I love sharing unique campers with you. Not only are they awesome, but they might inspire you when you’re shaping your future camper, if that’s something you plan on doing. Today, I’m taking a look at a creatively designed skoolie that serves as a full-time home on wheels for one woman.
Meet Annette McNamara and her school bus. Before we take a look at the bus, let me tell you a little bit about Annette’s story. In 2020, she purchased the bus and converted it into a tiny home with a purpose.
Annette is the founder of Beautiful Strength, a non-profit organization with the mission of “celebrating the resilience of the human spirit through the power of conversation and photography.” In 2021, Annette hit the road to connect with people from all walks of life.
In just 526 days, he traveled more than 35,000 miles (56,327 km) across the United States and Canada and conducted more than 1,500 “portraits of resilience”, all inside his mobile home. Of course, to do that, he needed a mobile photography studio, and that's exactly what he built, as you'll soon see.
As usual, I’ll start the rig tour with the outside. The bus measures 40 feet (12.2 meters) long and is finished in red and white paint. It has custom exterior storage compartments, perfect for stashing tools, hoses, and anything else you don’t use often. That’s where the propane tanks are also stored.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / CheapRVliving
Annette kept the original bus door, but added a lock for added security. She also installed a Ring doorbell near the door, which she can use to monitor who passes by the door if she feels unsafe.
In the back, you’ll find backup cameras and a hitch-mounted storage compartment. Annette plans to remove it to start towing a car behind the bus. Other notable exterior features include an outdoor shower, D-rings, and a pop-up generator for those days when she needs a little extra power.
Step inside and you’re greeted by a modern living space. Annette went with a predominantly black and white look, with white cabinetry paired with a variety of black accents, including refrigerators, microwaves, and more. The aesthetic is complemented by the original bus ceiling and laminate flooring.
Annette didn’t just build the bus for herself. She welcomes people she meets inside to take their portraits. So, she made sure that this mobile home can accommodate everyone, even people with physical disabilities who typically can’t fit into skoolies, campers, or any other small home on wheels due to lack of space.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / CheapRVliving
This bus still has the emergency ramp, but Anette moved it from the back to the center, allowing people with physical disabilities to enter the middle. Annette also went one step further and made sure the inside aisle was wheelchair-friendly, meaning it not only had enough room for wheelchair users to pass through, but also enough room to turn around.
Annette did not make any drastic changes to the cockpit. She painted the top black and added various decorations and posters with information about her projects.
Just behind the driver's cabin, he designed a cabinet containing the bus's power system. Its highlights are a 3,000W inverter/charger, a 250Ah lithium battery, and a charge controller connected to the 570W solar panels on the roof.
Next to the closet, you’ll find the bathroom. It’s larger than the ones you’d find in a camper, but smaller than the ones I’ve seen in most skoolies. It’s a simple setup, with a shower and a separate custom-built toilet. By the way, all the water in this setup comes from a 65-gallon (246-liter) fresh water tank.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / CheapRVliving
The kitchen is on the opposite side. It has a deep sink, a small two-burner stove/oven, a microwave, a coffee maker, spice jars, five large cabinets, and a Berkey water filter. Annette originally had a very small refrigerator/freezer. She has since upgraded to a residential-sized one and uses the smaller one for dry storage.
For added convenience, Annette decided to install toolboxes as counters throughout her skoolie; she put counters on them and can use their many drawers to store things, making sure they stay closed while she drives. Plus, most of the decorations you see inside are secured with industrial velcro—it’s one of the tricks I included in my list of budget-friendly #vanlife hacks.
Go further into the bus and you will find yourself in the seating/lounge area. You will notice a long sofa on one side, a smaller bench on the other, a long overhead shelf and an A/C.
Then we have additional lockers and toolboxes for more space. Finally, the photo studio I mentioned earlier takes up the back of the bus. This is the first time I've seen something like this in a tiny house on wheels.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot / CheapRVliving
So, what do you need to create a photo studio? Some empty space, good lighting, and a backdrop. Annette uses special lighting equipment, while the backdrop is a black wall in the back. Oh, that's also where she keeps a treadmill for some at-home exercise.
Well, it's not just a black wall, but rather a Murphy bed. You can pull it down to reveal a spacious bed and a colorful back wall.
All in all, Annette has created the perfect rig to support her foundation’s work. It’s cozy, it looks great, and most importantly, it allows her to travel across North America to meet new people and share their stories. You can check out her work on the official Beautiful Strength website.
