Wow! Container house ideas for cosy, low budget living

Lily Cichanowicz Lily Cichanowicz
Hammocks, Hen and Hammock Hen and Hammock Jardins campestres
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The idea of owning a home was once a common rite of passage for most families and professionals. With real estate prices persistently on the rise, this dream is fading into the distance. It is likely that relatively few will ultimately attain what was once expected. Fortunately, there are still some creative—albeit unconventional—ways to make owning a house a reality. From the tiny homes movement to the modular home, if you’re willing to think outside the box, you can still possess your own living quarters! 

In fact, you can even do so while thinking inside the box. If the box in question is a shipping container, that is. At this point you may be wondering just what on earth we mean. More people are converting old freight containers into cosy living spaces. Today we will be showing you just how plausible this idea truly is by giving you some inspiring ways to decorate a container house.

DIY another room on top of the container house

A container home doesn't necessarily have to be confined to one simple old storage box. You can actually combine multiple containers together to make a more unique looking home that closely resembles that of modern architecture. 

One of our favourite ideas is actually to add another container on top of the original container house to create a second storey room. To keep things simple, you can simply add some steps on the outside for accessing this additional container.

Choose an intersecting design

Obviously, one single container probably isn't going to provide enough room for you and your family to live in, so the best option is to pile at least two or three upon or around each other to create separate rooms that flow into each other. 

Don't think that means simply lumping one beside the other, though! Play with shapes and styles – a square built-in courtyard, kids-block style towering, or a step pattern of one, then two, then three containers piled on top of one another.

Bamboo wall to cover the boring look

One thing that might initially deter you from trying out a container house is that it seems difficult to hide the fact that the house is, well, made out of an old metal freight box. For some, painting the exterior and embracing this industrial look might be enough, but there are more innovative ways to mask the boring look of the freight container. 

One potential option is to cover the exterior with bamboo walls as we can see in this example by Errol Reubens Associates . The look has completely changed with the use of this bamboo exterior that fits perfectly to the dimensions of the container. Feel free to try experimenting with bamboo and paint as well. The bamboo looks magnificently tropical next to the lime green wall and lush plants in the corner.

Place wooden palettes to make a balcony

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For anyone that was wondering just how you might be able to make a balcony on top of your container home, let us suggest that you try using some wooden pallets to get the job done. These individual structures are cheap and quite versatile to begin with. 

Place the pallets over the top of the first storey container to create a kind of floor, and then choose bars or panels in whichever material you choose to make the balcony railings. Now, all you have to do is add some plants and suitable outdoor furniture. This simple project will extend your living space by giving you a pleasant gathering space for enjoying a sunny day.

Place a hammock right outside of the house

To help create a more pleasant, relaxed vibe around your container home, add a hammock to the yard. You can connect the hammock to one of the walls of the container or to some trees. Alternatively, you could choose a freestanding hammock unit. 

The hammock will add some colour to the yard in addition to making the yard feel more habitable. Plus, if your container home is a place you retreat to for vacations or summer holidays, hammocks are versatile furniture that are easy to set up and take down as needed.

Light materials for use and store them away

Master bedroom and bathroom homify Quartos modernos

While we’ve spent a good deal of time considering the ways you can enhance the look of the exterior of your container home, the interior is equally important. In order to create a pleasant and airy interior, we recommend sticking to a light colour palette. Whites and neutrals help to better distribute natural light in a given space, and they make it appear larger. 

It’s also a good idea to choose furniture that is light in weight. This way, you can move the furniture around more easily. If the container home is a temporary dwelling, you’ll thank yourself for this when the time comes to close the house for the season.

Secure the privacy

Finally, as with any home, privacy is important. Most conventional homes are built with this in mind, but since container dwellings have been converted from storage units, this will take a bit more conscious consideration. Some easy ways you can add privacy to your container home have to do with location, landscaping, and added barriers. As for location, try to situate the container home so that the largest windows are not facing the road. 

You may also want set up the container home at the end of a long driveway. Planting trees or tall shrubs will help to insulate your home from nosey neighbours. Moreover, adding a fence can be a nice way to create more cohesion between the container home and the surrounding yard.

If you're intrigued by the idea of alternative housing, check out these 6 modular homes you'll love

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