Tiny homes are all the rage - they might mean giving up some stuff (and some space, of course), but that also means having less to worry about. They’re wildly cheaper than a traditional home, most of the time, cheaper to run, and take up less space on the planet - especially when many are designed to be as eco-friendly as possible. And for some people, they are a way to live large (even in a small living space) when these tiny homes are on wheels!
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Van conversions represent a whole new lifestyle - one where people can live on the road, exploring the world without having to pay rent (although the gas cost is certainly going to be higher!). And with large vans like the Mercedes Sprinter, it’s possible to fit in everything you need in your tiny home on wheels; including a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Some of these vans are even nicer than the average apartment… like these ten, that we would happily give up our homes to live in!
10. Wild By The Mile
Wild By The Mile is one of dozens of popular #vanlife Instagram accounts, chronicling the adventures of solo traveler Liz Bryant. Her Sprinter is definitely one of the most luxurious we’ve seen, too. Unlike many vans, it’s laid out with a clear ‘hallway’ that runs from the side door out the back, creating a lot of space around her convertible bed/couch, shower/bathroom, and gorgeous kitchen… that even includes a tiled backsplash and marble countertop! The weight of that stone might make the mileage a little worse, but it looks absolutely stunning.
9. 40 Hours Of Freedom
This couple have actually gone from just converting vans for themselves to building them for other people - and it’s easy to see why anyone would want to get one of their vans! These super-luxury vans may not come cheap, but they are absolutely gorgeous. The couple’s own van features a table-and-sofa setup that converts to a huge comfy bed, as well as a shower, toilet, and full kitchen. They’ve got loads of white painted storage and counter space, and the whole van looks light, bright, and beautiful. It’s the perfect size for them and their two dogs.
8. We Who Roam
This Australian couple love their big red van - and it’s easy to see why. Unlike the first two vans on our list, Bec and Gary didn’t go for the all-white minimalist style… everything about their van (including the paint job) is warm and colorful, with a whole lot of red. In order to have some more space, they do without a full bathroom on board, and have a huge bed and a wood-paneled ceiling (with a bookshelf above the bed). They have a big kitchen, thanks to blocking off most of the van’s cab, and a big ‘garage’ underneath the bed at the back.
7. The Ladies Van
Just like 40 Hours Of Freedom, Bre and Lacey have turned their talents from converting their own vans to creating them for other people - and they also have a fleet of vans that you can rent, so if you love the look of van life, but don’t want to completely give up your house, give one of these beauties a try for a road trip! This one has a gorgeous kitchen, with wood block countertops and a unique backsplash, as well as a big comfy bed (with ‘garage’ storage underneath) and a seating area.
6. Comes With A View
Not all vans are about light, white spaces - Comes With A View is the Instagram account of Scott Adamson and his dog, Ellie, and their Sprinter conversion is definitely one that shows how vans can be a little bit more masculine - and still absolutely gorgeous. He balances white cabinets and walls with darker, warmer wood on the floor, ceiling, and countertops… but don’t let that make you think that dark wood has to look small! With a convertible bed and a bathroom at the rear, this is still an airy tiny home that we’d love to live in.
5. Julius The Van
Plenty of vanlifers love to name their vans - after all, they are home and vehicle, and vanlifers spend a huge amount of time in them. Julius the Van is a Sprinter conversion owned by Matt and Ted, and it is wonderfully colorful! They’ve walled off most of the cab to give themselves a little extra wall space (and a flip-down table to work on), while creating more space for their bed/couch set-up, kitchen, and plenty of storage. Julius is also a little darker, with almost no white in the interior. It’s all warm colors, woods, and greys, but it looks so colorful you’d never miss the white.
4. Let's Be Us
Chris and Sarah of Lets Be Us have some different priorities to many vanlifers, and it’s easy to see how this is reflected in their gorgeous van. As well as the big bed and storage underneath, they’ve got a little less counter space than some vans (although they’ve cleverly added more with a wooden piece that can sit over the stove), and have two dedicated workspaces - one for each of them. They even have a full shower at the other end, so this has absolutely all you’d need to live, work, and play on the road.
3. So We Went
Husband and wife team Ash and Margaux and their baby Mar all live in a van named Bruce… and if you think that a Sprinter isn’t big enough for a family, they’re here to prove you wrong! Bruce is brilliantly laid out to maximize space, with a ‘kitchen’ that fits into a tiny corner of the van, an outdoor shower, and a pull-out toilet. This gives them a huge amount of sofa/bed space - and enough room to even hang a hammock inside! (Although obviously, this hammock gets a lot more use outside, when they use it to expand their lounging space into the sunshine…)
2. Van Yachts
Most people think that vanlife has to mean missing out on something - whether that’s a desk, a shower, or a full kitchen… but VanYaghts proves otherwise! This Sprinter conversion includes a full shower (with an incredible geometric design on the outside), kitchen, bedroom, under-bed garage storage, and seating area. VanYacht was able to get everything in by installing front seats that swivel all the way around, so that they become the seating area when the van is parked - an absolutely brilliant move to maximize space in a tiny home!
1. The Van Program
Our last Sprinter is a classic take at high-end van conversions - and it’s exactly the kind of tiny home on wheels that we would love to live in. Light and bright, this van combines wood with light white walls and ceiling to help create more space (or the feeling of it, anyway), and has all the features we would love; a kitchen, an enclosed shower, a platform bed with storage, and storage underneath. It’s simple, sleek, and absolutely stunning! AND it’s a 4x4, so you can take your home absolutely anywhere you might want to go.