This is Dome Sweet Dome, a renovated 1970s geodesic dome home nestled in Bend, Oregon’s First-on-the-Hill neighborhood. Originally built during the geodesic dome craze of the 1970s, this unique structure was fully renovated in 2019, blending period charm with modern conveniences and finishes throughout.
The dome features a cleverly inverted floor plan with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor, while the entire second story serves as an open-concept common space with living room, kitchen, and dining area. A covered mudroom welcomes you inside, and the dome’s position offers easy access to Phil’s Trail System and the Deschutes River Trail.
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A Renovated 1970s Geodesic Dome
The exterior retains its original 1970s geodesic dome silhouette, a geometric form that naturally sheds snow and resists wind loads. The renovation preserved the dome’s distinctive character while modernizing the systems and finishes inside.
Images via Denise and Mike
An Upside-Down Floor Plan with Open Living Upstairs
Rather than following the typical layout with living spaces on the ground floor, this dome places all common areas on the second story. The open-concept space takes advantage of the dome’s peak height, creating a voluminous room that feels far larger than its footprint suggests. Natural light pours in from multiple angles thanks to the dome’s geometry.
Images via Denise and Mike
A Cozy Living Room with Woodstove
The living room features a woodstove that provides radiant warmth during Bend’s cold mountain winters, paired with a TV for entertainment. The second-story living space “floats” without touching the dome walls, which creates an open, airy feel while allowing sound to travel freely throughout the home — a unique characteristic of dome living.
Images via Denise and Mike
Comfortable Seating and Warm Textures
A three-person couch anchors the living area, surrounded by warm wood tones and soft lighting that complement the dome’s curved interior walls. The styling strikes a balance between the home’s 1970s roots and a contemporary, inviting aesthetic.
Images via Denise and Mike
A Playful Kitchen with Modern Conveniences
The kitchen showcases a fun, colorful backsplash that adds personality to the space. Despite the compact layout, it includes a mini dishwasher — a thoughtful amenity that many small-space dwellers wish they had. The countertop workspace is sufficient for meal preparation while keeping everything within arm’s reach.
Images via Denise and Mike
A Dining Nook with a View
The dining area is positioned to take advantage of natural light and views, making breakfast an especially enjoyable experience. This kind of intentional placement — orienting the most-used spaces toward the best light — is a hallmark of thoughtful small-home design.
Images via Denise and Mike
Twin Bedroom on the First Floor
One of two bedrooms on the ground floor, the twin bedroom demonstrates how dome geometry can create cozy sleeping nooks. The curved walls give the room an intimate, cocoon-like quality that many dome dwellers find conducive to restful sleep.
Images via Denise and Mike
Queen Bedroom with Natural Light
The second bedroom features a queen bed and benefits from the dome’s abundant natural light. There are no blackout curtains, so you rise when the sun rises — a feature that many guests appreciate for resetting their sleep schedule and connecting with natural rhythms.
Images via Denise and Mike
The Entryway and Ground Floor Layout
The ground-floor entry reveals the dome’s split-level organization. From here, you can access both bedrooms and the bathroom, while the stairway leads up to the second-floor living area. The covered mudroom provides a practical transition space from the outdoors, especially useful during Bend’s snowy winters.
Images via Denise and Mike
A Ground-Floor Bathroom
The bathroom sits conveniently on the first floor near both bedrooms. The renovation brought modern fixtures into the space while maintaining the dome’s character throughout.
Images via Denise and Mike
Glass Shower with Metal Surround
A large glass shower stall with a metal surround gives the bathroom an industrial-modern touch that pairs well with the dome’s structural aesthetic. The generous proportions of the shower are notable for a home of this size.
Images via Denise and Mike
An Outdoor Fire Pit for Evening Gatherings
Outside, a fire pit area provides the perfect spot for unwinding after a day on Bend’s trails. With access to Phil’s Trail System for mountain biking and hiking, plus a quick ride to the Old Mill District and downtown, the dome’s location is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.
Images via Denise and Mike
The Dome from Another Angle
This view highlights the dome’s geometric roof structure and how it sits within its wooded, private lot. Geodesic domes distribute structural stress evenly across their surface, making them remarkably strong and energy-efficient — a principle architect Buckminster Fuller popularized in the mid-20th century.
Images via Denise and Mike
The Floor Plan
The floor plan reveals how the dome’s circular footprint is divided into functional zones across two stories. Ground floor: two bedrooms, bathroom, and covered entry. Second floor: open-concept kitchen, living, and dining area. This inverted arrangement places the most social spaces at the dome’s highest point, where the ceiling height is greatest.
Images via Denise and Mike
A Four-Season Retreat in Central Oregon
Whether blanketed in snow or surrounded by summer greenery, the dome offers a year-round retreat experience. Bend’s high desert climate provides four distinct seasons, and the dome’s woodstove and modern insulation keep it comfortable through them all.
Images via Denise and Mike
Design Details
- Name: Dome Sweet Dome
- Location: Bend, Oregon (First-on-the-Hill neighborhood)
- Type: Geodesic Dome
- Era: Built in the 1970s, fully renovated in 2019
- Layout: Two stories — bedrooms on first floor, living space on second
- Bedrooms: Two (one queen, one twin)
- Bathroom: One with glass shower stall
- Heating: Woodstove
- Kitchen: Full kitchen with mini dishwasher
- Outdoor: Fire pit, covered mudroom
- Nearby: Phil’s Trail System, Deschutes River Trail, Old Mill District
What Makes This Dome Special
Dome Sweet Dome offers several lessons and inspirations for small-home enthusiasts:
- Geodesic geometry works — The dome’s triangulated structure distributes stress evenly, creating a strong, energy-efficient shell with no load-bearing interior walls
- Inverting the floor plan adds drama — Placing living spaces upstairs takes advantage of the dome’s peak height, while tucking bedrooms below provides a quieter, more private sleeping experience
- 1970s charm meets modern comfort — The renovation proves you can honor a building’s heritage while bringing it up to contemporary standards
- Small kitchens can have it all — The mini dishwasher shows that compact doesn’t have to mean compromised
- Location amplifies lifestyle — Direct access to Bend’s extensive trail systems makes this dome a launchpad for adventure
- No blackout curtains by design — Rising with the sun reconnects guests to natural light cycles, a philosophy that many dome and cabin owners embrace
Experience It Yourself
Dome Sweet Dome is available as an Airbnb rental for up to 2 guests. With a 4.94-star rating and over 500 reviews, it’s one of Bend’s most beloved unique stays.
Highlights
- Renovated 1970s geodesic dome in Bend, Oregon
- Two-story layout with bedrooms downstairs and open living upstairs
- Woodstove heating and full kitchen with mini dishwasher
- Glass shower stall with metal surround
- Outdoor fire pit on a private, wooded lot
- Steps from Phil’s Trail System and the Deschutes River Trail
- Available as an Airbnb rental (4.94 stars, 500+ reviews)
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