We’ve seen a lot of Simple Vans kits roll out of our factory over the years—and some of you have absolutely nailed the art of documenting your van journey.
So before we kick off our brand-new summer photo contest, we thought we’d take a moment to scroll back through some of our favourite Instagram photos so far. From remote mountain views to minimalist layouts, these shots remind us why we do what we do. But this post isn’t just about looking back—it’s about what comes next.
📸 Join the Summer Challenge
From 14 June to 15 September, we’ll be setting monthly photo and video challenges—each one with a different theme, but always the same mission: Show us what happens to our kits once they leave the factory.
Whether it’s sunsets and surfboards, clever hacks and hidden storage, or just your Simple Vans build in action—we want to see it. Here’s how to enter:
• Post your best photo or video on Instagram
• Tag #simplevans and #simplefans
• Leave us a kind word on Google Reviews (we’re not saying flattery helps… but it might 😇)
📅 Competition Dates
14 June – 14 July: Challenge 1
15 July – 15 August: Challenge 2
16 August – 15 September: Challenge 3
Each month we’ll pick a winner—and feature them on our blog and socials.
Need Inspiration?
Here’s a selection of our favourite customer photos from over the years - plus a few of our own. From minimal builds to full-on family rigs, they all have one thing in common: we provided the kit: they made it their own.
1: The Van That Started It All
26 June 2020
Back in 2020, Simple Vans was a one-man operation – just Ben, his DIY CNC machine, and lots of brilliant new ideas – in the family garage.
Labour of love? You bet. Ben was a serial van lifer and has converted more vans than you can count on your fingers and toes. In fact, Ben converted so many vans he knew there had to be an easier way. A simpler way. And by 2020, he’d figured out what it was.
2: Golden Hour
1 October 2021
Golden hour light, sipping on a coffee… probably the most ‘staged’ photo we ever posted… and we love it.
3: Back To Nature
21 May 2022
@b0b_vanlife Smashed it out of the park with this ‘van+wilderness’ themed shot of his beautiful yellow T5 conversion. His van interior shots are worth a look, too.
4: Super Simple
24 Feb 2023
String lights, white paint and a Simple Vans kit - that’s kinda all you need for a beautiful build, as @andre.nto proved back in 2023.
5: Simple Smile
5 September 2023
Is Oscar the dog? Or the van? Or both? We’re not sure but we sure do appreciate the happy smile of @oskarreke.thevan from Belgium, who took their beautiful T6 on a tour of the Norwegian fjords in 2023. Oscar - more updates, please!
6: Proper Professional
5 April 2024
Simple Vans kits are designed so total beginners can convert their van themselves, but we’re proud to add that they’re also the choice of a growing number of van conversion pros, who love how our kits speed up their builds while keeping their costs down. The guys at @van_landes have been working for us for years, and we have to say they’ve also made some of our favourite conversions. Check out this post for some sweet inspo - we especially love the dark stained finish pic.
7: Simple Storage
27 May 2024
@vanlife_lulu showing us how just a couple of Simple Vans units can elevate a budget DIY build. Lulu, if you’re reading this… we love the organisation!
8: Super Splashback
19 July 2024
We love how @jeff_breizh went for the contrasting look. We also love that tiled backsplash!
9: Custom Classic
1 August 2024
While most of our customers choose from one of our Classic Collection kits for their medium van build, we love it when they get creative! This build used two side cabinets and we absolutely support this type of modular adaptation. If you want to do this, we’re now selling slim versions of our A2 and A4 side cabinets, allowing you to install our wider b130 bed.
10: Perfect View
10 August 2024
The only thing better than an epic view is an epic view from the back of a van. @voyage_vasisheva
11: Up on the Roof
25 May 2025
Our own social media miracle @octavie_verret deserves a special creativity prize for this ‘casually sitting in my campervan’s least casual place to sit’ shot. Location: Rio Vero Canyon, Spain.
We asked Octavie what kinds of photos she loves to see Simple Fans post: “What I like most are images that capture real life in the vans: sometimes there’s a bit of a mess, open drawers, things lying around… and that’s exactly what makes the photos feel alive and inspiring.
Each van has its own universe, with a different vibe depending on the people — whether they’re more into the sea or the mountains. You can really feel the personality of the travelers, and it’s easy to picture yourself in their place.”
Preach it, Octavie!
12: Simple Surfer
10 April 2025
Our buddy Damien Marley from @chipironsurf took out our Mercedes Sprinter featuring a Simple Plus kit last autumn - you could too!
13: Simple Builder
9 April 2025
@lilou_on_the_rooad did a beautiful job of converting her van ‘Mr T’ – and she captured the build process beautifully too.
14: Mountain Adventures
10 April 2025
@nico.ruchaud took his stunning Peugeot Expert conversion to an equally stunning location - col de liswran in the Haute Savoie.
15: Simple Shabby
1 Oct 2024
We loooove the attention to details of this T6 build by @buntfeder - how cute are the rope drawer handles? And that vinyl pop-up tabletop adds the perfect shabby-chic (yet wipe clean) finish.
16: Happy Customer
7 Feb 2025
We really rely on community trust reviews to spread the Simple Vans Gospel – which is why we’re extra happy when satisfied customers like Frederic G post a review with pics on TrustPilot / Google.
After all: there’s nothing that says satisfaction like a photo of an epic landscape – shot from the comfort of your bed.
17: Kitchen Classic
17 May 2025
Another banger from @jeff_breizh - there really is nothing better than opening up the back doors and setting up for some al fresco dining (or apero) using our slide out kitchen drawer. Loving Jeff’s layout - and his choice of snacks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJwDyFEi1H3/
That's it – ready to share your story?
Let’s show the world what vanlife looks like—Simple Vans style.
