Building your Interior

Interior Walls, Mezzanines, and Loft Spaces

In our King domes, you may want to divide the interior space using walls, mezzanines, or loft spaces. Interior walls can be built using lightweight materials such as wood framing and gyprock, or modular panels in your King Dome structures.

Mezzanines or loft spaces can be constructed to make the most of the dome’s vertical space, providing additional areas for sleeping or relaxation. To build a mezzanine or loft, install support beams and joists at the desired height, and add flooring material such as wood or composite decking. Attach a secure railing or barrier around the perimeter of the mezzanine or loft to ensure safety.

Due to the fact that the interior walls aren’t load bearing (unless building a 2nd story), these walls don’t have to be overly fancy or engineered as their primary purpose is to create separation of the rooms as well as housing service connections. (Just make sure that it can take the weight of if someone leans all falls onto it)

 Kitchens

Equip the kitchen with essential appliances such as a refrigerator, stove, and sink. Opt for compact, energy-efficient models to save space and resources. Install cabinetry and countertops to provide ample storage and workspace for food preparation. Choose materials that are easy to clean and maintain, such as stainless steel or laminate surfaces.

There are 3 main choices when it comes to kitchens in a glamping setup:

1. no internal kitchen. Glamping evolves around the great outdoors so bringing the kitchen outside is a great way to immerse your guests in their Aussie surroundings.
2. wet bar/kitchenette inside. This is our recommendation when it comes to authentic glamping accommodation. Having a simple sink, mini-fridge, tea and coffee facilities and some counter space (with your utensils, cups, plates etc) with the major cooking facilities to be outside or in a shared space. This is perfect for minimising cleaning (time is money) whilst also immersing your guests in nature. This option is great too if you offer dinner packages, have local cafes/restaurants nearby or have communal dinner offerings.
3. Having a full kitchen/ette. Depending on the size of dome, you can comfortably fit a full kitchen inside. Just make sure to factor in cleaning and smells (curries taste amazing but the smell can definitely linger).

Whatever you choose, just remember to consider the time spent cleaning, your budget and of course, what your client actually wants out of their stay on your property.

Bathrooms

Install a shower, toilet, and sink in a designated bathroom area, using moisture-resistant materials for walls and flooring. Ceramic or porcelain tiles are popular choices for durability and ease of cleaning. Consider incorporating space-saving designs, such as a corner shower or wall-mounted sink, to maximise the available floor space.

Depending on which size of dome you have and the level of your budget there are a few options to consider:

1. Having your bathroom inside. When guests are paying a luxury to spend their weekends at your property, they expect a full bathroom regardless of its location. Having said that however, when it is a premium offering, guests typically don’t want to go outside at night, in winter, while it is pouring rain, to go to the bathroom. That is where an internal bathroom works out well.
2. Having a hybrid system. There is nothing quite like having a shower or bath surrounded by beautiful scenery. A toilet however, can be hit and miss. Perhaps incorporating a toilet and basin inside an enclosed room (same as a normal house) with your bathing amenities outside to offer “a best of both worlds” solution.
3. Having a separate outdoor bathroom or shared unit between guests. Typically aimed around the smaller domes, this is where the bathroom is situated outside the dome or is a shared unit between multiple structures. This helps to keep the costs down, saves on service connections and feeds but lacks privacy and convenience in sub-par weather.

If going through the council route, many councils will start classifying a dwelling that has a kitchen/bathroom as a more permanent dwelling. Placing the bathroom outside can help to avoid this issue with council as it is a separate dwelling.

Some common misconceptions around bathrooms in our domes is that it’ll smell up the inside, where does the moisture go and how the plumbing works. In short, our domes still acts the same as a conventional dwelling (think your standard house). Most, if not all plumbing work, electrical etc, all get plumbed through the floor. The domes are no different.

Smells: you either have a good ventilation system inside the dome or have an enclosed room (bonus is if this room also has ventilation). PVC pipes connected to the black-water system of your choosing can shoot out from under the foundation and out into the air outside the dome (same as a house) to allow airflow and smells to be released outside.

Condensation: an exhaust fan can be installed over your shower/toilet and pushed out of the dome. While you can go through the cover to achieve this, it is more beneficial to pipe it through your internal walls and through your foundation instead. This is to minimise any leaks around the penetration of the cover as well as ruining the visual aesthetics of your internals space.

Plumbing: running your plumbing work through your foundation/platform and into either the floor (for waste) or in the interior walls (for water) is the most practical way to plumb your dome.

Lounge Space

We are assuming that most of your guests aren’t teenagers that can practically live in their beds. This is where a lounge space comes into play. Provide a relaxing space for guests to unwind, with comfortable seating and a small table for dining or socialising. A combination of sofas, armchairs, and/or floor cushions can create a cosy atmosphere. Consider adding a coffee table or side tables for guests to place their drinks or personal items.

The most popular route when incorporating a lounge space is by placing it in front of the bed. This is to focus the attention on the bay window from both spaces. We also design our fireplaces to be next to the bay window to draw attention to this area of the dome.

Storage Space

Storage is incredibly important for ensuring your guests have space to store their luggage. It is also recommended to have storage for perishable items such as toilet paper, towels/linen, spare blankets/pillows and tea/coffee. It may be worth considering having cleaning items inside the dome as well for ease of servicing.

Fireplaces

A fireplace can be an excellent addition to your glamping dome, providing warmth and a cosy ambience during colder months. There are various options to choose from, including wood-burning or electric fireplaces. When installing a fireplace, ensure proper ventilation (which of course, we provide in our domes) and follow local building codes for safety. We have ensured that our domes fall within Aussie standards for the flue systems for our mid-larger domes. Depending on the size of dome, as well as the specific wood-fire that you go with, there will be a deviation as to how close the rear of that fireplace is to our insulation, curtains or cover. Every wood-fire stove manufacturer will have their rear heat specifications readily on-hand. It’ll just be a matter of working out if it works within our requirements. 

Kingdomes can supply the chimney port plate for your fireplace if you require one. Wood-burning will require a chimney port plate for safety and standards purposes, while electric fireplaces can be more straightforward to install, often only needing a power source. Whichever option you choose, a fireplace can make your glamping dome an inviting retreat all year round.

Internal flooring

The internal flooring almost sets the scene upon walking into a King Dome. The most popular route is floating floorboards but there are other options including vinyl, carpet, tiles or evening polishing your concrete slab (if using one as a foundation of course). We do get asked if we supply flooring with our King Dome. The answer is no, simply because if we supplied a template flooring then it limits the imagination and unique character that can be brought into the domes. Our King Domes can serve so many purposes as well that 1 style of flooring may not suit different needs.

Lighting

Install a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create a warm and inviting atmosphere inside your King Dome. Ambient lighting can really help to set the mood. Task lighting should be focused on specific areas where activities take place, such as kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity, or bedside tables. Accent lighting can be used to highlight architectural features, artwork, or other decorative elements within the dome.

Consider incorporating energy-efficient LED lighting, as well as dimmer switches to adjust the brightness and mood of the space.

Décor

Choose a cohesive theme or colour scheme and decorate your glamping dome with artwork, textiles, and other accessories that reflect your style. Consider incorporating natural materials and textures, such as wood, stone, and woven fabrics, to create a connection with the surrounding environment. When selecting furniture, prioritise comfort and functionality without compromising on style.

Add cosy elements such as throw blankets, cushions, and rugs to create a warm and inviting space. Do not forget to include storage solutions, such as shelves, cabinets, or hooks, to keep the space organised and clutter-free.