When it comes to humble living accommodations, mobile homes are among the humblest. The modern incarnation of mobile living took off after WWII to accommodate returning soldiers and the baby boom. Today mobile home communities "also known as trailer parks" are generally considered undesirable and relegated to low-income sectors of the population. However, innovations in architecture are creating new age mobile homes that are cool and full of style.

Architect Gerold Peham may be trying to circumvent the icky associations with the term mobile home. Instead, Peham calls his creation the NomadHome. The clever and exceedingly chic construction is designed as a modern modular product for people who move around a lot. The design tosses out any preconceptions about mobile living, featuring amenities you’d expect from an upscale, non-nomad home. The buildings are manufactured in Austria and shipped in parts by trucks. Once at the site of residence, the homes take 2 to 3 days to set up. So instead of timeshare or housing trades you can just take your home with you wherever you go! Of course, unless you’re traveling to remote locations in the Alaskan wilderness or some otherwise unclaimed territory ,I’m not sure where you would "park" your portable abode.

Even more striking in appearance is the Blob VB3 designed by Belgian architects dmvA. The peculiar shape of the tiny home makes it look like a giant egg when all the doors are closed. The space is minimal, yet it accommodates a bathroom, kitchen, places to sleep and loads of storage. The nose of the structure can be opened to create a sort of on-the-go porch. Made primarily of polyester, the Blob is transported whole. If you prefer your main residence to be more of the traditional variety, it can be used as office space, a guestroom, or a pool house.

While some designers and architects are re-imagining mobile homes and building them from scratch, others are re-purposing the classic versions and saving them from the junk heap. Michael Hughs’ Trailerwrap project has taken an old trailer and transformed it into a chic, modern house. Before the remodel, the home’s roof leaked, the interior wood was rotting, and the siding was ruined. Now the house has hardwood floors, recessed lights and, except its dimensions has no outer indications of its former appearance. And it’s still portable!

Whether you genuinely wish to live a nomadic life or are simply looking for a unique way to add some extra living space, mobile homes are a choice that is becoming increasingly appealing for lover of modern design.