Questions to Help You Find the Best 4 Berth Caravan Layouts

The truth is, there isn’t a single ‘best’ layout because everyone looks for something slightly different; hence why we make so many different options.

However, there are questions you can ask yourself to help narrow down your choices.

To make things easier for you to decide, this article breaks down the layouts into four key areas of decisions, so you can narrow the caravan layouts for 4 berth vehicles to suit what you’re looking for.

How do you want to sleep?

Where you sleep has perhaps the largest impact on the entire layout of a caravan, so what better place to begin in choosing your layout than here?

Do you want a fixed bed or a make-up bed?

Fixed Beds

Fixed beds refer to a bed that is always made up, with no need (or ability) to fold it away.

This is in contrast to make-up beds which are made up from a seating area like you might find with a sofa bed at home.

This type of bed is usually a double or king size that can come in a variety of styles such as Island, French or Corner, but occasionally a layout may also include a single on its own or as the bottom section of make-up bunk beds.

4 berth fixed bed caravan layouts are great for:

Couples who don’t need to flex the amount of social space their caravan has
Families who want defined sleeping quarters for the parents
Anyone who would prefer not to have to make their bed up each night

Upsides	Downsides
Convenient They’re always ready for you to use without any setup or packing away. This saves time at night, which is great if you’ve had a long day. It’s great if you want to rise early without disturbing others.	Less flexible You cannot turn them into a seating space, so the amount of social area your caravan has is more limited.
Comfortable Fixed beds can give you a more consistent feeling place to sleep. And because it’s a dedicated bed, you have a proper mattress.
Lots of storage space Many fixed beds come with under-bed storage, which is usually large and easy to access. With beds that are made up from the seating, there will also be storage underneath but it will be split across both sides of the caravan and part of the space may be shared with items like the leisure battery.

Upsides

Downsides

Convenient

They’re always ready for you to use without any setup or packing away.
This saves time at night, which is great if you’ve had a long day.
It’s great if you want to rise early without disturbing others.

Less flexible

You cannot turn them into a seating space, so the amount of social area your caravan has is more limited.

Comfortable

Fixed beds can give you a more consistent feeling place to sleep. And because it’s a dedicated bed, you have a proper mattress.

Lots of storage space

Many fixed beds come with under-bed storage, which is usually large and easy to access.
With beds that are made up from the seating, there will also be storage underneath but it will be split across both sides of the caravan and part of the space may be shared with items like the leisure battery.

Make-up beds

Make-up beds refer to a bed that can be created or put away as and when you need it. They’re one of the family caravan features most people are aware of.

This is in contrast to fixed beds, which are permanently made up and cannot be put away.

Across the Bailey 4 berth caravan layouts range, you can make up seating into single, double or bunk beds depending on the layout

Make-up beds are great for:

Couples who want the option of being able to flex a social space into a bed at night, for when guests are staying
Families who sometimes go away as a couple and sometimes have children with them
Anyone who wants maximum living space during the day

Upsides	Downsides
Flexible use of space They serve two purposes, being able to act as a lounge space during the day and a sleeping area at night.	Daily setup is needed Make-up beds need to be made up, meaning you’ll likely be putting it up each night and taking it down each morning.
Larger social area Without a fixed bed, you get the option of a bigger space to relax, socalise and play games.
Ideal for occasional use They are ideal for caravanners who need a social space most of the time and an extra bed only some of the time, because you always have the ability to change your space as needed.

Upsides

Downsides

Flexible use of space

They serve two purposes, being able to act as a lounge space during the day and a sleeping area at night.

Daily setup is needed

Make-up beds need to be made up, meaning you’ll likely be putting it up each night and taking it down each morning.

Larger social area

Without a fixed bed, you get the option of a bigger space to relax, socalise and play games.

Ideal for occasional use

They are ideal for caravanners who need a social space most of the time and an extra bed only some of the time, because you always have the ability to change your space as needed.

What style of bed do you want?

Bed Type	What is it?	Pros	Best for
Island bed	A fixed double bed that’s attached to a wall on the headboard end, giving easy access to both sides. This type of bed typically sits in its own bedroom.	A great option for families of four as the parents have a double bed and usually two children can use the make-up bed(s) at the front of the caravan Many can extend and retract to save a little bit of walkway space during the day.	Families where the parents and children want their own separate spaces. Couples who want to keep a bed made up at all times and reserve the lounge for seating.
Corner Double Bed	A fixed double bed tucked into one corner of the caravan, often with one side against a wall.	A double with more access space on one side which often gives a wider walkway	Couples who like to have a wider walkway past the bed and are less likely to disturb each other’s sleep if anyone needs to get out of bed at night
Twin Single Beds	Two single beds that are positioned against each side of the caravan with a walkway down the middle. Great for couples who don’t want to disturb each other getting up in the night or for families who want the children to have a dedicated bedroom.	Gives each person their own bed space, reducing nighttime disturbances Walkway down the middle allows easy access to both beds Convenient arrangement for couples, or singles holidaying with a friend	Couples who want separate beds to avoid disturbing each other at night Families who want the children to have their own dedicated sleeping space Friends who holiday together
Bunk Beds	Typically, two single beds stacked on top of each other, with a ladder to allow access to the top bunk. Sometimes the bottom bed is fixed and a second bunk can be made up over the top of it as needed.	These can come as a single fixed bed with a make-up bunk above it, giving a lot of sleeping space in a smaller footprint In some layouts the bunkbeds can become a dinette with a table and two seats during the day Or they can be fixed bunk beds so the children always have their own dedicated sleeping area ready to go	Ideal for larger families with lots of children or those expecting occasional guests

Do you want a rear or central bed?

This decision sounds fairly small compared to some of the other bed decisions, but it actually shapes how the rest of your caravan is laid out.

This, in turn, can affect how private your sleeping space feels and how much room you have in your kitchen or bathroom.

If privacy is your top priority, you’ll likely want to go for a rear bed.

If you want a more communal, flowing feel to your caravan, then a central bed might be the way to go.

Rear Beds

Tend to feel more private, especially when separated by a central bathroom
They are often available as a rear island or corner bed, offering a feel of having a bedroom at the back
Typically, they are close to the bathroom, which can feel almost as if it’s an en-suite

Central beds

These are usually either side dinette or transverse bed styles that are found in the middle of the caravan
They’re good for creating a a strong flow to the layout, with the lounge, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom all leading into eachother
There’s easier access to the bed from both sides, but it may feel less private

Can’t decide between a central or rear bed?

Do you want a dedicated ‘bedroom’ space with doors or a divider? If so, then you’ll have more privacy with a rear bedroom.
Will the bed be used during the day for naps, reading or relaxing? If so, then a central bed is great if you want to remain in the mix socially, but a rear bed is better if you want more quiet time.

What kind of bathroom setup fits your routine?

Where your bathroom is situated can make or break your layout. Two of the key decisions are how much space you want in the bathroom and where in the van you’d like it to be situated.

How big do you want your bathroom to be?

With bathrooms in UK-style caravans, you’ll typically find three distinct styles:

Central Washroom: This is where the washroom sits across the centre of the caravan with the toilet and sink on one side and the shower on the other. It often also has a door that can be closed in one direction to close off the whole bathroom and in another to close off just the toilet and sink. There is access to the bathroom from both ends of the caravan which means privacy can easily be maintained.

Corner Washrooms: These washrooms are generally smaller and located in the corner of the caravan. They are more common in smaller caravans and are often wet rooms or else a smaller space with a single door. The toilet, sink and shower are all still included but on a smaller footprint.

End washrooms: End washrooms cover the width of the van like a centre washroom, but are located against the end wall. They contain a shower, toilet and sink in one room with a single door and are often the most spacious of the caravan washroom layouts, sometimes including a mirror, window, cupboards or shelves for storage.

How do you relax and live inside your caravan?

In Bailey 4 berth caravans every main lounge is at the front of the vehicle. Rear lounges are found in our motorhomes and campervans, so the question you have to answer is which style of seating is best suited to your way of living?

What style of lounge do you prefer?

Front lounge with parallel sofas

These type of lounges have seats set up that face eachother and can usually be made into a bed at night. This style of seating creates a space that feels traditional but open and very social, and is the style you’ll most often see in caravans.

Parallel seating is great for:

Couples who like to relax, each on their own sofa
Families who like the space to all sit together
Anyone who wants the most open style of front seating

L-shaped front lounge seating

L-shaped seating is basically one long sofa that starts on one side of the caravan and wraps around a corner to continue under the front window.

This style of seating means that the “two” sofas aren’t facing each other and are instead at right angles. It shifts the focus of everyone sitting to a specific point, and can be great for those who like to watch TV.

L-shaped seating is great for:

Families who want a less formal dining space
Anyone who spends a lot of time watching TV and wants a comfortable viewing experience

Side dinette

While not technically an option in its own right as the side dinette is a small dining area within the leisure vehicle in addition to the lounge, it’s still worth a mention.

A side dinette is an extra, small parallel-style seating area in the middle of the caravan opposite the kitchen. It acts as a sort of ‘breakfast room’ in larger vehicles, and can typically seat up to four people.

The focus with a side dinette is dining, with a central table between the two rows of seats, but it can also be used as a place to do hobbies or simply relax.

Side dinettes are great for:

Families who want a space to eat away from their social area
A separate space for children to eat or play
Anyone who wants the extra breakout space for hobbies

What kind of kitchen space works for you?

In every 4 berth Bailey caravan you’ll find the kitchen in the centre of the vehicle next to the lounge.

There are a few features to consider when looking at the kitchen area and these are:

How big do you want your fridge/freezer to be?
Do you need a microwave?
How much worktop space do you want and how do you want this to be laid out?

Fridge / Freezer

There are broadly two types of fridge / freezer available in Bailey caravans, either a large tower refrigerator with a freezer compartment at the top, or an under-counter fridge with a smaller freezer compartment. On some models the door can open both ways and on others the hinge is fixed so it will only open one way.

Microwave

Some models come with a microwave, some don’t, and in some it is a cost option. Decide if you need a microwave early on as if one is not included as standard and the layout is otherwise perfect, you may need to consider adding this feature in.

Worktop Space

There are several features in Bailey caravans that help to increase worktop space where needed. Look for items like dropdown worktops, sink covers and cooker top covers, all which will give you extra room to prepare food and can then be lifted up or folded down when using the lounge, sink or cooker.

Final thoughts: Choose the layout that fits you

There’s no single ‘right’ answer when it comes to choosing a 4-berth caravan layout. Just the one that fits you. Your travel style, your sleeping preferences, who you tour with, and how you use the space all play a part in shaping what will work best.

Instead of starting with floorplans, start with your priorities. Ask yourself:

How do you want to sleep?
Do you want the comfort and ease of a fixed bed, or the flexibility of a make-up option? Do you sleep best alone in your own space or with your partner? And how many bed spaces will you need?

What kind of bathroom setup fits your routine?
Is a spacious bathroom a must-have, or would you prefer more living space and have a smaller washroom?

How do you relax and live inside your caravan?
Do you picture sociable evenings with friends, quiet time with a book, family dinners, or all of the above?

What kind of kitchen space works for your style of travel?
Are you planning to cook most meals onboard, or do you need something simple and efficient for the occasional breakfast fry-up?

Once you’ve answered those four questions, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what really matters to you.

And that means you can start filtering down your options and find a layout that suits your lifestyle.

At Bailey, we offer a wide range of thoughtfully designed 4-berth layouts across all of our ranges, so no matter how you travel, who you bring with you, or what comfort means to you, there’s a layout ready to make your adventures feel just right.