Tour This Traveling Couple's Colorful, Retrofitted School Bus Home
If you've ever wondered what it's like to live on the road, adventurous travel couple Kels and Jay make it look pretty darn easy. Step inside their gutted, raised and renovated school bus named "Bessy" and see how they work and play while traveling the country.
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
Photo By: Kels + Jay
On the Road Again
In 2019, travel couple Kels and Jay set out to find and design a home on wheels, one that would house plenty of interior creature comforts and stand out in a sea of neutral motor homes. Their search ended when they discovered the perfect ride: a 2001 retired school bus. After eight months of determined DIY weekends, the couple's self-converted school bus home — or skoolie, as it's often referred to by fellow enthusiasts — went from a daydream to road trip reality.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
In Honor of Bessy
Their first bit of bus business had nothing to do with the renovation. “We kind of went back and forth for a while and weren’t really sure what to name it," Kels says with a laugh. "The story behind it: the woman [we bought the bus from] said she had a chicken named Bessy, and it had just died. So I said, 'Oh that’s so sad! But now the name can live on.'"
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Bus to Baseboards
Like any good demo, a little dust is to be expected. "One of the first things we did was get proper dirty and just ripped the whole thing apart," Jay says. "We took out the seats. We took out the ceiling and all the sheet metal inside the bus. We ripped up the floors and basically took it down to the bare bones so we could start fresh."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Fresh Look
"The paint job on this bus [definitely] stands out, and it's one of the first things people notice," says Jay, adding that the color palette inspiration came from a beloved pair of shoes. "We kind of just held the shoe up to the bus and were like, ‘How about we do that?' We did a base coat in white, taped off the geometric design, and went to Home Depot and bought a bunch of colors — we just had fun with it."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Roomy Tiny Home
"When you [visit the bus] you’ll notice right away there’s a lot of space — and that was our goal in creating [it]," Kels says. "Although it’s a tiny space, we didn’t want it to feel like it was compact."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Literally Raise the Roof
"So the first thing we did to help [maximize space] was raise the roof 20 inches," Kels continues. "We're both really tall, so having that extra space is definitely needed. It was difficult, but definitely worth it." The couple's skoolie has everything they need, and then some: a home office, full kitchen, tiled shower, separate bathroom, comfy sofa, raised bed and rooftop deck.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Couple's First DIY
"Before this, I barely picked up a hammer," Jay says smiling. "I’d help my parents out with little projects, but nothing on this scale." Kels adds, "I had barely even painted before, so I was very new ... building a school bus is such a different and unique thing. There’s always different problems you [have to] face along the way."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Kels' Must-Have
"Jay and I are huge foodies," Kels says. "So it was really important for me to have a full kitchen and be able to have a stove and oven, and everything you need to cook."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
The Most Underrated Space
"We have a huge sink here as well," Kels continues. "We can just throw our dirty dishes in here and not really have to worry about them, especially if we are traveling or moving. This sink has come in clutch for things like that."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
And the Tiniest Fridge
A full, on-the-go kitchen requires a reliable refrigerator. Kels and Jay use this portable Iceco to keep their food, drinks and ice cold on long haul trips.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Jay's Doting DIY
"One of the things I’m most proud of in this bus is probably one of the simplest things in the bus: this table," Jay says. "It folds out … and you can hide things in it when it’s folded up." Kels adds, "We definitely made the work area a focal point in our bus because we obviously have to work while we’re on the road."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Desk Double Duty
"And when we're ready to work out in here, do other things or have people over, we just fold it right back up," Kels continues. "I think this is a unique feature in our bus. We have more open space than most buses I’ve seen."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Handmade Headboard
Don't be fooled by bus life. Kels and Jay's comfy, queen-size bed fits in their skoolie and has space for stylish decor, too. "This whole design back here is a feature headboard wall Jay and I made," Kels explains. "We just started putting 2x1s together, mixed and matched them and created a headboard. I think it turned out pretty nice."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
High Rise
But the bed is raised 3 feet off the ground. "We do have a lot of storage underneath our bed, which is the whole reason and purpose for making it so tall," Kels explains. Jay adds, "We did this so we could fit the bikes under the bed, and [it's] where we store the basketball hoop, which hangs on the side of the bus."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
One Closet Limit
Storage and organization is key inside Kels and Jay's skoolie. The one hallway closet is connected to the lofted bed and offers plenty of strategic space for hanging clothes, stashing shoes, extra toiletries, electronics and food prep tools.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Not Your Average Camper Shower
The couple's subway tile shower sets the bar for other motor home bathrooms. "One thing that I did not want to compromise on was the shower," Kels says, looking at Jay. "We kind of went back and forth on this, and I just wanted to have a full-size shower and not have to worry about going to gyms or not showering for a few weeks."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Bathroom Barn Door
"Having this shower and 100-gallons of water has really made it so that we live pretty much the same way we were living before," Kels says. A standard RV toilet and sink are jazzed up with a stylish sliding barn door for added privacy.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Heat of the Moment
Kels and Jay travel 24/7, no matter the weather. This small, wood-burning stove in the corner of their converted skoolie provides all the heat they'll need in chilly months or late-night desert destinations.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Climb for Views
A hanging rope ladder in the center of the skoolie leads to the roof deck. Lounge with unbeatable sunset views or do a bit of work from the second floor space.
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Memories While in Park
The beauty of parking your home anywhere can lead to one-of-a-kind opportunities. "We were in Joshua Tree in the desert — no one for miles," Jay says smiling. "We put the basketball hoop up in the middle of the desert, sand all around us, and we’re all just playing basketball. It was kind of surreal."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
Just Dive In
"'If not now, when?' This is a slogan that we live by," Jay says. "Kels painted it on the bus just before we hit the road one year ago and it’s kind of always stuck with us." Kels adds, "If you’re considering this lifestyle, definitely just go for it. I feel like if you overthink it, and think about all the what-ifs and all the things that can go wrong, you’ll just stop yourself from doing it. Start working towards making this lifestyle come true, because it’s definitely doable."
Watch The Video: The Wheels on the House: Tour Kels + Jay's School Bus Home
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