If you’re planning on living a more nomadic lifestyle or just want to learn a little about solar power this guide will be a great launching point! We’d like to note that we are not electricians but we’ve gathered all of the information while building a solar system for our own converted van. You can see our build here.

Let’s get started!

What is solar power?

Solar power is the ability to convert the sun’s rays into electricity.

There are different ways to use the sun’s rays to create electricity; the main one we will be focusing on is creating solar energy with photovoltaics.

Ok, and what are photovoltaics? 

Well, to put it simply they are substances that have the ability to convert solar rays into usable electricity.

What are the basic elements of a solar powered electrical system for a van or RV?

There are a few basic pieces to every solar setup. Your solar needs can be very complicated or very simple but in all cases you will always require the following items to get started:

Solar Array

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Charge Controller

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Battery Bank

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Wiring

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MC4 Connectors

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Ring Terminal Mounts

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Breakers or Fuses

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DC to AC Inverter

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Battery Monitor

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Proper solar power installations can include inverters, breakers, kill switches, various sizes of wiring and many other items based off of your power needs. You’ll have to source the necessary parts so you can build a system that can handle the amount of electricity you plan on consuming.

In some cases your power needs outweigh your personal budget for the solar power setup so you may want to consider a generator if your power needs are high and your budget is low.

Let’s learn some basic terminology about solar power & electricity.

Here are some basic definitions as defined on Wikipedia.

Watts

Power is the rate at which energy is generated or consumed and this can be measured in a unit called a watt.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

Volts

Volts are the unit of measurement that tells us the amount of electrical potential something has. One volt is defined as the difference in electric potential between two points of a conductive wire when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between those two points.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

Amps (Ampere)

An ampere or amp is the base unit of electrical current.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

Ohms

Ohm’s law states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

How do I calculate all of these things?

This is Ohm’s Law Triangle. Ohm’s Law states the relationship between voltage (V), current (A) and resistance (Ω).

And the Watts Law Triangle. Watts Law states the relationship between power (W), current (A) and voltage (V).

Series Circuit

This is a type of wiring technique that creates a circuit where current goes through every component of the setup. All components in a series connection carry the same current.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

The basic takeaway here is that if one of the lights dies in this circuit the whole circuit will be interrupted. A great example of a series circuit is old Christmas lights. When one light dies you have to find which blub popped and replace it to get all of the other lights to turn on again.

Parallel Circuit

If two or more components are connected in parallel, they have the same difference of potential (voltage) across their ends. The potential differences across the components are the same in magnitude, and they also have identical polarities. The same voltage is applied to all circuit components connected in parallel. The total current is the sum of the currents through the individual components, in accordance with Kirchhoff’s current law.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

With a parallell circuit we don’t have quite the same concerns as with the series circuit. If one of the lightbulbs stops working it won’t turn off the others.

AC Power

AC stands for alternating current, which means the electrical current frequently reverses direction. AC electricity is measured according to its cycles, with one complete cycle being counted each time a given current travels in one direction and then doubles back on itself.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

To use the AC power in your solar setup, you’re going to require an inverter – we’ll cover what those are a bit further down in the guide. All houses use AC power to energize your appliances and other electronic accessories. When you plug your toaster into the wall at home you’re drawing AC power to heat up the elements. All modern homes are connected to the main power grid to use AC power.

DC Power

Direct current (DC) is a unidirectional flow of electric charge. A battery is a good example of a DC power supply. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or even through a vacuum as in electron or ion beams. The electric current flows in a constant direction, distinguishing it from alternating current (AC).

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

DC power is the primary type of current you’ll be working with when setting up your solar system. From our experience, we’d also suggest using DC power for as many items in your system as you can.

Why should I use DC powered appliances in my camper van or RV?

The main reason is because your battery bank is already putting out power in a DC current. When we convert our DC powered battery to AC using an inverter we actually lose a bit of power in the conversion which makes AC appliances and electrical items a little less efficient to run.

It is highly advised to use electric accessories for your van or RV that are DC powered. Having the option to use AC power in your home on wheels is great but relying on AC power will drain your system more quickly. You can find almost every appliance and device for your RV that can run on DC including your fridge, lights, fans, and even your furnace. Even your phone is a DC powered device and that little brick you use to plug it into the wall actually converts the AC power from your home power socket to DC to charge the phone. It’s easy enough to install a few marine style USB ports in the wall of your van or rv and you’ll never need the little power brick again.

DC Powered Lights

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DC & Gas Powered Fridge

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DC Powered Fan

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DC USB Ports

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DC & Diesel Powered Furnace

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DC Water Pump & Tap

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Breakers & Fuses

Breakers

An automatic device for stopping the flow of current in an electric circuit as a safety measure.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

These are very important to any electrical setup as they can stop overloads in your system from happening. Different breakers come with different strengths depending on how much electricity you want to flow through a specific connection. These breakers are set up in between a connection between two points where electricity will flow and can “break” to impede the flow of electricity if the current is overloaded.

In our van, we used breakers instead of fuses for our solar installation. We made this decision because we’re not always close to a store where we can buy new fuses. If our system ever overloads then the breaker will pop and disconnect the electrical current. All we have to do is check to see where our issue is, fix it and then re-engage the breaker.

Fuses

Similar to breakers a fuse is an electrical safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts or breaks when too much current flows through it, thereby interrupting the current. It is a sacrificial device; once a fuse has operated it is an open circuit, and it must be replaced or rewired, depending on the type.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

Just like breakers, these come in different strengths to allow systems to safely stop without causing a fire or a major system overload. Fuses get placed in the same areas that breakers are connected in a circuit. Unlike breakers, fuses actually destroy themselves to protect the system. If a current becomes large and your system is overloading the fuse will break and halt the electricity from flowing through the connection. We find the only downfall to having fuses is that they’re not always available so you have to be sure to keep a supply of them with you on your travels. Fuses used to be used in home electrical setups as well, but we now use breakers because they are easier to reset and don’t require you to purchase new ones every time the power overloads.

Using fuses or breakers are important safety measures that you have to think about while creating your solar power setup.

Breakers

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Fuses

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Fuse Panels

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Wiring Sizes

Similar to breakers a fuse is an electrical safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit. Wiring comes in many sizes and types. To properly determine if the wire you’re using is safe, you should make sure your wire size is able to handle the amount of amps you will be placing through it. The main way to determine wire sizes and their ratings is to use the American Wire Gauge system (AWG). Most wires you purchase from the store will have a rating on them depending on their size. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts or breaks when too much current flows through it, thereby interrupting the current. It is a sacrificial device; once a fuse has operated it is an open circuit, and it must be replaced or rewired, depending on the type.

Here are some common sizes for wiring and how many amps they can usually handle:

• 14-gauge wire: 15 amps
• 12-gauge wire: 20 amps
• 10-gauge wire: 30 amps
• 8-gauge wire: 40 amps
• 6-gauge wire: 55 amps
• 4-gauge wire: 70 amps
• 3-gauge wire: 85 amps
• 2-gauge wire: 95 amps

To learn more about wiring sizes check out this great article.

Solar Panel Wires

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Battery Wires

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Other Wires

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Solar Panels

Solar panels are made of an array of photovoltaic solar cells. These cells are wired together to create a desired watt rating for the panel. Generally you buy your solar panel already assembled but for those people out there that are a bit more adventurous, you can build your own solar panels from scratch. Unless you’re quite clever with a soldering iron, we’d highly recommend buying pre-built solar panels.

150 Watt Square Solar Panel

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100 Watt Solar Panel

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160 Watt Solar Panel

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Types of Solar Panels

Monocrystalline

These are the most commonly used solar panels and they are made of monocrystalline silicon. Monocrystalline panels generally have a high-efficiency rate, they are less sensitive to high temperatures and they last a long time.

Polycrystalline

Polycrystalline solar panels are easily distinguished by their random triangular looking patterns in the panel. These panels are created by melting raw silicon and are generally less expensive and not as efficient as a monocrystalline panel. Polycrystalline panels can also be more sensitive to higher temperatures and they’re often not that efficient at producing electricity.

There are also Thin-Film Amorphous Silicon & Concentrated PV Cell Solar Panels but these won’t really apply to creating a good solar power system for your van or RV.

Which solar panels should I choose?

This question is a difficult one to give a straight answer to. The type of solar panels you choose will depend on your budget, how much power you need, and the amount of surface you have available to mount the solar panels. For most general purposes people will choose monocrystalline panels.

Hard Solar Panels or Flexible Solar Panels?

A hard solar panel will require a bit more effort to ensure they are stable and well secured to your vehicle’s roof but these panels are strong and can handle the most ware and tare. Going with a flexible panel can be a great option if you have an uneven roof but from our research, we’ve found that these panels can start to warp over time and the surface can be easily scratched if you’re driving into places with low hanging trees or objects.

A hard solar panel will require a bit more effort to ensure they are stable and well secured to your vehicle’s roof but these panels are strong and can handle the most ware and tare. Going with a flexible panel can be a great option if you have an uneven roof but from our research, we’ve found that these panels can start to warp over time and the surface can be easily scratched if you’re driving into places with low hanging trees or objects.

Solar Mounting Brackets

There’s not much here to explain! Mounting brackets are used to attach your solar panels to the top of your RV or van. The way you mount your solar panels will depend on what type of panels you choose and if you want to build or use an existing roof rack to attach your panels. There are many ways to mount your solar panels; some folks use mounting brackets that will allow you to angle the panels toward the sun and others will just mount their panels flat on the roof. Mounting your panels flat will be the least amount of work but will be the least efficient way to mount your panels. A panel that is tipped and pointing directly at the sun all day will net you the most electricity from your solar panels.

Adjustable Solar Panel Mounting Bracket

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Corner Bracket Mounts

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Z Bracket Solar Panel Mount

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Batteries

There are so many types of batteries out there it’s hard to know what will work best for you. Buying batteries is one of the most important decisions you need to make when setting up your solar power system. Your batteries store all of the electricity that your solar panels collect during the day. Ideally you want to be able to use your electrical devices and appliances during the day and still be able to charge your batteries so everything still works when the sun goes down. This will require you to have enough panels to collect light but also enough battery power to run everything.

Lithium Ion

Pros:

• Longer lifespan
• Up to 80% safe discharge
• Faster charge times

Cons:

• Very expensive

100AH Lithium Ion Battle Born Battery

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100AH LiFePO4 Lithium Ion Battery

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Lead Acid

Pros:

• Cheap up-front cost

Cons:

• Short life
• Require regular maintenance
• Should only be discharged to 50%
• Have to be vented
• Need to sit upright at all times
• Longer re-charge time compared to Lithium Ion

Trojan T-105 225Ah Deep Cycle

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Trojan T-1275 12V 150Ah Deep Cycle

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Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)

Pros:

• Can be placed on their side
• Don’t require ventilation

Cons:

• Shorter life
• Should only be discharged to 50%
• Longer re-charge time compared to Lithium Ion

VMAX 12V Deep Cycle

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Renogy 100Ah AGM Deep Cycle

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What is an amp hour?

An ampere hour or amp hour (symbol Ah; also denoted A⋅h or A h) is a unit of electric charge, having dimensions of electric current multiplied by time, equal to the charge transferred by a steady current of one ampere flowing for one hour, or 3600 coulombs.

Still want to know more? Here’s a link to wikipedia.

Essentially, it’s a way to give us an idea of how long a battery will last based on a 1 amp discharge of your battery over time.

For Example:

We want to run some LED lights that are rated at 1 amp.

If your battery has a capacity of 100 amp hours then theoretically, your lights will stay on for 100 hours. This calculation isn’t 100% accurate and will change depending on the type of batteries you use and the current temperature of your batteries. Weather can dramatically change how your batteries operate and should be taken into consideration when choosing the right batteries for your system.

Inverters

In order to convert your battery’s DC power to AC power you’re going to need an inverter. Any devices or appliances you have that require a standard wall plug will need a higher voltage of electricity to operate. Inverters take a standard 12 volt DC current and can convert it to usable 120 volt AC current.  Be warned that converting power from DC or AC or back the other way can result in some power being lost and most of the time results in having your batteries drain faster. We feel like you should plan to use AC power as little as possible when planning a solar power system.

If you’re going to be using your solar power to charge your sensitive electronics like laptops and cameras then your only option for clean power is a pure sine wave inverter.

Renogy 1000 Watt Inverter

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Reliable 3000 Watt Inverter

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AIMS 5000 Watt 12 Volt DC Power Inverter

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Types of Inverters

Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Pros:

• Very clean power free from other electrical interference
• Works well powering all electrical devices

Cons:

• Generally a little more expensive

Modified Sine Wave Inverter

Pros:

• Generally a cheaper device
• Works well for a lot of general electrical items like tools

Cons:

• Not safe for more sensitive electronics like laptops and CPAP machines

Charge Controllers

This device can be seen as a brain for your solar panels that protect your batteries and charge them correctly. Buying a cheap charge controller isn’t a good idea so spending a bit more money to get a decent charge controller is a wise investment.

The most efficient is the MPPT charge controller as it charges your batteries in stages and it will help you get the longest life out of your battery bank investment.

What does a solar charge controller do?

A solar charge controller limits the flow of electrical energy from your solar panel to your batteries in order to charge them safely and efficiently. Without a solar charge controller, solar panels would be connected directly to your batteries and this could cause serious risks to your safety. If you do not connect a solar charge controller between your solar panels and your batteries you may overload your system and cause fires or your batteries can explode.

Charging your battery bank from your alternator – is it worth it?

Having your house battery bank connected to the alternator in your engine is helpful if you move around fairly often. If you’re planning on staying in one spot for longer periods of time then this wouldn’t be a very effective option for you. It’s also a bit of a daunting task to connect if you have a more modern vehicle, so unless you’re really into digging into electrical manuals and consulting electrical charts we’d say leave this to a pro.

Our van already had the wiring in place to charge our house battery from the alternator. This was the only way to charge your house batteries in the 80’s before solar panels (our van is a 1984 Dodge B250). We decided to upgrade the wiring and add a kill switch so we can disconnect the alternator’s power from the solar charge controller.

We find with our alternator we can fully charge our batteries on cloudy days if we take a long drive. This also required us to purchase a special charge controller that allowed us to have our panels and our alternator to tie into the same system.

CTEK D250S DUAL

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Kill Switch

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Battery Wiring

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Calculating Power Needs

How much power will my items draw?

To do this you need to add up how many watts each of your electric items will draw on the battery and determine how many hours per day you will have to power each item. There are a ton of great solar power need calculators on the web to help you figure out your final number.

Will solar power be useful for me?

Before you start buying all of the pieces for your solar power system you should ask yourself if the amount of electricity you require is worth the price you spend on buying all of the elements you need to put your solar power system together. Your battery bank is where you’re going to spend the most money in the entire setup.

Here’s a helpful list of questions you can ask yourself to see if solar power is right for your situation:

What’s your budget for electricity?

Depending on what your budget is and how much electricity you plan on consuming, you should weigh over all costs of going solar vs buying a generator. Going green and off the grid is great but for a lot of situations, buying a generator and gas will be cheaper. Solar is a large one time expense while a generator costs far less upfront but has recurring gas expenses.

Are you spending a lot of time remote camping?

You’ll have to determine what type of camping you do most. If you’re going to be boondocking (dry camping) in the middle of nowhere often, having solar power can be quite helpful. Running a generator also works and will provide you with more power, but you have to think about noise & gas as well.

Are you a city dweller?

Running a generator in the city isn’t an option if you want to do some stealth camping. In this situation, you should look into building a solar system that will provide you with the power you need to get through the night.

Will you be spending most of your time at paid campgrounds or RV parks?

If you’re spending most of your time at paid campgrounds or RV parks, they generally have electrical hook ups so having a solar system probably isn’t necessary.

Are you staying in areas that you can’t run a generator?

If you are, solar is your only option.

Are you concerned about your carbon footprint?

Using a solar system can cut down on the amount of times you need to plug into the main electrical grid which, in the long run, will be better for the environment. It’s also a far healthier choice than using a gas-run generator.

Do you want to run air conditioning?

This isn’t impossible but you’re going to have to spend a fortune in panels and batteries to handle the load an air conditioning unit will put on your battery bank. Most vans and RVs simply don’t have enough space for the amount of solar panels and batteries you’re going to need to keep your air conditioner running. If you’re dead set on having air conditioning, you’ll probably want to look into staying at places with dedicated electrical hook ups or buy a generator.

Do you have more questions?

Contact us here!

Ready to get started building your solar system?

Listed below are all the items we used to build our camper van solar system. If you want some more in-depth information about our van build (and wiring diagrams!) you can read our Complete Van Life Solar System article.

DOKIO 150 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

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Renogy 1000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter

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Trojan Reliant T105-AGM 6V Deep-Cycle Battery

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CTEK D250S Dual 12V 20A Battery Charger

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Solar Panel Wire 10AWG 10′ Wire with MC4 Connectors

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15A Inline Circuit Breaker

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MC4 Branch Connectors

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Battery Capacity Monitor

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Mounting Z Brackets

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Weatherproof ABS Solar Double Cable Entry Gland

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Rotary Power Isolator Switch

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USB & 12V Power Ports

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This information can be applied to any sort of solar power system that can be installed in any application that requires electricity. However, when creating a solar system for situations where your dwelling is hooked up to your region’s main power grid there are other considerations, like stopping your solar system from improperly discharging into the grid. You would also need to do plenty of research about the rules and regulations of installing solar power on your residence. We won’t be covering any aspects of residential solar power in this guide and we’d highly recommend you get in contact with your local solar power provider before setting up solar on your permanent residence.

Thank you for taking the time to read our helpful guide! We hope it’s been a great resource for you. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us on our contact form or Facebook.

*DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS. ALL INFORMATION IN THIS GUIDE IS BASED OFF OF OUR OWN RESEARCH. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL BEFORE EXPERIMENTING WITH ANY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS*

ARDEN CREEK – Port Alberni, British Columbia

Secluded waterside camping at its finest. A 40-minute drive from Port Alberni on a well maintained logging road gets you to the Alberni Inlet where you can tent or vehicle camp in a beautifully wooded area with picnic tables and a vault toilet.

Everything you need to know here.

ALEXANDER BAY – Glovertown, Newfoundland

With gravel pits aplenty in Newfoundland, finding one with a view is just an added bonus. Just off of the Trans-Canada on a dirt road is the former settlement of Alexander Bay; now a lovely gravel clearing on Boatswain’s (First) Pond.

Everything you need to know here.

HARTLEY LAKE – Fernie, British Columbia

Nestled in the mountains just 30 minutes outside of Fernie, Hartley Lake is a beautiful emerald-coloured lake surrounded by spruce trees. There are a couple gravel clearings for vehicles and many hiking and ATV trails around in an otherwise perfectly remote setting.

Everything you need to know here.

CASHEL LAKE – Gilmour, Ontario

Grassy crown land on a crystal clear lake. Pick a spot on the grass or in the woods and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of this nicely maintained area perfect for swimming, boating and fishing.

Everything you need to know here.

NAHMINT LAKE – Port Alberni, British Columbia

It’s a rough road to get in, but totally worth the trek. Camp beneath old growth hemlock trees in BC’s rainforest. You’re also steps away from a rocky beach on a quiet freshwater lake.

Everything you need to know here.

Canada is HUGE and full of gorgeous, unobstructed nature waiting to be uncovered (and respected ?). Be sure to let us know if you check out any of these spots and shed some light on your favourite free spots too by leaving a comment below. Happy trails!

Here’s a time-lapse view of the highlights of our average day on the road! We never try to plan too far ahead and we’re always looking for new places and adventures. This video was taken during our stay at the foot of the Dragoon Mountains in the Coronado National Forest, AZ and then our drive through the Mountains to the Gila National Forest, NM.

As with any renovation – be it on wheels or fixed into the ground – good bones are crucial. We already loved the layout and how much storage we had, we just didn’t love the dark wood…and the brown and orange striped cushions…and the floral linoleum floor…and the 30 year old green carpet trim…and the fact that we discovered that it used to be brown. Luckily these were all aesthetic things that we were excited to clean up and modernize to prep for van life.

We started off by staring the green carpet right in the eye. This unfortunate design choice made by the conversion company in the early 80s went almost entirely around the perimeter of the inside of the van to conceal where the high top meets the original van roof. Thankfully, the carpet was attached to pieces of wood that we were able to paint and use a base for our narrow shelf that now wraps the whole living space. We picked up some MDF baseboards at Home Depot and attached them to the outside of the wood, creating a 2” gap from the wall and enough of a lip that things don’t go flying off of it while driving. It’s just the right amount of space to keep our Bluetooth speaker, some extra notebooks and a deck of cards close by. Originally, we had a bunk above the table/bed area but it was missing a piece so it’d only be useful for a small child with a death wish. Removing the front piece that slid out freed up the back ledge for becoming a great extra storage space for our bedding and linens. Finding a place to stow away a duvet when you want to sit at the table can be a pain (oh, van life!), so this worked out really well. We also doubled up on the wood base above the cooking area and used a wooden dowel and some plumbing fixtures to create our spice rack. It’s super handy for storing dishwashing supplies, spices (shocking!) and whatever else will hang on an s-hook.

Carpet surprise #2 arose when we removed the Berber carpet to reveal mint-condition but not quite our style, brown floral linoleum flooring. We had already planned to put down laminate but this discovery really solidified our decision. We opted for a self-adhesive vinyl flooring that was stylish and stupid easy to install. It’s nice and light, easy to cut and cheap (with less than 100 sq. ft. of walking space, we only needed to buy two boxes). We added some additional adhesive in high-traffic areas for extra security and considering our entire renovation was done below 0°C, it’s stuck on there very well. 10/10 would recommend this type of flooring.

And that brings us to paint. Although it was probably the biggest transformation, it was also the biggest headache. Actually, it’s still an ongoing headache.

We used latex paint because there’d be no chance of oil paint drying in our not-so-warm (bitter cold) temperatures. Small anecdote to illustrate the coldness: our paint FROZE in its bucket, rendering it unusable. It also became normal to have to thaw our paintbrushes out before getting started – something all painters face, right?

Anyway, the coverage seemed fine until it started chipping like a mother***** with minimal contact from shoes, tools and even fingernails. The fresh white paint also began to reveal oily stains on the fridge and doors. Even with multiple thick coats, there was no hiding them. We’ve decided that we will re-paint the cupboards and doors with oil when we get somewhere warmer. We are greatly looking forward to repainting pretty much everything (sense my sarcasm). Alas, the biggest pitfall of the latex paint was its complete surrender to water. It would be a lie to say we were ignorant to the nature of their relationship, but we thought it would be ok anyway. Long story short, we bought a spray topcoat to create a more durable surface for the two countertops to spare us from the tears that ensue when you do the dishes and your countertop peels off – and then more of it peels off from the tear residue. We originally thought we were cool and were gonna do a faux-stone (read: fancy!) effect on the countertops and table but that didn’t pan out so well. It’s hard to find the words to describe how garbage it looked but let’s just say that that spray can should have just stayed at the store.

Our final painting adventure was the most beautiful transformation of all. We always knew that the quilted vinyl ceiling was a tad dingy, but as we began whitening the cupboards and doors, the ceiling and walls became increasingly…yellow. Spray painting was our ticket. With a couple coats on the ceiling and fiberglass walls, it looked so much brighter and cleaner. The fumes were pretty intense but they say the spiritual discovery is worth it. Wait what?

With all the major stuff out of the way, it was looking like a new van! We put up an adhesive subway tile backsplash, added some new shelves into the cupboards and put down new rubber mat flooring in the cab area. The rubber was sold by the foot and cost us 15 bucks so that was the clear choice over custom mats that go for $100+. We are cheap bastards after all. Speaking of being economical, we gave our fridge a quick facelift by removing the wooden face panel and replacing it with some shiny silver gift-wrap from the dollar store behind a frosted plastic sheet. It’s no stainless steel but it’s clean and adds a little twinkle to our otherwise white kitchen.

We decided to preserve the upholstery on the driver and passenger seat because the cushions are comfy and it reminds us of the previous colour scheme of our beautiful 80s rig. This upholstery didn’t stand the test of time on our bed cushions, however. Not to say that they were in bad shape, they just weren’t ideal for Clementine’s new getup.

I sewed up some new cushion covers from different types of denim and a denim-esque duvet cover I found at a thrift store. It just wouldn’t be possible to get that amount of fabric for that price had I bought it by the metre. We ordered a gel memory foam mattress topper on Amazon and put it on top of the existing cushions for a thicker and more comfortable booty-support system and snooze station. Can confirm that memory foam produces an A+ sleep. I also sewed up all of our curtains from different types of heavy denim to help keep in heat and block out as much light as possible when they’re closed – magnets and Velcro help to keep them firmly in place. I cut straps from suede and used snaps to roll the curtains up when they’re in open mode. The window on the high top is the only one I opted to dress with a traditional curtain using sash wire. For this I used 12oz. Japanese selvedge denim that a friend brought back from Asia. The selvedge makes a beautiful and strong edge along the bottom. I could speak ad nauseam about these curtains and denim in general, but I’ll save it for another blog post.

All in all, we’re super stoked about how everything turned out and are excited to share it with you! Feel free to ask us any questions in the comments or shoot us an email on the Contact page. Let us know if you want to learn more about any aspect of the reno or van life and we’d be happy to do a little write-up on it.

Here’s a gallery of additional photos for your viewing pleasure: