Domes are usually reserved for massive baseball stadiums in Miami or Seattle, but in a small Upstate New York village the only game in town is a bizarre hemispherical bed & breakfast that’s on the market for $950,000 (it previously listed for $1.2 million). The B&B will be sold as a residence. There are no turnstiles or ticket entries, but it’s still worth a peek. Just book a room or make an appointment with listing agent Estately. Bring your checkbook, just in case.
Enveloped by nature and billed as a weekend retreat, the eclectic 2,300-square-foot, wooden curiosity at 116 Canaan Road resembles a prop straight out of an episode of UFO Files or Treehouse Masters rather than a permanent, livable dwelling. The domed home could pass for E.T.’s wilderness rendezvous point with his mothership. This unidentified spinning object in New Paltz sits in the middle of a 28-acre forest near the Mohonk Preserve (naturally, where UFO hunters always seem squat).
Constructed in 2003 by Domespace, a French home kit company, the spacious three-bedroom, eco-friendly prefab dome home rotates 360-degrees via remote (and Passive Solar Energy) to maximize sunlight, adjust indoor temperatures or to change scenery. The house is surrounded by a 40-foot, curved cedar deck ideal for lounging and entertaining.
Inside is as unconventional as outside, with lofty ceilings, massive curved windows and an open, wall-free floor plan crafted of low-maintenance organic materials like cedar, bamboo and limestone. The eight-room, two level property includes a master bedroom suite on the first floor, a custom staircase to an upper level library, office, guest bedroom and full bath (the entire house has two-and-a-half bathrooms in all).
If you’re the adventurous type or even a conspiracy theorist, you can book an overnight stay at the domed bed & breakfast. But if you’re in the market for an extremely private, uncommon residence and you don’t scare easily, New Paltz’s unique landmark may be a good option.
What else should we expect from a town with paranormal connections—from its UFO hunters, annual Haunted Huguenot Street tours or as the fictional setting on an episode of the TV show Supernatural?