Critique my van interior layout please!

[RememberTheFallen]

Trying to finalize my interior layout for my RB, standard roof E350. Finally have a laptop so I have been playing around on Sketchup. I am a noobie to it but so far it has been extremely useful for determining layout and that certain ideas that worked in my head don't work in reality.

The bed/futon will be 78" long due to my height and pull out to 46" wide when out. It will go all the way up against the passenger side cabinet. The exact workings of the futon are not figured out yet and not shown on the sketch. Chairs and a couple of Tupperware containers will stored below the bed.

The cabinet behind the drivers seat will hold my lugaloo, pelican medical case, have a slide out table, with two pull out drawers and two open cubbies.

The fridge hovers because the model I pulled off of the 3D warehouse is a 37qt where mine is a 50qt. It will sit all the way down on the wood in reality. My electronics will be below the fridge in the space shown in the indentation just above my frame mounted battery. There will be a a storage space behind the fridge that will be accessible by a top open lid. The tall cabinet will have doors that slide back and forth and hold randoms. Two 5 gallon jerry cans with water pump will reside inside the space below that opens to the back.








So what do you all think? Am I missing some glaring detail that isn't going to work out? Any suggestions?

I really appreciate the help!


Joe

 

[luthj]

How wide is your center aisle?

I am not sure on the availability, but a swivel on the passenger seat would be a welcome addition to most layouts.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

How wide is your center aisle?

I am not sure on the availability, but a swivel on the passenger seat would be a welcome addition to most layouts.

The center isle is 16". So the futon can only pull out that far. The back of the futon will have to pivot to fit down in the space to fit. Not sure if that makes sense but I have played with the design and it will work I think. It is 46" from the drivers side wall to the cabinet.

I bought a swivel seat from 1der on sportsmobile forum last year. You are right, it is very nice. Just didn't show it in the sketch.

 

[simple]

The fridge easy access next to the door looks good. Are you planning some compartmentalized storage under the bed? Maybe split the space into two compartments. A deep box on slides accessed from the back door and a box at the front of the bed accessed by lifting up the cushion?

 

[Herbie]

I'm assuming max of two travelers?

That couch/bed looks fine for the occasional hangout, but riding sideways, and that far aft, would suck for a group of 3+. (Speaking from experience, and why my van follows the "westfalia" weekender layout.)

 

[RememberTheFallen]

The fridge easy access next to the door looks good. Are you planning some compartmentalized storage under the bed? Maybe split the space into two compartments. A deep box on slides accessed from the back door and a box at the front of the bed accessed by lifting up the cushion?

Initially had planned on drawers under the bed but realized they would be difficult to access when pulled out to side towards the passenger cabinet. Maybe one towards the front. Planned on leave the back open for camp chairs and E-Z-UP and such.

I like your idea though. I will try to model that out.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

I'm assuming max of two travelers?

That couch/bed looks fine for the occasional hangout, but riding sideways, and that far aft, would suck for a group of 3+. (Speaking from experience, and why my van follows the "westfalia" weekender layout.)

Yes, just the wife and I. No kids or plans to have any. Not planning on carrying anyone. Thought about an RB50 type layout but had trouble getting the length I needed out of the bed. The futon will be purely for camp. No plan on trying to make it strong enough to endure a crash or add seat belts.

This is how it currently sits. The bed just takes up way too much room and is too high.

 

[86scotty]

It looks great to me. Many folks don't like the sideways couch but if there are just two of you it's great, very rarely if ever will anyone be sitting sideways while you're on the road. It more than makes up for itself in camp mode, and with the swivel front seat you've got a nice little living room.

I like the idea of the fridge right inside the side door. Accessible form in or out is awesome.

Are you going to add a stove at all? The little single $20 butane ones are great for vans. I don't cook a lot indoors but the ability to sit it on a countertop and heat some soup or coffee/tea is really nice, and then you're counters aren't used up with a fixed, rattly stove. I have had no problems with these little things in a regular roof van, in fact I've used mine inside my Expedition (SUV) a few times.

I'm also curious if you'll have room for any kind of door galley with the fridge there? Is there any space at all between the fridge and the side door where you could mount at least a fold down table on the side door? The door galley is quite a nice thing to have in on a van when camping.

 

[Corneilius]

Your layout is very similar to mine, fridge, bed, and storage in the same spots. I put a sink in my counter behind the driver seat and it was one of the best things. We can brush our teeth/wash up before bed or when we wake up without leaving the van. I love having my fridge there as well as my swivel seat. I will say that you should maximize the bed area, wishing mine was bigger. Check out my build thread pics.

edit: I love my sideways bench for hanging out too, even when were not camping we find ourselves hanging out with friends inside.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

Your layout is very similar to mine, fridge, bed, and storage in the same spots. I put a sink in my counter behind the driver seat and it was one of the best things. We can brush our teeth/wash up before bed or when we wake up without leaving the van. I love having my fridge there as well as my swivel seat. I will say that you should maximize the bed area, wishing mine was bigger. Check out my build thread pics.

edit: I love my sideways bench for hanging out too, even when were not camping we find ourselves hanging out with friends inside.

It should look familiar! Yours was part of my inspiration! In fact I plan on copying your bed but add a vertical portion that angle up. Hope you don't mind the copying.

I have an electric faucet pump on my Jerry can in the back and thinking about making access inside with a pull out tub/bin under it was a catch basin.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

It looks great to me. Many folks don't like the sideways couch but if there are just two of you it's great, very rarely if ever will anyone be sitting sideways while you're on the road. It more than makes up for itself in camp mode, and with the swivel front seat you've got a nice little living room.

I like the idea of the fridge right inside the side door. Accessible form in or out is awesome.

Are you going to add a stove at all? The little single $20 butane ones are great for vans. I don't cook a lot indoors but the ability to sit it on a countertop and heat some soup or coffee/tea is really nice, and then you're counters aren't used up with a fixed, rattly stove. I have had no problems with these little things in a regular roof van, in fact I've used mine inside my Expedition (SUV) a few times.

I'm also curious if you'll have room for any kind of door galley with the fridge there? Is there any space at all between the fridge and the side door where you could mount at least a fold down table on the side door? The door galley is quite a nice thing to have in on a van when camping.

Yes, the fridge worked out well as I didn't like crawling in the van to get stuff out. I tend to stay outside the van more and just sleep inside now. I have a Coleman two burner stove that I keep in a chuck box I made but the box is too big to fit anywhere. I like the door galley idea but do not have room with the fridge. I have a new plan I tweaked a little by moving the futon all the way forward and moving that short cabinet in the back drivers side and making it floor to ceiling. I also picked the fridge up some so it could be moved back over the wheel well so the fridge would be flush with the door. That way I wold have more leg room while sitting on the futon and have a nice view out the side doors when they are open. Still modeling that one out.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

This is my modified design to allow more foot room on the futon. Moved the cabinet to the back and ran from floor to ceiling. Also moved fridge up and back over wheel well so door is clear and someone sitting at very front of futon can stretch legs all the way out. It will allow a door galley as Eric mentioned. Would be easier to get the bed back into futon mode in this layout as well. Only issue is when the bed is out there will not be any space in the front. The lugaloo will have to be set up in the back between the cabinets.

 

[Corneilius]

It should look familiar! Yours was part of my inspiration! In fact I plan on copying your bed but add a vertical portion that angle up. Hope you don't mind the copying.

Not mad at all, flattered. I would be wary of this ^^ layout beacause of what you mentioned about not having any room up front with the bed out. We have a small area behind front seats but it is super crucial in terms of getting dressed in the morning/accessing storage/place to put dirty shoes etc. I don't have room for a door gally but am planning a flip down table on the rear barn door with a couple of molle pouches

 

[_hein_]

Like the update with the futon moved. We have ours in the same position and it's great for chilling on the couch with the door open and taking in the scenery. Better than looking at the opposite wall.

 

[Jb1rd]

This is essentially the same as the layout on our old AS B190, it worked great for two people but not so great when we took our parents for a tour of the desert SW We made the best of it but it certainly was not legal the way we had the couch pulled out and pillows stacked for rider comfort. All that being said if I found a wrecked B190 I would happily live with this arrangement in order to save myself the headaches of a scratch build!! Good luck and can't wait to see what you come up with.