Shipping container homes – 8 tips to make it unique
Shipping container homes are often criticized for the lack of creativity in their construction. To make a shipping container livable, the general steps can be summed up as follows: sandblast, welding, insulate, install doors and windows, and repaint. If you like this kind of alternative for housing but don’t want a plain-looking home, you can spice it up by trying the following ideas:
1. Feature a mural on the facade.
The walls of a shipping container already offer depth and texture. Cleaning, repairing, and re-coating them are enough to make them presentable. If you want to go beyond presentable, you can liven up the exterior wall with a mural.
Adding a mural in the interior walls and ceiling can be tricky at times. It can make the room feel narrower than it already is. In case you still want to proceed, stick to minimalist designs.
2. Opt for a bonnet or clerestory roof design.
Flat, parapet and skillion are the three most popular roof designs for container homes. If you don’t want to fit the mold, you can go for the bonnet or clerestory roof.
The bonnet type is ideal for a container home made from one unit. With this kind of roof, you can build a deck on the covered areas surrounding your home avoiding add railings. It is better to let the patio seem to extend to the outdoors.
The clerestory roof design looks great for those container houses made from two or more units. This is best known for having one side of the roof being pitched higher than the other. Feel free to try out other roof shapes but keep in mind that they are bound to be more expensive to construct.
3. Cultivate a garden at the top of your container home.
Having a flat or parapet roof design isn’t that disadvantageous. With a parapet type, you can make it more exciting by installing stylish railings. Another option is to set up a mini garden in your roof deck. This goes for a flat roof as well.
4. Install solar panels in your roof.
Opting for shipping container homes is lauded as an eco-friendly move. You are helping upcycle what’s deemed as waste in ports after all. Another good news is that you can further make yours more environmentally friendly by using solar energy as your main power source. You can talk to your builder about setting solar panels in your roof.
5. Add skylights
Ventilation and lighting are among the top concerns of those who are hesitant to go for a shipping container homes. Windows and sliding doors can resolve ventilation issues while you can always rely on LED lights for illumination.
Repurpose the excess metal as walls for your patio.
Building a container home involves cutting chunks of metal. Instead of throwing these materials away, consider turning them into a single or double wall for your patio. Whether your patio is freestanding or attached to your container home, the extra walls can help secure your privacy. For the other sides, you can place pots with tall plants.
6. Elevate your container home.
If you replace the old flooring with wood, it’s important that you ensure there’ll be no access points for termites underneath. You can choose not to remove the base metal flooring. You can further prevent termite infestation by elevating your container home. With a pier and beam foundation, you can have your home situated at least a foot above the ground.
Shipping container homes don’t have to look like giant metal shoeboxes. Aside from the designing ideas mentioned above, you can use a shipping container as a foundation of a dome or any other complex structure. With the help of an exceptional builder, you can have a container house that suits your budget, lifestyle and preference.
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