Dome home in northern Minnesota is energy-efficient, weather-resistant — and listed at $449,000

The company has sold more than 1,500 homes around the world and nearly 300 in Minnesota, Hill said.

“The growing demand for durable homes in the face of climate change has contributed to [domes’] rise in popularity,” she said. They can even withstand tornadoes.

The Kittermans’ home’s exterior walls contain 16 inches of fiberglass insulation and 2 inches of airspace. A vent system between the insulation and plywood sheathing prevents water condensation, Rick Kitterman said. Vertical exterior walls have vinyl siding; the exterior of the dome and entryway are architectural shingles.

The interior drywall is paneled with tongue-and-groove pine or painted shades of green to reflect the woods visible through the windows.

Inside walls on the main and upper levels are not load-bearing, making room arrangements completely flexible. “If a person wanted to, on the main floor all the way to [the] loft, they could remove everything inside and start over and rebuild all the rooms,” Kitterman said. The round shape makes furniture arrangements flexible, too.

The owners’ suite in the second-floor loft is separated from the living room by a half-wall. Stairs lead to a five-sided cupola atop the half-sphere. The other two bedrooms — one on the main floor and one on the lower level — have full walls. All three bedrooms are accompanied by bathrooms. The owners’ suite has a large walk-in closet.