Here's What the #1 Rental on Airbnb Looks Like

The unique, cozy construction of the mushroom dome cabin blends in with the beautiful natural surrounding while also offering a construction design that maximizes the energy efficiency of the tiny home.

The Setting

When designing a housing development, one of the first things developers do is clear cut large forested areas to make room for the maximum number of homes that can be fit onto a plot of land. From a sustainability standpoint, the estimated 15 billion trees that we collectively cut down each year creates stress on the environment, exacerbates global warming, and contributes to the loss of topsoil. One report finds that our growing population will need to build at least two billion new homes over the next eighty years, and in the United States, urban areas are growing by about one million acres each year.

The increased demand for new housing development needs to find ways to respect the forested areas that remain, especially in urban and suburban areas. Not only will increased tree cover in our urban and suburban areas offer numerous environmental benefits, but there are also several demonstrated health benefits that come with living near trees.

One recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports finds that “having 10 more trees in a city block, on average, improves health perception in ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $10,000 and moving to a neighborhood with $10,000 higher median income or being 7 years younger.” The health benefits of biophilic architectural design depend on allowing the natural world to be a part of the home, and allowing trees to flourish near the site of our homes is obviously a great start.

The Mushroom Dome Cabin is only twenty minutes away from Santa Cruz, California, yet the guests that stay at the cabin routinely admire the feeling of seclusion that comes with being surrounded by oak, Madrone, and Redwood trees. One recent guest remarked that the cabin “is 10 minutes from shops/stores/restaurants, but sitting on the big deck of the mushroom dome you feel like you are truly away from it all."

The ten-acre property where the Mushroom Dome Cabin is located is close to the 10,000-acre forest of Nisene Marks State Park. Kitty and her family raise chickens and goats in the forested setting, and their gardens are home to several species of hummingbirds that are present throughout the year.

Geodesic domes are also known to increase the energy efficiency of a home. Greenhouses are often built as geodesic domes because the domed shape of the roof has up to 40 percent less surface area for the corresponding floor space than a regular rectangular roof. This also allows for improved air circulation over rectangular structures.

“A lot of people have fantasies about staying in a dome," Kitty mentions. “A geodesic dome has this unique quality where you can whisper on one side of it and the sound can travel to the other side.”

The House

In the lofted sleeping area, a queen-sized bed looks up to the unique triangular patterned ceiling. A large window/skylight is also crafted into one side of the dome allowing for natural light to infiltrate the cabin while also offering beautiful views of the surrounding forest. Another couch bed is provided for larger groups wanting to share the cabin.

The pentagon-shaped ground floor includes a small, but completely furnished kitchenette, a dining area, and a beautiful outdoor deck with a barbecue grill which even further connects the home to the natural surroundings. The natural well water is treated by an Ozonator water purification system.