When planning a recent trip to Dallas for the weekend, I was searching vacation home rental sites when I came upon something pretty cool – a tiny home made from an old shipping container! I knew I needed to stay there for the experience alone!
The shipping container tiny home was lovingly called “Blue Steel”.
As you are likely aware, tiny houses have been popular lately. They are a great way for many people to downsize, live a simpler life, and conserve resources. The are so popular there are even several TV shows about them.
When I arrived, the shipping container home was exactly as described. 250 square feet of awesomeness.
It was positioned in the back yard of a quad-duplex building. The owner had set up some paving stones as a small front porch and there were 3 blue Adirondack chairs on the porch.
I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the container (even though I had seen the pictures online, it was better than I expected).
I walked in to the full-sized kitchen that included new, stainless steel appliances. There was a refrigerator, gas stove, and microwave. The kitchen was comparable to the size you would find in a one-bedroom apartment. It even had granite counter tops! The cabinets were positioned high on the walls, and there were magnetic strips above the countertop where knives and utensils were stored. Directly across from the kitchen counter, was a fold up dining room table with 4 chairs. The table was nearly flush with the wall, but could be expanded and moved anywhere in the home.
To the left of the kitchen was a bedroom / living room. It included a futon, and built in bunk bed above the futon with bookcase stairs and a wall mounted TV.
To the right of the kitchen, there was a decent sized bathroom with corner toilet, corner stand up shower, sink, and strategically placed shelving.
Further down the hall was a full master bedroom with cabinets lining the walls and storage under the bed.
Here are some of the cool things I noticed while staying there: All the doors in Blue Steel house were sliding barn doors, which really helped make the separate rooms feel private and the doors were a great space saver. Adding small shelves throughout the home really did provide additional storage space. There was one unit that put out A/C and heat. It was efficient in heating / cooling the home quickly and did not take up much space. The ceilings of a shipping container are pretty tall, so the home did not feel too confined. There were windows in the bedrooms, which I think was necessary – without them it would have felt kind of claustrophobic. The walls were lined with what looked like reclaimed wood. It gave the home a cozy and somewhat rustic feel.
All in all, I would recommend that everyone try this experience at least once! It was a great place to spend a weekend and far less expensive than a hotel!