Container houses: a housing trend that is gaining popularity

Container houses have now become another option for building a home. This is most obvious at tourist destinations, where containers are often turned into accommodation, and they can also be built into many other kinds of places, such as offices, shops, cafés, resorts, coffee shops, storerooms, or even container homes. Containers have become a popular option today because they can be built into something novel, offer good value at an affordable price, can be built in a limited space, and take less time to build than conventional construction. Because the space inside a container is fairly limited, unlike a conventional building, decorating a container house to make it liveable may differ slightly from an ordinary house, as follows.

Techniques for decorating a container house

Decorating a container house or a container office has its own techniques, because dealing with limited space and the problem of heat are the most important things. Here is a summary of interior and exterior decorating techniques that make a container attractive, liveable and practical.

Always keep it tidy and clean Keeping belongings organised, placing things appropriately and always clearing away small bits of rubbish will make a container house look neat, airy and easy on the eye. Even a few cluttered items can make the house look unclean and unwelcoming. Because a container house has fairly limited space, things that are not put in their place will inevitably make the house feel cramped.
Choose paint colours for the container in a single tone Although a container is a prefabricated product, it can be painted and decorated as you wish. Choosing colours all in one tone creates a sense of unity that is easy on the eye and uncluttered. Painting several tones in the same area makes the colours clash and look conflicting. Choosing a single colour scheme also makes it easy to choose furniture.
Arrange the zones in proportion Before decorating, you need to plan the layout of the house and decide what each position will be used for. For example, the living room should be at the very front or next to the door of the container house, and the kitchen should be at the very back to prevent unwanted cooking smells.
Choose suitable positions for furniture Space should be divided to suit the area and the activities in the house. For example, the sofa should be placed in the living room and arranged neatly and in proportion, and the dining table should be placed within the room so that kitchen activities can be done conveniently. If you have a large area, organising things is even more important; items should not be scattered about, as this can make the area look cluttered.
Partition walls Because a container house has more limited space than an ordinary house, partitioning rooms into separate sections should really be avoided, especially for rooms that can be shared, such as the sitting room, living room and dining area. If they are placed next to each other without partition walls, the house will feel open and liveable, and can take in sunlight and full views of nature outside with nothing in the way.
Leave some empty space You should not over-decorate or bring too much furniture into a container house, as it can make the interior feel cramped and cluttered, making it hard to decorate and inconvenient to carry out activities at home. So you might follow minimalist principles when decorating a container house: use only a few pieces of furniture, which may look simple but feels luxurious.
A garden around the house Because the limited space inside a container house does not allow for much decoration, you could instead make the area beside the house pleasant. Landscaping a garden around the house makes it feel shady, and the shade of the trees also helps relieve the heat. You could set aside an area for sitting, relaxing or welcoming guests, plant trees all around, and perhaps add brightly coloured flowers to make it even more beautiful and attractive.
Decorate the fence and the terrace If your container house still has space left over, decorating the fence and terrace is another way to make the house look more modern and liveable. Build a natural fence, such as a wooden fence, or plant trees around the house to form a hedge, or simply build an ordinary concrete wall. You might also add a terrace, since it gives you more space for activities and adds a little gimmick that makes the house look more modern.

Managing heat (The Must-Do)

Line with thermal insulation: The most important thing is to install high-quality thermal insulation such as PU foam (polyurethane foam) or sandwich panels covering the walls, ceiling and floor, to stop the steel structure conducting heat inside. This saves a lot on air-conditioning electricity.
Interior wall lining: Use wall-lining materials that look attractive and are not too thick, such as gypsum board, SmartBoard or imitation wood panels, to cover the corrugated steel of the container.

Decorating a container house may differ slightly from decorating an ordinary house in that a container house has fairly limited space, but it is not very different overall. The main thing is to focus on cleanliness and tidiness so that it is easy on the eye and comfortable for the people living there, and guests who visit will also experience a home that is neat and welcoming. The key technique in decorating a container house is to use few pieces of furniture or materials that still make a statement, because this is what keeps the house uncluttered yet liveable.