Great Yurt Getaways
Get back to nature in style with these stunning yurt homes.
By:
Jeff Stafford
Related To:
Ridgway Sunset
The great outdoors are easily accessible when you are living in a yurt. The lightweight structure is relatively easy to assemble anywhere and the super rugged fabric covered frame can withstand high winds and extreme temperatures. This cozy model, situated in Ridgway, Colorado, is manufactured by Colorado Yurt Company, which is based in Montrose.
Porch Upgrade
What a difference a small change can make. Consider this intimate but stylish entrance for your vacation home from rainier.com/yurts.
Greetings from Goblin Valley
Make your vacation fantasy come true with a yurt getaway to places as remote and beautiful as this exotic location amid the sandstone wonders of Goblin Valley State Park in Utah.
Natural Skylight
Looking up from the main floor of your yurt, this is what you should see. The dome opening, which is usually covered with a protective acrylic skylight, can be the major focal point of your structure. Some companies provide tinted skylights which help reduce the heat from direct sunlight.
Chandelier Optional
Go wild with your decorator fantasies in a customized yurt like this Arabian-themed beauty complete with chandelier from Rainier Yurts.
The Alternative Vacation Home
A popular form of housing in Central Asia for centuries, yurts are becoming increasingly popular in America. These round, tent-like structures are not only more heat efficient than square houses but are easy to assemble, can withstand high winds and extreme temperatures due to their insulation. Whether you want a different kind of lakeside vacation home or a private mountain retreat like the one pictured above, yurts are available in various colors, sizes and price ranges.
Garden Party Host
Yurts can range from a modest twelve foot shelter to a thirty footer with luxury features. This yurt from Blue Ridge Yurts functions as a garden party entertainment center or a backyard hideaway that blends into its surrounding green space.
Turquoise Fantasy
The yurts of today combine state of the art design with dependable, old fashioned craftsmanship such as this visually striking turquoise and white fabric frame from Rainer Yurts.
View From a Yurt
Many campground yurts come with scenic outdoor decks like this one from Tugaloo State Park in Georgia. They offer a fun and unique alternative to the traditional cabin and most come with wall heaters and ceiling fans inside and grills, picnic tables and fire-rings outside.
Camper's Delight
Resorts, recreational centers and camping grounds now offer other alternatives for vacationers such as this waterside yurt with an outdoor deck at Fort Yargo State Park in Georgia.
Hillside Advantage
You don't have to be a nomadic sheepherder to appreciate the benefits of a yurt. Current models can be customized to include air conditioning, hot tubs and wet bars and the exterior design is remarkably flexible. You could cover your yurt in quilts if it struck your fancy or just settle for placing your home in a beautiful setting like this one from the Colorado Yurt Company.
Make Mine Burgundy
Got a favorite color or design preference? The sky is the limit in today's yurt marketplace. You can even customize your interiors to include a luxury kitchen, bathroom spa or uniquely themed living room. This model from Yurts of America is framed by a spacious walk-around deck.
Rainbow's End
Yurts are adaptable to any setting due to their lightweight design and high quality materials that can repel the most extreme weather conditions. Instead of a mountain cabin, why not consider a vacation home like this one from Yurts of America? With their curved walls and domed ceilings, yurts offer a more spacious interior than cabins with the added bonus of aesthetically pleasing design.
Wide Open Space
Yurt enthusiasts favor the design of these tent-like homes because of the large, open feeling of the interior space and the possibilities they offer in terms of decoration and social activities. This model from Blue Ridge Yurts is a good example of a yurt that is ideal for a family vacation or summer home.
Lakeside Vistas
Yurts are incredibly durable and the wooden framework can last indefinitely. Depending upon the severity of UV rays in your climate, a yurt's fabric cover could last between eight and fifteen years. Extreme moisture and humidity are also factors to consider if you are going to set up your yurt near a body of water like this one.
Beneath the Weeping Willow
Another great attribute of yurts is that their fabrics are environmentally friendly and easy to maintain. For those who opt for a more sustainable lifestyle, yurts can also be set up for solar power instead of electricity. Their versatility makes them adaptable for any location, whether it's in the shade of a weeping willow or high on a mountain top.
Rustic Charm
Yurts are designed to be your home away from home so comfort should be a key feature of your decorating scheme as in this inviting bedroom with warm color tones. www.blueridgeyurts.com
The Lattice Look
A common interior feature of yurts are the lattice walls which are a major component of the support structure. This bedroom model from Yurts of America uses 99 percent knot-free poplar wood for the lattice walls which allow for a heavier stress load and a longer life.
The Mushroom Effect
Yurt communities are springing up across the country and may soon bypass cabins and cottages in popularity at resorts and campgrounds.
Base Notes
Most yurt companies do not provide the base platform you need to support your structure. As you can see in this photograph, the base needs to be built on a circular, raised platform that is the same diameter as your yurt and it should be constructed of wood or recycled composite decking material like Trex.
Terraced Walkways
There are all kinds of architectural enhancements and additions you can make to showcase your yurt such as this compelling entranceway.
Frame It
Once you have your platform built and the flooring in place, you can begin assembling the yurt frame as demonstrated in this example.
Top It Off
Workers finish assembling and covering the dome-like top of a yurt before moving on to the next phase of assemblage.
Insulate It
Insulation is optional for yurts but highly recommended if you live in areas that experience extreme weather and temperatures. Many people heat their yurts with a wood or gas stove vented through the yurt wall but radiant in-floor heating is a popular alternative. If you use insulation, it will vastly improve your heating and cooling efficiency.
Lure of the Mountains
Regardless of where you situate your yurt, you can choose to blend in or stand out from your surroundings through your choice of colored fabrics. Most companies offer color choices for the roof, valance, wall and bottom band.
Winter Proof
Yurts in ski areas and resorts that experience heavy snow often need additional structural support because of the extreme weather. There are models available with roofs which can handle unbalanced snow loads of any amount during the most severe winter conditions.
Beauty Sleep
This eye-catching concept for a loft bedroom combines natural light with the warm colors of stained and natural wood furniture. www.blueridgeyurts.com
Up, Up and Away
The interior space of a yurt allows you to create a number of bedroom options such as this loft space accessible by ladder. rainier.com/yurts
Room to Spare
Depending on your budget, you can purchase a yurt big enough to house all of your essential needs and still maintain a sense of open space like this combination kitchen/bedroom/loft area.
Treehouse Chic
Who says you have to be restricted in terms of where you place your yurt? Here's an example of a yurt owner who likes to live the high life in the trees, from yurtsofamerica.com.
Stack the Deck in Your Favor
So you're found the perfect spot for your yurt. Why not enhance the location by adding a deck and all the trimmings to fully appreciate the splendor of your surroundings, as with this beauty from rainier.com/yurts.
Spring Sensation
When deciding on the location of your yurt, think about the seasonal changes you will see from your front door. Imagine this yurt from in the dead of winter or surrounded by the height of fall color.
Belize Hideaway
The wonders of this Central America beach resort are many, but imagine how much more enticing it would be if you had an oceanside yurt.
Rocky Mountain High
If you lived here, you'd be home now. What could be better if you're a nature lover?
