Introducing you to our Movano campervan conversion. On a complete whim we decided to buy a van that we could travel in. Given the current pandemic we thought this would be a great way to travel when allowed. We searched Gumtree and within a day had bought one. We choose a Vauxhall Movano 2003/4 van which had 80,000 miles and a great service history. The van had already been partially converted and so we had a great start! This blog will go through our renovation process including the 1) layout and build, 2) interior design, 3) exterior and finally 4) the front of the van.
TIP: When searching for a van look for one with low mileage and a good service history.
1: layout & build
The layout was pretty easy for us as we already liked the current layout. The bed was long ways which was a must for us and we liked the location of the kitchen. However there was a few changes we wanted to make in terms of more storage, adding a table and finding a way to divide the space.
Storage
First off we built cupboards to give us storage space above our kitchen using plywood and 1×1 timber as a frame. Our cupboards contain our bathroom related items, dry food and kitchen utensils.
We also built a storage box onto the seat to keep work related things like our laptops and stationery.
TIP: Really think about how you will use the space when planning your storage, what you need immediate access to and what can be left in the back.
Table
Building a table into our van was a must for us and we spent a long time considering the best way to go about this. Having a permanent table would take up too much room and we also didn’t like the idea of leaving one in the back when we would need it all the time. So we came up with the idea to have our table flat under the kitchen on hinges and then pull up when we want to use. We simply screw on the table leg which is stored underneath the kitchen.
Partition
We decided to add a small partition to divide up our space into 2 different areas. Our kitchen/living area and then our bed area. We also used the partition to add storage and a vanity area in the back.
shower and toilet
We have a Thetford Cassette toilet hidden in the front of the van underneath our countertop. There is a door outside of the van to access and empty the cassette. Our ‘shower’ is located at the rear of the van which is basically a hose. We have purchased a pop up tent so we can shower outside.
2: interior design
Our first step of the process was to get lots of inspiration on how we wanted our van to look and feel. We looked to Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok for inspiration and then created a moodboard for a clearer vision. We were inspired by rustic interior, Nashville homes, Joshua Tree and boho interior. Our first step was then to paint and we decided to go with white for a clean and fresh look. We debated on painting the ceiling but in the end felt leaving the exposed wood would add warmth and a cosy atmosphere.
TIP: Start saving van and home interiors you like to Pinterest and Instagram. Eventually you will start to see the vibe you like and how you can work this into your space.
Kitchen
The kitchen when we purchased the van looked a little dated and therefore we wanted to make some changes. First off we spray painted the counter top from a speckled grey colour to a copper. This was definitely not the easiest of jobs. We had to keep going over it and we wouldn’t recommend doing this with a cheap spray paint. We also removed the old tiles and added a vinyl backsplash which we thought would remove weight from the van and look a lot fresher. We also added a spice rack which we thought looked cool and saves space in our cupboards. We also added a wall mount for hand wash and body lotion. Finally we added a black basin to make the kitchen feel more modern.
bed/seat area
We bought a king sized mattress for our bed and cut it to size with an electric carving knife. We also upholstered the seats cushion pad to a soft pink corduroy material. We added soft furnishings for a bright and homely feel. We placed bulb fairy lights around the door frames which are a subtle warm light and are battery operated.
Swing
Our quirky swing is attached by two S hooks which fit into the frame of the van meaning we can easily put it up whenever we want to use it. We added battery operated wired fairy lights around the rope to fit our aesthetic.
Feature Wall
As lovers of hotels, resorts and accommodation in general, we wanted a hotel vibe hence the robes and soap dispenser wall mount. We tried to leave this wall as plain as possible as we plan to project our tv onto it with our Apeman M400 Mini Portable Projector.
3: exterior of the van
First off we removed all the old fashioned decals on the exterior. We then painted all the outside trims with a black spray on bed liner from Halfords which is durable and looks great. We then painted the wheels black.
4: front of the van
The seats of the front of the van were really dated so we bought seat covers to revamp the space. We also painted the cladding white to keep cohesive with the back.
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