Layout Conundrums
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to physically do much to the van, though this is disappointing we feel that it’s better to halt the project and take some time. I have been desperately trying to resolve our layout issue which involves coming up with new ideas for the bed and seating area.
DVLA Requirements
The DVLA are very strict and have several rules that the van must comply with in order to be classed as a campervan, something we will do when the project is completed.
These rules include:
- A door that provides access to the living accommodation.
- A bed, which has a minimum length of 1800mm or 6 feet – this can be converted to seats used for other purposes during the day but must be permanently fixed within the body of the vehicle.
- A water storage tank or container on, or in, the vehicle.
- A seating and dining area, permanently attached to the vehicle – the table may be detachable but must have some permanent means of attachment to the vehicle. It is not good enough to have a loose table.
- A permanently fixed means of storage: a cupboard, locker or wardrobe.
- A permanently fixed cooking facility within the vehicle, powered by gas or electricity.
- At least two windows on one side of the accommodation.
For the most part none of these things are an issue for us, however since deciding that the table and chairs that went along the side of the van with the sliding door as per my original design were not going to work out how we thought they were, we needed to amend this and this is where the head scratching began.
The Original Design
My original design not only incorporated the fixed table and chairs as required but also a fixed kingsize bed (Ben is practically 6ft 5′ and is too long for a double). This proved to be a problem when trying to abide by the rules and keep the things we felt were important such as:
- A fixed bed (we did not want to make a bed everyday)
- Access to the bulkhead (for security)
With this in mind when we tried to move the chairs in our design we found there were very few satisfactory ways to do this and with the limitation that they had to be fixed to the van it just made it much harder.
When planning this build we were both hoping to be able to have a bit of floor space to potter about in. We want to be taking some kneeling stools that we are hoping to get custom made for us. There’s a couple of reasons for this, firstly we’d like to have a couple of different seating options, given that we will be away for a year and secondly I have been told by my physiotherapist that I need to improve my posture to help with my shoulder issue. I have a lot of problems using the computer these days and can barely sit at it for more then a couple of hours without a great deal of pain. It has been suggested that kneeling stools help to improve the situation, I’ve tried everything else (ergonomic keyboard, vertical mouse etc) so I am keen to give this a go.
Part of this trip for me is about my art, something that I hope to be able to give a lot more time to and develop further. I have been dreaming that I’d set up my stool (that comes complete with table) and use it as a kind of easel set-up for my painting. Not everyday on this trip will we be participating in activities and not everyday will have great weather. It is my intention to enjoy my time painting and some of this will need to be done inside the van (think wintry Canada). That said, when the weather is great, I shall be able to take my stool outside to paint! Win Win!
The Compromise
At a complete loss of ideas and as a member of many Facebook groups where others upload their progress and completed projects daily. I decided to scan through the archives to see if there were any gems among them that could work for us. Low and behold I found two bed/seating layouts that could solve the issue we were having. Ben and I looked over them alongside taking some other things into account we decided on a final solution. We were delighted!
Whilst ingenious, the final solution does require a compromise…. We will not be able to keep a full length bed out in the day. We had a little chat about this stacking up the pros and cons and ultimately decided that although it’s an annoyance to make a bed everyday, the floor space and work areas are much more of a priority for us.
We’d also been thinking about the practicalities of having a full on duvet and bedding within the van in terms of washing. During our last trip as we only had clothing and I managed to hand wash most of it, we saved bigger items for when we found a launderette. As we plan to stay out of the cities this time and mainly exist off-grid we are not sure how often we’ll have access to this facility, we can only hope some of the national parks that we may stay at will have a launderette on site. With this in mind we discussed the idea of having a sleeping bag and blankets for bedding rather than a duvet, especially as a sleeping bag would be easier to stow away during the day than a duvet and associated bedding.
So here we are with a mock-up of the final design:
