In the house of the sporty Hautamäki family, the sauna is heated several times a week. All members from the parents to the children enjoy an active and athletic life, and the sauna is an essential part of recovery and relaxation, but also an important way to spend time together.
THE HOUSE OF THEIR DREAMS WAS BORN FROM DELIBERATE CHOICES
When Matias and Jenni-Sofia with their teenage daughter, 8-year-old son, and a baby girl decided to build a house in Ylivieska, Finland, their wishes for the new house were clear from the get-go. The landscape of Northern Finland with its lush forests, Northern lights and midnight sun make the house a perfect cozy spot for the family of five. And as sauna is the heart of the Finnish home, planning the perfect one was an important part of the process from the start.
“The house was planned together with Kannustalo based on what we wanted. We planned the layout by ourselves to fit our needs and every detail has been carefully thought out,” Matias and Jenni-Sofia say.
The couple already had experience with house projects. Matias is a builder, and together they had renovated a townhouse as well as built a new house for themselves. Jenni-Sofia was in charge of the design and execution of the décor of their new home. “I have always been interested in interior decoration and am very specific about my style.”
Just as with the rest of the house, making choices about the interior decoration was straightforward. The family knew from the start what kind of style they like and what qualities they wanted from the house.
AMBIANCE, quality materials, and good steam to support wellbeing
For the active family, it was important to build an atmospheric sauna made from quality materials that would give them the perfect place to recover from daily life and exercise. The whole sauna has been built of heat treated aspen, and as the soul of the sauna the family chose a black Mondex 9kW Tahko E2 WiFi heater that combines the atmosphere of a traditional Finnish sauna with modern technology.
“The WiFi control has been a great addition. We have used it, for example, to turn on the heater when we have been on a run or a hike, and once we have gotten home, a ready sauna has been waiting for us,” the family tells.
Jenni-Sofia and Matias are both active long-distance runners and also do other sports, such as gym workouts and HYROX classes, and the children have their own sports hobbies. Running is a regular part of the parents’ routine that supports wellbeing and stress management, and they train intuitively rather than following strict programs.
With the daily exercise, sauna is an important part of holistic recovery and relaxation, but it is also an important place for quality time with the family.
a home next to nature
Nature is also important to the family, and the new house was built next to a forest where peace and lush nature surround the everyday life, creating an authentic Finnish sauna experience. The sauna’s window shows a view of the forest, which adds to the sauna being a place where you can stop, breathe, and forget all haste. The carefully planned lighting also adds to the atmosphere. The LED strip hidden behind the front board of the top bench enhances the dark tone of the heat treated aspen.
“When we were planning the lighting for the sauna, we also wanted a LED spotlight above the heater to highlight it and the steam arising from it during bathing.”
The heater has been stylistically embedded into the benches, and a bright glass door opens a view to the sauna. In addition, the door sensor takes care of safety by turning off the timer if the door is opened when the timer is turned on. The temperature sensor blends in with the dark wood of the ceiling, giving the modern look a final touch.
When choosing the heater, Mondex’s quality, design, and locality were important criteria. For the Hautamäki family, the soul of their sauna having been built a stone’s throw away added to its value. As the northernmost heater manufacturer in the world, Mondex brings authentic Finnish craftsmanship to homes like theirs. “Having a Finnish heater is important to us. It is also great to support a local company.”
Tahko fits their style perfectly. It gives a pleasant, moist steam and its plain design is pleasing to the eye. The family has been very happy with their choice and now go to sauna almost every day.
Style, quality, and atmosphere truly meet in the family’s sauna. The carefully planned sauna will bring joy and experiences to the whole family long into the future.