4 Floor Plan Designs for Conex Container Homes

At first thought, it may seem like designing and building a Conex container home doesn’t allow for much creative flexibility. But it’s actually quite the opposite. For those who want to build the most unique home they’ve ever lived in, shipping container homes are definitely the way to go.

There are plenty of options for those who like the unique architecture and functionality of a Conex home but lack the imagination and building skills to create their own outside-the-box design. There are shipping container home design companies specializing in designing and building Conex container homes and offering customers various basic floor plan ideas. These layouts can serve as suggested building plans or at least as guides to spark ideas about how you want your container home to look and function.

Choosing a layout is just one part of the whole process required to make your shipping container home a reality. But it’s an important starting point since it will affect the number of shipping containers you’ll need to purchase, the amount of land you’ll need for your home and the number of shipping container accessories you’ll need to add to your home.

Two of the most popular choices for Conex container homes are the standard 20-foot shipping container and the high cubed 40-foot shipping container used individually or combined in various configurations. Working with an architect or engineer will help you choose a layout and think through optimizing design, electricity, water and insulation.

Here are a few options to consider to get you started thinking about a potential floor plan for your Conex container home. Keep in mind that these plans can be customized to your needs by working with home-building professionals.

1. Bachelor Pad

If you’re only looking for enough room for one person, choosing a single 20-foot Conex box makes a lot of sense. A shipping container this size provides about 160 square feet of living space, which is both minimal and efficient. This home would include a ground floor bedroom and a bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower. One potential issue to note with design is that it would be challenging to include a kitchen without sacrificing space elsewhere.

With this layout, there is enough room in the bathroom for a walk-in shower, a toilet in the center and a vanity with storage underneath. The studio living space has a large enough space for a full or queen bed, an office area with a desk and a storage closet.

Besides being a smart layout for single living, this floor plan is a good option for Airbnb rentals, in-law suites or backyard bedrooms/offices.

2. Couples first home

Instead of renting a super tiny apartment or townhouse to start married life, couples should consider something more unique and private, like a Conex container home that provides 320 square feet of living space.

This layout is achieved by combining two 20-foot containers to create a surprisingly spacious one-bedroom home. In addition to a decent-sized bedroom, this floor plan features an open living room, galley kitchen and a bathroom with a spacious walk-in shower.

The main level bedroom has enough space for a queen bed and features room for a wardrobe closet. The kitchen is situated next to the bathroom in the second shipping container – a nice setup to simplify plumbing installation. A galley-style layout creates an open kitchen with room for full-size appliances and features.

This plan is excellent for those who love the open living concept. The living room's open area is twice as wide as a single container, making the space feel enormous. To enjoy the space, even more, think about positioning the home in a way that allows you to get a nice view of the outdoors through a nice sliding glass door. To give the room an even bigger feel visually, install lots of windows to let plenty of natural light flow through the house.

This layout is ideal for full-time living, Airbnb rentals, sportsman cabins and more.

3. Small family home

Once families start growing, so does the amount of needed space. You can create a two-bedroom Conex container home by combining two 40-foot containers with two 20-footers – four Conex containers total. This layout provides 960 square feet of family living space that includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The master bedroom measures roughly 11’ x 14’ and has plenty of room for a large walk-in closet and a master bathroom with a walk-in shower, toilet and vanity. There is plenty of space for a king-size bed and a wardrobe or chest. There’s even plenty of closet space with a massive 7' x 7' walk-in closet. The second bedroom includes a comfortable 10'x14' layout with a walk-in closet. 

The main bathroom can accommodate a full-size 5-foot tub/shower, single or double bowl vanity, toilet and space for a stacked washer/dryer unit. This floor plan lends itself to a unique kitchen-dining room configuration. The space has ample room for a dining room table and multiple living room furniture configurations. 

4. Three-bedroom home

This plan is great for a small family with young children and features three bedrooms and two bathrooms, including one in the master suite. This layout consists of 960 square feet of living space created by combining two 40-foot containers with two 20-footers.

The master bedroom measures 13’ by 16’ and features a large walk-in closet and a master bathroom. The second and third bedrooms are identical in size, and both feature a closet. The main bathroom has a bathtub, plenty of sink space - with either a single or double bowl vanity - and room for a washer and dryer stack. The kitchen can fit full-sized appliances and still leaves plenty of room for a dining room table and multiple living room furniture configurations.

Conex container homes come in all shapes and sizes and can be as customized as you’d like. But sometimes helps to have some basic floor plan ideas like those above to get the creative juices flowing. Begin your Conex container home journey today by browsing Conex containers near you, here.

Sources 

https://www.customcontainerliving.com/family-matters.html

https://www.livinginacontainer.com/4-shipping-container-home-floor-plans/