Portable houses are popping up all around the country as a luxurious solution to the ever-rising cost of living in major cities. These eco-friendly mobile spaces allow you to downsize your life while giving you the opportunity to live absolutely anywhere in the world. Bert & May Group was previously known for their beautiful and trend-driven handmade tiles, but now they’re taking all interior magazines by storm with their new collection of prefabricated homes.


“Bert’s Boxes” incorporate thoughtful, innovative designs to bring a simpler yet fuller life to their users. These affordable and tactile living spaces feature stunning rustic wood cladding, rooms embellished with intricate tiles, and green roofs paired with trendy factory style windows and doors. Surprisingly, the aesthetic of these box homes isn’t even their best feature. The Bert & May Group aims to give you new experiences that your current home can’t compete with, like a deep connection to nature, a closer bond with your friends and family, and the heavenly feeling of living mortgage free.

Bert’s Boxes strike the ideal balance between high-end modern construction and eco-friendly luxury aesthetic for those interested in a living, work, or play space. Each box easily meets environmental standards, using reclaimed materials and insulated panels to keep its inhabitants warm during the winter and safe from the unpleasant heat during the summer. Buyers can also choose to equip their home with an eco-friendly add-on package. One of these packages boasts a 2-kW photovoltaic system from SunEdison, which uses carbon-friendly solar energy to generate up to a quarter of the home’s electricity and hot water consumption.
The mobile eco-home consist of two bedrooms, with a spacious master suite and an en-suite bathroom that comes with a fully retractable wall, enabling you to shower in the open air. Watermark partnered with the Bert & May Group to create a sense of contrast in the bathroom by installing handcrafted lead-free brassware on top of the reclaimed black and white encaustic tiles.


The kitchen and dining area is the most texturized part of the home thanks to Red Deer Architects, who were brought on to combine the box’s timber surfaces with polished marble. But this rustic and eclectic style wouldn’t be complete without a few strategically-placed industrial light fixtures and upcycled furniture. An abundance of natural light is also available to the homeowners, as the living room and kitchen open up to an outdoor patio surrounded by a small garden.


The four-step ordering process starts with you picking your box. You’re able to select a one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or office box. Leasing a box is also an option. Once you’ve picked out your box, a representative from Bert & May Group will assist you in picking out your materials — cladding, tiles, flooring, kitchen, and paints are all discussed. A 50-percent deposit is then required before the company begins manufacturing your selection. Your new space should be all finished and delivered to you in just 12 to 14 weeks’ time.