Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

A family of 4 transformed their van into a bohemian tiny home on wheels

A family of 4 transformed their van into a bohemian tiny home on wheels

The Hofker family spent two months renovating their old van into a camper perfect for surfing adventures and weekend trips across Europe.

*  The Hofker family spent the summer of 2020 renovating their old family van.

*  With each family member focusing on a specific task, they removed the seats and transformed the 2003 Volkswagen T4 Transporter into a "bohemian modern" tiny home on wheels.

*  The family estimates that they spent around $4,300 on the project.

*  "Before it was just a thing you sit in and go somewhere," Sanne Hofker told Insider. "Now, it's suddenly someplace you want to be in."

Growing up, Tom Hofker, 21, and Sanne Hofker, 19, would travel from their home in Den Bosch, Netherlands, to destinations across Europe in their family's bright-red van.

Whether it was a camping trip or speed skating competition, their friends and teammates quickly became accustomed to the 2003 Volkswagen T4 Transporter and nicknamed it "The Hofker Bus" in Dutch.

"We literally grew up in it," Tom told Insider.

When those tournaments ended, the siblings' mother, Mirjam Hofker, used the van for work. But this year, she got a new van, so the Hofkers decided to renovate their old van, spending two months over the summer of 2020 transforming the vehicle into a homey camper van ideal for weekend getaways.


"Before it was just a thing you sit in and go somewhere," Sanne told Insider of the van. "Now, it's suddenly someplace you want to be in."

What originally started as a budget plan turned into a full-scale renovation


Tom said that in the Netherlands, passenger vans can be taxed heavily. So when his mother got a new van through work, the family realized they would either have to sell the old van or turn it into a camper, which would place the vehicle in a different tax category and have lower insurance costs.

The family didn't want their van - filled with childhood memories - to be sold, so they decided to renovate it. Plus, a tiny camper would be ideal for Tom's surfing trips and Sanne's wakeboarding competitions.

Tom and Sanne said they initially planned to do a budget renovation on the 54-square-foot space inside the van - that way they would meet the minimum credentials needed to be considered a camper, according to the Netherlands government's website.

The simple renovation quickly turned into a full-scale transformation involving everyone in the household.


"We've always been a little DIY in our house," Sanne said. "We do almost everything ourselves."

Sanne searched Pinterest and Instagram to help design the interior, and sewed the cushions for the benches and bed with her mother. Tom did most of the woodwork, while he and his father, Freek Hofker, did the electrical.

The family estimates the entire project cost around $4,300, which includes adding a pop-up roof to the van.

The family finished the renovation in under 2 months


Tom told Insider he feels proud when he looks at the completed project, while Sanne says she's "happy it's done" and amazed they did it so quickly; they finished the renovation in seven weeks, spending early mornings and late nights at work in the family's garage.

They agreed that a project like this wouldn't have been possible if the coronavirus pandemic hadn't forced their family to stay home; Tom's and Sanne's summer plans were canceled, and their parents started working from home.



Sanne Hofker picked warm colors to create a homey interior


Sanne described the van's interior as "bohemian modern."

Both Sanne and Tom wanted an interior with a surfing vibe, but, most importantly, Sanne wanted the van to feel cozy and homey.

"I wanted everything in a warm color, so it didn't feel as cold," Sanne said.



Additionally, she said elements like plants, pillows, and towels helped tie the space together.

"We put a lot of thought into the little details that make it feel homey," she said. "We really thought about the overall look."

The Hofkers hope this is the first renovation of many


Both siblings agreed that the van might be a little too small to live in, but they've already taken the camper on a surfing trip to France since completing the renovation, and have plans to take the van on their future travels.

The Hofkers hope to renovate bigger spaces in the future as well.

"We immediately started thinking about another project once this was done," Tom said. "And if we're ever going to build another camper van, we're going to go bigger."

Tom and Sanne pointed to school buses in the US as a fun renovation project, but they don't plan to live in one full-time. "Bathrooms and showers are really underappreciated," Tom said.

Even if future renovation plans don't happen, Tom and Sanne said they had an incredible time transforming the van with their family and look forward to creating more memories in the camper.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×