A stunning coffee table book for DIYers, interior design lovers, as well as vanlife and tiny homes enthusiasts, This Old Van is the complete how-to guide to plan, renovate and style your own vintage van to give it a second life.

We have received countless emails from keen renovators around the world asking for advice on refitting a vintage van or RV. So we’ve compiled our tips, tricks, and the wisdom we have learned on our own projects and distilled it into one helpful and beautiful book. Learn what to look for when purchasing a second-hand van, follow detailed information on planning and construction, and discover plenty of design and styling tips, alongside beautiful photos of our many van conversions to help provide further inspiration.

For many, a van or RV is much more than just a holiday home – it’s a vehicle for freedom and adventure, or might even be your permanent home. We address every consideration from budgeting and spatial planning to colour palettes, so you can create your dream home on wheels.

Shop an exclusive signed copy from us of This Old Van here.

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After 4 years under our house patiently waiting for her moment in the sun, our 1970’s vintage Viscount, Goldie was our chance to take what we learned from our previous 4 vans and create something truly just for us.

Goldie’s colour scheme feels like a step back in time and pays tribute to golden hour, our favourite time of day and when the Gold Coast is at its best. We used the Taubmans Coloursmith app to come up with some seriously special paint colours, in White Knight Paints products that are designed to withstand small space living, life on the road and everything that comes with van life.

Painting the interior

Unlike some of our other vans, Goldie was a full strip out. There was nothing to be rescued inside so we used the opportunity to come up with a completely new layout that served our lifestyle and the way we like to use our vans. We lined all the walls and made all the cabinetry with light weight, bracing plywood, which was cost effective, durable and brings loads of warmth.

We sealed the top half of the walls with a polyurethane sealant and the rest we painted we primed with White Knight Renew Tile and Laminate primer before following with White Knight Renew Tile and Laminate paint. We could have used a standard interior wall paint on this surface, but we know from our previous vans that this paint is designed to be incredibly hardy and can take the knock about lifestyle that comes with small space van living. It can also be tinted in any colour. I came up with an earthy, dusky pink colour that I created with the Taubmans Coloursmith app which complements the timber as well as the exteriors colours.

Goldie’s interior colour Coloursmith QR code.

Painting the exterior

Before we could get to the fun part of getting colour on the exterior we needed to prep and paint the chassis. We got rid of any loose rust and painted the steel with White Knight Rust Guard Hammered finish in Charcoal. It’s anti-corrosive, super durable and is also ideal for disguising stone chips that comes with van life.

Coming up with the colour scheme for our van exteriors always feels like a big deal. It sets the tone for the entire scheme. I wanted Goldie to feel like you’ve been transported to the 70’s, warm and toastie like a sunset and little bit different from what we’ve done in the past.  I used the Taubmans Coloursmith app, I came up with two unique, complementing colours that I can only describe as sort of peach and sort of berry. The colours contrast each other but still feel part of the same family and therefore keep it feeling tonal which, I love.

Coloursmith QR code: Goldie’s exterior bottom colour

Coloursmith QR code: Goldie’s exterior top colourPainting metals

There is always a few metal surfaces to address when it comes to our caravans. As we’ve done with all our caravan windows, we painted Goldie’s windows with White Knight Squirts which is perfect for fine metals like this. And we opted for the colour Mocha which helped the windows blend rather than pull focus.

Then there is our fridge. Rather than squeeze our food into a caravan-specific fridge when camping, we use a small domestic fridge which sits under our awning but the black was not going to fly with our new van colours so we painted it with White Knight Rust Guard Epoxy Enamel tinted in a Taubmans Coloursmith colour that complements the van. There is no primer needed for this when used on new or only slightly rusted metal, so it was as simple as wipe and paint.

Another vintage belle ready to hit the road!

Carlene 

This blog was brought to you by White Knight Paints. All words and ideas are my own.

Images by Mindi Cooke.

Meet Dolly; and while I know that you’ve probably already seen, met, and loved her as much as we have, it’s time to break down the nitty gritty of our largest (22 foot to be exact!) home on wheels. Featuring beds at both ends, including the sweetest of bunks, a spacious, fully functioning kitchen area, dining nook and heaps of storage space, Dolly rolls into a camping ground in style.

Utilising our signature brass accents, combined with pastels and quirky prints, we love Dolly’s fresh, retro, coastal vibe. In an effort to salvage as much of the original van as possible, we’ve restored the original handles, cabinetry and dining table in keeping with the van’s heritage. Dolly is a light, bright, breath of fresh air. She is our home away from home, our beach holiday on wheels. She is named to honour the legacy of Dolly Everett, who leaves behind a powerful message, “speak even if your voice shakes.” May her death not be in vain.

Ready to create your own dream home on wheels? Learn a few tips and tricks from us on how to buy and bring back to life your van – watch here.

Then, see below our resources guide where we sourced everything from the tiles, to the paint colours, bedding, and appliances for Dolly.

Overall Look and Feel

Interior Paint (Blue): Taubmans Crashing Waves
Interior Paint (White): Taubmans Big White
Exterior Paint (Blue): Taubmans Crashing Waves
Exterior Paint (White): Taubmans Big White
Flooring: Godfrey Hirst “Spotted Gum” Vinyl Planks from DecoRug
Cabinetry: Original cabinetry painted in White Knight Laminate Paint in Taubmans Crashing Waves
Cabinetry brass fronts: Arrow Metal
Door knobs: Original painted in White Knight Squirts in Satin Gold
Decal sign: Advanced Signworks

Dining

Bench fabric print: Palm Paisley in Sapphire from 3Beaches
Bench fabric navy: Navy Velvet from Warwick Fabric
Dining table: Original resurfaced in Laminex Carrara Laminate
Brass strip: George White

Kitchen Nook

Kitchen benchtop: Laminate Carrara by Laminex
Kitchen tiles: Tic Tac Tiles from Ebay
Kitchen tapware: Imported direct (Cedar and Suede)
Kitchen appliances: Dometic
Kitchen sink: Ebay

Beds

Bed linens queen: Quilt over from Adairs
Bed linens bunk beds: Quilt covers from Linen House, sheets from Savannah and Three, pillow cases from Pottery Barn Kids
Curtains: Warwick Fabric
Bed ladder: Oak dowel custom made by Michael

Small Decor

Vases: Kaz Morton Ceramics and Sheridan Australia
Blue bowl: Kmart

 DOLLY’S SHOP IT MOODBOARD

(Top to bottom L-R) 3 Beaches Palm Paisley Print | George White Brass Detailing | Nora Roberts Book | Kaz Morton Vase | Arrow Metal Woven Brass

I think that covers all of the big to little details on our gorgeous Dolly, but if not, please ask questions in the comments section below and I will do my best to source it. And for more vintage caravan goodness follow This Old Van on Instagram.

Carlene xx

Our sunshine in a van; our fresh spring air; our beloved Bumblebee. A joy to look at and even more to be in, we still get as many interior requests and questions regarding her as the day we completed her. Inspired by her sunny yellow interior, we keep things fresh with a neutral palette injecting vintage florals to pay homage to the vans heritage. With rattan and oak cabinetry throughout and little antique treasures, Bumblebee feels like the retro home you’ve always yearned.

Needing some more hints and tips on how to create your own BB? Watch here as we give you some space saving tips for for your own caravan living!

See below our resources guide from the paint colours, to the pendants and each itty bitty detail in between.

Overall Look and Feel

Exterior paint (yellow): Taubmans Sundial
Exterior paint (white):  Taubmans Big White
Interior paint (white): Taubmans Big White
Exterior decal: Advanced Signworks
Flooring: Godfrey Hirst “Spotted Gum” Vinyl Plank from DecoRug
Rattan Cabinetry: Ikea timber cabinet doors modified with rattan insert (you can now purchase rattan doors from Ikea)
Cabinet knobs: Kethy

Dining Nook

Woven Pendant: Beacon Lighting Byron Pendant
Bench Fabric (back rest): Hattie Daffodil from Warrick Fabrics
Bench Fabric (seat): Ambrosia Daffodil from Warrick Fabrics
Dining table: Resurfaced in Laminex Carrara Marble Laminate

Kitchen

Benchtop & splashback: Laminex Carrara Marble Laminate
Kitchen tapware: Direct import (Cedar and Suede)
Stove: Dometic
Fridge: Dometic
Sink: Ebay

Bed Corner

Bedspread: Linen House
Pillows: Adairs
Bed cushions: Adairs
Curtains: Montpellier Snow from Warwick Fabrics

Small Decor

Clock: Original
Vases: Vintage
Artwork: Etsy

I think that covers it but if not, please ask questions in the comments section below because no doubt others will have the same. To see more inspiration and images of our beloved van check out the blog post here.

Carlene xx