Seven domes make up Eldon Shetler's home on a piece of property near Clay Center, Neb. Connected by covered walkways, the domes house a large kitchen with a balcony, library, three bedrooms and a great room. Another dome serves as a hangar for an experimental plane built by Shetler. 

The domes were created using airforms -- big polyvinyl balloon-like shells that are inflated with air, sprayed with foam, strengthened inside with rebar both vertically and horizontally, and then coated with gunite concrete. The structures are fire-resistant and able to withstand high winds.

Shetler recalls seeing a photo of a dome home that survived Hurricane Katrina unscathed except for exterior steps, and he has been impressed how his domes handle strong winds.

"This is a much more inexpensive way of building than standard wood construction, and the domes are several times stronger. But there's a big learning curve to the process," says Shetler, who has also built stick houses in the past. 

Except for hiring professionals with equipment to blow the foam and concrete, Shetler and his wife have been doing all the work themselves over the past 7 years.

The Shetlers wanted a unique and efficient design for retirement and were intrigued by an HGTV program featuring a California dome home. After visiting the home and talking to the owner, they returned to Nebraska and drew up their own plans. They liked the idea of building several domes connected with beautiful arched passages rather than one big dome. The main dome is 32 ft. in dia. and 20 ft. tall. Four domes are 24 ft. in dia. and the smallest dome for the pantry/storm shelter is 16 ft. in dia. The hangar is 38 ft. in dia. Altogether there is about 2,500 sq. ft. of living space.

Shetler is a former biologist/chemist who has had a variety of hobbies over the years. He notes that building the domes has kept him motivated to come up with creative solutions. 

He managed to secure grade 60, No. 4 rebar up to 20 ft. long with a curve to fit the domes. He had to figure out how to build windows and doors into the dome. He placed eyebolts at the center of the top of the domes so he could work his way down with climbing gear to paint the foam on the exterior of the domes with Class A acrylic material for ultraviolet light protection. 

But the challenges have been worth it. Shetler recalls how his wife was awed when she first saw the high arches between the domes. A beautiful chandelier hangs from the center of the largest dome. The thermal mass and insulation of the 7-in. walls efficiently holds the heat produced by electric quartz infrared heaters and a woodstove backup. 

"I have no plans to put in air conditioning," Shetler says, noting he may use a dehumidifier to deal with humidity if it's a problem.