How We Turned an Old Double-Decker Bus into The Rustic Bus

There are some projects that stick with you more than others, and converting an old double-decker bus into The Rustic Bus was definitely one of them.

What started out as a tired, well-worn old bus slowly became something completely different — a quirky, character-filled space with sleeping pods, chill-out areas, a cocktail bar, dining space and even a workspace. It was one of those projects that was equal parts hard work, imagination and making the most of what we already had.

Starting with an old bus full of potential

When we first got the bus, it was far from glamorous.

It was old, tired and definitely a bit knackered, but underneath all that, we could see the potential. The original bus still had much of its old seating, worn flooring and dated interior in place. It had character, but it also had plenty that needed stripping out before we could start bringing the idea to life.

Rather than seeing an old bus at the end of the road, we saw a blank canvas.

The strip-out stage

The first step was getting stuck into the strip-out.

Out came the seats, old fittings and tired materials. As anyone who has taken on an old vehicle project will know, jobs like this are never as quick or easy as they sound. There were plenty of awkward bits, stubborn fixings and moments where one small task turned into a much bigger one.

Once the interior started to come apart, we could really begin to understand the scale of the transformation ahead. With the seats removed and the ceiling stripped back, the bus looked more like a shell than a finished project — but that was exactly what we needed.

It gave us the chance to start again and build something with a completely different purpose.

Reusing and reclaiming wherever we could

One of the biggest parts of this project was making use of what we already had.

We wanted to reuse as much material as possible from the original strip-out, along with reclaimed materials we already had lying around. Where we could, we upcycled existing parts rather than simply throwing everything away and starting from scratch.

That approach suited the project perfectly. It kept the bus full of character, helped give it a proper rustic feel and made the finished result feel much more personal. Rather than making it look too new or too polished, we wanted to keep some of its past in the final design.

That mix of original bus features, salvaged materials and reclaimed timber is what helped give The Rustic Bus its own unique look.

Bringing warmth into the interior

Once the strip-out was done, the transformation really started to take shape.

Fresh timber, reclaimed boards and upcycled pieces helped soften the old commercial feel of the bus and turn it into something much warmer and more inviting. The interior gradually began to feel less like public transport and more like a rustic retreat on wheels.

The original retro seating was incorporated into parts of the design, helping to keep that unmistakable bus character while giving it a completely new purpose.

Downstairs: sleeping pods, beds and a chill-out space

The downstairs level became a cosy and practical living space.

We added sleeping pods and beds, creating somewhere comfortable to relax and stay. The idea was to make it feel fun and unusual, while still being usable and welcoming. The pods gave it a bit of a quirky edge and made great use of the space available.

Alongside that, we created a TV and chill-out area, turning the lower level into somewhere you could properly unwind. With rustic finishes, reclaimed wood and soft furnishings, it became a much more comfortable and homely environment than the tired old bus we had started with.

A cocktail bar with plenty of character

One thing we knew fairly early on was that the bus needed a bar area.

So downstairs also became home to a small cocktail bar, built using reclaimed and upcycled materials to keep everything in line with the rest of the project. It added a fun, social side to the bus and helped bring the whole concept together.

Rather than just being a converted vehicle, the bus was starting to feel like a destination in its own right — somewhere to relax, have a drink, sit back and enjoy the space.

Upstairs: workspace and dining area

The upper deck took on a different role.

Upstairs, we created an office/workspace area as well as a dining area, making the most of the elevated views and the long run of windows. It gave the top deck a bright and open feel, perfect for sitting, working or eating.

We also reused original bus seating in parts of the dining setup, pairing it with rustic tabletops to create a look that felt both practical and full of character. The contrast between the original retro bus features and the reclaimed timber worked really well.

We wanted the upper deck to feel open, useful and a bit different from the downstairs layout, and that mix of dining and workspace gave it exactly that.

A project full of personality

One of the best things about this bus conversion was that it never felt like a standard build.

Every stage had its own challenges, but it also brought new ideas. Because we were reusing and upcycling so much, the design evolved as we went. We worked with the shape of the bus, the materials we had and the original features that were worth saving.

That meant the finished result had loads of personality — not just because it was a converted double-decker bus, but because so much of it had been carefully reused, repurposed or built around what was already there.

The finished Rustic Bus

By the end of the project, the transformation was huge.

What had started as an old double-decker bus had become The Rustic Bus — a one-of-a-kind space with:

• Sleeping pods and beds downstairs
• A cocktail bar
• A TV and chill-out area
• An office/workspace area upstairs
• A dining area
• Original features mixed with reclaimed and upcycled materials

It was a proper labour of love and one of those builds that showed what can happen when you look past something’s condition and focus on its potential instead.

Looking back on the project

Projects like this are a big part of what we love doing.

Whether it is furniture, interiors, reclaimed materials or unusual one-off pieces, we have always enjoyed taking something old and giving it a new lease of life. The Rustic Bus was a much larger version of that same idea — rescue it, rework it, reuse what you can and turn it into something worth talking about.

It was hard work, messy in places and definitely a challenge, but seeing the finished result made it all worthwhile.

If nothing else, it proved that even an old knackered double-decker bus can become something special with a bit of vision, a lot of effort and the right mix of reclaimed materials.