A retired couple along with their Golden Retriever Dennis were looking for a luxury camper to take them on new adventures! Perfectly designed for weekends away and long term holidays, Doris offers a bright open space that will make the most of her surroundings, wherever she may go.
With a big kitchen, stylish shower room, versatile dinette area and a powerful electrical set-up, this van really packs a punch and covers all of the couple's needs. In particular, it was essential to this couple to make Doris suitable for their dog and we were really happy to incorporate some practical doggy features into this build.
So let’s jump in and see what makes Doris so special!
The base van:
Doris is an L3H2 Citroen Relay, a reliable 6m long van that's easy to build in and one of the more popular conversion vehicles you'll see on the road.
We added a few nice upgrades to Doris including a WolfBox reverse camera and dash camera, a permanent 12v USB feed into the cab, a Thule Omnistor awning complete with an outside light and a matching electrical step for the sliding door.
The awning light and electric step can be conveniently turned on and off by a switch at the entrance to the sliding door. The electric step automatically closes when the ignition is turned on.
It’s all in the details:
Doris is giving all the summery vibes with her warm yellow and blue aesthetic, light oak wood worktops and beautifully patterned kitchen tiles.
The wood-panelled ceiling and flooring match the worktops and the light yellow soft furnishings really bring the whole look together making the space feel bright but cosy.
Unique features:
Doris wasn’t just designed with her owners in mind. Their dog Dennis requested a few special features of his own!
First up, to keep Dennis safe when travelling, we installed a doggy seatbelt in the cab which is bolted to the floor. Next to this, by the sliding door is a tie-down point, so Dennis can be outside without getting loose and we added a retractable dog gate from the Dog G8 company for when he is indoors to ensure he cannot jump out unexpectedly.
Now, there is one extra feature that we think Dennis is less of a fan of and that’s the raised shelf in the kitchen, where his owners can put their food without him stealing it!
For most of our clients, it's important to them that they can travel with their furry companions, so we love being able to add extra features like these. What doggy features would you add to your van?
The layout:
Doris has a unique layout as she is a combination of our popular Kunu and Milo models.
At the front of the van, you have the shower/toilet cubicle and then a big kitchen with worktops on both sides. This type of kitchen utilises the space and provides a lot of storage areas. To the rear of the van is a dinette seating area which is great for working, eating or just sitting back and enjoying the views out the back doors.
So you can enjoy panoramic views, there are two rear ventilation windows that come with black-out blinds and built-in fly screens. To get Doris into sleep mode, you just drop the table down, move the cushions and make the bed ready for a peaceful night's sleep.
Shower and toilet:
Doris’s shower cubicle provides a lot of great features such as a skylight for ventilation, a cubby hole for storage and a hanging solution for wet towels and clothes. This combined with a heating vent makes this a great airing cupboard and who doesn’t love a multipurpose space?!
There is also a stylish black mixer bar for the shower and an Ogo composting toilet with an electronic agitator.
One of the best features here is the custom-made shower tray, manufactured in the UK from stainless steel which was then powdered coated in white, to match the Reco wall tiles. These shower trays fit the floor space perfectly, giving you more room when showering and come with a lifetime guarantee against leaks.
Kitchen:
The kitchen in Doris is a well thought out space with two worktops and lots of storage cupboards above and below. On one side there is a twin induction hob and countersunk sink, with inserts to match the worktop and a hose tap which is practical for cleaning out the sink. Underneath there is a cutlery drawer, bin storage, a large cupboard suitable for storing an air fryer plus large drawers for storing pots and pans.
On the other side of the kitchen is a large counter area with an extension to provide even more space. The clients also opted to have their coffee machine fixed to the worktop. Underneath is an 80l Dometic CRX80 compressor fridge/freezer, multiple storage drawers and the added bonus of a wine bottle holder.
The overhead cupboards with touch sensitive downlights provide extra storage and are on gas struts which will prevent them from flying open when driving.
Electrical system:
With LPG becoming harder to find in the UK, our clients are often opting for a gasless setup, utilising electric from solar power for ccoking appliances and diesel fuelled boiler for heating and hot water. This type of setup requires a good electrical system to keep everything charged up and Doris is a great example of this.
Here are the specs:
- 460ah Roamer lithium battery: This powerhouse of a battery ensures that you can stay off-grid for extended periods without running out of power
- Victron Multiplus inverter charger 3000VA: Provides a high output of power that will allow the owners to run the induction hob, coffee machine and other 230v appliances.
- 540W Solar Panel: Harnessing the sun’s energy, these panels keep the battery charged and the appliances running smoothly
- 2 x Victron Orion -Tr 12|12 30 Amp alternator chargers: These charge the leisure battery whilst driving
To monitor the electrical system, Doris has the Victron energy touchscreen display. We also connected a Ruvvi temperature sensor which can be monitored on the screen or accessed remotely via an app, which is ideal if you want to leave your dog in the van, but are worried about the temperature.
To heat water and the van, Doris has a Truma D4E combi boiler which comes with a touchscreen display. Not only can you set the room temperature from it but also the hot water to either 40C or 60C, as well as select whether you want it to run on diesel or electric.
Ready for the road:
As you can see Doris really ticks all the boxes and her owners were so pleased with the end result!
"They worked with us to realise our dream and specific requirements to provide our spectacular build. The eye for detail is phenomenal and the craftsmanship is outstanding. Doris is the second gasless version to come out of the workshop with some impressive tech and with the dog hacks added, is allowing us to safely take our Golden Retriever with us. The only downside is that he has insisted, all 36kgs of him, in sharing the bed!”
Sounds like Dennis the dog is a fan too!
This couple is now ready to take Doris on the road, where they can park up at picturesque locations, enjoy a home cooked meal, open a bottle of wine and enjoy the views all from the comfort of their van.
If this sounds like your dream then get in touch at info@vanlifeconversions.co.uk
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