Driven by a desire to increase the accessibility and affordability of home wellness, Nook Saunas delivers and installs well-designed infrared plug-and-play saunas to the homes and commercial spaces of Australians.

Nook Saunas’ director James Billingham cites the memorable experience he had using a sauna on a retreat as inspiration for creating a service that seeks to eliminate barriers to home wellness.

“I noticed there wasn’t an easy way to get that same sauna experience at home – especially without spending a fortune on a custom-built sauna that costs a tonne to run and can have other issues,” he tells Australian Design Review.

Billingham envisages a world where saunas are in the homes of more Australians. “A sauna gives people a moment to disconnect, slow down, sweat it out and feel physically and mentally better,” he says.

Billingham envisages a world where saunas are in the homes of more Australians.

According to Billingham, sauna use offers a slew of benefits for users, namely detoxification, improved circulation, enhanced skin tone and muscle maintenance.

“There’s a big gap in the market for wellness products that are beautiful, functional and stress-free. That is what Nook Saunas solves,” Billingham says. 

Infrared sauna specialists

When researching the sauna model market, Billingham realised infrared saunas were more cost-effective and accessible than traditional saunas. Unlike traditional saunas, infrared saunas generate heat at deeper tissue levels and are more appropriate for people with sensitive skin or who suffer from heat intolerance. 

“We focus on infrared saunas only, and we do them really well,” Billingham says.

The circulatory, metabolic and cellular benefits associated with sauna use can be attributed to far-infrared technology, as it stimulates microcirculation, promotes cellular repair and accelerates mitochondrial function.

After discovering the benefits of infrared saunas, Billingham decided to begin renting out existing sauna brands, yet regularly came across poorly designed and inaccessible models. Billingham vowed to build something better, a turning point that became the genesis for Nook Saunas. 

An easy process from design to installation

Nook Saunas offers three infrared saunas: the Nook Core, Nook Elite and Nook Ultra. 

The Nook Core, made from 100 percent Canadian hemlock wood, is Nook Sauna’s most popular sauna. The Nook Core operates at an average cost of 0.61 cents per hour, thanks to the six high-performance and ultra-low EMF (electromagnetic field) carbon mica far infrared heaters.

Nook Saunas delivers and installs saunas for free to residences and wellness spaces.

Demand for saunas in the commercial real estate and residential market has burgeoned; however, Billingham says many developers struggle with installation and maintenance, obstacles that Nook Saunas remedies by providing exceptional customer service before, during and after purchase. 

The company delivers and installs saunas free of charge to residences and wellness spaces within 80 kilometres of Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart.  

“We make it incredibly easy, from design to installation,” says Billingham.

Nook Saunas offers prospective owners the chance to rent a sauna before buying through a collaboration with Rent a Sauna. The company also prides itself on zero outsourcing, with a fully internal team.

“We can deliver a much higher level of quality and service,” adds Billingham.

Building wellness into the home

Billingham is eager to dismantle the assumption that wellness is characterised by “green smoothies and gym memberships”.

“People want wellness built into their homes and lifestyles,” he says. 

Nook Saunas is eager to dismantle the assumption that wellness is characterised by “green smoothies and gym memberships”.

For Billingham, wellness is about allowing time in the day to reset and rejuvenate – something that should hardly be considered indulgent. 

“Homes are becoming sanctuaries, which is why more people are creating wellness experiences at home or demanding them in commercial spaces,” he says.

Nook Sauna’s sustainability considerations

Nook Saunas proudly upholds sustainable manufacturing and operational practices. 

“We’re focused on long-term sustainability, from planting three trees for every sauna we sell, aiming for B Corp certification and working only with factories that meet our ethical and safety standards,” says Billingham. “Our customers care about sustainability, so it’s important that we do too, and not just as a marketing line, but in practice.”

Nook Saunas is expanding into the United Kingdom, alongside fostering relationships with builders and designers.

Making people feel good every day 

Nook Saunas is currently expanding into the UK, alongside fostering relationships with builders and designers to make wellness a priority early in the design phase. “Our goal is to become the go-to brand for at-home infrared saunas,” Billingham says. 

Nook Saunas remains nimble to change, and constantly reevaluates sauna design, technology and the customer service experience.

“We stay ahead without losing sight of why we started: making it easier for people to feel good every day,” Billingham concludes. 

Save on Nook Saunas with the ADR discount code

Discover Nook Sauna’s beautifully designed and functional saunas that revolutionise home wellness here. Use the discount code adr100 for an extra $100 off the current pre-order discount.

Featured lead image by Mauro Palmieri. All other photography by Fabrizio Lipari.