Young Couple Converts Sprinter Van into a Tiny Home on Wheels
We had the pleasure of meeting up with Krys and Taylor a while ago, touring their gorgeous conversion. They are a young couple who self-built their Sprinter van into a super comfortable and functional full-time home on wheels.
If you love rustic cabin vibes mixed with fresh tidy interiors, this is the van for you. Decorated with eye-catching artwork, greenery, and a lot of personality, Marvin the van is a perfect representation of the couple who call it home.
Meet Marvin, a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van turned tiny home on wheels!
The Van:
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans are a great choice for those who prefer a very reliable and fuel-efficient vehicle. They offer a massive amount of storage space and the height needed to live comfortably. All these reasons are why Krys and Taylor chose to convert a Sprinter over anything else.
They recognized that with the blank slate a Sprinter offered they would be able to build the home of their dreams. They were not at all mistaken. The time and love that went into this build reflect in the finished product.
Make: Mercedes Benz
Model: Sprinter 2500 144′ Wheelbase
Year: 2013
Fuel Type: Diesel
Nickname: Marvin
The Van Dwellers:
After meeting each other, Krys and Taylor quickly realized that they would be jumping into van life as a couple. After a few discussions and a couple of weeks, they pooled together a downpayment, purchased an empty cargo van and began building their first home on wheels.
What was once an idea to them both very quickly became a dream come true.
Taylor is a new software development graduate who has landed an awesome remote job developing websites. Krys is a business student doing her schooling remotely from the van. She also owns a small business creating and selling custom acrylic art pieces.
Sprinter Van Decor, Design & Functionality
So how does their Sprinter look like? See for yourself below.
The Kitchen
As the side door slides open you are immediately taken aback by the gorgeous live edge countertop which sets the stage for the rest of the interior, making it feel like you are stepping into a cozy cabin on wheels.
Krys and Taylor both knew when converting the van that it was intended for full-time living which, for them, translated into having a good amount of space for living and cooking. There are plenty of cupboards, a large sink and little touches that give the space character, such as string art pine trees, some green plants to liven up the place and a fruit hammock, the finishing touch to any van.
There is also a diesel heater that blows into the kitchen area and keeps the entire van warm during Canadian winters. This area of the van feels modern yet rustic with white cabinets and natural wood accents.
Features of the kitchen include:
- a large stainless steel sink
- plenty of large cabinets for storage
- 12v Maxxair Fan
- 30L 12v Truck Fridge
- 2x 5-gallon freshwater jugs
- 1x 5-gallon grey water jug
The Living Space
Welcome to the living space. Which can also be called, the office, the dining room, and many other names to fit. This is truly a dynamic space within this conversion.
This living space is comprised of two main pieces, a large couch-like bench and a captivating table that slides out from underneath the bed. Since Krys is an acrylic pour artist they decided to add a special and personal touch to the van by customizing their table with Krys’ talent.
If you fall in love with one detail of this van, let this stunning table be it!
Underneath the benches, there is plenty of storage and is where they store their laundry, shoes and other gear. Across from the bench is a floor to ceiling closet space, kept in place by a netting system.
Krys and Taylor have done an impressive job at paring down the amount of clothing that they own. Fitting their clothing into that closet space keeps everyday choices simple and frees up a bunch of space for other storage. It is truly a minimalists closet.
The Bedroom
After the living space comes the bedroom. We use the term “bedroom” loosely as we know that for most van conversions there is minimal separation between all spaces.
Both Krys and Taylor admit that the bedroom is an overlooked part of their Sprinter van conversion and realize perhaps it is better suited for a single person to sleep upon. However, the sacrifice they made of cutting their bed space short gives them a good amount of living space and workspace during the day.
The bed is between a twin and double bed, made up of a high-density foam mattress. At the foot of the bed, there is an upper cabinet that houses other miscellaneous bits and bobs that otherwise don’t have a place to go.
The Washroom
When planning for a washroom situation Krys and Taylor both agree that it was best to keep it minimal. They recognized when building, that their space was limited and made a decision from there.
For a toilet, they use a portable chemical toilet which does just fine for them and how they live in their van. As for showers they use public spaces and gyms, and shower when they are with family and friends.
The Garage
There is a small but sufficient garage space at the back of the Sprinter van underneath the bed platform. It houses the entire electrical system, batteries, and all of the outdoor gear that they own.
Electrical System
Taylor is the brains behind the entire electrical system. He admits he found the process quite interesting and learned a lot.
It contains:
- 2 x 100W Renogy Solar Panels
- 2 x 110ah AGM Deep Cycle Batteries
- 2000W Inverter/Battery Charger
- 40amp DC-DC Battery Charger
- 20amp Renogy Rover MPPT Solar Charge Controller
What’s Next for them?
Since touring their tiny home on wheels, Krys and Taylor have sold this conversion to another couple and have since moved on to buy a 2019 Mercedes Sprinter Van 2500 177″ Wheelbase. They are currently living the apartment life for a short while as they work on converting their new van. They plan to take what they learned from the first self-build into their next conversion.
If you would like to see a more in-depth tour of this van and learn more about Kryslyn and Taylor’s story, we have done an video tour with them on our YouTube channel
You can find Krys and Taylor on Instagram here
Photos in this article are from their Instagram or were taken on-site during filming.
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