be a great compromise between space and utilities is this Ram ProMaster van conversion. Its innovative setup gives up a few creature comforts in favor of an impressively spacious feeling that can help make any inhabitant feel more at home in such a confined space.

But nobody would be able to tell that an entire tiny home is present inside by just looking at it, as this ProMaster falls well within the lines of a stealth build. It looks like a regular cargo van, albeit with two 115W solar panels on top, but those are nearly impossible to spot from eye level.

Once the sliding door opens, however, a beautiful and exciting creation is revealed, filled with wood veneers and plants, making it feel connected to the world outside. On top of that, a skylight provides ample natural light, further connecting the van to nature. The first thing that can be noticed inside this van conversion is the full-sized stove and oven combo, a relatively unfamiliar sight in this kind of dwelling, especially when it also has a few drawers underneath it.

But it's a nice touch to have this commodity, as it makes cooking a lot more pleasant of an experience and allows for more complex dishes to be cooked and enjoyed while on an endless road trip. With that in mind, the owner of this van decided that a shelf should be mounted right above the stove instead of a cabinet, allowing easier access to food supplies while cooking.

A row of wall-mounted cabinets also flows from this all the way to the back of the van, all decorated with tiny leaves serving as door handles. Speaking of moving further back, there is a cabinet covered by a countertop mounted right up against the stove. But it's different from what one would think, as it hides the bathroom of this mobile home.

This area doesn't offer much other than the composting toilet and a few racks with toiletries. There is no shower here, a compromise to save space, and a common choice in van conversion builds. The solution to this problem is using a gym membership for shower access, which can be a great option, although there is also a system for an outdoor shower in this van for emergencies.

On the wall opposite the stove and bathroom, that's where the sink is located, complete with its own floor-mounted countertop, while the wall space is taken up by the controls for the lights and electronics. There is also a fridge mounted within the kitchen cabinets here, as well as a 5-gallon (19-liter) gray water tank. The side of this cabinet doubles as additional storage, holding shoes, as well as a laptop, keyboard, and even a standing desk.

This entire area is separated from the driver's compartment by a thermal curtain, creating a division between the spaces while helping keep the temperature constant. The driver area was kept standard here, with the one addition being a storage compartment for the propane used by the stove, hidden right behind the driver's seat.

At the other end of this van, the combination of bedroom, living room, and the office is located. And this place seems surprisingly spacious, keeping the tone set by the rest of the van. In order to achieve this, a Murphy bed was chosen instead of the more traditional loft with a garage beneath it.

This means there is much less storage available here, and the couches on both sides of the van had their storage capacities compromised. They have to house both the 17-gallon (64-liter) fresh water tank and the 400Ah worth of batteries that can be charged by the solar panels and the van's alternator. One problem with having so little solar and a relatively small array of batteries is that the air conditioning unit mounted in this van can only ever function in its power-saving mode, which could be an issue.

So as far as utility goes, this area has all the bases covered. But a mobile home has to also feel welcoming, not just be practical, and this particular van conversion has that in spades. Starting with the lighting is soft and diffused, blending in with the wood-laden walls and ceiling. Amplifying the cozy aesthetic is the picture frame TV mounted on the wall. When not used, it can turn into a piece of art by displaying one's favorite painting.

Despite the many compromises in this mobile home, it remains efficient, having most creature comforts that a nomad would want. And it does all that while being spacious and aesthetically pleasing.