Midwest Home Tour: A Bright Modern Container Home
/We first met the Bright family a few years ago when they used a few of our furniture pieces for an HGTV feature of their container home. You can only imagine how excited we were to get to view this mid-century modern inspired home for ourselves after seeing it on TV.
Nestled on family land just west of Tulsa, Hannah and Tyler Bright started building their container home in 2011 and officially moved in at the end of 2013. This handy couple (along with the help of their family) built the majority of their two-story container home with their own two hands. After nearly three years of work, Hannah and Tyler now happily share their bright, modern space with their two young daughters, Charley and Margo, their cats, Norm and Lila, and their dog Pita. Enjoy the Q&A with Hannah below as well as a full tour of this gorgeous midwestern home.
What made you want to build a container home? We really liked the idea of repurposing something old and used and turning it into something new and beautiful. We have always tried to reduce our environmental impact and we felt this would be a great way to do just that and have a unique place to call our home! We also thought that it would be easier to build than a typical home, but I'll let you in on a little secret, it was not!
What was the most challenging part of building your home? There were lots of different challenges that we didn't think of when we started building our home. Small ones like, having to cut tile and flooring to fit the shape of the container walls, or finding out after the fact that drywall and metal don't always work great together.
What was the most rewarding part of the process? The most rewarding part of the process was definitely move-in day. After all the long hours and long weekends we put into building our home, it was so nice to finally live where we were spending all our time.
What do you love most about your space? I love all the windows. I love being able to look out and see the birds, deer, coyotes, cows and whatever else has decided to hang out around the property.
Where did you get your inspiration for decorating your home? I didn't really get inspiration from any one source. I just really like mid-century modern lines and the warmth of wood tones and plants.
How would you describe your decorating style? Hm. I would say mid-century modern industrial farm house? Is that a style? [Oh, it's a style if you want it to be, Hannah! ;)]
Do you have a process you follow when decorating a space? I really try to keep things simple and uncluttered. So I will try a few different set ups and deduct or add if I feel like something is missing or something is too visually heavy for the space.
We love how you integrate spaces for your daughters throughout your home. Any tips for blending kid stuff in with your decor? I would say to try limiting the plastic toys, and to incorporate beautiful, well made items, as well as making their spaces blend with your home’s decor. Oh, and pretty baskets for storage.
Tell us about your experience using IKEA cabinets in your kitchen. Pros, cons? We love our IKEA cabinets. And have no negative feedback as of yet. They come with a 25 year warranty, and they have held up great, even with toddlers.
We know you love vintage shopping– tell us about your favorite find. Thats a hard question, they are all my favorite!
Favorite places to find furniture and home decor in Tulsa? Estate sales, garage sales and flea markets are our main go tos, but we really enjoy browsing other local shops like Retro Den, Mod50s and Vintage Vault.
Why do you think it's important to have vintage pieces in your home? I believe vintage pieces bring a bit of history and uniqueness to your home. They also have a better price to quality ratio than new mass produced furniture.
What is the next home project on your list? We are currently building a mid-century modern playhouse for our girls to go in the backyard!
Why do you think it's important, worthwhile to have a beautiful home? Your home is where you spend most of your time. It gives you a chance to express your creativity and create a warm comfortable space to be with your family.
Enjoy alllll the photos below!
To read more about the Bright container home, check out Hannah's blog. Now enjoy the tour!