Designed with local architect Mark Reynolds, the duplex creatively reuses shipping containers as home additions that can serve as guest bedrooms, offices, or art studios. “The intent was to give the homeowner a place where they felt inspired to live and work,” says Rios. With one unit already sold, Unit B, which mirrors the same floor plan with more feminine finishes, is being offered for $499,000.

In her discussions with Reynolds, Rios requested that the architecture of the building reflect the shipping containers in the backyard. The modular appearance of the duplex, clad in white Hardie plank siding, mimics the look of a two-story container home. With large windows and 11-foot-tall ceilings, the two-bedroom, three-bath residence feels more spacious than its 1,484 square feet. On the ground floor, the living, dining, and kitchen areas flow into one another; potential guests in the shipping container also have easy access to a full bath of their own. A steel-and-wood floating staircase leads to the second floor, which holds two bedrooms with patio access.

“This home brings a downtown high-rise feel with your own private work space and is literally steps away from one of the most popular neighborhoods in Austin,” says Rios. “The east side is vibrant, funky, and very open to new concepts. There is no other place I would have rather built my first home including the shipping containers.”

For more information, visit the property website.

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Ship Shape: An Austin Home With a Shipping Container Addition Asks $499K