This Woman Designed Her Own Small House Made out of 20ft Tall Shipping Containers!

Features include a level entry, wider doorways and an accessible bathroom. Despite some common misconceptions about container homes, they are very well insulated.

Raised up in New Zealand with the views of Lake Taupo, Brenda Kelly has built this home for herself out of shipping container. The design of the house is constructed using three 20ft tall metal boxes.

To start with, there is a large covered deck. Having positioned the three containers next to each other, rather than at right angles, Kelly benefits from the increased width inside the house. Some walls within the house are painted, while others are lined with plywood.

Inside, there’s an open living room and kitchen that are positioned to take advantage of the views, while a sliding door opens to a deck that has stairs leading down to the yard.

Kelly's passion for small spaces started in childhood: "Even as a teenager I would draw little rooms and work out where to put the furniture."

A plywood accent wall mimics the wall in the living room and provides a backdrop for the bed. On the opposite wall, there’s a closet with sliding mirrored doors, while the bed lifts up to reveal even more storage.

The small house also has a home office with a large desk, that’s designed to transform into a bed for when guests visit.

Her container house is defined by adaptability – Kelly imports her own furniture and fixtures, which can include sofas with storage beneath, sofas that can convert to double beds, lift-down beds and portable wardrobes that can double as room dividers.

To truly understand the layout of the small shipping container house and all the included features, watch the video below for a walk-through.