Hot Topic: Wildhut shares 4 tips to build the perfect luxury sauna in your home

The rise in home saunas is being fuelled by our desire for good mental and physical health. As GPs shift their thinking from fixing disease to nurturing resilient, thriving humans, sauna is being mooted as the ultimate lifestyle medicine. Rooted in Baltic and Nordic cultures, the traditional outdoor sauna is the ultimate lifestyle prescription. Thaisa Box, cofounder of luxury garden sauna company Wildhut, cites two main reasons behind the healing powers of sauna therapy: the ability to connect with nature, and the emphasis on a fully sensory experience.

“Outdoor saunas are especially popular for the sensory experience that comes with connecting to nature, disconnecting from life, creating a retreat and enjoying the many health benefits of sauna use,” explains Thaisa. “The magic of a traditional sauna lies with the intense, immersive heat coming from the stones and the steamy air within the sauna,” she adds. 

“As water pours over the stones, it turns to steam and fills the sauna with a beautiful steamy heat that opens pores and promotes a deep, intense sweat that improves blood circulation and muscle recovery. An infrared sauna, by comparison, heats up the body, providing a different experience and effect.”

If you’re planning your own private health sanctuary, here are the key points to consider: DESIGN AESTHETIC

Modern or classic? Interior designer Lisa Deller (inset above, right), co-director of Wildhut, says: “For Wildhut, we wanted a classic British design that would fit a contemporary city garden as perfectly as a country estate – and create a timeless asset. If you’re investing in a sauna, the best advice is to buy one that will look as good in years to come as it does when new.”CONSTRUCTION

The choice of material and method of construction makes all the difference between a sauna that buckles and warps, or stands the test of time. Lisa says: “We source premium, slow-grown timber from cold climates that is then thermo-treated, and build our saunas with an ultra-strong and sustainable core, using cutting-edge cross-laminated timber construction. This offers incredible stability compared to framed saunas, which is great for longevity, while the thickness of the timber provides the best sauna experience.”QUALITY AND COST

If you want quality, durability and lifespan, it’s all in the detail. “We invested in architectural and structural engineering expertise to create unique powder-coated stainless steel supports that ensure a perfect installation, maintain stability and ventilation and give you the option to relocate the sauna in the future, says Lisa. “We chose Estonia for manufacture because saunas are in their blood and the quality is unrivalled. We also added insect mesh protection around the base, to deter insects and protect the timber.”LUXURIOUS FEATURES

Wildhuts come in four sizes, with customisable options, like wood-fired heaters – ideal for remote locations – or an electric heater for energy efficiency and convenience. Triple glazed windows, sized and positioned for a great view or calming privacy, provide excellent thermal efficiency, and high-spec sauna LED lighting creates the perfect ambience. Bluetooth speakers are an optional extra.

Marine-grade showers make for easy contrast therapy in a small city garden, while an ice plunge alongside your sauna is a must for those who want to extract the full health benefits of going from hot to cold, which is proven to stimulate improved circulation, muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, boosted immune function, mental wellbeing and enhanced skin health.

Read more lifestyle news with Tempus