Backyard Studio Ideas: Why a Yurt or Geo Dome Works

A good backyard studio is bright, comfortable through the seasons and somewhere you actually want to spend time. A yurt or a geo dome ticks all of that in a small footprint: light pours in from above, the ceiling rises well over head height, and there are no dark corners. A 5m (20 sqm) or 6m (30 sqm) suits most studios, and both start from around $14,350 AUD ex GST as a kit.

If you're working off the kitchen table, painting in the laundry or doing yoga between the couch and the TV, a backyard studio gives that part of your life its own room. Here are the studio ideas that suit a yurt or dome, and why a round building beats a box for most of them.

Why a yurt or geo dome makes a good studio

Light from above

Every ORON has a 10mm acrylic dome skylight right over the middle of the room, clear or tinted, and strong enough to stand on. Light comes down evenly instead of in one hard patch from a side window. Add the floor-to-ceiling opening window that comes as standard and you'll rarely need the lights on during the day.

A Geo Dome goes further. About a third of the dome is a clear panoramic section, so one whole side of the room looks out at the garden or the sky.

Height without a second storey

A 5m ORON has a 3.15m dome height. A 6m reaches 3.4m. A 5m Geo Dome is 3m at the top. Even in 20 sqm, that height stops a studio feeling like a cupboard, and it gives you room for a tall easel or a kettlebell swing.

A room with no corners

Round rooms feel calm. A yoga class all faces in, and there's no back corner where clutter collects. You do need to plan furniture along a curved wall, so measure before you buy that long bookcase.

Comfortable in summer and winter

ORON comes with 10mm high density wool felt insulation between the liner and the cover. For a cold site, add a second layer for $750. For a hot one, add reflective air-cell insulation for $750. Geo Domes come with a double layer of aluminium air-cell insulation behind the canvas lining, plus a solar vent fan that draws hot air out without any power.

It goes up quickly

Once the platform is down, most of our clients put up the yurt or dome in 2 to 3 days with a few friends. No months of trades through the backyard.

Backyard studio ideas

Home office

The most common one. A 5m ORON gives you 20 sqm, which is plenty for a desk, a couch for reading and a bookshelf, with the door shut on the rest of the house. Put the desk side-on to the standard window so you get the view without screen glare.

Art or craft studio

Painters and makers chase soft, even light, and that's what a skylight gives you. A 6m gives you room for a big work table and somewhere to leave things drying. If the mess bothers you, a Geo Dome's canvas lining is easy to wipe down.

Music or jam room

Down the back of the yard, a studio puts some distance between the drum kit and the neighbours. A yurt isn't soundproofed, so add your own sound treatment if you plan to record.

Yoga and wellness room

Open floor, no corners and plenty of light. A 7m (40 sqm) or 8m (50 sqm) ORON fits a small group, and smaller sizes work for daily practice, massage, Reiki or sound healing. We built the deck and an 8m ORON for a client's yoga studio in the Perth Hills. You can read the full Perth Hills yoga studio story.

Guest room

Visitors get their own space and nobody sleeps on the couch. A 5m or 6m fits a queen bed with room to spare. A Geo Dome with the panoramic section facing the sky is a real treat for guests.

Teenager's hangout or home gym

Somewhere for the kids to be loud, or somewhere to lift weights where the ceiling isn't an issue. A 6m gives you room to move.

Studio sizes and prices

Shipping to your nearest major port is included. Final delivery to your site is extra. See the ORON page and Geo Domes page for every size and option, and our original budget range on the yurts page.

A tip before you pick a size: grab a stake and a length of rope and mark the circle out where the studio will go. Put a chair and a desk inside it. You'll know pretty quickly if it's right.

Yurt or geo dome for a studio?

Both work well. Here's how we'd split it.

Go for an ORON yurt if you want a warm timber feel, straighter walls for shelving and furniture, and a choice of matte cover colours that blend into the garden: Bushland, Sand Dune, Red Ochre, Riverstone or Deepwater. The hemp-cotton liner comes in nine tones, and curved glass bay windows ($1,250 each) can open a whole wall to the view.

Go for a Geo Dome if you love a modern look and want that big panoramic view, or you want an interior that's easy to keep clean. A double glazed glass front is also available as a paid option, priced on quotation.

What to plan before you build

The platform

Your studio needs a level, solid platform the same diameter as the yurt or dome. The outer cover hangs over the edge of the circle, which is how it sheds water, so the platform shouldn't be bigger than the structure. If you want a deck around the studio, build the circle separate from it or raised above it. On an existing square deck, that means a raised circle on top. Our decking plans cover every size, and our yurt platform guide explains the options.

Power and services

Most studios need power for lights, a heater or a fan and a laptop. Talk to a licensed electrician early about getting power out to the spot you've chosen. It's often easier to run conduit before the platform goes down.

Placement

Think about where the morning sun comes from, how far you'll walk in the rain, and the view out of the door and windows. A studio you can see from the kitchen tends to get used.

Approvals

Rules for backyard studios differ by council and state, and depend on the size of the structure and how you'll use it. Your deck may need approval even if the studio doesn't. Check with your local council before you buy. Our FAQ has more on this.

Start planning your studio

If you're comparing kits, our backyard studio kits guide goes deeper on ORON as a studio. For sizes, insulation, decks and build steps, grab our free Ultimate Buyer's Guide. Or give us a call on +61 489 269 088 and tell us what you want to use the space for.