7 Skillful School Bus Conversions That Get an A-Plus in Our Book

Revived and retrofitted as delightful tiny homes, these skoolies receive top marks.

Sep 10, 2020 - 02:00
7 Skillful School Bus Conversions That Get an A-Plus in Our Book

Revived and retrofitted as delightful tiny homes, these skoolies receive top marks.

Fern the bus and Mande on the road in the Badlands.

Back-to-school season has us reminiscing about our favorite school bus conversions—aka skoolies. These Internationals and Blue Birds have been stripped down to their hulls and custom-built for life on the open road. With cozy sleeping quarters, multipurpose nooks, and full baths and kitchens, some of these spaces are even equipped to house a family of six so everyone—including Fido—can come along for the ride.

Gabriel and Debbie Mayes’s Skoolie for Six

For the L-shaped kitchen, the Mayes' chose an under-counter fridge/freezer unit so as to have more counter space. The 23-inch Vigo sink is deep enough to bathe a baby or hide dirty dishes.

A family of six downsized from a 5,000-square-foot house to a 250-square-foot skoolie that they renovated themselves. With a neutral color scheme and warm wood accents, the home-on-wheels feels large and homey. A layout with sleeping quarters in the back and the living, dining, and kitchen areas in the front gives this space definition and a thoughtful flow.  

Courtesy of the Mayes Team

The mirrored closet doors on the left conceal a marine portable toilet, while an outdoor shower is plumbed through a tankless water heater. The cabinet on the left holds an under-counter refrigerator. The cedar ladder to the roof deck is just glimpsed through the operable back door, which allows them to access the "garage."

A Michigan couple renovated a 1992 International school bus, transforming it into their adventure vehicle. The duo embraced reclaimed materials and items during the DIY build-out, reusing foam from the school bus seats to create banquette cushions and salvaging a 1950s stove from an old RV. To extend their space, they added a rooftop deck, giving themselves a place to stargaze and store their paddle boards. 

Courtesy of Mande Tucker

Here is a look at the central aisle to the back of the bus. On the left, there is a fold-up tabletop tucked behind the couch armrest and a seat for one person, serving perfectly as a homework or writing spot. The bus also has a tiny wood stove—along with wood storage—on the ledge to the left of the fridge.

This family of five spent $30,000 and several months converting a 1999 Blue Bird school bus into a home-on-wheels. What started as a vacation vehicle is now the family’s full-time residence. A neutral color scheme, bright white walls, and plenty of windows makes this small 320-square-foot home appear big and bright.  

Ashley Trebitowski

See the full story on Dwell.com: 7 Skillful School Bus Conversions That Get an A-Plus in Our Book
Related stories:

Read More at Dwell