For as long as Weston remembers, he’s been inspired by the tiny home and vanlife movements. A carpenter by trade, he stumbled across a short school bus for sale on Craigslist five years ago and never looked back. Weston sees his skoolie as a space he can make his own while working, traveling, and visiting friends.
The kitchen includes a sink, two burner propane stove, and a vintage look Frigidaire refrigerator. He used African mahogany and Brazillian cherry wood for the countertop and cabinets, which feature pullouts for storage. The fridge runs on 120-volt power, but Weston says his solar panel and batteries make more than enough juice to keep it going.
The skoolie uses a lot of repurposed items and materials. Wood veneer covers the ceiling and a lot of the trim. Canvas curtains and packing blankets provide insulation. The driver and passenger seats are from an old Chevrolet Astro Van and swivel to face the rear of the bus.
Most impressive are the giant couch and massive dining room table, which look like a sectional sofa surrounding a conference table. The couch hides more storage space, including room for the batteries and a 50-gallon water tank. The table can be converted to bed space. Combined with the sofa, it sleeps three people comfortably.
Weston’s story is like many people who take to the road. After college, he worked as a data analyst, but the nine-to-five grind quickly wore him out. He bought the school bus and quit his job, choosing to work as a landscaper. He’s also worked as a counselor for troubled youth before transitioning full-time to carpentry. Now he freelances, working on projects for restaurants, other custom motorhomes, and even a music studio in Mexico City.
As for his skoolie, Weston plans to continue using it even after he buys some land. Eventually, he would like to build a workshop to continue his carpentry work and customize other campers full-time.
