It’s easy to assume that camping on the road can require quite an ”obvious” camper. You know, a bus, a caravan, a teardrop trailer. In reality, if you have the know-how, you can turn nearly anything into a house on the road.
Furnituremaker and van converter Daryl Lloyd Witt is proof that even the most inconspicuous vehicle – one that you commonly find in the possession of tradespeople – can also become a comfortable house on wheels. Let us introduce his latest creation to you; a Volkswagen Crafter TDI turned into a comfortable traveling home called India.
The Volkswagen TDI looks like an everyday trades vehicle or even a rental van. But once furnituremaker and van converter Daryl Lloyd was finished with it, it was a spacious and comfortable house on wheels.
You hardly expect to see a house-like shower when you open up the side doors to the van, but that’s what Daryl has been able to do with the space. The shower and tap water supply both come from the same tank, and the shower has a domestic mixer bar that you would often find in a house shower.
The adjacent kitchen has a mixer tap, and both the shower and kitchen wastewater exit into a mobile waste container.
When the shower is not in use, there is a Thetford chemical toilet that sits in it. You can move this out of the 1,000 x 800mm shower tray whenever you need.
Looking at the kitchen and dining space, it’s hard to believe this is all tucked into the back of a van. The seating dinette, kitchen cabinets, and wall cabinets all feature a heard-wearing waterbourne lacquer. The van walls are spray finished, and the trim and solid oak worktop have an Osmo natural hard wax oil.
The homely flooring consists of a parquet-style vinyl tile, while the ceiling is an 8mm solid oak tongue-and-groove finish with the same hard wax oil as the worktop.
The dining area is as versatile as they come to make sure it’s entirely functional and makes use of the space. There are two fixed seats with four-inch foam cushions, and a tabletop attached to an adjustable base. You can lower this base to sit on the seats to form a 1.5-metre child’s bed.
Under the seating is a diesel heater with outlets for warmth. There is also a lift-up lid to access the fuel tank.
To the rear of the kitchen and dining area is a luxurious bedroom with ample space. The four-inch-thick foam mattress provides a comfortable area for sleep, and there are also two cabinets for clothing.
Comfort is everything when it comes to sleeping, and Daryl spent a lot of time making sure the bedroom area of the van was. There is a custom headboard for character, and two touch-sensitive reading lights. These are fitted with USB charging points.
As an added layer of convenience, you can turn the van’s lighting on when you enter it, but then turn it off from the bed.
Storage is crucial when you’re travelling on the road. The two storage drawers built into the bed come in handy for easy-access clothing.
The bed is accessible from the rear of the van, alongside all its electronics and battery systems. There is a 12-volt system to operate the lighting and electrics, including two 115-amp leisure batteries for light and USB points.
There is a shut-off switch to turn everything off, and you can run the van through a shore power hook-up point. This is on the outside of the van connected to an onboard consumer unit. You can, therefore, power your electronics while also keeping your battery topped up.
Such is the convenience and comfort of this van that it sold for £36,950. Daryl Lloyd Witt will undoubtedly already be onto his next project. You can follow his amazing work on Instagram
