Take a look inside historic 1970s dome-shaped home in Conway. It’s now an Airbnb

Tucked away in a Conway forest, a historic dome-shaped home sits along the Waccamaw River.

For people driving by, the home is easy to overlook for the more contemporary homes nearby that face the street. But a peek behind the foliage in front of the home reveals more than half a century of history.

The Dome at Wild River, now an Airbnb property owned by husband-and-wife duo Aubrey Royals and Ricky Royals, was first built in the 1970s by Conway local Johnny Thomas and his friends.

From 1973 to 1976, Thomas and his friends built the home from the ground up, and made it using pieces of history from throughout Horry County.

Much of the lumber for the home was from nearby trees the friends had cut down. Furniture throughout the home had been repurposed from local churches or abandoned buildings. Even the piers under the home were sourced from a beachside hotel when the hotel was undergoing renovation.

“He can tell you a story about every piece of wood that’s in this home, so it’s quite beautiful to look at,” Aubrey Royals said.

In the decades since the initial construction, Thomas has worked consistently to maintain and preserve the home.

After the home went on the market earlier this year, the Royals immediately fell in love with it after Thomas gave them a tour and shared the home’s history.

Now, the Royals, who own two other Airbnb properties near The Dome at Wild River, have transformed the home into a short-term rental property.

To enhance the home’s experience for guests, the Royals made a few changes, particularly in the outdoor area, including adding more lighting, creating a fire pit area and upgrading the back porch to include an outdoor bar.

Ultimately, though, the Royals knew their focus was not on changing the home, but instead on preserving the existing craftsmanship of The Dome.

Looking inside The Dome

While it may look quaint on the outside, The Dome at Wild River feels expansive inside with more than 1,500 square feet and three levels of living space.

The home features a fully stocked kitchen with wooden cabinets reminiscent of the nature surrounding the home.

Stepping out of the kitchen and into the first-floor living space, one can see the full extent of the round wood roof, with several large pentagon-shaped windows allowing natural light to flow in. A stained-glass window in the center of the space is made of glass sourced from the 19th century.

Walking upstairs, there is a second living space complete with a television and a shuffleboard table. A wood ladder then takes visitors to a loft at the top of the home, where they can relax on a futon and look out a window at the sky and surrounding environment.

Designed with larger groups in mind, The Dome at Wild River can house eight guests across two bedrooms and the living spaces. The first-floor bedroom features two queen beds and an extendable chaise. For more privacy, the bedroom on the second floor features one queen bed that sits next to a large glass window, allowing the natural light to wake you up each morning. The living space on the first floor also features a sofa bed.

The home’s back patio offers both seating at a screened-in bar and chairs for lounging on the larger open patio.

The Dome at Wild River is also steps away from the Waccamaw River. The home features a dock, and a kayak and canoe are both provided. Guests can also bring their own boats or jet skis to the home.

“We wanted to give it that experience, instead of just a place to sleep, so families can come here and enjoy their time,” Aubrey Royals said.

Preserving a decades-long history

As the dome-shaped home transforms from Thomas’ self-built abode to a vacation rental, the Royals want to make sure guests know the history of the home they are staying in.

With permission from Thomas, the Royals crafted a book featuring Thomas and his friends’ photos during their construction of the home. The home also houses the original plans for The Dome from the 1970s. Guests can flip through the book or look at the plans during their stay to see the step-by-step process of how the home was built.

The Royals also plan to install signs throughout the home that indicate how the house was built and where different pieces came from.

“It keeps the history alive,” Aubrey Royals said. “They’ll know that everything that they’re seeing inside the home came from all over the Grand Strand and further.”