This Couple’s Camper Van Makeover Is Straight Out of a Fairytale
If you’ve ever dreamed of packing up a camper van and spending some time on the open road, one couple has plenty of design inspiration to help you live out your free-spirit dreams. TikTokers Laura and Aaron (aka @parkingonthewildside) have been traveling around Europe with their pup, Lufie, turning a standard camper van into a whimsical home on wheels that’s straight out of a fairytale. And it will make you want to live the wanderer life … or at least bring some of their dreamy touches into your own space, which is totally doable.
The couple recently shared that they dreamed of “a life of calm in nature” for years, so they used their savings and “built this little home from scrap wood and old cabinets.” From the outside, it looks like your average RV, but the DIY touches inside bring it to life, making for a cozy, cottagecore-inspired cabin on wheels from which they live, work, and sleep beneath the stars.
They outfitted their 2009 Renault Master with wood paneling to retain warmth, eventually installing a diesel heater and thermometer to get through the winter months more comfortably. In the comments of one of their TikTok videos, they shared that the van cost them £4,200 (around $5,210 USD) and the conversion cost £1,300 (around $1,612 USD), with a total cost of £5,500 (roughly $6,818 USD), saving up for a while before taking the plunge into camper life. The transformation took three months and involved painting the outside from gray to orange and white, removing the bus seats, and installing cabinets and shelving made of recycled and secondhand wood.
Inside the van, there’s a full-sized bed with room for the couple and their pup, as well as a small couch and ample storage throughout. They’ve added lush touches like greenery, twinkle and branch lighting, and unique treasures they’ve found on their travels, making for a truly one-of-a-kind mobile home chock-full of magic. Of course, van life certainly isn’t for everyone, but if it is for you, you’ll get tons of wanderlust just by scrolling their feed.