Green Creek Shipyard: A Luxury Shipping Container Retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains

While cabins in the Blue Ridge Mountains are typically built from timber and stone, a family-owned project in North Carolina, is proving that rugged industrial steel can offer a more creative, sustainable, and visually striking alternative. The Green Creek Shipyard is a masterclass in how to transform shipping containers into high-end vacation rentals through intentional design.

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The Vision Behind Green Creek Shipyard

The project began as a conversation on a Sunday evening in 2020. Heather, Landon, and Reece Schlabach were discussing the rising demand for unique stays in the travel industry. As the operators of a short-term rental management company, Landon and Heather had seen firsthand that travelers were no longer satisfied with cookie-cutter hotel rooms. They wanted experiences.

Despite pitching the idea of unique, shipping container-based investments to others for years, the siblings realized that the best way to prove the concept was to build it themselves. By pooling their resources—land, capital, and a diverse range of skills—they launched Green Creek Shipyard. The initial goal was simple but ambitious: take a standard 40-foot shipping container and turn it into a luxury retreat that felt anything but industrial on the inside.

From a Lot in Spartanburg Lot to the Blue Ridge Mountains

The process of repurposing a shipping container starts long before the first interior wall is framed. The Schlabachs sourced their first container from a dealer in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Selecting the right container is a critical first step; for this project, they chose a used 40-foot unit that carried the character of its former life at sea.

The major structural modifications were completed at the yard. This included precision cutouts for a 5' x 5' bedroom window, a small loft window, a front entry, and the centerpiece of the design: an 11' opening for a glass garage door. 

Engineering a Unique Stay

Placing a 40' steel box on a sloped grade overlooking a pond is no small feat of engineering. The team used a crane to precisely drop the container onto a site that had been carefully prepared with a cement retaining wall. 

Once the design work began, the Schlabachs spent weeks obsessing over the layout, drawing and erasing plans until they found the perfect balance. The final design for the first unit includes a bedroom, a loft, a living area, a full kitchen, and a bathroom.

To turn a steel box into a comfortable living space, insulation is the most critical factor. The team used closed-cell spray foam to seal every nook and cranny, ensuring the home remains energy-efficient. This is paired with an insulated glass garage door that floods the space with natural light while protecting against the mountain chill.

Blending Industrial Steel with Natural Beauty

One of the most defining characteristics of The Green Creek Shipyard is how it bridges the gap between the indoors and the outdoors. Because the interior footprint is naturally limited, the Schlabachs focused heavily on the exterior living spaces to provide the wow factor.

The first unit features a massive 26-foot rooftop deck accessible by a spiral staircase, providing a vantage point over the property that traditional structures rarely offer. At ground level, a 10' x 40' cement patio houses a hot tub and fire pit. These additions are not just amenities; they are functional expansions of the living space that make a 320-square-foot container feel so much larger.

Evolution of the Build

Success with the first container led immediately to the development of Green Creek Shipyard 2.0. While the first build was a learning experience filled with trial, error, and compromises, the second version allowed the team to refine their process.

The 2.0 model took the lessons of the original and elevated them, featuring a custom-built waterfall, a swinging day bed, and a sunken hammock. The siblings' roles remained clear: Reece handled the grading and heavy landscaping, Heather managed the interior design and custom builds—even crafting the barn doors herself—and Landon managed the logistics and dreaming.

This scalable process is a hallmark of shipping container construction. Once the plumbing, electrical, and insulation is completed, the container becomes a blank canvas for high-level customization.

The siblings are already planning Green Creek Shipyard 3.0.

Benefits and Blueprints

Green Creek Shipyard stands as a testament to the benefits of upcycling. By choosing to build with shipping containers, the Schlabachs avoided much of the long-term framing and roofing labor associated with traditional builds. The durability of a steel shell is unmatched in a mountain environment, offering a structure that is fire-resistant, rot-resistant, and built to last for decades.

For those inspired by the project, the Schlabachs now offer digital blueprints of their builds. These plans provide the specific measurements and layouts used for the kitchen cabinets, the deck, and the main container build-out, helping other builders bypass the "drawing board" phase they spent so many hours navigating.

Sustainable Innovation in North Carolina

Shipping containers are more than just a trend; they're a viable solution for those looking to build quickly, sustainably, and with a high degree of creativity. Green Creek Shipyard has successfully taken used steel boxes and turned them into a premier North Carolina destination. By focusing on high-quality finishes, smart insulation, and expansive outdoor integration, they have proven that the future of mountain living might be sitting at a depot waiting to be delivered to you.

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