Have you ever dreamed of sleeping under the stars, completely immersed in nature, while still being warm and safe? That’s exactly what Pam and Ian created with their transparent GAXDOME – a stunning outdoor bedroom deep in the wilderness of British Columbia, Canada. From the Northern Lights to snowstorms (and even curious bears!), their dome house offers the perfect refuge in every season.
Q: Your dome looks absolutely beautiful – surrounded by snow, forest, and even the Northern Lights! What inspired you to create this unique space?
Pam & Ian: Normally we take a tropical vacation every year. But this year, our youngest daughter graduated and lives about 12 hours away. We took advantage of our vacation to visit her, so we decided to create a getaway at home. That’s how we bought the dome house.
Q: It sounds like a great way to get closer to nature. How does a dome house fit into your lifestyle?
Pam: Ian and I both love the outdoors, but I love sleeping under the stars, while he’s not so keen on being completely exposed. On the best nights for the Northern Lights, I often sleep under the stars on the snowmobile deck of my truck. I kept telling Ian, “You’ve got to try this!”
Ian: But we live in the country, surrounded by bears, wildlife, and unpredictable weather. I don’t like sleeping completely exposed. So we found a compromise: the bedroom dome. It gives us a sheltered way to enjoy the outdoors. The first night we set it up, got out our air mattress, and slept in it right away. We’ve spent countless nights there since then. It’s so peaceful, and we’ve made it super cozy.
Q: Has the dome become part of your daily life?
Pam & Ian: It has! Our house is small, only 500 square feet—a country cabin—so the dome house has become an extension of our home. It’s our outdoor bedroom, and I think we sleep in it one out of five nights. We bought a great mattress, so it’s just as comfortable as our bed indoors. It’s actually quieter than our house because we have pets who would wake us up indoors. In the dome house—well, we call it the bubble—everything is peaceful.
Q: It sounds like you have a remote property. Can you tell me more about your surroundings?
Ian: We live about 30 minutes from the nearest city, and there are only about 15,000 people there, so it’s not very large. We have no neighbors, no street lights, and no artificial light. Our property is about 160 acres, and we share it with Pam’s parents. They live at one end and we live at the other.
Pam: Most of it is covered in trees, but last summer my dad cleared a piece of land near a small pond behind the house. The ground there is flat, so it was the perfect spot for the dome.
Q: It definitely feels like a real resort. Do you have any amenities around the dome?
Pam and Ian: Yes! We actually relocated a locally built 100-year-old outdoor toilet – it was originally on our property, and we moved it close to the bubble so that we could have a bathroom nearby.
The dome isn’t at the very edge of our land because we wanted to run electricity to it, but it’s still far enough away that we can’t see our house from there and vice versa. Being close to the pond makes it feel more peaceful and private. It’s really charming.
Q: Your location sounds pretty desolate! Do you face challenges with extreme winter weather?
Pam & Ian: Absolutely! We have winds of over 100 km/h, temperatures that suddenly go from -40°C to +5°C (-40°F to 41°F) at night, and heavy snow – sometimes 2-3 feet of snow overnight. That’s why we cleared trees around the bubble to avoid any danger from falling branches.
But inside the dome, you don’t even feel the wind. It’s soundproof, there’s no shaking, and there’s no drafts. Even in the dead of winter, it feels like a protected little sanctuary.
Q: How do you keep the bedroom dome warm on those cold nights?
Pam & Ian: We chose the GAXDOME and customized it with a locally sourced wood-burning stove. To make it even more cozy, we also used a fan heater and heated blanket, which helped keep the dome warm on those cold nights.
There were a few nights when the temperature dropped to -40°C (-40°F) and we stayed inside, but most winter nights we slept comfortably in the dome. The heater we chose can also be used as a cooling fan, so we are looking forward to sleeping in the dome house in the summer. We don’t anticipate any problems using it year-round.
Q: With so much wildlife around, do animals come close to the dome?
Pam & Ian: Oh, sure. Right now, we have a lot of moose around, and their tracks are usually only a few feet away from the dome. Bears are also around in the spring and summer. Coyotes and deer also pass through, and we often see their tracks in the snow. Being in a dome and surrounded by pristine nature really makes you feel connected to the wilderness.
One of the reasons we chose the GAXDOME was that we were confident it would withstand an attack from a curious bear. Unlike a cloth tent that a bear could easily destroy, a dome tent is sturdy. It won’t collapse or tear if a bear leans on it, and there’s nothing inside to attract them, so they shouldn’t try to get in. This peace of mind was a big factor in our decision.
Q: When searching for an outdoor bedroom, did you consider other structures before choosing a dome?
Pam & Ian: At first, we considered cheaper, transparent tents, but durability and transparency were very important to us. We weren’t familiar with backyard dome tents before, but after researching, the GAXDOME immediately stood out. It offered more advanced features than other manufacturers, and detailed reviews and videos confirmed its quality.
We quickly realized that if we wanted a true outdoor bedroom, we needed to invest in something high-quality—not a flimsy $200 tent. The GAXDOME was the most durable, long-term solution, and we’d always rather go with the best option than settle for something inferior.
Q: I’m so glad you chose the GAXDOME! How was your assembly process? Did you face any challenges?
Pam: No, it was very easy. The instructions were clear, and Ian and I did most of the installation ourselves. My mom helped too – she’s great at peeling back the edges of the protective plastic, which made the installation process a lot quicker. We only used hand tools to avoid over-tightening anything, and for us, about 8 hours of assembly time for two to three people was accurate.
Q: Would you do it again if you could go back in time?
Pam & Ian: Of course! We would recommend it to anyone. It’s been fantastic, and we use it often. We imagine we’ll spend more time there when the weather warms up in the summer.
Q: That’s great to hear! Any last words you’d like to share?
Pam & Ian: It was an incredible experience. Sleeping in the dome tent felt surreal – the first night, it felt almost weird because it looked like we were completely outside. Because our beds were so high off the ground, it felt like we were lying in the open air.
People ask us if we notice any seams or screws, but when you’re outside gazing at the stars, the Northern Lights, or the sunset, there’s nothing to obstruct the view. It’s like being outdoors while being completely protected from the elements. We’ve spent nights in the dome house in rain, strong winds, and snowstorms, and it feels so good to sleep completely protected from it all. It’s an amazing experience.
Pam and Ian’s bedroom dome house has completely changed the way they experience nature—sleeping under the Northern Lights, waking up to peaceful wilderness, and staying cozy in rain, wind, and snow. It’s the perfect combination of adventure and comfort.
Want to see how others use their GAXDOMEs? Explore more GAXDOME stories to get inspiration for your own outdoor getaways!
