Alexa, a full-time artist based in Frost Proof, Florida, dreamt about an art studio on wheels and she realized her aspirations in the form of Lady Lavender skoolie which she found on Craigslist. The short bus camper is a 1995 Ford B series that was converted into a school bus home by Alexa with the help of her father. The amazing fact about Lady Lavender skoolie is that it was built for under $8,000, including the purchase of the bus. Another exciting aspect of this school bus home is that most of the conversion is made using recycled materials that contribute to keeping the costs low for the young artist.
The exterior of the short bus camper is painted in lavender color, thus the name. At the front, the name of the skoolie has been painted to let know people at first sight. But the outer looks are just a humble introduction as the interiors of the Lady Lavender skoolie are pretty amusing. The ceiling of the bus has been painted in the blue sky with a patch of clouds.
The kitchen of Lady Lavender makes use of mostly recycled wood which also adds a character to the bus home. Alexa bought most of the wood from a thrift store and converted it into a sink and cooking range station painted white. The reason why Alexa chose to use recycled materials was to keep the building costs down.
The range and sink were given to Alexa by her grandfather and were part of a 1974 Volkswagen campervan. The kitchen range has a propane stove and faucet for the sink that was purchased via Amazon. The stove can be covered to create more counter space. There is enough storage space in the kitchen, making room for other essentials.
There is also an oven that can be pulled out from under the countertop made using recycled wood. There is a special cabinet above the wheelbase that is painted to give an artistic look. The countertop is made using a pine tree from Alexa’s parent’s property. There is a small refrigerator that serves just fine for a single resident.
The short bus camper is powered by shore power like most RVs. For water, it has to be hooked up with a water hose like in the case of campers. Under the bus is a gray water holding tank that is usually dumped in the dump station.
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Most of the school bus conversions have the bedroom in the rear but the Lady Lavender skoolie has it in the front of the bus. Alexa uses a slap bed that can be converted into a couch but she mostly keeps it in the bed form as she prefers it that way. There is storage under the bed, creating space for personal belongings.
Open concept is one of the notable features of the skoolie as there are no walls or hidden spaces. Just next to the bed is the dresser that Alexa uses to keep her clothes. It was originally used by her parents from whom she got it for her home-cum-art studio.
There is also a desk art area that is made from the same pine tree wood used in the kitchen. It has a natural rustic look with drawers that keep art supplies. One of the segments has a barn wood cabinet that is used to keep the portable compost toilet. In the rear, Alexa has a mini library in the form of a shelf that is just above the rear door.
The school bus home’s rear has a bathtub bought on Amazon. Alexa used some tiles from her granny’s bathroom to design the sides of the bathtub. The window decals just above the bathtub ensure privacy and when sunrays pass through them it creates a rainbow lighting effect.
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The front of the bus has a mini split AC just above the driver’s seat. Besides the bus – which was bought for $3,300 – it was the second most expensive item Alexa got for the skoolie. It also has a heat pump so it ensures that the indoor temperature of the short bus camper is kept at an optimum level. She keeps the left side window open as it opens to a cat ladder which is used by Titus, Alexa’s adorable pet to climb in and out of the bus.
If you would like to know more about Alexa’s art and the Lady Lavender skoolie, you can follow her journey on her Instagram page. Her art studio on the wheels is an inspiration and shows a path for most artists who would love to travel and share their art wherever they go.
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