10 Best Campervan Bed Ideas [2022 Inspiration Guide!]

last updated: Feb 24, 2022

One of the most important parts of any van conversion is the bed.

It can be a game-changer in terms of deciding your overall campervan layout.

Here are some things to consider …

Do you want to make your bed every night?

Or have a fixed bed ready to go?

How many people do you need to sleep?

Are you able to sleep width-ways?

There really is no “perfect” solution out there, as everyone’s needs and space availability is different.

And over the years, we have come across dozens of different bed layouts and unique ideas.

So I thought it time to round up the best ones we have ever found, in the hope you might find it useful in planning your own van conversion.

So here’s a look at the bed campervan bed ideas out there.

As well as pros/cons and who they are best suited to.

Let’s get stuck in …

1. Fixed Platform Bed

Full video → Off-Grid Fedex Van Conversion

Fixed platform bed setup

The fixed platform bed set-up is perhaps the most popular campervan bed solution, and with good reason!

This type of bed is fixed and sits raised up on a platform in the van. 

With a fixed platform bed, the bed is always ready to be slept in without having to assemble/disassemble it. This is a great campervan bed for anyone who does not want to spend any time setting up their bed.

One of the biggest perks of a fixed platform campervan bed is the massive amount of storage it creates underneath the bed. The storage area underneath the bed is also known as the garage of the campervan.

When building a fixed platform bed for camper, it is important to consider overhead space. 

With a higher fixed platform bed, there will be more garage space, but limited head space and overhead storage space. 

How high you should build your fixed platform campervan bed really depends on what you value!

Pros of a Fixed Platform Campervan Bed:

  • The campervan bed will always be ready to be slept in every night.
  • There will be tons of storage underneath the fixed platform campervan bed.

Cons of a Fixed Platform Campervan Bed:

  • Having a fixed platform bed leaves less room for seating or a bathroom in your van conversion.
  • Having a fixed platform bed leaves less space for overhead storage in a campervan conversion.

Who is a Fixed Platform Campervan Bed Best for?

A fixed platform campervan bed is best for anyone who really doesn’t want to have to make up their bed every day. 

It is also the best option for anyone who wants to store large sporting equipment like bicycles, surfboards, and kayaks inside their van.

A fixed platform bed is also a great bed option for anyone with a Ram Promaster van conversion because that van is wide enough to fit the bed widthwise.

2. Drop Down Table to Bed 

Full video → Modern SELF-BUILD Camper

Camper van dropdown table

The convertible table campervan bed is also one of the most popular campervan bed ideas.

The table bed really makes the most out of the limited space in a campervan by combining a kitchen table, workspace, and bed all into one space!

With most campervan table beds, the table is in the middle between two bench seats, and it flips upside down to support the mattress. 

Then, the cushions from the bench seats fold down flat across the table to form a full mattress like the one shown in this converted Sprinter van.

Camper van dropdown table to bed

Pros of the Drop Down Table Campervan Bed:

  • With limited campervan space, this camper bed creates enough space to fit both a bed and a seating area.
  • As far as campervan table ideas go, this one is fairly easy to set up.
  • With a table bed, there will be plenty of overhead storage in a van conversion.

Cons of the Drop Down Table Campervan Bed:

  • The bed will have to be made every night.
  • The bed and table cannot be used at the same time.
  • The cushions aren’t quite as comfortable as a proper mattress.
  • There typical will not be much storage space under the bed.

Who is a Drop Down Table Campervan Bed Best for?

A table bed conversion is best for anyone with a smaller van that wants to have both a table and a bed. It is also best for people who don’t mind having to make their bed every night and want to be able to have plenty of overhead storage.

This is also a campervan bed design that is ideal for either solo travelers, or travel partners who have the same sleep schedule, as one person won’t be able to use the table while the other is asleep.

3. Murphy Campervan Bed

Full video → Artist Built this Beautiful Van Conversion

Campervan murphy bed on upright position

We really do love this van, it has one of the most unique and best campervan interiors we have ever seen. And the bed plays a huge role in this.

The Murphy campervan bed is an ingenious bed solution for anyone who wants plenty of floor space in their campervan- but also hates making the bed every night! The Murphy Campervan bed is the best of both worlds.

What makes this one of our best van tours is that, during the day, the Murphy campervan bed rests upright against the wall in the van. Then at night when you want your bed, the bed simply folds down and is ready to go.

Folded down Murphy bed set up

Pros of the Murphy Campervan Bed:

  • The murphy campervan bed saves a ton of floor space in a campervan conversion.
  • The bed won’t need to be made every night- it simply folds down!
  • With the murphy campervan bed, one can sleep on a proper mattress, rather than multiple cushions.

Cons of the Murphy Campervan Bed:

  • Valuable wall space for shelves and storage is lost.

Who is a Murphy Campervan Bed Best for?

The Murphy Campervan bed is great for those who don’t like how much space a fixed bed takes up in their van but also don’t like having to make up their bed every night.

It is also best for people who have a large campervan because this campervan bed idea can take up a lot of space in the van. 

The murphy campervan bed idea is also great for anyone who frequently needs to be able to transport large things in their van, such as music or sporting equipment, or large amounts of artwork!

4. Easy Couch Slider Campervan Bed

Full video → Nautically Inspired VW Van Conversion

Wooden interior of the VW Crafter van

The slider campervan bed is quick, easy, and can be a huge space saver in any campervan! The couch slider campervan bed combines the sofa and bed into one.

With a slider campervan bed, the couch is built on slats that fully extend when pulled. 

Then, the couch cushions are laid flat together on the slats to form a sleeping mat. 

This campervan bed idea is quick, easy, and saves tons of space in a campervan.

Couch slider bed in couch form

The slider campervan bed is quick, easy, and can be a huge space saver in any campervan! The couch slider campervan bed combines the sofa and bed into one.

With a slider campervan bed, the couch is built on slats that fully extend when pulled. 

Then, the couch cushions are laid flat together on the slats to form a sleeping mat. 

This campervan bed idea is quick, easy, and saves tons of space in a campervan. It can also be done very affordably, great if you are putting together a cheap van conversion, as opposed to anything too fancy.

Pros of the Couch Slider Campervan Bed:

  • Due to the ingenious sliding slat system, this is one of the quickest and easiest campervan beds to set up.
  • If you have a separate workspace in your van, this bed idea allows you to use the workspace and bed at the same time.
  • With this setup, there can still be storage space under the bed.

Cons of the Couch Slider Campervan Bed:

  • There can be gaps in between the cushions which may not be as comfortable as a proper mattress.
  • Although it’s a quick solution, the bed still needs to be made every night.
Couch slider bed drawn out

Who is a Couch Slider Campervan Bed best for?

The couch slider campervan bed is best for people who don’t want a fixed bed, but still want a bed that is easier to make up than other campervan bed ideas. 

This is also a good van bed for people who have a decent amount of open floor space so there is room for the couch to extend into a bed.

5. Campervan Bunk Beds

Full video → Van Conversion with Triple Bunk Beds

Triple bunk beds in a Citroen Relay camper

Bunk beds are the perfect campervan bed idea for anyone traveling with their family, or a group of friends. 

There are also so many options when it comes to bunk beds in a campervan. 

There can be a single bunk bed above a fixed double bed, or two bunk beds, or even three bunk beds like they have!

To access the higher bunks, when building the van campervan, you can easily include an attached ladder like there is in this van. 

Creative, personal touches like blackout curtains, reading lights, and little storage cubbies like this amazing campervan bed has, can make each bunk bed extra cozy and homey.

Pros of Campervan Bunk Beds:

  • Campervan bunk beds provide the option to sleep the entire family in the van, or a whole group of friends.
  • The beds are fixed and don’t need to be made up every night.
  • They are the most space efficient way to sleep multiple people inside a van without sharing beds.

Cons of Campervan Bunk Beds:

  • They take the place of storage space.
  • If ever traveling solo or without the family, all of the extra beds can take up unnecessary space.

Who are Campervan Bunk Beds Best for?

Campervan bunk beds are best for families or groups of friends traveling together by van. This is a great option for people with smaller children who will fit easily in solo bunks.

They are also great for anyone who wants to sleep a large number of people in the van but still have plenty of space for other van life amenities!

6. Fixed Bed with Incut Extenders

Full video → Practical Van Conversion

fixed bed with incut extenders

Up next on this list of the best campervan bed ideas is an awesome fixed bed with incut extenders.

One of the drawbacks of a classic fixed platform bed in a campervan is that most vans are too narrow to sleep transverse in a campervan. This fixed bed with incut extenders solves that problem!

Small cutouts to the back of the van can allow people to sleep widthwise in their van, rather than lengthwise. 

This saves a ton of space lengthwise in the van and allows people even with smaller vans to have all the benefits of a fixed bed in their van.

Pros of a Fixed Bed with Incut Extenders:

  • The bed is ready every night!
  • The bed isn’t combined with another working or lounging space within the van, so if one person is sleeping the other person can use the couch or living space simultaneously.
  • Incut extenders are much less expensive than having flares added to a van, and achieve a similar result!

Cons of a Fixed Bed with Incut Extenders:

  • A fixed bed takes up permanent space in your campervan.

Who is a Fixed Bed with Incut Extenders Best for?

A fixed bed with incut extenders is a conversion van bed that is great for anyone who wants to be able to sleep widthwise in their van but doesn’t have an extremely large van. 

This is also a great campervan idea for anyone who wants a fixed platform bed in general, as it is largely the same thing but with incut extenders. 

A fixed bed with incut extenders is also a great campervan bed for anyone who can’t afford flares in their campervan conversion budget.

7. 5 Second Sofa Bed

Full video → Rustic Van Conversion with Five Second Bed System

5-second sofa bed in sofa form

This van conversion bed idea is utterly brilliant. It transforms a sofa into a king bed in under 5 seconds! 

This 5-second sofa bed was designed by removing the hinges from an old sofa bed. Then, by simply pulling out a latch, the sofa seamlessly flattens into a bed.

To make the bed set-up even easier, the sofa cushion is one single piece, rather than a collection of cushions to form a sleeping mat.

The result? A comfortable, king bed, ready to use in just seconds.

Setting up sofa into bed

Pros of a Sofa Campervan Bed:

  • A sofa campervan bed combines the bed and sofa into one, saving lots of valuable interior van space.
  • This campervan pull-out bed takes only 5 seconds to set up.
  • By using a single mat for a cushion, there are no odd and uncomfortable gaps between cushions like in other campervan bed ideas.
  • By creatively utilizing the floor and cabinet space within a van, it is possible to easily have a bed as large as a king. 

Cons of a Sofa Campervan Bed:

  • The bed and sofa cannot be used at the same time.
  • Linens will need to be stored elsewhere. 
Sofa bed in bed form

Who is a 5 Second Sofa Bed Best for?

A 5-second sofa bed is best for vanlifers who love the idea of combining their bed and sofa into one, and value having that extra space over the comfort of a fixed bed.

This is also one of the best campervan conversion ideas for anyone who wants a large bed, as it is possible to easily have a king-sized bed with this design!

This is also a good campervan bed for either solo travelers, or people living in the van with the same sleep schedule as it can be difficult to maneuver about the van while the bed is fully set up.

8. Bench Seat Bed

Full video → Smaller Van Conversion that Sleeps Four

Bench seat bed in bench form

The bench seat bed is a wonderful campervan bed idea for those wishing for a campervan layout that not only comfortably sleeps its passengers, but also seats them safely while on the road!

With campervan bench seat beds, the bench seats are folded into three parts, and when a lever is pulled, the seats flatten into an easy sleeper campervan bed seat. 

A campervan bench seat bed can be slept on as is, or for extra comfort, a mattress can be added.

Setting up bench seat bed into a bed

Pros of a Campervan Bench Seat Bed:

  • They are quick and easy to assemble.
  • They are a great campervan bed idea for small vans.
  • When the bed is not in use, the bench seat can be a part of the living room space.

Cons of a Campervan Bench Seat Bed:

  • This campervan bed idea takes up a lot of space within the van.
Folded down bench seat bed

Who is a Campervan Bench Seat Bed best for?

A campervan bench seat bed is best for families or groups traveling together in a van.

This is also one of the bed campervan bed ideas for small vans because it makes use of seats that are already in the van!

9. Mechanical Lift Bed

Full video → 10 Ingenious Bed Designs

Mechanical lift bed propped up in the campervan ceiling

This next addition to the list of best campervan bed ideas is a mechanical drop-down campervan bed. Utilizing the Happijac bed lift system, this campers bed is truly next level.

The mechanical system uses electricity to lower and raise the bed, solving both of the common issues with beds in campervans- having to make them, and how much space they use.

With this campervan bed, there is an entire sectional underneath that also converts into a double bed to sleep even more people!

A mechanical bed lift is a great option for anyone who loves the idea of having their bed simply lift out of the way in the morning, and easily lower down for usage at night.

Lowering down the mechanical lift bed

Pros of a Mechanical Lift Bed:

  • A mechanical lift bed creates the option of having a fixed bed in a van without taking up any floor space. 
  • With a mechanical lift bed, there is no need to make up a bed every night. 

Cons of a Mechanical Lift Bed:

  • A camper van drop down bed kit can be pricier than other campervan bed ideas.
  • A mechanical lift bed can be difficult to install.
  • A mechanical lift bed doesn’t provide as much head space in the bed as other campervan bed ideas.
Seating area under a mechanical lift bed

Who is a Mechanical Lift Bed Best for?

A mechanical lift bed is best for those who value a fixed bed but don’t want to dedicate floor space to it. 

It is also one of the best campervan bed ideas for anyone with an extra tall van, so they can still have plenty of headspace above their bed.

10. Counter Cots

Full video → Family-Built Off-Grid Camper with Three Beds

Counter cot bed setup in a campervan

I’ve seen a lot of amazing campervan bed ideas- but a kitchen counter bed system? That’s something new!

This family ingeniously turned the counter space in their campervan into dual cots for their children to sleep in.

To create the counter cots, all that is needed are some linens, a sleeping pad, and some form of bed railing. 

This is such an amazing utilization of space, and a wonderful idea for families traveling together that don’t want to build bunk beds into their van.

Pros of Counter Cots:

  • They don’t take up any additional space in the van! 
  • The counter is already there, so aside from setting up the sleeping pad and blankets the bed is pretty much all ready to go.

Cons of Counter Cots:

  • This is a rather small campervan bed solution that will only work for small children.
  • The kitchen is essentially unusable while the counter cots are in place. 
  • This campervan bed idea will only work for vans with a very specific kitchen layout.

Who are Counter Cot Beds Best for:

Counter cot beds are best for families traveling in their van with small children, who also have enough counter space in their van to make this campervan bed system work. 

This is also one of the best camping van ideas for anyone who wants to be able to sleep their whole family in the campervan without fixed beds.

Wrapping up the 10 Best Campervan Bed Ideas

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the 10 best campervan bed ideas! 

From a 5-second minimal campervan bed conversion to a beautiful fixed platform bed, there is truly a campervan bed idea for everyone.

There are also so many different options for different budgets. Some campervan beds are more pricey and elaborate, and some are simple and more than sufficient for minimalist van lovers. 

Plus, even if your campervan bed isn’t perfect, you can always make changes to it later down the road!

Now, after seeing the best campervan bed ideas, which campervan bed would you go for?

Other posts you might like:

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