The Definitive Guide to Interior Dome Design & Décor
“Home Sweet Dome” — Pacific Domes
Everyone deserves to have a harmonious space to retreat from life’s daily stresses. Whether you’re a long-time dome fan that’s looking to go from idea to completion or you’re new to the concept of dome design and curious to learn more, we hope you’ll find this Definitive Guide to Dome Interior Design & Décor inspiring and helpful along your journey.
Dome folks are quick to point out that the reason they are drawn to dome homes is that they love the warm, Zen-like ambiance ‒ the open, spacious feeling promotes a calm, relaxing flow to recharge and revitalize. Beyond that, there’s a number of other great reasons that point to owning a geodesic dome; primarily, ecoliving domes are energy-efficient, disaster-proof and practically indestructible when faced with Nature’s extremes.
All you need is a rachet and a ladder
What if you could erect your dream dome in less than a day, instead of months? How’s this possible? A prefab dome package is shipped direct to your building site complete with all the materials you need to assemble the kit yourself or sub-contract. Included are the frame, cover, accessories and an easy-to-follow DIY instruction manual.
Each dome kit is fully-customizable with features to suit your location, climate and lifestyle preference. You’ll want to take advantage of natural lighting with bay windows and skylights.
Interior Design Options
Get ready for the life you’ll love by creating a unique ecoliving space within a dome’s round-house walls! Interior design options are limitless. Working from center-out, you can create closet and storage dividers. Create kitchen, bedroom and bathroom-shower combos for comfort and privacy. And, the good news is that if you decide to finish the interior design yourself, you’ll save a bundle, too.
Of course, as with any building site, you’ll want to prepare your site, first. Just follow along and learn how easy it is to build with a geodesic-engineered prefab dome building system ‒ even if you’ve never built anything before.
Think of dome homes as a tiny home upgrade
Many people are looking for solutions to those 30-year mortgage payments. Is tiny home living in a box really a long-term solution, though? Have you considered that after spending extended periods of time in confined quarters, the tight spaces and lack of head-room might leave you feeling a bit claustrophobic?
Quite the opposite for domes! In addition to lots of head room, domes offer a cozy, spacious flow that you just can’t get in a box design. Here’s what one dome dweller had to say after transitioning from living in L.A to living in an off-grid dome.
Questions to ask yourself
What do I want to achieve? What’s my style? Where can I make adaptations to suit my needs and lifestyle? What’s my timeline? Do I need help?
How Do I Create Interior Walls?
A well-designed dome is a joy to live in. The open floor plan and vaulted ceilings of a dome home offers a warm sunlit space for your unique interior design. Depending on your usage, you might decide to work with an open space, add a loft or interior walls to separate living spaces. When it comes to creating a functional layout that addresses all your shelter needs and lifestyle, designing your dome’s interior space can be fun, yet, challenging.
This is where some DIY skills come in handy…
No worries about building materials, though ‒ you will be able to find most of your materials locally or online. You don’t need a lot of materials; however, understanding what those materials are and where they are used can speed up your build. At this point, you can decide whether you have the DIY skills or prefer to subcontract to someone with the needed tools and expertise.
It’s all about the details…
And, it’s equally important to have clear vision with a well-planned road map. Identify the spaces you wish to divide and create a plan of action. Commonly divided areas are: Living Room, Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom.
A dome’s exterior walls are free-standing and self-supporting without the need for internal columns or load-bearing walls. That said, interior storage closets, shelves and dividers can be attached to the frame and anchored to the flooring to section-off areas for bedroom, kitchen, bath, etc.
And yes, you can build freestanding interior walls, to partition rooms. You can create a separate living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom by sectioning off four freestanding interconnected walls in the form of a cross. The partition walls are further strengthened by attaching a staircase and adding a loft.
Partition walls can become the structural support for your loft. By installing kitchen and bathroom on opposite sides of a shared partition, framed walls offer a way to consolidate plumbing and electrical wiring.
Go modular with freestanding walls that balance privacy with that open feeling.
Kids and many adults love lofts. A full or partial second-story loft can be easily suspended halfway up the enclosure by attaching to the dome frame. This will also increase stability in partitioning interior walls.
A loft makes use of high ceilings to maximize living space. In larger domes, attaching a loft above partition walls is a cozy and functional way to create additional storage and sleeping quarters.
To retain that open spacious feeling, the ideal loft size should not exceed a third of the interior. Although, lofts, walls or dividers should be self-supporting, this can be accomplished by using a little construction know-how and ingenuity.
Stairs are an obvious replacement for ladders and can serve a two-fold purpose. Storage space can be hard to fit into the interior design, so if you can build closet or storage space into your stairs you’ll be taking care of two design elements at the same time.
There will be plenty of right angles that make it easy to adapt conventional furniture, appliances and fixtures. This is when it’s handy to keep in mind that aesthetics is important to flow. Any unusual nooks-n-crannies can be put to good use with a bit of creative innovation.
Living Room
Are you someone who wants to spend more time outdoors than indoors? Do you want to relax by a cozy fireside and create a warm, inviting space to relax? Do you plan on entertaining? Interior wall design and furniture placement can optimize your living space. A rounded room has style and flow built into it and offers limitless design opportunities. A curved wall creates an optical illusion to make large furniture appear smaller. Designers frequently use rounded furniture to make rooms appear larger.
Kitchen
Are you someone who loves to prepare elaborate meals? If so, making it one of the focal points with a full-size kitchen and lots of counter space might be for you.
The kitchen deserves your careful planning and attention to detail, as it is one of the most utilized rooms in your living space. Combo kitchen units sold to RV and boat owners are an affordable option for creating Dome Home kitchen spaces.
You’ll want to physically outline your kitchen design on the floor surface by masking off your space limitations to get a good visual. If you plan on cooking, your kitchen will need moisture-proofing and ventilation, such as a range hood.
Bedroom
After a long day, it’s your personal space to rest so you want to make this special and private. If there’s any place where you want to imitate the simplicity of a luxury resort, it’s in the bedroom. The challenge of creating closet space can be overcome by building a loft staircase off to one side of the bedroom.
Bathroom
Something to consider is whether you want it to be adjacent to the bedroom yet accessible from other areas like kitchen and living room. You’ll want to ventilate and moisture-proof your bathroom for steam from showers.
How do I furnish my dome?
Dome interior designs accommodate most any lifestyle. Remember that living simply doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort.No need to buy expensive custom furniture. You’ll be pleased to know that most furniture, appliances and fixtures can be moved seamlessly from a conventional home to a dome. If you plan on overnight guests, a Murphy bed is a great addition.
Find your style and keep it simple to avoid that cluttered look. If you plan on spending any length of time in your dome, going completely rustic may not suit your ideal lifestyle. You can enhance interior décor with furniture and flooring, lighting, a splash of color or earthy colors.
Resources
There’s no shortage of eco-friendly building materials to suit your lifestyle. One of the superior products we’ve found is offered by Triton Watertight systems.
Triton is flameproof, moisture-proof, mold & mildew-proof, insect-proof and has both interior and exterior applications. You’ll find Triton being used in showers, bathrooms and kitchen walls; as well, as ecoliving platforms and floors.
Triton is made with naturally occurring magnesium oxide, a non-toxic and non-carcinogenic mineral. It’s the construction material of choice for those with chemical sensitivities.
Many folks like to incorporate natural and organic materials – adding finishing touches by decorating with plants and greenery. Create a luxuriously minimal interior design in any space by sourcing inspiration from Pinterest ‒ it’s a great place to find decorating ideas that work for your space and your budget.
Have you ever wanted to simplify your life, get closer to Nature and set your shelter wherever your heart leads you? Have you ever wanted to enjoy the freedom to come-n-go as you please? Whether you’re single or a couple just getting started on life’s journey, an outdoorsy adventure seeker or a senior adult looking at spending your retirement years in or near your favorite Nature retreat location, you’re sure to love the benefits of the ecoliving dome lifestyle.
Featuring interior dome designs complete with kitchen, bathroom and loft views ‒ ranging from DIY open floor plans to high-end glamping resorts.
Interior Designs from Around the World (4:57 min)
