Side Isle or Center Isle Floor plan?

[Darkspeed]

Assuming that headroom near the side wall is not an issue, for living in a bus full time, which is better, Side Isle or Center Isle Floor plan? It seems like side isle would feel more like a home. I have been full timing in a 31' Airstream for three years and the center isle makes it feel like one room.

[Jon]

FWIW you just need to spend a lot of time going through RVs looking at their floor plans.

The designers of motor homes know what the market wants so they provide the layouts most buyers want. The buyers know from experience what they want so that is what they buy. Generally speaking a side aisle is not as efficient as a center aisle and if you do a few floor plans your will realize that. But a side aisle eliminates the sight lines from the windshield to the bedroom. Other than that I cannot imagine the benefit.

[Oonrahnjay]

Assuming that headroom near the side wall is not an issue, for living in a bus full time, which is better, Side Isle or Center Isle Floor plan? It seems like side isle would feel more like a home. I have been full timing in a 31' Airstream for three years and the center isle makes it feel like one room. 

     I'm not one to ask (my layout was pretty much dictated by the location of the stairs) but I like the feel of a side aisle better (and that's just a personal preference and don't mean anything) but I think in my bus the center aisle made the layout more efficient.

[Oonrahnjay]

FWIW you just need to spend a lot of time going through RVs looking at their floor plans.

The designers of motor homes know what the market wants so they provide the layouts most buyers want. The buyers know from experience what they want so that is what they buy. Generally speaking a side aisle is not as efficient as a center aisle and if you do a few floor plans your will realize that. But a side aisle eliminates the sight lines from the windshield to the bedroom. Other than that I cannot imagine the benefit.   

     My post crossed in the mail with Jon's - he's right and he said it better.

[sledhead]

We used a side isle as it makes the bed room feel more private and worked better with our design

dave

[NewbeeMC9]

I toured a side aisle once that had two bedrooms with a set of three bunks each.  The bunks were angled and created the spaces for closets etc.  They had a brady bunch(minus Alice) family to travel with and it was a 45' bus.  Master bedroom was still in the back.  Roof was high enough that the aisle was tall enough.

Suggest getting a cheapo/free CAD software and lay it out.  Fun exercise to ponder.


Good luck and post what you come up with.

[RJ]

Dark -

With my rig, Angola Coach put a kink in the center aisle to make it look like a side aisle.  They did this by angling the galley counter where the cooktop & microwave are placed.  So you have to zig-zag down the hall, but you don't see the bedroom from the front salon.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Cary and Don]

A center isle doesn't follow the "two uses" rule.  Everything we put in has to have at least two uses.  A center isle makes the bathroom larger AND is the hall to the bedroom. There are offset center isles that will fit the "two uses" and still add privacy to the bedroom. If all else fails, close the door to the bedroom for privacy.  We just don't spend much time in the bedroom during the day and at night the front window is covered.

Don and Cary

[lvmci]

hi All, Don s rule is true, our new bus has only one wall, from kitchen to bathroom, the door opens from the kitchen to close the toilet room, water closet or cabinet,whatever you want to call it. Tami wanted an open feeling, a very short Isle way just a door width ,leaves so much more usable room and creates an openess that we didnt have in the MCI5A, which was a pro conversion.you can see some pictures on B&Bs facebook or Vans bus conversions facebook pages. this let the kitchen to feel almost appartment like in it's size. we also eliminated the dining booth and made a counter extending from the kitchen counter, to eat at, we mostly eat outside or just out, this also didnt divide the front section of the bus, giving an even more open feeling. lvmci...

[Jerry32]

I did the side isle as I wanted the bathroom to be seperate and still be able to transit back and forth without having the bath block the way. Jerry

[wg4t50]

Great subject, for me, one of the considerations is when doing an older bus (MC7), as you get near the side wall the head room also decreases, so I went with the center isle.  I see benefits of both methods, but I chose the center isle for the head banging.
Dave M

[Lin]

I think the mid Isle will likely lend itself to more efficient use of space, but how much more depends on what you are doing.  Following the suggestion of going to an RV show or taking a look at different units on dealer lots could give a good feel for what you like.

[kyle4501]

Seems to me that a side aisle provides more privacy.
What is more important, privacy or space ?

[skihor]

center thru kitchen, into the bath. side exit into the rear bedroom. The wall between the bath and bed is the closet, with the hanging access above the toilet and two double drawer banks on the bedroom side.  Gives you a huge wall for the tv.

[dbldragon]

 We are in the process converting  mci 102 a3 right now . Our choice is side for a couple of reasons, 2 bedrooms and the bus has a big side door from wheelchair lift that we wanted to keep. The 2 bedrooms are also separated by the bathroom. For us the privacy was more important. Also headroom is not a issue for us as I am 5'10" on tall days . 
As with anything you do to your coach it comes down to what works for you .


  Chuck