Retro Vibes and Living Lightly: How Upcycled Design Defines This Minimalist Van

Hi! We’re Lauren and Louis from the UK—a place as far from a beach as you can get in this country. Our vanlife journey started rather unexpectedly. Back in 2020, we quit our jobs to embark on a year-long travel adventure, beginning in New Zealand and Australia.

We rented campervans during that trip and fell in love with the lifestyle. Although the trip was cut short due to the pandemic, the seed was planted. Fast forward to last year, and on a whim, we bought a Ford Transit, setting us on the path to full-time van living.

The Van: From DIY Newbies to Creative Innovators

Our Ford Transit conversion has been a labor of love, shaped by both challenges and creativity. Louis, a landscaper by trade, had some practical skills, but I (Lauren) was completely new to DIY—hadn’t even used a drill before! What we thought would take six months turned into a year-long project. Initially, the van was meant for weekend getaways, but after we both lost our jobs early in the build, we decided to go all-in and create a full-time home on wheels.

Upcycling and Second-Hand Adventures: Crafting a Unique Home on Wheels

We’ve always been big on second-hand finds and upcycling, and we carried that into our van build. One of the best finds we had was an old kitchen dining table we picked up on Facebook Marketplace for just £25. We stripped it back, removed the legs, and used part of the wood to make our countertop. We stained it a walnut color to fit our retro vibe, and it turned out exactly how we wanted it—at a fraction of the cost. It’s so satisfying to create something unique out of something old.

Car boots were a huge help too. We’d go looking for little bits we needed, like nuts and bolts, instead of buying a whole pack of 100 from a hardware store. There’s always someone selling odds and ends, and one guy even gave us the bolts we needed for free because he was just excited to hear about the build. 

Car boots also gave us some of the unique touches in the van, like vintage photo frames we picked up for 50p here and there.

We turned them into a little gallery wall, which you wouldn’t usually see in a van—it’s more of a household thing—but it makes the space feel so much like us. We also got a second-hand Rhino ladder for the back door from Facebook Marketplace for £40 instead of the £200 it would have cost buying new.

It’s such a good hack—always check car boots, Facebook groups, and community boards first. People are always happy to sell or even give away things that can add so much character to a build. It’s amazing how much you can save and how personal it makes your space. 

We gave our kitchen a bold black checkered wallpaper—love it or hate it, it’s very us.

Conversion Challenges and Lessons Learned

The build wasn’t without its hurdles. Every job took twice as long as expected, and burnout was a real challenge. I’m a planner, but I quickly learned the importance of flexibility. Our advice? 

Avoid rigid timelines and enjoy the process. 

If you’re converting a van, tap into local resources—buy second-hand materials, borrow tools, and even check out car boot sales for unique finds. We saved a fortune and gave our van a lot of character through these budget-friendly choices.

The First Taste of Vanlife: Scotland

Before heading full-time, we tested the van with a three-week trip to Scotland in winter. It was our first time experiencing vanlife in freezing conditions, but the van held up beautifully. We added DIY thermal blinds and appreciated our hobbit door, which let us preserve heat by avoiding frequent use of the side door.

Our daily routine involved warming up the van, which was on a timer, cooking hearty porridge breakfasts, and driving an hour or two to our next destination. Scotland’s beaches were stunning—even in the cold—but we’re excited for sunnier days when we can spend more time outdoors.

Electrical Setup: Off-Grid Freedom

Our van’s electrical system is designed for maximum off-grid living. We have a 230-amp lithium battery, 350 watts of solar panels, and a DC-to-DC charger that keeps the battery topped up while driving. For three weeks in Scotland, we didn’t need to hook up to power once. Appliances are minimal—just essentials like a retro-style 12-volt fridge and a moka pot for coffee. If we could add one thing, it might be a Wi-Fi system, but for now, the setup works perfectly.

Embracing Minimalism and Travel Freedom

Living in a van aligns with our minimalist lifestyle. We’ve always valued simplicity, and traveling in a campervan reinforced how little you really need to live happily. When your whole life fits into a van, you realize the joy of focusing on experiences rather than possessions.

That simplicity doesn’t just shape how we live day-to-day; it’s also a guiding principle for how we approached our van build and the lifestyle itself. From sourcing second-hand materials to embracing the unpredictability of the road, we’ve learned that letting go of “perfect” and focusing on “practical and personal” can make the journey more fulfilling.

Advice for Aspiring Vanlifers

If you’re dreaming of vanlife, go for it! Start with what you have and don’t let fear hold you back. One of the biggest lessons we learned during our build is that everything takes longer than you think. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of setting deadlines or planning to tackle X number of jobs in one day—only to get through just one and feel frustrated. We found that letting go of rigid timelines and embracing the process made the experience so much more enjoyable.

Take the time to enjoy the journey of building your van, rather than rushing to the finish line. We burned out several times trying to meet self-imposed deadlines. Once we accepted that, the process became less stressful and a lot more fun. Unless there’s a hard deadline, like a planned move-out date or travel commitment, try to stay flexible and open-ended with your timeline.

If there’s one overarching piece of advice, it’s this: don’t let the fear of imperfection stop you from starting. The beauty of vanlife is in the learning, the creativity, and the journey itself. Whatever resources you have, however long it takes, just dive in and make it your own. You’ll learn as you go, and that’s half the fun.

Future Adventures: Chasing the Sun

Our next destination is unconfirmed, we’re winging it. The plan is to shuffle between countries in and out of the Schengen Zone—doing the Schengen Shuffle—exploring places like Portugal and Albania’s coastline. We’re drawn to markets, unique cultures, and friendly locals, and we’ll be filling our van with some treasures along the way!

Every step of this adventure, from the build to the road, has been about embracing spontaneity and sharing our journey with others. Whether it’s finding hidden gems at a market, navigating new landscapes, or learning the quirks of vanlife as we go, we love connecting with others who are inspired by this lifestyle.

Join Us on Our Journey

We document our adventures on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube under @laurenlouistravel. From van builds to daily vanlife antics, we’re sharing it all, including our attempts to monetise this lifestyle. Follow along and join us on this exciting journey!

Follow Lauren and Louis:

• Instagram: @laurenlouistravel
• TikTok: @laurenlouistravel
• YouTube: @laurenlouistravel
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenlouistravel/