The L-shaped front lounge is an uncommon caravan layout – and I think there’s a good reason for this

Choosing the layout that best suits your needs is going to be a crucial decision to make when choosing the right caravan. When you’re looking at the various options on the market, you’re going to discover there are various layouts to choose from, one of which includes a caravan with an L-shaped lounge.

However, it’s not one that you see very often – and in my opinion, there’s a good reason for this.

This is because I think L-shaped lounges in caravans are something of a fad. They were big in the mid-1990s, went away again, and have only really come back in the last decade.

That’s not to say they do not have clear advantages. A caravan with an L-shaped lounge feels more like home, with the position of the settees make it easier for tall people to stretch their legs, and the wall that doesn’t have much of a settee on it can include either a larger window for you to enjoy the view or a space for one of the best caravan TVs to go.

They can be very opulent too, as is the case with the Swift Bessacarr 850 Anniversary Edition (see main image) – here, a large and sociable area is provided.

But this type of setup is not without its downsides. For instance, it’s harder to make full use of a foldaway table in such a layout, because you will always have an empty side to it. Some manufacturers have tried to get around this problem by providing a footstool, but even then, a further issue arises, as you have to remember to keep this securely in place when you are on the move.

There could be a problem with the bed you make up in the lounge with this type of arrangement, too. The two settee areas in an L-shaped lounge are usually not big enough to be used as single beds, and you usually have to make a double by pulling a platform out from under the front settee. As a result, it means that while one person has a solid mattress, the other has to put up with an often uncomfortable arrangement of infill cushions.

So if you’re thinking of getting a caravan with an L-shaped lounge, there’s no getting away from the fact that they have advantages, as I’ve outlined above – and, of course, if it’s a layout you like and want, I would say go for it. However, make sure you are aware of the potential compromises this caravan layout can pose.

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