Campervan layouts explained: beds, kitchens, washrooms

Most buyers can describe their dream campervan exterior in a sentence. Most cannot describe the layout. That is reasonable: layouts are the interior plan, the dance of where the bed sits and where the kitchen sits and where the door opens and where you put your wet boots, and they are nearly impossible to picture from a brochure.

This piece walks through the layout decisions that actually matter, with the trade-offs each one quietly forces on the others. For wider context start with our complete guide to commissioning a custom campervan.

The bed decision

The bed is the single biggest determinant of layout. There are three serious options for a UK custom build.

Fixed transverse bed

A fixed bed across the back of the van. Made up all the time. Usually on a raised platform with garage storage underneath. Best for couples who want bed-quality sleep and are willing to give up daytime seating for it. Limits van length: a transverse double needs a Crafter MWB or longer; a Sprinter MWB works at 1.85m sleep length, longer wheelbases give a 1.9 to 2.0m option.

Fixed longitudinal bed

A fixed bed running front-to-back along one side of the van, often a high-sided single or a slim double. Frees up the other side for a long galley kitchen. Common on larger Sprinters used by full-time owners.

Rock-and-roll bed

A bench seat that converts to a bed each evening. Best for buyers who want full daytime seating and dining for four. Limits sleep quality and adds a nightly setup.

Kitchen position

There are two kitchen positions worth considering on a UK custom build: side galley and rear galley.

A side galley runs along one side of the van, opposite the slide door. The cook stands inside the van, the prep flow runs front-to-back, and the slide door becomes part of the kitchen experience in good weather.

A rear galley runs across the back of the van, accessed through the back doors. The cook can stand outside in good weather. Pairs naturally with a longitudinal bed up front. Less suitable for British weather, where outdoor cooking is, more often than not, an idea rather than an activity.

Most HubDub builds use a side galley. It is the most flexible option for British use.

The washroom question

The hardest single decision in any custom layout. Adding a wet room costs roughly 800mm of van length, around £4,500 in materials and labour, and adds 60kg of weight. Buyers who add one are split roughly half-and-half between those who use it weekly and those who use it twice and wish they had not.

Our default position: do not add a wet room unless you can describe a specific use case in your own life that requires one. The most common honest answer is winter trips with children. If that is not you, skip it.

Storage

Storage capacity is the single thing buyers most underestimate at the design stage and most appreciate after a year of use. Aim for one large garage under the bed, two overhead lockers, and one wardrobe. Add a designated wet-boot area near the slide door if you intend to use the van in winter.

What we would do

If a buyer arrives with a blank brief and no strong preferences, our default recommendation is: VW Crafter MWB, transverse fixed bed at the rear, side galley along the slide-door side, no wet room, large under-bed garage with rear-door access, and a portable cassette toilet stowed in the wardrobe. This is the layout we have built more than any other and the one most owners say works.