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Creative Lifestyle in her Gorgeous DIY Van Conversion


For Francesca, travel was a part of life, and van life gave her the opportunity to *live* her travels. So she and her dad spent five months building a truly gorgeous van! You’d never know this wasn’t a professional conversion.

She chose a convertible bed in the back and while this layout is “controversial,” she did it so well! It allowed for an incredible amount of counter space in the kitchen, which makes cooking from “home” so much easier. Check out our Q&A with her below, and be sure to look at her amazing macrame creations.

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Her Van Conversion with a Convertible Bed

Here’s the beautiful back of the van in dinette mode!

You can see some of her macrame on the table.

The romantic curtains in the back flow in the wind.

At night, it becomes a cozy spot to watch TV!

An impressive amount of counterspace!

A large white curtain hides the front of the van.

Is this the best shade of organe or what?

There’s a two-burner cooktop and deep sink.

There are two large cabinets over the bed.

View from the back doors.

The exterior has a great sandy color.

I like those domed back windows.

Interview w/ Francesca

What got you into tiny living?

I’ve always loved traveling. Once I discovered Vanlife I thought there was no better way to do it.

Did you build your home or buy it? How long did the process take?

I built my home by myself, with the help of father. The process took almost 5 months.

How do you make money on the road?

We both (me & my boyfriend) work remotely. He work for a company based in Milan and I, in addition to taking care of my instagram page, work on my website where I sell my creations of macramé.

How has tiny living changed your life (for better or worse)?

Living in a van definitely changed our lives. Obviously there are pros and cons, but I think that this lifestyle is improving us, as well as saving us a lot of money that would be lost in a rent.

What’s the hardest part of tiny living?

I think the most stressful thing that someone could not accept can be the reduction of spaces that obviously in a house would be larger, but for us it has never been a problem. We are very well in our home of 6 square meters.

What’s the most rewarding part?

The most satisfying part is when people see my van and they are fascinated and incredulous of how I managed to build it myself. And obviously the opportunity to travel as I always wanted.

Any advice for people looking to go tiny?

Don’t worry if you’re scared to get out of the ordinary. If you really want something, go get it.

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Natalie C. McKee

Natalie C. McKee is a contributor for Tiny House Talk and the Tiny House Newsletter. She's a wife, and mama of three little kids. She and her family are homesteaders with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and quail on their happy little acre.

Latest posts by Natalie C. McKee (see all)

{ 1 comment… add one }
  • Jeff
    June 27, 2023, 1:24 pm

    The bed/table combo provides a lot of flexibility. Great setup!

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