75 Beautiful Shipping Container Houses Home Design Ideas & Designs (2024)

New Old Stock - Off Grid Shipping Container Dwellings

Storstac Inc.

A look at the two 20' Off Grid Micro Dwellings we built for New Old Stock Inc here at our Toronto, Canada container modification facility. Included here are two 20' High Cube shipping containers, 12'x20' deck and solar/sun canopy. Notable features include Spanish Ceder throughout, custom mill work, Calcutta tiled shower and toilet area, complete off grid solar power and water for both units.

Type-Variant

Yerigan Construction Company

Type-Variant is an award winning home from multi-award winning Minneapolis architect Vincent James, built by Yerigan Construction around 1996. The popular assumption is that it is a shipping container home, but it is actually wood-framed, copper clad volumes, all varying in size, proportion, and natural light. This house includes interior and exterior stairs, ramps, and bridges for travel throughout.Check out its book on Amazon: Type/Variant House: Vincent James

shoup residence + office compound

building Lab, inc.

headquarters of building Lab created with shipping containers.
Inspiration for a contemporary one-storey exterior in San Francisco.

Modern Shipping Container Cabin

Tomecek Studio Architecture

Photography by John GibbonsThis project is designed as a family retreat for a client that has been visiting the southern Colorado area for decades. The cabin consists of two bedrooms and two bathrooms – with guest quarters accessed from exterior deck.Project by Studio H:T principal in charge Brad Tomecek (now with Tomecek Studio Architecture). The project is assembled with the structural and weather tight use of shipping containers. The cabin uses one 40’ container and six 20′ containers. The ends will be structurally reinforced and enclosed with additional site built walls and custom fitted high-performance glazing assemblies.

Japanese Container House

Drummonds Bathrooms

Constructed from specially designed steel containers, this unique container house looks out over the open expanse of the East China Sea.The Drummonds' Spey bath has a rough, raw cast iron finish on its body with polished cast iron legs, perfectly combining a classic look with an industrial edge befitting of the container house.The Eden WC suite, Kinloch basin and Dalby shower can be tucked away behind a canvas and wood screen if required, offering a flexible bathroom space for the family that share it. After all, once you were in that bath you wouldn’t want to get out of it in a hurry, would you?This bathroom was featured in the October 2015 issue of World in Interiors. Photo Credit: Simon Upton

New Old Stock - Off Grid Shipping Container Dwellings

Storstac Inc.

A look at the two 20' Off Grid Micro Dwellings we built for New Old Stock Inc here at our Toronto, Canada container modification facility. Included here are two 20' High Cube shipping containers, 12'x20' deck and solar/sun canopy. Notable features include Spanish Ceder throughout, custom mill work, Calcutta tiled shower and toilet area, complete off grid solar power and water for both units.

Off Grid Mountain Container Home

Tomecek Studio Architecture

Photograhpy by Braden GunemProject by Studio H:T principal in charge Brad Tomecek (now with Tomecek Studio Architecture). This project questions the need for excessive space and challenges occupants to be efficient. Two shipping containers saddlebag a taller common space that connects local rock outcroppings to the expansive mountain ridge views. The containers house sleeping and work functions while the center space provides entry, dining, living and a loft above. The loft deck invites easy camping as the platform bed rolls between interior and exterior. The project is planned to be off-the-grid using solar orientation, passive cooling, green roofs, pellet stove heating and photovoltaics to create electricity.

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Port Ludlow House

FINNE Architects

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal.The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces.The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles.The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

New Old Stock - Off Grid Shipping Container Dwellings

Storstac Inc.

A look at the most luxurious shower ever to be installed inside of a Shipping Container. Notable features include: Calcutta Tile "walk out shower" open shower and bathroom area, wall to wall stainless steel floor drain, off grid water and solar power. All work was done in-house at our Toronto, Canada container modification facility.

Our Shipping Container House

Our Shipping Container House

This is the front of our shipping container house exterior at night with lights on under the huge verandah.Our container house was based on the style of a 'Queenslander style' home which we have always admired. We plan to add a huge deck around the house in the future.

New Old Stock - Off Grid Shipping Container Dwellings

Storstac Inc.

A look at the most luxurious shower ever to be installed inside of a Shipping Container. Notable features include: Calcutta Tile "walk out shower" and washroom area, wall to wall stainless steel floor drain, off grid water and solar power. All work was done in-house at our Toronto, Canada container modification facility.

Kitchen

Fredman Design Group

Designers gave the house a wood-and-steel façade that blends traditional and industrial elements.Photography by Eric HausmanDesigners gave the house a wood-and-steel façade that blends traditional and industrial elements. This home’s noteworthy steel shipping container construction material, offers a streamlined aesthetic and industrial vibe, with sustainable attributes and strength. Recycled shipping containers are fireproof, impervious to water and stronger than traditional building materials. Inside, muscular concrete walls, burnished cedar beams and custom oak cabinetry give the living spaces definition, decorative might, and storage and seating options.For more than 40 years, Fredman Design Group has been in the business of Interior Design. Throughout the years, we’ve built long-lasting relationships with our clients through our client-centric approach. When creating designs, our decisions depend on the personality of our clients—their dreams and their aspirations. We manifest their lifestyle by incorporating elements of design with those of our clients to create a unique environment, down to the details of the upholstery and accessories. We love it when a home feels finished and lived in, with various layers and textures.While each of our clients and their stories has varied over the years, they’ve come to trust us with their projects—whether it’s a single room to the larger complete renovation, addition, or new construction. They value the collaborative team that is behind each project, embracing the diversity that each designer is able to bring to their project through their love of art, travel, fashion, nature, history, architecture or film—ultimately falling in love with the nurturing environments we create for them. We are grateful for the opportunity to tell each of clients’ stories through design. What story can we help you tell?Call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation - 312-587-9184

Pool House

Janine Lamontagne Photography LLC

Pool House in a box. This custom made pool house is a converted shipping container turned into a pool house. Look up www.elbarpoolhouses.com for more information.

Off Grid Mountain Container Home

Tomecek Studio Architecture

Photography by Braden GunemProject by Studio H:T principal in charge Brad Tomecek (now with Tomecek Studio Architecture). This project questions the need for excessive space and challenges occupants to be efficient. Two shipping containers saddlebag a taller common space that connects local rock outcroppings to the expansive mountain ridge views. The containers house sleeping and work functions while the center space provides entry, dining, living and a loft above. The loft deck invites easy camping as the platform bed rolls between interior and exterior. The project is planned to be off-the-grid using solar orientation, passive cooling, green roofs, pellet stove heating and photovoltaics to create electricity.

Off Grid Mountain Container Home

Tomecek Studio Architecture

Photography by Braden GunemProject by Studio H:T principal in charge Brad Tomecek (now with Tomecek Studio Architecture). This project questions the need for excessive space and challenges occupants to be efficient. Two shipping containers saddlebag a taller common space that connects local rock outcroppings to the expansive mountain ridge views. The containers house sleeping and work functions while the center space provides entry, dining, living and a loft above. The loft deck invites easy camping as the platform bed rolls between interior and exterior. The project is planned to be off-the-grid using solar orientation, passive cooling, green roofs, pellet stove heating and photovoltaics to create electricity.

Off Grid Mountain Container Home

Tomecek Studio Architecture

Photography by Braden GunemProject by Studio H:T principal in charge Brad Tomecek (now with Tomecek Studio Architecture). This project questions the need for excessive space and challenges occupants to be efficient. Two shipping containers saddlebag a taller common space that connects local rock outcroppings to the expansive mountain ridge views. The containers house sleeping and work functions while the center space provides entry, dining, living and a loft above. The loft deck invites easy camping as the platform bed rolls between interior and exterior. The project is planned to be off-the-grid using solar orientation, passive cooling, green roofs, pellet stove heating and photovoltaics to create electricity.

Oxford Shipping Container

Shane Cook

Award winning project by Shane Cook Designs. The Oxford Shipping container won first place by Paper City Magazine in 2013 for Best Use of Green/Sustainable Design.The pair or reclaimed shipping containers were set in the beautiful Heights historic district bungalow home. with a total size of 496 sqft the Oxford Shipping Container Home is another win for Shane Cook designs in the fields of interior architecture, adaptive reuse, and sustainability. Image by: Aker Imaging

shoup residence + office compound

building Lab, inc.

Located adjacent to Linden Park at 999 43rd street in Oakland, the property can be described as transitional on many levels. In the urban sense, the neighborhood remains somewhat edgy but is slowly absorbing some of the calming effects of gentrification. Although momentum has stalled somewhat since the economic downturn, recent re-occupation of two nearby warehouses, one as housing and one as a charter school, has contributed significantly to establishing a more hospitable and engaging character to the neighborhood. Living here remains a dynamic balance between embracing the community and maintaining privacy. Since this was intended as a live/work compound, the building needed to accommodate an office, a residence, as well as retain its workshop. It was a tight fit even for a bachelor—the living and dining room doubled as a meeting space and lounge for bL’s crew. Growth in the business and a diminishing enchantment with the 24hr comingling of my personal and professional lives compelled phase one of expansion. This took the form of a retired freezer shipping container which we transformed into an office located in the back lot. My personal office remained in the main building while other work stations migrated out back. A year later, marriage and imminent parenthood prompted a second, contiguous shipping container conversion. Practically speaking, this allowed adequate and varied space to compactly accommodate both family and business. Architecturally, the second container allowed the formation of layered inner courtyard that provides privacy without hermetically sealing us off from our neighbors. The container conversions are a significant part of extensive green building credentials. These include myriad reclaimed, non-toxic and sustainably sourced materials and a solar thermal system servicing both domestic hot water and hydronic heating. In 2008, Build It Green featured the property on a green home tour. Aside from the container additions, we have stayed within the bounds of the existing building envelope. The process has been and continues to be one of discovery and dialogue; the proverbial Khanian brick in the form of a north Oakland warehouse.

Entry

Fredman Design Group

Designers gave the house a wood-and-steel façade that blends traditional and industrial elements.Photography by Eric HausmanDesigners gave the house a wood-and-steel façade that blends traditional and industrial elements. This home’s noteworthy steel shipping container construction material, offers a streamlined aesthetic and industrial vibe, with sustainable attributes and strength. Recycled shipping containers are fireproof, impervious to water and stronger than traditional building materials. Inside, muscular concrete walls, burnished cedar beams and custom oak cabinetry give the living spaces definition, decorative might, and storage and seating options.For more than 40 years, Fredman Design Group has been in the business of Interior Design. Throughout the years, we’ve built long-lasting relationships with our clients through our client-centric approach. When creating designs, our decisions depend on the personality of our clients—their dreams and their aspirations. We manifest their lifestyle by incorporating elements of design with those of our clients to create a unique environment, down to the details of the upholstery and accessories. We love it when a home feels finished and lived in, with various layers and textures.While each of our clients and their stories has varied over the years, they’ve come to trust us with their projects—whether it’s a single room to the larger complete renovation, addition, or new construction. They value the collaborative team that is behind each project, embracing the diversity that each designer is able to bring to their project through their love of art, travel, fashion, nature, history, architecture or film—ultimately falling in love with the nurturing environments we create for them. We are grateful for the opportunity to tell each of clients’ stories through design. What story can we help you tell?Call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation - 312-587-9184

Shipping Container Residence

AB design studio, inc.

Design ideas for an industrial master bedroom in Santa Barbara with beige walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

75 Beautiful Shipping Container Houses Home Design Ideas & Designs (2024)

FAQs

How much does it cost to build a container ship home? ›

How much does a shipping container home cost? For most homeowners, this eco-friendly, small-space living solution costs anywhere from $25,000 to $250,000 or more, with luxury options reaching $10,000 . Overall, you can expect to spend $150 to $350 per square foot for a shipping container home.

What foundation for a container home? ›

Pier foundations are the most popular choice for shipping container homes for numerous reasons. They are relatively inexpensive, and quick to construct, a pier foundation is comprised of concrete blocks.

What is the average size of a container home? ›

The average 8'x20' container gives you 160 square feet of space, whereas an 8'x40' container offers about 320 square feet of living space.

Why do shipping container homes only last 25 years? ›

When maintained properly, a shipping container can last upwards of 25 years or longer. The lifespan depends on the condition of the container and the environment in which it is kept. Although they are built to resist harsh climates, its' lifespan can be cut short by wetter, saltier climates.

Do container homes get hot? ›

If you are fortunate enough to live in a warm climate then during the summer months you may find your shipping container home gets a little too warm, just like any other home.

Is it cheaper to build a house or a container home? ›

Yes, shipping containers. According to HomeGuide, the average cost to build and install a container home is $25,000 to $250,000. While that's no small chunk of change, it's significantly less than you'd expect to pay for a traditional house in most parts of the country.

How long does it take to build a shipping container home? ›

Since you already have the appropriate infrastructure in place, the building time won't take as long. Contractors can build a container home in less than a month. Larger dwellings can be finished in a few months, while the smaller ones can be fabricated off-site in a shorter period of time.

How many square feet is a 40ft shipping container? ›

The typical high cube 40 foot shipping container has a floor area of about 300 square feet, and a volume of almost 3000 square feet. With this much room, high cube shipping containers are an obvious choice for large-volume shipping by sea or rail.

How to anchor a container home? ›

One of the most common ways to secure your container is by using ground plates with twist locks, these will keep your container firmly secured to the foundation, even in the face of severe storms.

Do you need a slab for a container home? ›

Soil Types Make an Impact

Thus, containers placed directly on the ground tend to sink in the long term (think months to years). However, a container placed on a hard substrate like granite may never need a foundation or a gravel pad, while a container in a bayou may always require concrete pilings.

Do you need to put a roof on a shipping container home? ›

Not roofing the container will obviously save you money, but adding a roof will save you even more in the long run. Hot air rises so most of the heat from your home will be lost through the roof, which makes proper insulation and roofing the best option for saving.

How thick are the walls of a container home? ›

Shipping container walls are 0.075-inches thick. They feature 14-gauge corrugated steel. The frame, pillars, and rails are 7-gauge tubular steel with 0.187-inch thickness.

Is it cheaper to build a shed or buy a shipping container? ›

One of the greatest benefits to using a shipping container as a storage shed is cost per square foot. It is much cheaper. For example, a used shipping container measuring 20' long x 8' wide x 8.5'tall costs around $2,500. This averages out to about $15.63 per square foot.

Is building a house with shipping containers worth it? ›

Shipping container homes are durable but may lack the longevity that traditional houses have. A custom container home can last 25–30 years with proper maintenance, but a standard home generally lasts much longer than that, especially considering homes are passed down generations and still stand the test of time.

Why not to use shipping containers? ›

used shipping containers may have moisture in the floors from previous uses, and even new builds if left shut for prolonged periods may produce some moisture inside. The items you are storing may well contain moisture of some kind even a bed mattress has a moisture content.

Are container homes structurally sound? ›

However, while many people admire them for their simplicity, in reality, constructing one of these houses can be an extremely challenging endeavor. In fact, there are even some experts stating that shipping containers are not structurally designed to sustain additional points of load-bearing.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of containers? ›

They offer many benefits, such as portability, scalability, and resource efficiency. However, they also have drawbacks, such as complexity, security risks, and storage and networking challenges.

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