2. Designing Functional Zones

Van Layout Planning Guide UK 2026: Design Your Perfect Campervan Layout

The layout is the single most important decision in your van conversion. Get it right and you wake up every morning in a space that works. Get it wrong and you spend every day working around design compromises.

I have built three vans with three different layouts: a rear-bed side-kitchen (most versatile), a fixed transverse bed with a garage (best for gear-heavy trips), and a front lounge that converts to a bed (worst — hated making the bed every night). This guide covers the pros and cons of each layout type and how to make the right choice for how you actually live.

The Design Process

Before drawing a single line on graph paper, answer these questions:

1. How many people? Solo, couple, couple + dog, or family with kids?
2. How do you sleep? Do you get up in the night? Read in bed? Work from bed?
3. How do you eat? Sit-down meals at a table, or eat out most of the time?
4. Do you work from the van? A desk setup needs different space than a lounging setup.
5. How much gear? Bikes, surfboards, camera gear, tools — or just the basics?
6. Shower/toilet? Essential or can you use campsite facilities?
7. What van? The internal dimensions determine what fits.

Layout Types

Rear Fixed Bed + Side Kitchen (The Standard)

Best for: Couples, full-time living

The most popular layout for good reason. A fixed bed across the rear (either transverse or longitudinal) with the kitchen along one side.

Pros:

• Bed is always made — no conversion every night
• Maximum storage under the bed (garage space)
• Kitchen runs the full length of the van on one side
• Easy to access the cab without climbing over the bed
• Works with or without a bathroom

Cons:

• If transverse, the bed is limited by van width (standard UK mattress is 1.88m, most vans are 1.7–1.8m wide — you need a custom mattress)
• Longitudinal bed (front-to-back) limits kitchen run length
• Less flexible seating — fixed bedroom means fixed lounge

Best van for: Transit Custom L2 (transverse bed fits), Sprinter L3 (longitudinal bed + full-length kitchen)

Rear Lounge Conversion (The Classic)

Best for: Daytime living space, occasional guests

R转换成 rear bench seat that converts to a bed at night. Popular in VW Transporters and small vans where a fixed bed would dominate the space.

Pros:

• Large living area during the day
• Can carry passengers legally (if seat-belted)
• Works well for small vans (Caddy, Berlingo)
• Good for socialising — the lounge is the centre of the van

Cons:

• Making the bed every night gets old fast
• You cannot leave bedding out during the day (it lives in a cupboard)
• Storage is compromised — no under-bed garage
• Less kitchen space (the lounge takes up one side)

Best van for: VW Transporter SWB, Renault Trafic, smaller builds

Front Lounge (The Space-Saver)

Best for: Solo, occasional use

Front cab seats swivel to face a removable table. The rear area is a fixed bed with storage underneath. The lounge is the cab.

Pros:

• Extremely simple layout
• Tiny footprint — works in a Berlingo or Caddy
• Minimal build cost (two swivel seats + table)
• Cab heat in winter

Cons:

• No living space away from the driving area
• You sit in the cab all day — feels less like home
• Table setup/take-down is fiddly
• Bad for socialising (seats face forward)

Best van for: Solo minimalist, weekenders

Side Layout (Longitudinal Bed)

Best for: Tall people, narrow vans

The bed runs along one side of the van, front-to-back. Kitchen/bathroom on the other side. Narrow walkway between.

Pros:

• Full-length bed (2.0m+) — fits tall people
• No width restriction on the mattress
• Good for narrow vans (Transporter, Trafic)
• Bathroom possible in the rear corner

Cons:

• Bed is single-width — not great for couples
• Narrow walkway feels cramped
• Less kitchen space than rear-bed layout
• Storage limited to overhead and under-bed

Best van for: VW Transporter, solo tall person

Garage Layout

Best for: Gear-heavy lifestyles (bikes, boards, dogs)

The bed is raised to create a garage underneath. Popular in Transit Custom builds where transverse bed + garage creates a practical gear tunnel.

Pros:

• Massive storage — bikes, surfboards, tools all fit under the bed
• Separate dirty/wet gear zone from living space
• Roll-out drawer systems possible (slide-out kitchen, dog crate)
• Works well for active van lifers

Cons:

• The bed is high (1.2m+) — climbing in and out is awkward
• Headroom in the garage is limited (usually 60–80cm)
• Rear doors must open for gear access — limits some campsite layouts
• The bed is closer to the roof — feels more enclosed

Best van for: Transit Custom L2, Sprinter L2 (with enough height for garage + living)

Key Dimensions

Internal Widths

The 1.7m rule: A standard UK single mattress is 1,880mm × 880mm. For a transverse bed (side-to-side), you need at least 1,880mm internal width. Only the Sprinter and Ducato fit a standard single mattress transversely. In a Transit Custom (1,784mm), you need a custom short-width mattress or you sleep diagonally.

The most comfortable option for Transit Custom owners is a longitudinal bed (1,900mm+ length available in L2) or a transverse bed at an angle (cutting the corner of the mattress).

Internal Lengths

A 2,600mm space (Transit Custom L2) fits: 1,900mm bed + 700mm kitchen run, or a garage layout with 1,200mm garage + 1,400mm lounge area.

Sample Layout: Transit Custom L2 (Couple, Full-Time)

This layout works because the garage at the rear creates a step up to the bed, and the bed sits higher than the kitchen, allowing the mattress to extend over the kitchen worktop for extra bed width (a "platform over galley" design).

Sample Layout: Sprinter L3H2 (Full-Time with Bathroom)

The 3.2m cargo length (L2) is enough for this layout. The bathroom placement near the sliding door is intentional — you can use it from outside without entering the living space.

Layout Principles

The Golden Triangle

In any kitchen, the sink, hob, and fridge form a "work triangle." In a van, you cannot move between them easily if they are on opposite sides of the van. Keep the three main kitchen elements within 1m of each other.

The One-Button Rule

You should be able to access your bed, toilet, kitchen sink, and cab without touching more than one thing (a door, a latch). Bed that requires moving a table and folding down a seat? Bad. Bed you just climb into? Good.

Flow

• The door opens into an area you can stand in — not into the side of a cupboard
• The kitchen should be accessible from the door (cooking outside in good weather)
• The bed should be accessible without climbing over the kitchen
• The cab should be reachable without going outside

Ventilation

Layouts that trap the bed in a corner with no window or roof vent are stuffy and condensation-prone. Every sleeping area needs either a window (opening) or a roof vent within 1m.

Common Layout Mistakes

1. Bed is too short: You cannot stretch out. Measure your height + 6" minimum. A 6' person needs a 1,880mm bed minimum, 2,000mm ideal.
2. Kitchen is too small: A 500mm worktop is not enough for food prep. 800mm minimum. 1,000mm+ if you cook properly.
3. Bathroom eats too much space: A full wet room is 900mm × 900mm minimum. That is 30% of your living space in a Transit Custom. Consider a removable cassette toilet and external shower instead.
4. No fixed bed: The romance of folding up the bed every morning wears off on day 3.
5. No external access to storage: Loading bikes through the sliding door every time gets old. Rear doors or a garage hatch make life easier.
6. Fridge is too small: A 40L fridge is fine for a couple for 3-4 days. 60L+ if you shop weekly.

Tools for Planning

• Blender (free): 3D modelling for van layouts. Download van interior templates from GrabCAD.
• SketchUp (free web version): Simple 3D box modelling. Start with a van interior box and move cubes around.
• Graph paper: Draw the van from above (1:10 scale) and cut out furniture shapes.
• Cardboard mock-up: Tape cardboard boxes together at full size and put them in your van. Walk around them. Live with them for a weekend. This finds layout problems that paper planning misses.

FAQ

Q: What is the best layout for a campervan? A: The rear fixed bed + side kitchen layout works for 80% of people. It is simple, functional, and versatile. Unless you have specific requirements (dog, bikes, kids, wheelchair), start with this layout and modify.

Q: Can I fit a double bed in a Transit Custom? A: A standard UK double mattress is 1,880mm × 1,350mm. The Transit Custom is 1,784mm wide at the wheel arches. A custom 1,700mm × 1,350mm mattress fits transversely. Alternatively, a longitudinal bed (front-to-back, both sides) gives you a 1,900mm × 1,200mm space.

Q: Should I put the bed at the front or back? A: Rear. The rear of the van is quieter (further from engine and road noise), has more headroom (roof curves up), and the rear doors provide emergency exit and ventilation.

Q: Do I need a bathroom in my van? A: Not if you mostly use campsites or have gym membership. A removable cassette toilet under the bed takes no fixed space and provides an emergency option. A full wet room is worth it for full-time winter living when you do not want to walk to the campsite toilets.

Q: How much headroom do I need? A: Enough to stand up straight in the kitchen area (the zone you spend most time in). The bed area can be lower. If you cannot stand up anywhere in the van, you will resent it every single day.

Q: Is it better to have the kitchen on the driver's side or passenger's side? A: Passenger's side (curb side). When parked on a pavement, the kitchen is on the safer traffic side. The sliding door also opens to the pavement, making kitchen access from outside easier.