Touring a Finished Dome

Touring a finished dome...this was the fun part!

Linda and I drove about two miles from the office to the site of a recently finished dome, which is for sale. It borders an elementary school. The dome is similar to one of the standard domes that I chose for my site. The garage faces the driveway and street. One can enter the lower level through the garage and then proceed up the stairs to the main level. I entered through the front door at the main level by going up the outdoor steps of the patio by the front door.

Once inside, I immediately felt the spacious expanse of the interior of the dome. When I entered the dome, I could see the living room with its rounded wall before me and the kitchen on my left. Looking up, I could see the ceiling above the loft. It is true that in dome buildings, the changes of the sun’s angles make light and shadows play on the interior walls. The interior walls of this dome have a white textured finish that seems washable and is somewhat reflective or shiny. The reflective walls make it easier for light to bounce around. In the center of the middle floor was a short hallway leading to perhaps two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Going upstairs to the loft was the most exciting part of the tour for me. There was a cozy carpeted nook facing a window on the way upstairs. The loft was a large open space with a smaller, somewhat enclosed space that could be used for a play area or for storage. There were perhaps three or four windows around the perimeter. Directly above, small windows encircled the cupola. The cupola windows are fully operable because they are used for ventilation during the summer months. Linda opens a couple of windows each spring and does not close them until autumn. This reduces the need for air conditioning.

I truly enjoyed looking down to the living room from the loft and looking up to the cupola. The airy, spacious feeling of the dome was unexpectedly wonderful.

For more information on Oregon Domes, Inc., see

http://www.domes.com/

Inside an Unfinished Oregon Dome

After reviewing plans and orientations of standard dome designs, Linda invited me to tour the second floor and loft of the dome. The upstairs floors were purposely left unfinished so that potential customers could see how the dome was built.

I don’t clearly remember the details, but there was ample room for the kitchen, living room and bedrooms. The wide spaces felt very good. I could look up and see the cupola with the windows encircled around it. A wood-burning stove (if my memory is correct) stood in the living room.

The loft was an open area bordered by a mezzanine. This area could be used for a studio, play area or an additional bedroom, if desired. From the loft, I could look down on the second floor. It was beautiful to see the large expanse of the living room encircled by its picture windows.

For more information on Oregon Domes, Inc., see

http://www.domes.com/