This is a question we hear quite a bit during our initial conversations with clients. At Southeast Leisure, we pride ourselves on turning our clients’ visions into reality as custom artisans. Sometimes, the answer is, “Why yes! Check out these photos from a custom sauna we recently completed.” But when our friends at Benecki Homes showed us the inspiration photos and design for the sauna in their 2023 Southeastern Showhouse, we knew we were about to embark on a truly special custom creation.
Benecki’s homes are always spectacular, and this one was no different. A notable design feature throughout the home was the use of circular elements. Radii in barreled ceilings, doorways, and elsewhere found a new expression under our scope in the form of bulbous waterfall bench seating in the custom sauna.
Our team faced two main challenges:
To solve the first challenge, the team started with the known variables. (Don’t worry, no math in this post—we’ll leave the numbers to our shop pros!) There would only be room for two levels of benching, and the height of the benches was constrained between “tall enough to sit on” and “short enough to step up onto.” Horizontally, the benches needed to be deep enough to both sit and lay on comfortably, but not too deep, or they would crowd the heater. The radius used on the bench front had to be the same for all benches, and the projection of the bench front was taken into consideration when calculating the required bench depths.
Once the dimensions were approved by the client, we moved on to construction. It doesn’t take an engineering degree (though it helps!) to know that half of an ellipse, oriented horizontally, is not structurally supportive for vertical loads. Translated— we would build the benches using traditional right angles and apply the curved finish for aesthetics and function, not structural support.
Once the bench frames were built, it took a bit of prototyping for the bench front supports. The radius had to “look” just right, while not encroaching too far into the seating area or floor space. Thankfully, the adjustments are relatively straightforward using CAD and our CNC Router. After 5-6 minor tweaks, we settled on the perfect curve.
The front supports were then individually fabricated by bending and laminating 2” strips of hemlock around the jigs we had cut on the router. A process similar to how a luthier might shape the body of a guitar. After a few days (or more) of making forms and waiting on them to cure, we had 22 identical front bench supports ready to go!
Next, we worked on assembly of the bench framing here in the shop. The team meticulously ensured that the bench faces would align perfectly.
After the frames were assembled, we individually cut each piece of thermal aspen down to 1.5” slats to form the bench tops and fronts. The mitered ends where the benches come together were tricky, but we are thankful as always for the inventor of the compound miter saw!
The final result is truly spectacular. The flowing benches complement the Huum heater, and these two elements beautifully stand in contrast to the linear fluted walls and angular construction of the space itself. A salt wall and integrated LED lighting “round out” the look of this custom, breathtaking sauna.
Built and Managed by 8 Ball Hosting
