Yurts’ circular shape gives them instant appeal. Think about it: Corners are the abode of naughty children and dust bunnies. Yurts take corners out of the equation altogether. Many people instantly feel more comfortable upon entering yurts, due to their round form.

However, if you don’t know where to start, decorating a yurt might feel akin to putting a round peg in a square hole. Standard beds, couches, and other furniture can still fit well despite their rectilinear design. So once you buy a yurt, decorating it will inspire creativity. Today we’re looking at how you can design and decorate your yurt to match your own personal style and maximize space.

Yurt Construction: Interior Design Considerations

First, let’s consider overall floor plans. The basic circle will be your starting point. But you can wall off different areas for privacy and usability.

Adding a bathroom will increase privacy and comfort. Professional contractors can add interior walls, plumbing and electricity for yurt homes. Utility lines can be run beneath the yurt floorboards (If you plan to add these later, be sure to elevate your platform to make sufficient room for a crawlspace). Oftentimes, construction codes require bathrooms to have ceilings and exhaust fans. You can direct the exhaust vent through the yurt walls and keep it sealed with a flashing. Adding a ceiling may allow you to build a loft over the bathroom, increasing your bedroom space.

Interior Walls can also separate kitchen, bedroom, and living spaces. For example, you can enclose a bathroom to the right of the yurt entry. The back wall of the bathroom can constitute one wall of the kitchen, with an angled counter/dining space extending from a central sink.

A Loft makes a great hangout space for children and teenagers. Our larger yurts are tall enough to allow lofts over bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.

Custom Curve Glass Windows, available exclusively through Pacific Yurts, increase efficiency as they let light in and allow for easy ventilation. The placement of fabric windows will similarly effect interior light, depending on your yurt’s orientation.

A Wrap Around Deck is a nice aesthetic touch. It also provides easy access to your windows and functions as an extension of your living space. In warm or tropical settings, some yurt owners even place their shower and kitchen on the deck, to minimize interior moisture and maximize space.

 

Decorating Yurt Homes: Furniture and Décor for Different Styles

Once your floor plan is clear, it’s time to think about decoration. Select a style that matches your family’s vibe and go wild with accessorizing. Whatever design mode you choose, start with the basics: the wood lattice, rafters, and fabric walls. Our insulation liners provide a white backdrop for the warm color of the yurt’s framework. Some people use folding screens or drape fabric as dividers to simplify the look.

Next, look for accessories. Many yurt owners opt for round furniture, selecting baskets on barrel end tables, for instance. Furniture that would otherwise seem odd could be perfect in your yurt.

Here are some decorating ideas for different décor themes:

Coastal

Use whitewashed wardrobes and chests to delineate rooms within your yurt. Prioritize light, which is abundant in coastal locations. White color schemes, clean, simple fabrics, a nautical themed print here or there, and natural fiber rugs can communicate a beach-like setting.

Rustic
Add columns to frame rooms using warm, rough-hewn supports to harken back to a simpler time. Throw in organic forms, such as carved bowls, as well as repurposed objects. A shiny, clean sink or mirror can help accentuate rich, rustic browns.

Contemporary
Retain the open, expansive feel of your yurt. From there, create strong horizontal and vertical lines with clean corners on furniture pieces. Select neutral tans, creams, beige, and black tones for your furniture and decorations.

From bohemian to eclectic, there are many more styles to choose from. To find the best interior design resources for your yurt, we recommend checking out the following resources:

• Houzz’s Yurt Page is a great place to gather ideas, with page after page of examples. Browse it with a pad of paper at your side, to write down your preferences as they become clear.
• Pinterest’s Yurt Interiors page is another page you’ll want to bookmark. Create your own yurt design page for handy reference.
• Pacific Yurts’ Website – You’ll find numerous resources in the downloads section of our website, including a brochure, and floor plan ideas. We’ve also provided 360° virtual tours and customer photo galleries so you can see how other Pacific Yurt customers have equipped their yurts.
• Our Yurt Builder 3D™ tool is perfect for big-picture design. It will allow you to envision different sizes and setups for your yurt. You can select everything from window placement to fabric type and color. If you haven’t yet constructed your yurt, this is the perfect place to start.

Finally, if you’re ever in our neck of the woods (Cottage Grove, Oregon), we invite you to take a walkthrough of our yurts. We have several beautifully furnished and landscaped examples set up on our property. There’s nothing like a tour when it comes to design inspiration.