The olden days of unattractive saunas have officially ended with the opening of the VitaSol Thermal Baths in the spa town of Bad Salzuflen. Realized by KLAFS, a company that’s been in the sauna business since 1928, the VitaSol Thermal Baths include two glass steam and brine “heat experiences.” The red and black-tiled glass steam bath includes a freestanding steam chimney.

HOME Sauna. Designed by KLAFS

Sit on the smooth bench and revitalize your body: “The steam bath reinvigorates and cleanses the skin of the bathers as well as promoting blood circulation by operating at a relative humidity of 
100 % and at a temperature of 43 to 46 °C.” The green and black glass brine bath next door contains air with 8% brine, “generated by passing brine over the graduation house, which is made of blackthorn brushwood.” Inhaling salty air improves sinus and lung health. These two creations illustrate how saunas and steam baths can be sleek and contemporary. The glass enclosures at the VitaSol Thermal Baths use curved lines throughout, further breaking the design expectations of the sauna (which earned its bad reputation largely in the 1970s when wooden boxes were the standard).

SIGHT Sauna. Designed by KLAFS.

SMARTSAUNA. Designed by KLAFS.

VALLEY steam shower. Designed by KLAFS.

The exclusive sauna house. Designed by Garpa, manufactured by KLAFS.

If you can’t make it to Germany, then consider the KLAFS wellness products available for the home. The Lounge Sauna creates a Zen-like experience with its simple forms. Customize your Lounge Sauna to your particular space and design needs. Exterior cladding options, for example, are great: “continuous hemlock panels or classical wooden casing, natural or white varnished spruce, the whole thing in dark wenge wood or completely in white, with frameless glass fronts straddling the corners.” If you prefer wet heat, then look into the KLAFS steam baths, available in acrylic, ceramic, or natural stone in virtually any configuration, shape, or dimension. Add special extras such as Starry Sky, an aroma system, Circosteam, a steam distribution system, and Coloured Light, a color therapy function. These are not the saunas of Knots Landing and Dynasty.