After a decade of chef work in kitchens with long hours, Nikki met her now-wife who was traveling the world internationally. Burnt out and inspired by her freedom, Nikki decided to leave that life behind and join her wife in a year-long van conversion! They put nearly 80,000 miles on the van in four years.
About a year ago, the couple decided to get separate rigs and still caravan together, that way they could enjoy exploring together but have a little more personal space. Nikki has made some adjustments to the cozy cabin-like van she calls home, including adding an oven, so she can bake pizza. Enjoy the tour of her awesome space below!
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Cozy Cabin Van Conversion w/ Rooftop Deck

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey
There are two benches across from each other and a fixed bed.

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey
About two years into vanlife, she added an oven so she can bake pizzas!

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey
The fixed bed is super comfortable.

Images via Tiny House Giant Journey
VIDEO: VanLife as a personal chef! She’s lived on the road for 4 yrs
Highlights:
- Nikki has been working as a chef in the food industry and was burnt out! When she met her now-wife, she’d been traveling internationally for a few years, and that inspired Nikki to make a change. They bought a van and spent a year building it out.
- The bus was originally a prison transport bus, so they gutted the entire thing in an effort to revive the spot.
- The couple traveled in the same van together for about 3 years, but then decided their marriage would benefit from a little more space. Her wife got her own rig, and now they caravan together with their own spaces.
- Because Nikki works as a personal chef, she wanted a kitchen with a real stove/oven and a huge pantry space to keep all her ingredients!
- She does have a hidden toilet under one of the two benches in front of her fixed bed. There’s a pull-out table that creates a dining/work space.
- A rooftop deck provides a spot to do meditation.
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Natalie C. McKee
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