Shipping containers can be found on ships and docks across the world, but once their time on the high seas is over, these durable units can be turned into amazing, 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 as we explore some of the most stylish, affordable container homes on the market...
This chic shipping container home was designed with modern style and functional living in mind. Small on space but big on features and interior wow factor, the property was designed and crafted by PennyGranny from a brand-new shipping container.
Known as The Brooklyn, the tiny home will set you back just AUD$67,800, or £34,000 ($43k), and is fully portable, meaning it can be delivered anywhere in Australia.
The two-bedroom home features a smart open-plan living space, with a sitting area, a modern kitchen and a breakfast bar, which is perfect for dining and entertaining guests.
The 40-foot (12m) container is fully insulated and comes equipped with air conditioning to keep the lucky owner at a comfortable temperature all year round.
Sliding doors in the main living space draw plenty of natural light inside and connect the interior to a patio outside. On the opposite side of the living space, you'll find a spacious bathroom, with modern fixtures and a laundry zone.
Other highlights include the home’s continuous hot water system, blackout blinds, fly screens and hybrid laminate timber floors. The home is kitted out with quality finishes throughout.
Plus, buyers can add on a range of off-grid customisations, such as incinerator or compost toilets and solar panels. What's even better, PennyGranny provides an experienced Town Planner, to help buyers throughout the entire process, to take the hassle away from obtaining council permits.
This is just one model by PennyGranny and the company even offers rentals, allowing potential buyers to try out container living before they invest.
Based in Manchester, UK, Live Off Grid was set up by a team of people after the global pandemic lockdowns. For the first time in a long time, they stopped, re-evaluated and re-connected with both themselves and nature. It was from this experience that Live Off Grid was born.
Their aim? To design and build homes that would have an impact on the physical and mental well-being of those living within them. The firm's Galaxy container range provides chic homes, crafted from repurposed shipping containers, each combining eco-conscious materials and modern design.
The Jupiter is just one of five different container models that buyers can choose from.
Inside, you'll find 291 square feet (27sqm) of space. There's an open-plan living area with a lounge, kitchen and dining zone.
On one side of the house, there’s a spacious private bedroom, while on the other lies the bathroom.
The unit comes with full electrical installation and plumbing, as well as thick polyurethane insulation and triple-glazed windows and doors, for maximum interior warmth and comfort.
All Live Off Grid homes are self-sufficient and powered by renewable energy sources. That means that your energy bills will be next to nothing. Buyers can customise their own interior or go with Live Off Grid's inspiring designs.
Plus, with prices starting at £37,720 ($47.2k), this is one seriously affordable housing option. The company is based in the UK but ships internationally. Delivery prices will vary depending on location.
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, the pad can be yours from as little as £58,100 ($72.8k). Plus, it can be fully customised to meet your individual needs. Try before you buy, thanks to this Airbnb listing in Texas, USA.
Another stylish option by Live Off Grid, The Saturn is the perfect choice for those seeking a little more space. Crafted from two 40-foot (12m) shipping containers, it benefits from 603 square feet (56sqm) of interior space.
Inside, there’s a large, open living space measuring 351 square feet (32.6sqm). It boasts a lounge, dining area and a kitchen, all very generous in size.
The Saturn has two stylish bedrooms, one of 66 square feet (6.1sqm) and the second measuring 87 square feet (8.1sqm). Large triple glazed windows frame idyllic views and allow natural light to flood every interior space.
The home comes with plenty of built-in storage, too, all smartly designed for a streamlined finish.
The property also benefits from a generous bathroom, with a walk-in shower, ample storage and a laundry zone.
Prices for The Saturn start at £58,205 ($72.9k) and while the company is based in the UK, it can be delivered anywhere in the world. Reach out to Live Off Grid for a delivery quote.
The Modern Farmhouse by Backcountry Containers is a stunning custom model that has plenty of personality.
The 40-foot (12m) 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 model, The Kennedy, starts from £63,800 ($80k), but the more you customise your model, the more you'll pay. However, they offer smaller 20-foot models for as little as £43,100 ($54k).
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. Backcountry Containers delivers anywhere in the United States.
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 £71,700 ($89.9k), this petite pad could well be within your reach. Let's take a tour...
The 40-foot (12m) shipping container home offers just 320 square feet (30sqm) 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 anywhere in America. What could be easier?
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 £76,500 ($95.9k), 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 model is available for delivery across the United States.
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 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 (44.6sqm), the stylish container home features everything you'd need and more for everyday living. The kitchen features timber countertops, a stove, a refrigerator and a 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 £136,000 ($170.5k), The Helm 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.
This custom model in Texas is currently available to rent on Airbnb, so you can try out container living before taking the plunge. CargoHome serves America and internationally – reach out to them for more information.
Amazingly, the HO3 shipping container home by Honomobo costs just shy of £228,000 ($286k).
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 (89sqm), 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.
Available for delivery in both the USA and Canada, Honomobo can typically build your custom home in less than 12 weeks!
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 £297,100 ($372.3k), this plush pad can be delivered anywhere in America or Canada and offers two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room and a full kitchen.
The property comprises four shipping containers and has a floor area of 704 square feet (65.4sqm). An air-source heat pump for heating and cooling is included as standard, too.
The 29-foot (8.8m) 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.
Loved this? Check out more amazing tiny homes and alternative housing solutions