Yurt Interior Design Ideas: Making the Most of a Round Space
The inside of a yurt is unlike any other room, and furnishing one is half the fun of owning it. There are no corners, the ceiling rises to a skylight at the center and the lattice wall gives the space a warm, woven texture. That makes yurts beautiful, but it also means that furniture and layouts designed for square rooms do not always fit. These ideas will help you plan an interior that is comfortable, practical and true to the round space.
Start with a Plan on Paper
Draw your yurt to scale on graph paper and cut out paper shapes for your furniture, stove, kitchen counters and bed. Move them around until the layout works. Mark the door, windows and the stove's required clearances first, because those are fixed. Remember that the wall is about 7' high and the roof slopes up toward the center, so tall items belong closer to the middle. Our guide to choosing the right yurt size includes typical layouts for each diameter.
Think in Zones, Like Slices of a Pie
A round room naturally divides into wedges around a central space. Many owners arrange the yurt like this:
- Entry zone by the door, with hooks, a bench and boot storage.
- Kitchen zone along one section of wall, ideally near where water and power come up through the floor.
- Living zone around the stove, with seating facing the center.
- Sleeping zone opposite the door, where it is most private and catches the morning light.
- Open center under the dome, kept clear as a gathering space.
Rugs are a simple way to define each zone without walls.
Furniture That Fits a Curve
Straight furniture against a curved wall leaves awkward gaps, so choose pieces that work with the circle.
- Keep furniture a few inches away from the lattice wall so air can circulate and the fabric stays dry.
- Use freestanding pieces rather than anything fixed to the lattice, which is not designed to carry loads.
- Low bookcases, benches and daybeds fit neatly under the sloping roof near the wall.
- A round or oval table echoes the shape of the room and makes conversation easy.
- Choose multi-purpose pieces, such as storage beds, fold-down tables and benches with lids.
Adding Walls and Lofts
If you want a private bedroom or bathroom, build freestanding interior walls using traditional framing. The partitions should not be attached to the lattice walls of your yurt, as this would compromise the integrity of the structure. In larger yurts such as the 24' Liberty and 30' Washington, a freestanding loft in the center adds a sleeping or storage platform, with a bathroom or closet tucked underneath. Some owners build a compact "pod" that combines a bathroom, storage and a loft in one structure.
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Plan wet areas early. It makes practical sense for the kitchen and bathroom to share a "wet wall" so plumbing runs are short, and pipes should come up through the platform before the floor is finished. Open shelving suits the yurt's character and is easy to fit along a curve. Ventilate cooking and bathing areas well to control moisture; see living in a yurt in winter for condensation tips.
Storage Ideas
- Under-bed drawers and storage beds.
- Freestanding wardrobes placed toward the center where headroom is greatest.
- Baskets and bins on low shelving around the wall.
- A loft for seasonal items in larger yurts.
- An outdoor shed for tools, firewood and gear, which keeps the yurt itself uncluttered.
Light and Color
Natural light
The dome floods the center of the yurt with daylight, and the windows add views in different directions. Place your favorite chair where you can see out, and the bed where you can watch the stars through the dome.
Lighting at night
Layer your lighting: a central fixture or pendant hung from the ring area, floor and table lamps for reading and warm string lights along the lattice for atmosphere. Keep fixtures and cords away from the stove and fabric, and use LED bulbs, which run cool and use little power, especially off the grid.
Color
The natural wood of the lattice and rafters is the star of the room, so many owners keep walls and textiles in warm, natural tones and add color with rugs, pillows and art. Your exterior fabric colors also affect the light inside; lighter roofs let more daylight glow through. Try combinations with our Color my Yurt tool.
Making It Cozy
Textiles soften a yurt and help with warmth and acoustics: thick rugs on the floor, throws on the furniture and curtains at the windows and door. A wood stove is the heart of many yurts – give it a proper hearth, keep the required clearances and arrange seating around it. Plants, books and a few meaningful objects make the space feel like home, and a small mirror opposite a window bounces extra light into darker corners.
Flooring
The platform surface becomes your floor, so choose a finish you will enjoy. Tongue-and-groove boards can be sanded and oiled for a warm, natural look, or covered with click-together flooring or tile in kitchens and bathrooms. Whatever you choose, keep the edge of the platform sealed so water from the wall fabric drains outside, and add thick rugs in sitting and sleeping areas for warmth underfoot.
Ideas by Use
- Studio or office: a large worktable under a window, task lighting and simple shelving.
- Guest house or rental: a great bed, a small seating area, a kitchenette and hooks for guests' gear. See starting a yurt glamping rental.
- Yoga or meditation space: an open floor, soft rugs, cushions and minimal furniture.
- Full-time home: a defined kitchen, a bathroom pod, a sleeping area and ample storage.
Conclusion
Designing a yurt interior is about working with the circle rather than against it. Plan on paper, zone the space like slices of a pie, choose freestanding furniture that keeps clear of the wall, put tall items toward the center and let the dome and the wood do the rest. For inspiration, browse our gallery, and when you are ready to choose your yurt, compare our models.
Plan Your Yurt with White Mountain Yurts
Every White Mountain Yurt is hand-built in New Hampshire. Compare our 16' to 30' yurt models, see the standard and optional features, or price your yurt in the online calculators.