Van Blanc – Incredibly flexible and spacious VW Crafter LWB

This spacious newly converted all-season adventure van can adapt to meet so many needs. Van Blanc isn't pretentious but he's very well specified and practical, using high quality components and a design based on my decades of experience of travelling in campervans. The focus is on function rather than glitter. Van Blanc offers an unmatched combination of space and flexibility and is a lovely place to be, whether as a couple or a family. There are belted seats and full-length beds for up to five people, making a great family van. But if there are just two of you then you can take advantage of the enormous garage space, or even have an out-of-the-way place for your dog bed. There's a shower-toilet room with skylight and extractor fan and the kitchen space offers two metres of worktop.

For travel you have three belted seats up front, and two belted forward-facing travel seats in the rear. The driver has a comfortable and well-equipped cockpit, with cab climate-control, cruise control, Bluetooth connected radio, and reversing camera. The van is long and slim, making small roads no problem, and it's relaxed and capable on main roads. In addition to all the internal storage there's a tow-bar (a two-bike rack is available) and a roof rack.

When you're pitched up the L-shaped lounge facing the huge sliding door is light, spacious and airy. The van has been designed to create an aura of spaciousness and allow inside and out to join seamlessly. In designing the layout I knew from my decades of experience with campervans that having living space in which you can stretch out and enjoy life is more valuable than filling that space with stuff. The 2.5 metre L-shaped lounge created by spinning round the twin front passenger seat is a wonderful space to chill and look out, rain or shine. There's a skylight overhead for light and ventilation, opening windows, and of course that big sliding door. The removable table is on a double axis adjustable mount so it can be adjusted in position and height for a variety of uses for work, rest and play.

Lighting is plentiful and flexible, with LED lights in the ceiling and under the high-level cupboards. These are a mixture of switch-controlled fixed lighting for convenience, and touch-controlled dimmers for flexibility, so you can have an ambience for every occasion.

The living area has the benefit of comprehensive sound deadening and thermal insulation to make it comfortable in all seasons. The electrical system is serviced by a leisure battery charged by a solar panel on the roof, from the vehicle alternator when the engine is running or from mains hook-up (or shore-power as some call it) where available. You have full off-grid capability, including an inverter so that you can have 230V electricity for charging phones, cameras, PCs and bikes even when out in the wilds. You have a boiler providing hot water and blown-air heating, using gas when you're off-grid and electricity when you have a hook-up.

The kitchen is equipped with a well-sized fridge (also accessible from outside the sliding door for that cool evening drink), two-burner gas hob and a sink served by hot and cold water. The enormous worktop (1.8 metres in length, plus the fridge top) gives plenty of preparation space. There are cupboards under the worktop and high-level cupboards above, so you have plenty of stowage space.

Opposite the kitchen there is a wardrobe space with hanging rail and a further two high-level lockers above the lounge settee.

When it's time for bed you have many options ― the van can be a fabulous platform for family fun or a spacious and comfortable adventure vehicle for one or two.. The front settee space converts into a comfortable and well-sized double or if you prefer, the settee can act as an excellent single bed by simply removing the backrest cushions. The bunks at the rear can provide up to three further full-length berths. The bottom bunk can be re-configured into a child berth or dog sleeping area, freeing up a rear storage area of around 60x60x60 cm. If you don't require the full five-berth capability then you can have a garage of around 60x60x180 cm (WxHxL) using two rear bunks, or 60x120x180 cm with just the top bunk in place. The top bunk can also be easily removed if you require, giving 60x180x180 cm full standing height space accessible through the rear door.

The enclosed shower compartment comes equipped with a modern chemical toilet and shower with mixer tap for hot and cold water from the boiler. There's 100 litres of fresh water storage inside the van (so you'll still have water when it's freezing outside), and a 70 litre underslung waste water tank, giving comfortable off-grid autonomy for several days.