Woerden, September 2024 – A spacious penthouse in a monumental Amsterdam canal house hides a gem of a wellness bathroom. The recently redesigned en-suite bathroom has been created based on a clear design vision from the residents.

The monumental building, situated along the widest canal in the city, functioned for a long time as an office space. In 1997, it was divided into commercial spaces and residential apartments. The former residents combined the top two apartments to create a spacious penthouse with an outdoor terrace. Eight years ago, the current residents renovated the penthouse in collaboration with a renowned Amsterdam interior and design studio, resulting in a stylish interior design.

Optimal alignment of sauna design, interior design, and available space

The en-suite bathroom has been recently redesigned. There was a strong desire for a wellness bathroom with a sauna. The only question was, “how and where can we integrate the sauna into the space,” according to the residents. Together with KLAFS, a custom sauna was designed that seamlessly blends into the en-suite bathroom, both in terms of installation and style. Ingeniously, the sauna was shaped around the existing pillars, with one side wall of the sauna being invisibly concealed in the adjacent master bedroom behind vertical walnut wood panels. These walnut panels seamlessly extend into a walnut wardrobe wall in the sleeping area. This wellness bathroom thus showcases an optimal symbiosis between KLAFS's custom sauna design and the distinctive elements of the interior design, maximizing the available square meters.

Design Vision

The residents had a clear design vision in mind regarding the sauna design. Walnut panels were to clad the interior walls of the sauna to create visual unity with the other wood and panel elements in the home. The residents stated, “Beautiful vertical walnut panels add texture to the interior, enhancing the design interest.”

Another important element in the design was the lighting plan. In the entire wellness space, the lighting has been carefully coordinated, with the sauna lighting being part of the realized lighting plan. The indirect LED lighting SUNSET L under the top bench and the decorative ROMEO and JULIA sauna hanging lamps from KLAFS enhance the relaxed, warm atmosphere of the sauna. Thanks to the large glass front, this warm, relaxed atmosphere is felt throughout the entire bathroom. The mirror lighting next to the adjacent vanity table is functional yet serves as an intriguing statement due to its generous round lighting shape. Vertical wall lighting has been integrated into the opposing wall, providing a playful contrast to the round mirror lighting. Elegant pendant lamps add extra ambiance and decoration to the vanity table, echoing the slender, vertical form in the lighting design.

Ultimate relaxation through beneficial extras 

For optimal relaxation, the custom sauna is equipped with an infrared backrest and a sauna stove featuring five sauna types. The InfraPLUS infrared backrest from KLAFS is ideal for anyone who wants to enjoy soothing infrared heat in addition to the sauna. The sauna and SANARIUM® stove FERO can transform the classic Finnish sauna into a tropical bath, a warm air bath, a gentle steam bath, or a herbal bath, as desired. The gentle warmth, made possible by KLAFS's SANARIUM®, is experienced as very relaxing by its users.

During the me-time moment, the fully glazed façade made of clear glass offers a beautiful view of the wellness area. This space is equipped with a round, deep bath, a rain shower, a spacious double sink, and a toilet.

KLAFS product details: 

Sauna: custom sauna PREMIUM 

Interior wall finish: walnut wood, panels 

Wood type for benches: walnut wood, waxed 

Front: frameless glass facade with clear glass 

Stove: sauna and SANARIUM® stove FERO 

Infrared: InfraPLUS infrared backrest 

Control: 21033T control panel 

Cabin dimensions: H 2265 x W 2200 x D 2000 mm 

Layout: floating seating and lying benches on two levels with a step bench 

Lighting: indirect LED lighting SUNSET L under the upper bench, ROMEO and JULIA decorative sauna hanging lamps 

Extras: thermometer, sauna pouring set with bucket and ladle 

More information about KLAFS can be found at: www.klafs.nl