Getting "priced out of paradise" is an unfortunate reality for many Hawaiians facing skyrocketing housing prices.
One couple got extra creative to avoid that fate by transforming a shipping container into an off-grid, tiny home called The Green Box, per an article in autoevolution.
Brandie told her story and showed off The Green Box in a video posted to the Tiny House Giant Journey (@TinyHouseGiantJourney) YouTube account.
After her family sold their house in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, Brandie didn't have enough money to build a new property or buy an existing one.
Las Vegas-based Alternative Living Spaces came to the rescue. Alternative Living Spaces specializes in reshaping shipping containers into homes, and it built a temporary residence for Brandie and her partner.
Measuring 25 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 9 feet high, the tiny home smartly blends into the lush Hawaiian scenery thanks to a coat of green paint on the container. Embracing nature, the tiny home offers a picture window, two ceiling-high slider windows, and an outdoor folding deck.
Inside the home, the tiny house expertly utilizes space. Some of the home's features include a full-size shower, a large kitchen sink, ample cabinetry, air conditioning, and an induction cooktop. Space-saving moves include a Murphy bed that folds down over a full-size sofa, a slide-out coat rack, and a rolling breakfast table.
Brandie's space also leans into its independence and sustainability. Six solar panels on the roof power the residence. A water catchment system allows The Green Box to be completely off-grid. The house features metal covers that protect it from heavy rains.
While the Green Box is a notably whimsical tiny home solution, it's also part of a rising movement.
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Tiny houses have grown in popularity across the globe as residents seek to fit homeownership into their budget or intentionally cut down on their energy and space usage. With prefabricated elements and modular construction, tiny homes cut down on build costs and waste, per a study from The University of Melbourne.
Furthermore, container homes give discarded shipping equipment a second life, reducing waste.
Commenters on YouTube were heartened by Brandie's solution for staying in Hawaiʻi.
"My heart goes to everyone who's affected by the impossible prices," another user said. "This 'Green Box' is absolutely beautiful."
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