How a couple with no building experience created a dream home out of a shipping container. Take a tour inside!

A young couple spent only $20 to build a 45-foot shipping container home with full amenities and breathtaking views. The couple was only in their early twenties and had no experience building homes, but the exterior of their home appears to be the work of experienced homeowners. Payton and her boyfriend Matt decided to embark on a new adventure and enter the fascinating world of tiny houses.

$20k shipping container home.

They sold their school van in August 2019 to buy a shipping container. They worked and built their container home for nearly a year before moving in last April 2020. The couple’s container home is strategically located on a 5-acre plot of land in Washington State’s Pend Oreille River, and it has magnificent views that they adore. “My favorite feature of the property is the view.”

“As you can see, we placed the container at a strategic angle so that we could see both sides of the river, upstream and downstream,” Paiton explained. They also built the deck to be the same size as the container so that their friends can enjoy the view when they come over.As you enter their cozy container home, you will be greeted by their spacious and functional kitchen, which features second-hand, reclaimed cabinets with soft-shut hinges.

Matt and Paiton built an old shipping container to build a container home

They used a cheap metal as a backsplash instead of tiles because it is easier to clean.Paiton’s favorite kitchen feature is their induction cooktop. It can be kept in a drawer and placed on the counter as needed, saving them a lot of counter space. Matt also installed a microwave with an extractor fan that exhausts the cooking air outside, keeping their clothes and sheets odor-free.

Another feature that adds value to their small kitchen space is their sink, which includes a cutting board and a small dish rack. According to Matt, if it doesn’t serve a purpose, it doesn’t belong in their tiny house. They also have a full-size refrigerator and a large chest freezer to store their meat for extended periods of time, limiting their trips to towns for groceries.The couple’s main goal was to give their tiny house a cabin feel while still keeping it modern.

The stunning view in front of Matt and Paiton's container home

For the walls, they used three-quarter inch touch and groove, pine for the L trim, and reclaimed wood for the ceiling. Matt explained that he chose local and affordable materials, which allowed them to stay under the $20,000 budget.The barn door that separates their bedroom and bathroom, the floating shelves for their towels and accessories, and an island that serves as their office and eating area all contribute to the cabin feel of this container home.

Matt and Paiton chose local and affordable materials for their functional kitchen.

They also have a multi-purpose room with a TV and a couch that can be used as a guest bed.Paiton and Matt, like other tiny homeowners, made good use of their small space by filling it with shelves and drawers to neatly store their belongings. Their bedroom is comfortable and has a beautiful view. “There’s no light pollution or anything here, so we get the best of both worlds with the morning river view and the night stars,” Paiton explained.Watch this video to see Paiton and Matt take you on a tour of their incredible container home:

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