Wildernest Is a School Bus Turned Mobile Home With a Cabin Aesthetic

Jordan and Steve are a young couple that travels in a school bus called the Wildernest. This DIY project comes with a raised roof and an off-grid system. Their on-the-road living started all the way back when Steve used to live in a Toyota Tacoma. After he met Jordan, they both soon realized this lifestyle was worth investing in. Unfortunately, the Tacoma was quite small to accommodate two people and their dog. To solve this issue, they came up with the idea of creating something bigger. And this is when converting a school bus into a mobile home started to sound like a good idea. They had no experience making something like this before the skoolie, but relied on their friends for help, as well as the nomad community.

Starting with the exterior, we can see that the front door has been changed into a wooden frame. It is made from stained scrap wood and windows, giving the whole bus a more cabin-like aesthetic. The cabin aesthetic does not stop here, as the windows are lined with even more wood, and there is also a rooftop deck. Since Steve is a tall person, the roof had to be raised by 18 inches. The water tanks are welded underneath the bus to ensure they do not move while the bus is on the road. They are also insulated and heated, so the weather will not affect them.

In the back, we find another small deck with a wheel chock for the motorcycle. The roof can be accessed from the back side by taking the ladder. This area is also used as a garage-like storage space, where they keep all the outdoor gear, tools, and even their bikes.

The front of the bus, where the driver's cabin is located, is also the mud room. Just like the rest of the house, this area is filled with wood accents. We find a bookshelf above the windshield, two open-shelve cabinets, and two speaker boxes made of scrap wood.

Behind the driver's cab is the bathroom. Most mobile homes feature the toilet somewhere at the rear, but this concept has helped the couple have more privacy as the entire area can be separated by two front and back doors. A shower cabin with a glass door, a rock floor, and a sheet metal shell was created for this space. The emergency window was not replaced as it allowed the couple to have an outdoor shower.

You can access the other half of the bathroom once you close the front door that separates the driver's cab from the rest of the school bus. It comes with a composting toilet and a cabinet divided into two parts.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the skoolie, we find a living room and a kitchen with an open-concept design. This area takes up most of the space inside the bus. The first is the kitchen, which is fully functional. Although it might sound unbelievable, there is lots of prep space inside this tiny house on wheels. On the right, we find a large sink, a four-burner stove, an oven, and a spacious pantry. On the other side, there is a spice rack, an apartment-size fridge and freezer, lots of storage, and tons of cooking space.

All the cabinets are reclaimed and repainted, while the countertops are made of live-edge black walnut wood. The curtains were created using burlap, making them perfect for privacy - while still allowing the light to come in.

The living room is a small area between the kitchen and bedroom - the couple built a hearth made of stones around the wood stove. This was created in order to keep the weight balanced on both sides since the fridge and the solar equipment for the roof solar panels are placed on the other side. There is also a couch which is used as either a dog or a guest bed. As specified before, the bus runs entirely off-grid with 1,200 watts of solar panels, approximately 900 amp/h batteries, and a Victron inverter.

As for the bedroom, it comes with tons of storage underneath the queen-size bed and a slide-out table. We can also find a TV that can also be used as a second monitor and a bookshelf. The temperature inside can be regulated by the mini-split at the back and by a Maxxair ceiling fan.

There is no price mentioned by the couple, but usually, these buses are quite affordable and the final cost is influenced mainly by the customizations inside.