Wheelchair-Accessible Skoolie Boasts a Rustic Cabin Interior and a Practical Open Layout

Meet Thomas and his awesome school bus turned mobile home. Thomas was in a horrible car crash at the age of 18, and he was left paralyzed. Now, many years later, he didn't let that stop him from pursuing the lifestyle of his dreams.

Initially, Thomas wanted to build a Yurt on his land. However, he found out the county he lived in didn't allow it, so he decided a skoolie was the next best option after being inspired by a friend. So, he bought a 2003 International RE3000 school bus, and two years later, he completed the build.

"How do you make a school bus wheelchair accessible?" you might wonder. Well, that depends on what type of disability the person that will live inside has and what kind of chair they're using. In Thomas's case, he wanted an open layout that allowed him to move around the interior freely. Moreover, he wanted plenty of space for storage and a way to get in and out of the bus safely.

The latter wish was fulfilled by the base vehicle he bought, as it came with a wheelchair lift. What's more, this lift can also serve as a small porch or the perfect spot to wash your pet via the nearby outdoor shower, as the water falls through the lift's grated floor.

On the outside, there's little to talk about this rig. It's finished in dark green paint and comes with several exterior features, ones we're used to seeing on skoolie projects, such as an outdoor shower and solar panels.

The radical transformation happened inside. Thomas brought his open layout vision to life, which turned out amazing. Regarding design, he used white pine shiplap planks for the walls and ceiling, while the floor features vinyl planks.

The bus's front area, right behind the driver's cabin, is occupied by a small living space. It boasts a long couch with storage underneath on one side, with a huge A/C above it. By the way, this A/C was an original component of the bus, and Thomas added a wooden frame to it. On the opposite side, you'll discover a sizeable 12 V refrigerator next to a tall storage compartment.

Thomas decided to keep things simple with the kitchen. It features a two-burner stove, a striking copper sink, and three windows complete with black-out shade. Moreover, the cabinets offer a bunch of storage space and are made out of reclaimed barn wood, boating an old-school finish. An eye-catching black walnut live-edge countertop completes the look.

Weirdly enough, opposite the kitchen, Thomas devised a Muphy bed setup. This is the first time I've seen a kitchen/bedroom combo, but it makes sense in this wheelchair-accessible build. The Murphy bed leaves plenty of room between it and the kitchen for Thomas to use the wheelchair. There's even enough space for him to turn 360 degrees, just like in most of the parts of the bus.

The bed frame is also made from reclaimed barn wood and is held up by two latches. However, it's quite heavy, 180 lb. (82 kg) to be precise, so it's hard even for someone who isn't in a wheelchair to lift it. So, Thomas plans on adding a hand crank to solve this issue.

A fantastic addition to the bedroom is a projector. Thomas places it on the kitchen countertop, and it projects a 150-inch screen on the bedroom wall.

The wheelchair lift is on the passenger's side of the rig, past the kitchen. This is the space where the open layout is a bit narrowed down into the hallway, which leads to the bathroom and bedroom. Next to the hallway entrance, you'll find a wall covered in a copper sheet that integrates a Dickinson Newport wood stove. Even though it's relatively compact, this stainless steel wood stove can heat up large spaces, with an output of 0.9 to 2.3 kWh.

In Thomas's case, having a spacious bathroom isn't a luxury but a necessity. This rig's bathroom boasts a striking natural stone aesthetic because of slate tiles, two large windows, and a shower.

A Nature's Head composting toilet is integrated separately from the shower space. Next to it, you'll find a custom mirror and a tiny sink integrated into a counter. At the very rear of the interior, you'll notice a little nook that serves as a chill spot for guests.

Let's talk about the utility system in this bus. The bus's "solar closet" holds the entire electrical system. It features eight 190 Ah batteries for a whopping total of 1,520 Ah, a 4,000 W inverter, a solar charge controller connected to four 270 W solar panels, heaters for the water tanks, various fuses and breakers, and many other components.

The craziest feature here (that frankly, I didn't even know existed) is an AFO (Auto Fire Off) fire extinguisher ball – if the electrical system catches on fire, this ball explodes and puts out the flames. On the opposite side, Thomas added a water heater in another closet, as well as a propane tank and some cleaning supplies.

We don't know how large the water tanks are, but I'm assuming Thomas has at least 60 gallons (227 liters) of freshwater onboard. That, paired with a very powerful electrical system, enables him to go off-grid comfortably in this sweet rig.

All in all, this skoolie is a fantastic conversion that makes mobile living possible even for a wheelchair user like Thomas. It's aesthetically pleasing and cozy and comes with a ton of storage space.

I was curious about how much Thomas ended up investing in his skoolie, but unfortunately, he didn't talk about that. If we're to take into consideration what most other skoolie builds cost, this rig might be priced at around $30,000 (€27,633).