Meet Sam
Skilled carpenter and designer
behind Roam & Slumber
Hey, I’m Sam, chief campervan converter at Roam and Slumber. I also run Cambium Carpentry, the part of my bow that focuses on bespoke pieces for the home and garden. However, campervan conversions is certainly the dominant string to my bow which is chiming loud and proud.
My brothers and I grew up around vans. They’ve been in my family since I was a child. I remember the excitement and amazement at the first Renault Traffic campervan my parents bought. That small vehicle took our then, five-strong family around eastern Europe for weeks and the van seed was sown.
With the UK housing market out of reach for most first-time buyers, I decided to direct my love of carpentry and design into converting campers, instead of overpriced, out of reach houses. The result? My van, Quincy. It’s a Scandinavian ‘boutique hotel’ of a home on wheels, housed beneath the unassuming exterior of a white former FedEx van.
It was a true labour of love as most first time ambitious projects end up being. With the steep learning curves stoically summited I began to realise that’d i'd built something that I was truly proud of and reflected my personality in its details. This for me is the real joy in van converting. You can start with a totally blank canvass allowing you to truly make it your own. Invest in the stereo if you love music, have an oven if you’re a baker, spend days hand carving every handle if its curves make you smile every time you open a cupboard. With your own van, you’ll soon be out in the wild surrounded by the home comforts that make you happy.
The beauty is in the detail
I am obsessive about the detail. Quincy has hand-crafted ash door handles and pivoting wine glass (and Champagne flute) holders, made from corks. It’s little touches like this that make Quincy unique. There are far easier ways to make handles and transport glasses around, believe me, but it’s eye-catching elements like these that make the van distinctively different. And that’s the point. If you wanted a bog standard van, you’d buy one. You’re here because you want something original.
When making any carpentry commission or starting to plan a new van conversion, I will pay absolute attention to the details that are important to you. It’s what will make your campervan conversion truly special and unique. I never tire of giving people the tour of my van, every element of it makes me smile. The sound system in particular...
When it comes to your campervan conversion, I’ll create a custom interior that is exactly what you seek. You simply need to kick back, enjoy the rare freedom that only van life brings, and look forward to giving people the tour of your own pride and joy.
Sustainability
Although wood is a natural sustainable resource I still believe it is vital to use it responsibly and reuse it wherever possible. I have been amazed by what can be reused to incredible effect. It’s like unearthing a hidden treasure when you sand down an old piece of timber and find it’s true beauty underneath. My van drawer fronts for example, are solid walnut. They came from a very decadent solid walnut floor in a grande London home. Not only is it great to reuse but it gives such pieces a story, a history far more interesting than going to the timber yard. I am always keen to reuse whenever possible so if you’ve got some old wood you want to use, just ask. Its more work but a much better story.
