The Details That Make a Camper Van Kitchen Livable

If you’ve spent time living or traveling in a small space, like a camper van, you know that the challenge of staying organized is real. In a confined environment, life’s necessities can start to feel overwhelming. Eating, sleeping, working, and doing your business all take place within a few feet of one another. Without designing for varying use cases throughout the day, these all blur, leading to everyday clutter that’s more than just inconvenient, it’s exhausting.

With our custom camper vans, we prioritize designing furniture that considers how it will be used throughout the day. It’s about more than aesthetics. It’s about preserving a sense of peace and order in an environment that has to do a lot with very little. One place where that is very apparent is the kitchen.

While food prep and cooking are only small parts of most people’s days, the tools and mess that come with them have a way of taking over. A fridge humming through the night. A silverware drawer rattling with every turn. A countertop that becomes home to jewelry, your computer, toothbrush, and somehow all about to fall into the sink of dirty dishes. These aren’t just minor annoyances, over time, they chip away at the experience of comfort and ease.

So we designed a kitchen that hides away the mess. Our sink and faucet disappear under a lid that is hinged like a laptop so it’s easy to use and hides dirty dishes. Our induction stove is integrated into a drawer and provides 2 burners with an easy to clean glass top which can also be used for more countertop space. Bins with inserts for organizing kitchenware and your food, and designed to never rattle or clatter on the road (like a drawer). 

Speaking of storage, it’s a big deal, it’s what keeps the chaos in check. Our bin system is a prime example: developed through countless iterations and real-world experience, the result is a hybrid that acts like a drawer when you need access and like a bin when you’re on the move. Whether you're cooking outdoors, bringing supplies in after a trip, or reconfiguring your setup mid-journey, these bins adapt with you.

Above the kitchen, we’ve integrated a T-slot track for mounting all kinds of storage ideas. We can provide 3D-printed hooks, carpet-lined bins, custom bags to speaker and or projector mounts to cast onto a 42” screen over the cab. Or you can take the wheel and mount your own needs and ideas, just send us a pic so we can share your cool idea with the community and keep expanding what Nooks can do.

 Even if you are a person who needs a big kitchen to cook killer bagels, (it’s been done) living in a compact space doesn’t mean being constantly reminded of everything happening in that space. Your van should shift with you throughout the day and with your activities, trip to trip.