Rolling Residences Add a New Twist to Home Design

Summer vacations are hot on our heels, and modern-day "mobile" homes (#vanlife) are headed toward scenic destinations. As our lifestyles intersect with travel and workations, sports vans and pop-tops are equipped with accessories and custom pieces that add a new twist to artisan home design.

Originally, handcrafted cutting boards began as a kitchen essential for food prep, then evolved into serving boards for home entertainment. Next, what started as a kitchen tool morphed into an option for countertops. The beauty of natural wood gained popularity in kitchen remodels and interior design.

Now, as remote workstations become the norm, vans, RVs, and buses are retrofitted for extended living. That same cutting board concept has taken another turn. This time we're making dual use cutting boards used for meal prep and as custom sink covers, part of custom van conversions. The cutting board continues to have practical use and adds the style of rich wood grain to an already upgraded interior.

Part of the fun of artisan craftsmanship is seeing the different ways a design is used in beautiful and functional forms. The pictures below start in our workshop (left) as the custom cutting board sink cover is made and ends in the “kitchen” of the camper van. Also, a customer’s kitchen countertop, made of individual pieces of rough-cut lumber, is shown on the far right.

This is an example of craftsmanship and creativity leading to three different products (cutting board, kitchen countertop, and van kitchen accessory). There’s a similar look and feel for all, however, each is used in a unique way. We love when our customers take our contemporary artisan pieces and create their own design ideas. You never know where the creative road will take you.