Interior designer Shannon hit the road six months ago in a professionally-converted Promaster van with her dog Gracie. She used her design skills to create a full 3D digital model of her dream build, then handed it to a professional van conversion company to bring it to life. The result includes an elevator bed, a full shower bathroom, an incredible lounge area, and an awning for outdoor living. She even parlayed the experience into a job designing vans for West Coast Adventure Vehicles — so now she works on the road helping others build their dream rigs.
Images via Tiny Home Tours
Exterior with Awning
Images via Tiny Home Tours
The Lounge Area
The lounge setup inside this van is one of the best we have seen — spacious enough to genuinely relax in, not just sit upright and eat. It is the kind of detail that an interior designer nails that a standard conversion often misses.
Images via Tiny Home Tours
Video Tour
Watch the full tour with Tiny Home Tours to see the elevator bed in action, the full bathroom with shower, and hear Shannon’s story of turning her design skills into a van life career:
Learn More
Explore More
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Natalie C. McKee
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Beautiful design. One of the few vans I could actually live in! Thanks for sharing!
Clever girl, beautiful van.
You have a nice set up. I have an induction stove top, but not built in, it is a NuWave Brand. I have gone to school in Utah, and I used to ski when I was out there. It has gotten so expensive these days. I love your elevator bed, and table that moves around. The shade that you use for a screen is so clever. I am sure you find it convenient to have a shower and toilet inside the van, and an outside shower to hose things off, or even after being at the beach as well. Happy Trails to you.
Who built your van?
The can builder is Master Overland based out of Florida. She says it at the 7 minute and 7 second mark.
Darn autocorrect got me good…. The VAN builder, not the can builder. OIY!!
FYI… I just checked out the Master Overland website and all I can say is WOWSERS! Talk about EXPENSIVE!!! This is a question on the short questionnaire that customers can complete on their website and submit to get the process started or just to communicate with them for a potential future build.
**What is your budget for a full build (Not including cost of van)? *
$80k-$95k
$100k-$125k
$130k-$160k
This is definitely way out of my budget but I honestly wouldn’t consider buying a van at this cost. Personally speaking, I’d much rather have a tiny house or even a Skoolie instead of a van. Most tiny houses and Skoolies are much cheaper to purchase than the starting cost of their vans.
Custom Build RV’s are generally very expensive and Vans can be the most expensive for their size but their appeal is they’re generally the most easily mobile and can go places most other options can’t for providing the most nomadic freedom that can be tailored to a specific type of adventuring, but you’re generally packing a lot into a very tiny space and that puts a premium on how much they can cost unless you DIY and keep it simple…
This actually isn’t that bad for a complete build out, comparable to a commercial Class B, as Custom Class B’s are typically starting in the $300K range, Custom Class A’s start $500K, and Custom Travel Trailers/5th Wheelers/Toy Haulers start over $100K… While Custom RV’s can keep going up to over $3 million on the high end… Examples that can be looked like like Celeb Will Smith’s custom RV home are worth over $2.5 million but it has a lot of luxuries and when parked and expanded it’s 2 stories tall and around 1500 Sq Ft…
While a larger truck or Class C can be a good compromise, along with Bus conversions, between size, mobility, and costs for the build, as you’re not packing as much into every square inch of space and can more easily use less expensive construction options, but it can still cost more in terms of travel costs and maintenance, with fewer places you could park, etc. as the trade off…
Tiny Houses also have their trade offs as they aren’t optimized for travel, so they can suck as a RV and for nomadic living, but if you can stay in one location for a long time then they can be ideal and in terms of custom building they’re more affordable than the equivalent custom built RV, especially as they’re easier to DIY, but custom isn’t the cheap way to build and will cost more than the mass produced RV’s…
There are cheaper van conversion options, though, as you can go more basic or more optimized for specific use case, or can DIY and find cheaper ways to get the materials, etc. Can just take a lot more time and work to get done and may not be optimal for as wide a range of uses and needs…
Every option just has its own different trade offs and what you’ll actually be paying for can be very different from one option to another…
Hello !!!
In the midst of a financial insurance/sideways LIFE transition. Your VAN is awesome ! I take inspiration in your LIFE choice to inspire myself toward a THOW or similar opportunity. Cheers ???
I think you are amazing I too have lived in a van on the road for two years travelling around Australia…..I agree about safety but there were several conditions I kept to ensure my safety I never camped in a location where there was no other van…I wouldn’t share too much info to strangers about my plans….but you also have a pup to alert and protect that’s awesome….I also loved that I could get up and drive away in the middle of the night if I needed but hey what n amazing life hey…you will be forever evolved from this journey of yours all the best and thanks so much for sharing you van is amazing
I love this!
I would give anything to live like this, even it just ended up being a year or so. I am older though and worry my health will be a problem. I also wonder about things younger people probably may not have to worry about. Like what would I do about my 2 little dogs when I have to go to the doctor?
Are there older people also doing this?