25 Camper Van Interior Ideas: Big Ideas For Small Spaces

If you’re considering hitting the open road in a camper van, making your interior design plans with the livability of your limited space in mind is essential.

In this blog post, I will share 25 ideas on how you can do just that!

I’ve got you covered from clever storage solutions to ways to increase the comfort factor.

So whether you’re just starting to plan your trip or are already well underway, check out these tips for the best small camper van interior ideas!

What Are The Best Campervan Interior Ideas?

When planning your next adventure in a camper van, choosing the best interior ideas can truly make a difference in your overall experience. 

A well-designed van conversion ensures comfort and convenience and supports your freedom to explore any destination. 

It’s essential to customize your rig with high-quality materials that serve multiple purposes, such as convertible furniture that can be both a bed and a workstation or kitchenettes that get tucked away when not in use. 

Clever storage solutions, such as under-seat storage and wall-mounted hooks or pockets, can help keep your belongings organized, making it easier to find and access your essentials. 

Ultimately, the best small camper van interior ideas will provide maximum functionality and a relaxing environment, making your journeys enjoyable and unforgettable.

Add A Pop-Up Roof

Installing a Pop-up roof on your van is an excellent way to increase the interior space.

With models that raise at an angle or the entire roof evenly, you’ll love having the added headroom to stand tall and walk around inside.

Many models allow for sleeping 1-2 people in the raised section, making it an ideal option for van clan families.

When ready to leave the campsite, the roof lowers back into place and can be secured for travel – avoiding the complications of added height while driving.

Install A FIberglass Roof Top

Another great option for added headroom is installing a fiberglass roof top.

The catch with this style is that lowering the roof back down is not an option; your camper van will be taller, permanently.

However, the big upside to this is that in addition to giving you the ability to stand up, it also provides more opportunities for creative storage solutions.

With the added interior height, you can raise your bed platform, build wall shelves higher, and make overhead cabinets larger.

An added bonus is that the typical installation leaves the roof section over the driver and passenger seats intact, giving you several cubic feet of additional storage.

Improve Your Lighting

Upgrading your camper van lighting setup, whether inside or outside your rig, is an excellent option for making mobile life more enjoyable.

During the day, plenty of natural light typically shines into the vehicle, making additional illumination unnecessary.

However, once the sun sets, van lifers need to be able to see what they’re doing – be it preparing meals, working, using the toilet, or simply enjoying an evening card game.

The sky is the limit, but some choices are solar-powered lights, fairy lights, led lights, or even going big with digital tiki torches and motion sensor lights for the exterior.

Regardless of how much or little lighting your budget or design allows, ensuring you have the proper lighting for your space is an excellent idea.

Install An Awning

The installation of an awning over the entrance to your camper van is a handy addition to your van build.

I can tell you from experience that a protected area around your door can make all the difference on a rainy day.

Having a covered area where you can take off wet, muddy, or dirty clothes makes keeping the van interior clean a much easier task.

Plus, the area under the awning can be considered additional floor space and possible storage space if you have suitable outdoor containers.

Add An Awning Tent

An awning tent, sometimes called a van tent or awning room, is an excellent next step in ensuring you have enough room in your tiny home on wheels.

With an awning tent, you upgrade from having protection from the weather overhead to having protection on all sides.

There are several different models, but most allow you to choose whether the situation calls for a complete pass-through, having the area screened to keep insects out, or enclosed in canvas for privacy and keeping the rain out.

You’ll be amazed at how much larger your camper van will feel with 50+ square feet of “indoor” area attached to the side of it.

Build A Raised Bed Platform

If you have a Sprinter van or have added a high top to your van, a raised bed platform is one of the best ways to take full advantage of all that verticle space.

Putting your comfy bed on a raised platform allows for some creative storage ideas.

Most van lifers like to make this area into a garage, giving them a space for an electronics bay or storing tools, bikes, water tanks, kayaks, and any other large item they wish to keep out of the way.

However you choose to arrange it, and whatever you decide to store under there, you’ll always be happy with maximizing your small space.

Outdoor Furniture

If you’re asking yourself what outdoor furniture has to do with camper van interior ideas, I understand.

However, if you are the type that likes fresh air and enjoys spending more time outside than inside, I suggest rethinking your van interior.

Van life outdoors is improved with padded camp chairs, zero-gravity chairs, small folding tables for drinks and snacks, larger tables for dining and entertaining, or a hammock for relaxing.

The decision to be outdoors and enjoy the area around your camper van will allow you the luxury of more room for storing your gear.

Rooftop Tent

A rooftop tent is a superb choice for smaller vans or SUVs.

You have quite the selection of models, from hard-cased tents that pop straight up to soft-cased tents that fold out and have a covered area around the ladder and anything in between.

They’re also an excellent option for families with larger models sleeping up to 6 people.

Eliminating the sleeping and living area from such a small space and relocating it to take advantage of unused roof space allows for much-improved storage options.

Upper Cabinetry

Another excellent use of verticle space is installing cabinets around the upper portion of your van.

Upper cabinets, or even shelves, are a must-have for high-top vans but can also be excellent bonus storage add-ons for standard-height units.

Over the bed, along the back, over the kitchen area, or anywhere you have some unused space that’s out of the way.

However you decide to design your interior, wooden cabinets are a great way to ensure enough storage space.

Porthole Windows

It’s always fun to introduce a new touch of character to your camper van, and one eye-catching way to do so is by installing porthole windows. 

These charming round windows bring in more natural light and add a refreshing nautical touch to your cozy mobile haven. 

The best part is that the installation process is more manageable than it might seem, especially if you’re a fan of DIY projects. 

With time and patience, you can easily enhance your camper van’s overall vibe and functionality. 

Increase Counter Space With Covers

If there’s one thing that all van lifers need more of, it’s counter space.

A sink can undoubtedly be a necessary component of your van’s interior design, but what about when you’re not using it?

Wouldn’t it be nice to have use of all your counter space when preparing meals or making coffee?

Whether it’s as simple as shaping a cutting board to fit snuggly over your sink, or as involved as creating a hinged cover for the entire area, there’s no such thing as too much counter space.

Mobile Office Area

If your goal is full time van life, you’ll want to add a mobile office area to your van interior design.

Having an area where you can sit comfortably and earn your living is essential.

Make it fold up out of the way while not in use to really save space.

Bonus points for making it double as an entertainment area since your laptop or tablet is already there.

Pull Out Kitchen

A pull out kitchen is perfect for camper vans with limited space and for folks that prefer not to cook inside.

Whether designed to pull out from the back of the vehicle or on one of the sides, it’s a great way to save space and organize all your kitchen gear in one place.

Plus, if you’re worried about using a propane stove inside a vehicle, a pull out kitchen will allow you to cook meals with confidence.

Hammock

There’s something incredibly satisfying and relaxing about swaying gently in a hammock, feeling the breeze as you unwind after a day of adventure. 

Now imagine having that same experience in the comfort of your camper van!

Installing a hammock in your camper van is not only a creative way to maximize your space, but also adds a touch of fun and coziness to your home on wheels.

Whether as a main sleeping area or a chill-out spot, a hammock serves as a versatile feature that lets you enjoy the freedom of the open road without compromising on comfort. 

Wood Burning Stove

The ambiance of a nice warm crackling fire on a cold day is hard to beat!

Most camper vans need a source of heat to keep the chills of winter away, and a small wood burning stove is an excellent way to stay warm and create a pleasant atmosphere.

Naturally, since you will be dealing with open flames and the exhaust from burning wood, it’s essential to plan carefully and ensure you’ve got the room necessary to install and operate a wood burner safely.

While transporting and burning wood for heat certainly isn’t for everyone, making your mobile home feel like a cozy cabin on chilly mornings is a great way to thrive on the road.

Projector

Building campervan conversions is about more than exploring and adventuring.

Be it a rainy day, a long work day, or just the need to slow down and relax, creative ideas for entertainment are not to be overlooked.

A small portable projector is just the ticket for taking your movie and TV watching to the next level.

It can be as simple as a small screen inside your rig or, especially if you like entertaining friends, as grand as projecting onto the side of your camper van for a rustic movie theater experience.

Hanging Plants

For van lifers with a green thumb, hanging up plants is a wonderful addition to your amazing camper van interior.

Being able to nurture growing things and add to the aesthetics of your van interior while not worrying about making a mess on every turn, can make life more inspiring.

Surrounding yourself with beautiful oxygen-producing and air-purifying plants is an excellent way to bring a bit of home with you on your travels.

Pushout Window

Imagine being cozily tucked inside your camper van, listening to the hypnotic pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof. 

While the weather might be perfect for a relaxing getaway, it can sometimes create a stuffy atmosphere that calls for some fresh air circulation. 

The solution to this is installing a pushout window in your camper van – it’s not only a fantastic addition to ensure ventilation, but it also offers an effective way to enjoy the cool breeze without getting you or any of your gear wet.

Dinette

Building or installing a dinette is an exceptionally functional way to ensure enough storage while having a dining area where meals can be shared.

A classic theme in many RVs, the basic dinette design has a table with bench seats on either side that contain storage areas inside.

Depending on how much storage space you’re looking for and how much room you have in your camper van, you can go as small as a single bench seat or as large as a wrap-around booth.

However you choose to design your dinette area, you can’t go wrong when using storage space as a comfortable place to sit.

Herb Garden

Imagine being able to enhance your travel experience with the addition of a small herb garden to your mobile abode. 

A touch of greenery in your van brightens up your living space and provides fresh bursts of flavors and lovely fragrances, bringing an essence of home and comfort wherever you roam. 

With a bit of creativity, you can quickly transform a corner of your camper van into a thriving herb oasis. 

Think fresh basil to elevate your campfire spaghetti, aromatic rosemary to infuse your grilled veggies, or soothing chamomile for a relaxing bedtime tea under the stars.

Camper Van Oven

A camper van oven is an inspired upgrade from the standard two burner stove.

Feel free to indulge in your love of baking tasty treats for friends and family members, enjoying a bubbling cheesy lasagna on a crisp fall evening, or just making some pizzas for movie night.

Plus, most models come with up to 4 burners on top, eliminating the worry of finding room to put a stove.

Swivel Seats

When trying to maximize the living area in your small camper van, swiveling front seats are an underrated way to gain more space.

With the simple installation of a swiveling mechanism, or sometimes the replacement of the entire front seat base, you can turn the unused driver compartment into part of your amazing camper van interior.

Imagine sitting in your passenger seat, facing your super stylish van interior, and thinking to yourself: “Wow, I had no idea there was so much space in here!”

Install A Shower

Proper hygiene is essential for everyone, but van life puts an especially fine point on it.

You will be exposed to more dirt, dust, and debris than the average person living in a sticks-and-bricks house.

Add to this the fact that you can’t just walk into the other room and get cleaned up while out on the road.

Installing a shower into your camper van will allow you to stay clean and fresh anywhere you go without worrying about the planning and expense of using truckstop or gym showers.

Rooftop Storage

Hands down, the easiest way to ensure you have enough storage space is rooftop storage.

Right there, on top of your own van, is an opportunity for several extra cubic feet of van life inspiration inside your tiny home.

You can go with a sleek hard-sided box for added durability or a soft-sided bag that you can customize to your changing needs – heck, you can simply put a cargo basket up there and strap your gear down.

Whether you like an extremely smooth finish or just want to strap gear up there until you get to camp, utilizing your roof space will enhance your van build.

12v Diesel Heater

All van conversions need some kind of heat source, so why not utilize a heater that uses the same fuel as your van?

A 12v diesel heater is the perfect fit for the many van options that are powered by diesel engines and allow you to plumb the heater’s fuel line directly into the tank of the vehicle.

And don’t worry if your van is gas-powered; the installation kits come with a small 2-4 gallon tank for storing fuel.

Either way, keeping your camper van interior warm and dry when the temperature drops is no trouble with a diesel heater.

Small Camper Van Interior Ideas FAQs

Let’s have a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about small camper van interior ideas.

How Much Storage Do I Need In My Camper Van?

The simple answer would be as much as you can manage.

Though a better answer would be as much as makes sense.

It wouldn’t make sense to have your camper van interior able to carry lots of gear, but be uncomfortable to live in.

What happens when it storms for a few days?

If you don’t have a means of being outside the van and protected from the weather, it can get pretty old pretty fast.

What happens when you get sick?

Is your interior space set up for you to be able to rest and recover?

Every aspect of van life is a compromise in some way.

It is important to strike that balance between having the gear you want for your adventures and being comfortable enough to enjoy living while you travel.

What Should I Put In My Camper Van?

As with so many things in life, the answer to this question depends on your needs.

Naturally, someone doing a van conversion for weekend adventures will have vastly different needs than someone embarking on full-time van life.

Whatever your situation happens to be, I find it helpful to answer some basic questions when deciding what to put in a camper van.

Here are a few examples.

How am I going to sleep, and where will my bed be located?

How am I going to eat and drink and cook?

How am I going to use the toilet?

How am I going to maintain proper hygiene and brush my teeth?

What gear do I need to make my living while traveling?

What are my comfort needs, and what gear do I want or need to meet those needs?

How Do You Turn A Small Van Into A Camper Van?

The smaller a van or SUV is, the more I recommend exterior living spaces and storage.

Adding a rooftop tent and an awning with an attached room is an excellent option.

Putting your bed area on top of the vehicle, and locating your living space to the side, frees up your interior space for storage.

Or, if you prefer to sleep inside your van, maximizing the amount of rooftop storage will give you more room in your tiny home.

How Do You Decorate The Inside Of A Van?

The aesthetics of your camper van interior are entirely up to your individual tastes.

To decorate the inside of a van, you may choose to use particular wood paneling on the walls, you can hang colored curtains for privacy or as dividers, or you can hang pictures and tapestries.

If comfort is more your style, there are always plush blankets, throw pillows, camping-themed pot holders, and dish towels.

You can also make use of storage bins, pull-out trays, and shelves to maximize your space.

Final Thoughts

Designing a van conversion can sometimes be daunting, but van interior design can also be an exciting puzzle to solve.

When working with such a small space, it’s a delicate balancing act between wanting to have all of your stuff and being able to live comfortably.

I hope you have enjoyed my list of small camper van interior ideas, and I hope it inspires you to create the ideal interior space for your unique situation.

Safe travels, my friend, and we’ll see you down the road.