Shipping containers can be found on ships and docks across the world, but once their time is done on the high seas these durable units can also make the ultimate eco-friendly homes. Sustainable and quick to build, these oversized building blocks offer a world of design potential at prices that won't break the bank, plus you might just be surprised by how stylish they can be. Click or scroll on and get ready to think outside the box...
The converted shipping container boasts a chic and light-filled interior, thanks to its crisp colour palette and glass front doors made from the original container openings. This modern reinterpretation swings 270 degrees, allowing for an easy indoor-outdoor flow.
Inside, you'll find a custom Murphy bed that acts as a sofa in the day and a queen-sized bed at night. There's also a chic kitchen, which can be finished with either quartz or epoxy barn wood countertops. At the far end of the home, there's a modern bathroom equipped with everything you could need for a comfortable stay.
Head upstairs and you'll find a dreamy rooftop terrace, where sunset scenery and morning coffees can be savoured—no matter where you choose to place your new abode. Amazingly, this beautiful tiny home can be yours from as little as £57,000 ($69k), plus it can be fully customised to meet your individual needs.
Perfect for those looking to downsize, the Empty Nester model by Custom Container Living offers space and style at an affordable price. Yours for as little as £91,000 ($110k), this petite pad could well be within your reach. Let's take a tour...
The 40-foot shipping container home offers just 320 square feet of inside space and yet it feels airy, bright and comfortable. Featuring a centralised living space with one bedroom and an optional additional loft bedroom, the new tiny home was designed to be sited on a range of different terrains.
The property comes kitted out with a living and dining area, a beautiful galley kitchen and a bathroom, complete with a tub. From a farmhouse sink to quality handmade cabinets, every aspect of the home is finished to the highest standards, and each element can be altered to suit your style. Even the exterior can be finished with a combination of steel, siding or faux stone panels—the choice is yours.
Custom Container Living also offers financing options, so you can repay them for your new property over a set amount of years. What's more, the company allows you to select a floor plan, upgrades and customisations to suit your individual needs, plus they'll deliver your fully-furnished home on the back of a lorry, straight to your chosen plot. What could be easier?
Amazingly, the HO3 shipping container home by Honomobo costs just shy of £221,000 ($267k). Featuring a large master bedroom with an ensuite, a second bedroom and also a main bathroom, the two-storey home comes with a fixed floor plan and two choices of window arrangements.
At 960 square feet, the lower floor of the converted shipping container features a spacious open-plan kitchen and living area that would be a joy to live in. Suitable for the cold Canadian winters, the HO3 can also be fitted with a wood- or gas-burning fireplace.
Floor-to-ceiling windows can be added to either both or just one side of the design, plus the sustainable home comes with an air source heat pump and all the fixtures you need to hook the property up to solar panels.
The master bedroom upstairs features a gloss white wardrobe, as well as a small desk that makes the ideal home-working space. The nifty design also comes in a matte black finish for those who prefer darker interiors.
The Modern Farmhouse by Backcountry Containers is a stunning custom model that has plenty of personality. The 40-foot container has been transformed into a lovely farmhouse-style home with the help of a cute front porch and a new gable roof.
Inside, the tiny home benefits from a stunning open-plan living room kitted out with a lounge, dining area and kitchen. Thanks to the home's pitched roof, the space feels airy and capacious, while the vaulted beamed ceiling adds rustic charm.
Elsewhere, there's also a kitchen island with a breakfast bar for grabbing a quick meal, a full bathroom, a double bedroom and a twin room with bunk beds. Despite being small, the petite farmhouse certainly packs plenty in!
Backcountry Containers' 40-foot container homes start from £58,430 ($75k), but the more you customise your model the more you'll pay. Still, by choosing this alternative route to buying a home, you'll be able to snap up a beautiful place to live for next to nothing.
This stunning shipping container home combines two units to create a multi-level home with a stunning roof terrace. Perfect for those seeking a little more room, the home is located in Waco, Texas, close to Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Market. The petite property is the ultimate example of how beautiful reclaimed materials can really be.
Designed by the team at CargoHome, the property boasts a small bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen, dining area and living room, as well as a larger bedroom with a full-size bathroom that sits on the upper level. Showing just how much can be achieved in a small space, the master suite comes complete with glass doors that open out onto the rooftop deck.
Spread over 480 square feet, the stylish container home features everything you'd need and more for everyday living. The kitchen features timber countertops, a stove, refrigerator and sink, while the dining space can squeeze in four guests. Decked out in a neutral colour scheme, the carefully positioned windows allow for light-filled living spaces.
With prices starting from £111,000 ($134k), this model can be fully customised to suit each individual buyer. There's even the option of an original painted corrugated metal façade or Shou Sugi Ban siding for a rustic finish, so there's something for everyone. If you have a slightly smaller budget, CargoHome offers models for as little as £32,200 ($39k), meaning there's an option for everyone. Currently available to rent on Airbnb, you can try out container living before taking the plunge.
Currently on the market for a snip under £66,000 ($79.9k), this modern tiny home model comes in at just 240 square feet, but it doesn't scrimp on style. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the charcoal grey unit features plenty of extra outdoor living space on a raised terrace that's been decked out with bright seating and patterned flooring.
Inside, the one-bedroom home has been fully customised with shiplap walls, vinyl floors and stylish light fixtures. The main living space is open-plan and squeezes in a dining table, a small kitchen with granite countertops and a comfortable corner sofa.
The double bedroom, which sits at the end of the container, is cut off from the rest of the home by a wardrobe that acts as a stylish room divider, maximising the petite property's storage space.
The sleek all-white bathroom features a fully-tiled shower, a compact sink and a toilet. Separated from the rest of the container home by a sliding barn-style door, it's the perfect spa-like space for relaxing. Ideal for a first-time buyer, this small but perfectly formed property could be a great starter home.
Designed by Honomobo, the HO4 shipping container home offers a stylish living space in a snug, affordable shell. The corrugated black façade is offset with sleek wood cladding and atmospheric spotlights. Pair with a spacious deck and patio set and you have the perfect indoor-outdoor home!
With prices starting from £288,000 ($348k), this plush pad can be delivered anywhere in America or Canada and offers two bedrooms, a living room, dining room and a full kitchen. The property comprises four shipping containers and has a floor area of 704 square feet. An air-source heat pump for heating and cooling is included as standard, too.
The 29-foot floor-to-ceiling windows allow light to stream into the kitchen's interior. Available with a myriad of styling options, this home is decked out in a modern, Scandi aesthetic, with sleek cabinetry and rustic wood accents.
The HO4 packs plenty in a small space. While the bedrooms are cosy, they don't go without the essentials, with luxurious double beds and a wall of built-in wardrobes for storage. This model also comes prepped and ready for solar panel installation so you can wave goodbye to those household bills.
Named Rustic Retreat, this home designed by Backcountry Containers is made from one 20-foot shipping container. With a small roof terrace and decking area, the design typically starts at a reasonable £42,000 ($54k). Larger, 40-foot models are slightly more, priced at £58,430 ($75k).
Inside, the tiny home has a charming, rustic-inspired design. The small kitchen embraces country-style décor and features a farmhouse sink and wooden countertops, while a repurposed corrugated metal panel provides storage space for spices and utensils.
For an added cost, the company can incorporate multiple bedrooms, offices, large entertaining areas and storage spaces. In this design, sliding patio doors draw in plenty of natural light and lead outside onto a spacious wooden deck.
The bedroom is a cosy and characterful space, encompassing a double bed, stylish shiplap walls and enough room for a TV and a side table. With each container home built to unique specifications, the design possibilities are endless.
This rustic home, made from two shipping containers, is known as the Happy Twogether model, designed and built by Missouri-based company Custom Container Living. With prices starting from £88,400 ($106.9k), the cosy dwelling features a kitchen, living area, bedroom and bathroom.
In the kitchen, blue and green birchwood cabinets line the walls. Each Happy Twogether kitchen comes with a built-in stainless steel microwave above the stove, a standard 24-inch electric range in stainless steel and a fridge-freezer, so you'll have no problem hosting intimate dinner parties.
Clad in wood, the interior oozes country charm, while vinyl wood-effect flooring is available as standard throughout the Happy Twogether home. For a more luxurious feel, you can upgrade to a range of different finishes including oak flooring and pine walls.
An archway connects one shipping container, which houses the bedroom and living room, to the other, which accommodates the main entryway, kitchen, and bathroom. Handy built-in storage in the entrance area will prevent the compact home from feeling cluttered.
This striking two-storey property was designed by the team at CargoHome, and was made by stacking two 40-foot shipping containers on top of one another. Providing enough space and style for a couple or small family, this one-of-a-kind residence will make even the most dubious buyers think twice about container living.
Inside, you'll find spacious living spaces that feel open and airy. There’s a wood-clad living room, a breakfast bar, a kitchen, two bathrooms and two bathrooms, making it ideal for either full-time living or a luxurious holiday home. Prices for The Flagship begin at around £117,000 ($142k) and you can customise your model to suit your preferences, changing everything from the kitchen cabinets to the countertops.
The compact home doesn't go without luxury touches either. The downstairs bathroom features a roomy walk-in shower, finished with high-end subway tiles and frameless glass doors, while the ground-floor bedroom with its sliding barn door easily fits a queen-sized bed and a Shaker-style wardrobe. Upstairs on the second floor, you'll find an additional bedroom and bathroom.
The Flagship has a generous exterior deck accessed through French doors, so you can enjoy your morning coffee alfresco in the sunshine. With its light, modern colour palette, high-end furnishings and custom built-in storage, this brilliant tiny home is hard to beat
Love this? Take a look at more incredible tiny homes around the world.