50 Awesome Container Homes: From Tiny to Gigantic

With shipping container homes, seeing is often believing. We hope that after reading this article, you will better understand what’s possible with container homes across sizes, floorplans, and price levels by showing you a wide variety of custom container home designs.

Each curated home below is a chance to highlight the creativity and craftsmanship found in the best shipping container houses around the world. All 50 container homes include a picture and a link to its entry in our Container Project Database where you’ll find many more details including location, size, and additional pictures.

Best Large Container Homes

There is no rule that says you have to build with a single 40-foot shipping container; you can make a container home as large as your budget allows. Below are some of the best container homes with over 2500 square feet of floor space that are perfect for a family or those looking for a touch of luxury in their dream home.

Casa Incubo

This Costa Rica shipping container home uses eight 40-foot boxes in a design that blends industrial architecture, abundant solar panels, and the natural environment. Click Here to Learn More

Old Lady House

A New Jersey container home built from nine 40-foot containers built into two glass-filled wings that flank a central courtyard. Click Here to Learn More

PV14 House

With 14 storage boxes placed on top of a concrete ground floor, this Texas container home in Dallas is a luxurious example of cargotecture for those who aren’t afraid of a large price tag. Click Here to Learn More

Union Pier Container Home Two

Combining traditional wood construction with 11 steel shipping containers, this western Michigan container home is built for indoor/outdoor living. Click Here to Learn More

Graceville Container House

This Australia container mansion was built with 31 cargo boxes in the suburbs of Brisbane and is one of our favorite sea container homes in Queensland…or anywhere! Click Here to Learn More

Foster Container Home

Nine ISO boxes were combined to build this stunning Colorado container home, plus another two containers for the guest apartment above the garage. Click Here to Learn More

Carroll House

With a total of 21 boxes, this angular Brooklyn, New York box house has one of the coolest container home designs in the world. Click Here to Learn More

Sheridan Container House

By offsetting three of the nine containers of this St. Louis, Missouri container home, the builders created a three-story floor plan with texture and personality. Click Here to Learn More

Best Tiny Container Homes

The tiny house movement is many people’s first introduction to the idea of shipping container homes. And while you don’t have to build a shipping container house with a single 40-foot or 20-foot shipping container, there are plenty of beautiful examples of tiny container homes that do just that. Here are a few of the best tiny houses built with containers that are under 500 square feet of floor area.

Kangarilla Shipping Container Home

The outside deck is inviting, but it’s the modern plywood walls that make this Australian cargo dwelling one of the best affordable shipping container homes we’ve seen. Click Here to Learn More

Container Vale da Vila

Despite using only one cargo box, this container home in Portugal feels spacious thanks to the huge sliding glass doors that open to a shady outdoor porch. Click Here to Learn More

Atlanta Shipping Container Homes for Rent

These two adjacent suburban Georgia container homes with a shared patio put an otherwise empty backyard to good use. Click Here to Learn More

San Antonio Container Guest House 

A green roof and bold colors help this Texas container guesthouse really stand out. Click Here to Learn More

Riverside Hideout Container Cabin

Yes, please to an Ohio container home on a tranquil piece of property just a stone’s throw from a relaxing river. Click Here to Learn More

Tiny Victoria DIY Container Home

White walls, bright windows, and warm wooden accents make this Canadian container tiny house come to life. Click Here to Learn More

Hinckle Container Home

Two stacked conex boxes give this Washington container home a bit of extra room plus an elevated patio to view the surrounding forest. Click Here to Learn More

Best Do It Yourself (DIY) Container Homes

We love helping DIYers learn how to build their own shipping container house which is why we have to share a few of the best DIY container home projects too! All of the storage box houses in this section were built primarily by their owners.

McConkey Container Home

A labor of love for Mike and his wife, this California container home perches gracefully on the side of a San Diego canyon. Click Here to Learn More

Shipping Containers of Hope

This Costa Rican container house uses clerestory windows to add light and air, becoming a classic example of shipping container architecture. Click Here to Learn More

KAN House

After facing a New Orleans hurricane as a child, the owner of this Louisiana container house worked within existing zoning laws to create a home that was durable and strong enough for anything nature might send. Click Here to Learn More

Naylor Container Home

With three containers, a dream, and a lot of hard work, a young family built this North Carolina box house that is full of light. Click Here to Learn More

Envase Casa

This Utah container house blends into the desert landscape and provides easy access to numerous outdoor adventures in nearby national parks. Click Here to Learn More

Prince Road Container Home

An angled box and a crazy mural completely transform this Florida container home into an artistic showcase. Click Here to Learn More

Best Container Homes with Unique Interiors

So much of container architecture is focused on the appearance of the outside of the home, but the following examples demonstrated some incredible interiors as well. You’re sure to get some interior container home design ideas from the examples in this section. There’s certainly a range of possible interior aesthetics, from warm to minimalist to industrial to sleek.

Red River Gorge Container Cabins

Wood paneling on the walls, galvanized steel ceilings, and dark floors combine to make these Kentucky container homes into rustic modern delights. Click Here to Learn More

Wattle Bank Container Home

Built-in furniture meets modern plywood relief wall coverings in this container home in Australia that is completely disguised! Click Here to Learn More

Blue Steel Container Home

Using a handful of earth-tone colors for the wooden walls gives this Texas container house a cozy cabin warmth.  Click Here to Learn More

Bali Shipping Container Villas

Sleek, contemporary architecture marries with tropical hardwood interior design in this incredible pair of Indonesian container homes. Click Here to Learn More

Chelan Container Home

Gracefully walking the line between modern and uber-comfortable, this container home in Washington state has an impressive living space. Click Here to Learn More

Eco Relax Container Home

A wood-burning stove, well-coordinated furniture, and tasteful decorations make this container home in Portugal a favorite.  Click Here to Learn More

Best Shipping Container Homes in Scenic Areas

Many of our favorite container homes are impressive on their own, but when taken in the context of their incredible natural surroundings, they become awe-inspiring. The following shipping container houses are set in locations that take full advantage of the beauty of nature in very different ways.

Riverfront Jupiter Container Home

Right on the banks of a paddle-friendly river, this Florida container home was built in full compliance with local building codes. Click Here to Learn More

Cinco Camp Container Retreat

The stark scenery and epic blue skies surrounding this Texas container home look like they were taken from a painting. Click Here to Learn More

Six Oaks Container Home

Built inside a NorCal forest, this California container home has impressive views all around. Click Here to Learn More

Whiskey Bend Ranch

On a small ranch outside of Austin, you’ll find this scenic Texas container home with an elevated outdoor dining room. Click Here to Learn More

Canon City Container Cabin

Set amongst the plains with views of distant mountains, this Colorado container home invites you to explore. Click Here to Learn More

Appalachian Container Cabin

This North Carolina container home is built on the side of a mountain with awe-inspiring views for miles in all directions. Click Here to Learn More

Manton Container Cabin

Deep in rural NorCal you’ll find this comfortable California container cabin set amongst the trees and a winding creek. Click Here to Learn More

Redpath Container Home

Built to cantilever out over a river gorge, this Australian container home uses an off-grid design to become one with the land. Click Here to Learn More

Best Unique Container Homes

Bridged, staggered, cut, turned, stacked…the way that you configure and combine shipping containers can create some fantastic design possibilities. Some of the best designers and builders from around the globe have brought their coolest container home ideas to life with these homes. The creativity and engineering insight displayed here take full advantage of the structural strength of containers.

Livingston Manor Container Home

This New York container home uses the strength of cargotecture to literally bridge over a gap. Click Here to Learn More

Huiini Container House

We’ve seen containers where the levels are stacked and shifted, but this container home in Mexico goes further with a double-height ceiling, expansive windows, and novel use of building materials. Click Here to Learn More

3327 Rutledge Street Container House

Less than 1000 square feet yet three stories tall, this Texas shipping container house is basically a mini-skyscraper. Click Here to Learn More

C-Home Hudson Container House

This striking container home in New York proves that what you remove counts just as much as what you add. Click Here to Learn More

Dam Camp Container Home

A Texas container house built on a riverbank, the Dam Camp seems perfect for a family reunion or party. Click Here to Learn More

Casa Oruga Container Home

Growing out of the side of a hill, this creative container house in Chile makes you walk downstairs to enter. Click Here to Learn More

Maison Container Lille

Whether it’s the cherry red paint, the lattice roof, or the staggered configuration, this French container home is unlike any other. Click Here to Learn More

Grillagh Water House

Combing functional cladding with complex structural modifications, this Northern Ireland home seems to almost float above the farm it is built on. Click Here to Learn More

El Tiemblo Container House

The soothing blue color of this iconic Spanish container home makes you feel almost as peaceful as the tranquil courtyard. Click Here to Learn More

Best Container Homes with Exterior Cladding

Whether for reasons of personal preference or community requirements, some people want to obscure the fact that their home is built with containers. Here are a few of the best examples of freight container homes that use different exterior materials to cover up the corrugated metal walls of their shipping containers. If you don’t believe these are container homes, just click through to each one and view the under-construction pictures to prove it!

Rochester Road Container House

A variety of textures and colors welcome you to the front facade of this Michigan home from a prominent container home builder. Click Here to Learn More

Hamptons Container Beach Box

Built adjacent to a Hamptons beach, this container home in New York uses cement board cladding to completely hide the cargo boxes underneath. Click Here to Learn More

Manifesto House

Simple wooden pallets transform the exterior of this Chilean container home, giving it texture and welcome shade. Click Here to Learn More

WFH Container House

Natural bamboo is used as cladding for this container home in China to help it seamlessly blend into the surrounding nature. Click Here to Learn More

Nederland Container Home

Multicolored cement boards were used on the exterior of this container house in Colorado, making it look like a natural extension of the site’s rocky terrain. Click Here to Learn More

Camden Avenue Container House

Not even the second-floor porch of this Michigan container home gives away the storage containers underneath thanks to its thoughtful cladding. Click Here to Learn More

Summary

What a creative, diverse mix of houses built from shipping containers. Hopefully, you’ve been inspired by these real-world examples of storage container homes that are great alternatives to traditional construction.

We tried to include something for everyone, regardless of your budget, design preferences, and build process, including projects from shipping container builders and DIY homes from enterprising owners. And, we were sure to include container houses from a variety of locations across the globe, proving that container construction can work almost anywhere.

However, this article is just scratching the surface of ways that storage containers can create unique, sturdy structures that are often more affordable and environmentally friendly than competing buildings. So continue to our Container Fundamentals section to learn more detailed information about container construction, then check out the Container Project Database for even more examples of shipping container homes and other projects from places near and far.