≡ Menu

Off-Grid Desert Dome Retreat


This post contains affiliate links.

A desert paradise near Joshua Tree, California with two dome homes and a swimming pool. Experience peace and quiet at the Dragonfly Desert Retreat.

Here you can stay in either one of these dome homes. Both are completely off grid and solar powered.

The first dome is 20 ft around and is decorated with a unique artistry flare. Inside is a queen bed, full sofa bed, small kitchenette, table with 4 chairs, and plenty of windows.

The adjacent dome is 22 ft. with huge windows however it’s unfinished and has uninsulated walls. It still has 4 comfortable full size sofa beds with huge windows overlooking the views. This dome can be very cold in the winter since it’s not insulated.

The owner, Magdalen Boyd-Wilson says, “Dragonfly is an alternative solar powered, off-the-grid, artistic, architectural and sculptural project that has been and will evolve over the next few years to its completion. As an artist and a designer, with a passion for alternative architecture, Dragonfly Desert Retreat represents a vision perhaps ¾ finished. In 2006, I began designing, building and living here for 4 years full time, with much fewer conveniences than it now has. While I am still working to complete the vision and make it more and more comfortable, the setting allows one to experience the pioneering spirit, and feel a deep connection to the exquisite natural surroundings.” 

Please enjoy this desert dome retreat below.

Off-Grid Desert Dome Retreat

Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-001

Images © Airbnb

Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-002 Off Grid Desert Dome Retreat Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-004 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-005 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-006 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-007 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-008 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-009 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-010 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-011 Off-Grid-Desert-Dome-Retreat-012

Images © Airbnb

Learn more: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1062129

You can share this inspiring Off-Grid Desert Dome Retreat with your friends and family for free using the e-mail and social media re-share buttons below. Thanks.

If you enjoyed this Off-Grid Desert Dome Retreat you’ll absolutely LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more! Thank you!

This post contains affiliate links.

The following two tabs change content below.
Andrea is a contributor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the Tiny House Newsletter! She has a passion for sharing tiny and small house stories and introducing you to new people, ideas, and homes.
{ 29 comments… add one }
  • Steve
    June 9, 2015, 8:13 am

    yeehaw! i have to be honest, when i looked at the first pixs with the exposed osb board, i almost clicked out. but i have found prejudging vary rarely takes me anywhere. so i scrolled down only to be amazed. what a remarkable accomplishment. colorscapes inside made me feel welcomed with friendship and cordiality. the roundness gave a sense of peace, and tranquility. i lived many years in the deserts of the southwest and have an appreciation for there beauty, this reminds me so much of the many scenes still captive in my mind. sunrise and sunset are my favorite desert times, and this place would have remarkable opportunities to experience them. great job! bravo! i loved that you voiced you are unfinished. life is always unfinished, and tomorrow holds the promise of ideas yet to be seen. enjoy the desert, and it’s many faces.

    • June 10, 2015, 7:57 pm

      Great attitude Steve! I imagine you find beauty everywhere. Kudos to you! And I have to say – those are some amazing views out those windows!

  • June 9, 2015, 11:39 pm

    What a major cool set-up! Love the interesting walls and ceilings. The one room living arrangement with a separate bath would work for me. 🙂

  • Rue
    June 10, 2015, 12:38 am

    It seems a bit odd to me to have finished the inside so beautifully before finishing the outside – I guess they can get away with that in a low-humidity desert climate though.

    Still – wonderful job on the one interior with all the lovely color work. It’ll be neat to see these when they’re done.

  • Maria
    June 10, 2015, 1:46 pm

    The pool looks bigger ? Why are the cxabins so close together, I would think people would want privacy on vacation ?

  • JaninHOThemetca
    June 10, 2015, 2:33 pm

    If you have the capacity to freeze water,, I would think you could use at least one home made Air Conditioner, made from small fan, hole size of fan fronton lid,cut hole size of fan front, cheap foam cooler from dollar store, and one pipe to shoot cold air into a room. Freeze jugs of water, keeping lid on, add to water in foam cooler, put fan on outside w/ blade facing in fit to hole, motor on outside of lid,,,add hole and pipe off the side, can be a four inch or less pvc or even a plastic bottle cut off at both ends. Turn on the fan, it blows over the ice and cool air comes out the pipe into the room! Keep alternating frozen same water in jugs,lasts perhaps six hours at a time, cools the room, saves water. I saw this done and it works!!! Cost less then $ 10 dollars! Hope you have a freezer, I have lived in the deserts before and now in high desert, it was over 100 degree’s this past week!

  • troy
    June 10, 2015, 2:48 pm

    It must never rain there, that plywood turns to mush when it gets wet ?

  • Theo
    June 10, 2015, 5:49 pm

    Can’t say much positive for either. Too close. The interior on the one I could stand for around five minutes. Uninsulated? Any heat at all? All those windows sound like hot in the summer too, and no covered porch/patio.

  • Jaix Brooks
    June 10, 2015, 7:39 pm

    Can’t say, I’d be interested in staying there. Frankly, it looks junky.
    I would absolutely get the outside painted or that OSB wood covered
    somehow. OSB exposed to the elements, deteriorates FAST. Inside one they have an open firepit, and just a smoke hole in roof? After having a fire, you go to bed and a coal pops out? No smoke alarms, that I could see. But it has potential….work in progress.

  • Jane
    June 10, 2015, 10:15 pm

    I love the inside colors on the first dome and am surprised at how spacious the second one is but I didn’t see a kitchen in that. I am impressed.

  • Jean
    June 11, 2015, 4:18 am

    Nice looking on the inside but I do not feel the construction was done very well. You do not leave partial board uncovered like that. sooner or later it will start to buckle and should have shingles on the roof and sides. Unless of course it was not finished when these pictures were taken.

    • June 11, 2015, 11:57 am

      I believe they are still under construction a bit. Hopefully we can see pictures later of the finished project 🙂

  • Randy L
    June 13, 2015, 7:21 am

    Not real impressed. Sorry. They look like geodesic shacks made out of cheap OSB (Oriented Strand Board).

  • Randy L
    June 13, 2015, 7:24 am

    Nope. Don’t like to Sh–, shower and shave where I cook, eat, sleep and entertain guests. Nope.

  • W.David Taggart
    February 15, 2016, 1:19 pm

    I love the domes anyone have building plans for one to share

  • Yvonne
    February 15, 2016, 1:56 pm

    The outside is quite creative and I believe the article stated that “this is a work in progress.” As for the inside, looking at the colors and furniture arrangements is quite relaxing and peaceful in my minds eye. I commend the builder and can’t wait to see the overall finished product.
    A creative project well done. Thank you for sharing.

  • LargeMarge
    February 15, 2016, 2:05 pm

    I absolutely love a “small kitchenette”!

  • Emily c.
    February 15, 2016, 3:46 pm

    The inside is really nice, but the outside and the desert are a bit to “Mad Max” for me.

    • Candide33
      February 16, 2016, 6:13 am

      Hhahaa That was exactly what I said to my son as soon as I saw it and he said the wood was made out of sawdust leavings hahaha. We are both big fans of Mad Max but that would be taking cosplay to the extremes.

  • Gary Adkins
    February 15, 2016, 8:48 pm

    I would love to spend a week there

  • Tiffany
    February 16, 2016, 3:20 pm

    The Artistry is Beautiful & the fact that you have built this in the middle of a dry, hot unaccommodating desert attests to your personal drive. Kudos to you & those with you on an amazing accomplishment. I’m going to apologize for those who sit on their butts and degrade what you have done. Its easy from where I’m at to pick at your utopia but to be where you have been building it with your sweat & frustrations driving you to stop, my applause for continuing on. You are an inspiration. 1 man’s reclaimed materials & upcycling is another man’s junk. Best of Luck in All you do. Keep up the Good Work.

  • Rev
    June 13, 2016, 3:16 pm

    I know artists, and I always thought they are weird. Well, yeah, they are weird, but they see differently than me. It’s nice knowing they are around.

    I love the comment about the “…small kitchenette…”!

  • Gigi
    June 13, 2016, 9:46 pm

    Wait… 20/22 feet around? Or across?

    Because 20 feet around is going to be only like 7 feet wide inside…

  • David
    November 27, 2016, 5:50 pm

    Where does one find land just to plunk an off grid unit….seems to me most people building these land on the back lot of grandmas farm???

  • Susanne
    November 27, 2016, 7:05 pm

    Kudos for making effort! Yeah, what about the wood that
    Can’t get wet?!?!?!?

    • Natalie
      November 28, 2016, 8:02 am

      I think the desert helps them 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

  • jm
    November 28, 2016, 2:18 am

    Love Joshua Tree–one of my favorite places. Unfortunately, you can see this eyesore for miles. Really destroys the beauty of the desert.

  • Jimmy
    November 28, 2016, 10:44 am

    After viewing the homes and reading the comments, old saying: One man’s junk is another man’s treasure and vice-versa is aptly illustrated in the comments. I personally liked the domes, but will like them much more when finished.

    • Natalie
      November 29, 2016, 9:58 am

      Very true! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.