12 Smart and Stylish Campervan Table Ideas for Van Life - The Wayward Home (2024)

When we were planning out the build of our 2021 Sprinter cargo van, a table didn’t even come to mind! But as we began setting up camping chairs inside the van to plan our van layout, it became clear that a table would be a necessity.

Luckily, we had an old table from our sailboat that fit right inside our campervan, and that’s what we’ve been using ever since. I just LOVE having a table for working, eating, and meal prep. It is essential and I can’t imagine living without it!

If you’re in the van build process and also want a table, here are our best campervan table ideas to get you started!

Our Favorite Campervan Table Ideas

Truth be told, van table options are pretty much endless. In fact, you’re only limited by your imagination. With that said, there are quite a few common van table designs that have been tried, tested, and proven to work well in small spaces. Let’s take a look at our favorite campervan table ideas!

Lagun Swivel Table

Chances are, if you’ve been scouting out a table for van life, you will have come across swivel tables. After all, this type of campervan table is probably the most popular option for a van conversion. And for good reason — this convenient and versatile option allows you to maximize the limited space in your van while still having a good-sized table.

Lagun USA has several table leg options, all of which work in the same way. The table leg system swivels, extends, and moves up and down, so you’re able to move your table between dozens of different positions. Plus, it easily locks into a safe position for traveling.

Best of all, you’re free to mount the table top of your choosing to the leg system. You can use wood, formica, or whatever you’d like. Heck, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a couple of these campervan tables in your conversion!

Lagun tables are one of the most popular campervan table ideas for van life.

Drawer Style Pull-Out Table

The drawer-style pull-out table is another super popular option for camper van conversions. It’s easy to see why — this kind of table can easily be incorporated into your build without taking up too much space. Plus, when the table is put away you’ll have all your living space back.

Some folks like to incorporate this kind of campervan table into their fixed bed system, while others simply install a drawer tabletop into their kitchen galley. Either way, you’ll need to purchase heavy-duty drawer slides. Oh, and make sure the slides have a locking mechanism, so the table doesn’t slide out when you’re driving.

Depending on the size of your tabletop, you may want to incorporate a removable leg at the end for extra stability. You should also try and make sure there’s plenty of seating room around the table when it’s extended so you don’t get trapped!

Single Leg Table

Single-leg campervan tables aren’t really suitable for all van conversions, but if you’re going to be traveling in a large Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit, this style is worth considering.

You’ve got a couple of options — you can go with a fixed height table leg that can be removed when not in use, or purchase a height adjustable table leg.

The latter option is ideal if your van layout includes a dinette area that converts to a sleeping area. In this scenario, the table can be lowered at night to form part of your bed frame system. During the day you’ll have an awesome area to hang out, play games, work, and eat meals.

While a single-leg permanent table might seem a little too cumbersome for some van dwellers, having a large table top will definitely appeal to families. Just remember to check that the leg can support the weight of your tabletop. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with a wobbly situation at mealtimes.

Wall Mounted Flip Up Table

If all you need is a small table for eating or working, this awesome wall-mounted solution could be just the ticket. Isabelle and Antoine from Far Out Ride designed and built this campervan table, and we think it’s just great. Plus, the whole thing cost less than $100, which isn’t bad at all!

This kind of folding table is perfect for digital nomads who only need to use it for their van office. There’s plenty of room for a laptop computer, and when it’s not in use the wood table sits flush with the wall of your van.

To build a folding table like this you’ll need to purchase collapsible shelf brackets or table brackets. You’ll just need to make sure that the brackets you choose are rated to withstand the weight of your tabletop and anything you’ll be putting on it.

Pull Down Campervan Table With Storage

This has to be one of the most ingenious campervan table ideas we’ve ever seen. While you’d need to design your build to incorporate this style of table, the concept is actually very simple.

So, if you plan on installing cabinets in your camper van, you could definitely include a pull-down table like this. What’s more, you won’t have to compromise on storage space, seeing as there’s plenty of room inside.

The table top is hinged at the bottom, and attaches to the cabinet via two sturdy chains. That means the table itself is really well supported, although you’d have to make sure not to overload it.

In this campervan conversion, there’s bench seating across from the pull-down table, making this setup ideal for dining, working, or just watching a movie. Once the table has been put away, you’d never even know it existed!

Simple Fold Down Table

When you embark on a DIY camper van conversion, it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll need to learn lots of new skills along the way. However, designing and building a complicated campervan table doesn’t have to be one of them!

Seriously, check out this simple, affordable, and effective folding table. All you need for a table like this are sturdy wall brackets, rope, and a suitable wood table top. Plus, when it’s not in use, the table sits flush with the van wall. By the way, check out the nifty little hook that keeps the table secure. How cool is that!

The best thing about this kind of van table is that you can mount it just about anywhere — you can even place it on a rear door for use as an outdoor food-prepping station.

Ikea Campervan Table

In case you didn’t know, plenty of van dwellers have used Ikea fixtures and furniture in their DIY conversions.

It makes sense when you think about it — Ikea furniture is cheap, lightweight, and easy to put together. Plus, if you’re intimidated by the prospect of designing and building everything yourself, using Ikea furniture could be the way to go. You can simply put it together, then bolt it to the walls of your van.

While a permanent feature like this Ikea desk might take up quite a bit of room, it’s actually quite narrow and streamlined. What’s more, you’ll get extra storage space into the bargain. Best of all, using this desk means you’ll always have a campervan table set up and ready for you.

We love innovative campervan table ideas like this one.

Hinge Table

When it comes to nifty space-saving campervan table ideas, a hinge table is hard to beat. Loads of van lifers use hinge tables as a way to create extra countertop space in their camper van kitchens.

Still, there’s no reason you can’t install one of these anywhere you have room for it. We’ve even seen a hinge table attached to the rear door of a van. The concept is simple: you attach a hinge to a wall or existing countertop, then attach a tabletop to the other side of the hinge. The extension is then supported by a metal brace when it’s in use.

You can easily build your own hinge table with a metal piano hinge. With that said, there are affordable kits available like this one from Camco.

Outdoor Slide-Out Table

During the warmer months, one of the greatest joys of van life is spending tons of time out in nature. Having an awesome outdoor slide-out table like this means you’ll be able to work, prepare food, or dine outside. Plus, having your campervan table outside means you’ll be saving precious interior living space.

In this conversion, the table is located by the sliding door and fits neatly into the kitchen module. Still, you could easily install a sliding table at the rear of your van. While you’ll love being able to dine al fresco under the stars in summer, the main downside to a table like this is that it won’t see much use during the colder months.

One way to get around this is to install a swivel table by the sliding doors that can be used inside and outside. That said, you’ll need to plan your conversion carefully for that to work.

Portable Table

If simple and straightforward are your keywords in life, let’s not forget that a portable table can work really well for van life. After all, designing and building a slide-out or folding table can be time-consuming, and a permanent table means sacrificing a lot of space.

A portable table is most often inexpensive and can be folded away and stored when not in use. Plus, you can use a portable table inside or outside, which makes it super versatile. This REI Camp Roll Table sums it up — it’s sturdy, easy to set up, and packs up into a stuff sack. What’s more, at just $79.95, the price is right!

If you want a bigger option, this Camp Prep Table will fit the bill. However, it’ll take up more room when you aren’t using it. One solution is to mount the table to the inside of your van’s rear doors, although that won’t work in every conversion.

Lap Tray Table

Last on our list is the humble tray table! We feel like this could be a great campervan table solution for solo travelers or those with smaller vans. Check out this awesome little tray table with legs! It’s great for a cozy breakfast in bed, but we could also see it being used as a flat surface for a laptop. What’s more, a tray table like this can be folded up and stored away and won’t take up much room.

If you want to take it to the next level, consider this fancy pants multi-position adjustable bed tray. Made of bamboo, this table is tailor-made for those who like to work in bed. Heck, there’s even a little side drawer for extra storage space!

How To Choose a Campervan Table

Now that you’ve got a clearer idea of the many different options for van tables, it’s time to decide on what’ll work best for you. While it might not be an easy decision, there are a few things to bear in mind. Hopefully, the following pointers will help you narrow down your search.

• The size of your van. Let’s face it, if you’re converting a minivan camper, many of the table options on our list won’t make sense. In that case, an exterior pull out table or a portable table will make the most sense. However, if you’re building out a large panel van, you may feel like a fixed table is a viable option.
• Your budget. While a campervan table is unlikely to be the most expensive part of your build, if money is tight it’ll influence which table you’ll get. Fortunately, there are plenty of super affordable and effective options.
• Build or buy. Deciding whether to build your own bespoke table or buy something pre-made comes down to your budget and taste. A good middle ground can be to purchase specific components and round things out with your own tabletop design. At the end of the day, making something yourself will be more time-consuming, but likely more cost-effective.
• The number of people in your van. If you’re a solo traveler, you’ll easily be able to get away with a small fold-out table or even a tray table. However, larger van life families are going to need a lot more surface area. If you’re traveling as part of a family, consider rolling with an interior table as well as an outdoor table of some kind. That way there’ll be room for everyone!
• The table’s purpose. If you’re a minimalist who only needs a small surface for eating, installing a huge permanent table will be overkill. However, if you routinely enjoy whipping up culinary creations on your van, a hinge table to add extra counter space will come in mighty handy. Not only that, you’ll want a separate table to sit and eat at!

We hope you’ve found inspiration from our list of campervan table ideas! Feel free to leave any questions or suggestions in the comments section below.