All the comforts: a new-old yard sauna that feels like a cottage in your backyard
Lovingly built, the yard structure is the rustic little sister to the Rautalin family’s old log house.
New or old? This yard building, constructed with vintage brick and finished with beautiful vertically laid details, inevitably hints at past centuries. Built in an old villa neighborhood in the Finnish city of Tampere, this new yard sauna fits seamlessly with the 1933-built log house on the same lot.
Marjaana and Juuso Rautalin are extremely pleased with the final outcome, even though the new construction required a lot of paperwork before the oldest buildings on the property—a yard sauna and an outhouse—made way for modern conveniences.
“During the villa era, no one lived here year-round. The lot used to reach the shore, where men caught ferries into downtown Tampere for work, while the women stayed behind at the villas,” Marjaana explains.
The Rautalin family bought the house in 2014. Even then, it was obvious that the yard sauna wasn’t salvageable. Marjaana and Juuso thought they would build a log sauna in its place, so they contacted their trusted family architect Heikki Koivula.
In fall 2016, while tackling permit issues, they learned that building a new log sauna wasn’t possible. For fire safety reasons, the sauna had to be constructed with a brick exterior so that wall could act as a firewall to the other buildings.
With the brick facade came bigger dreams and new possibilities. Once they realized the size and potential of the building, the family decided to create a year-round yard sauna that would also include a kitchen and a flush toilet.
According to Marjaana, the shed-roofed sauna building with fully modern systems is a sister structure to the main house from 1933. Its old-time feel is created by the grid windows and Wienerberger’s rough, hand-struck vintage brick, parts of which are placed vertically. The ash-toned mortar was inspired by the city’s old red-brick chimneys. That same hue appears in the rough-sawn board walls of the summer kitchen.
The heated area, which includes the sauna and lounge, occupies the center of the building. One end is reserved for the carport and a glass-enclosed dining space.
“A truly skilled architect who can fit all the functions we wanted into such a small space—and make it look this good—is worth more than gold,” Marjaana says with a laugh, adding that 1930s yard saunas likely didn’t feature refined English porcelain fixtures.
“Now the two buildings share something in common. Our home was originally built as a villa, and now I get to play villa here,” Marjaana smiles.
They handled the project as a turnkey contract, which meant one company took care of everything.
“We’re not construction professionals. We wanted someone who knew what needed to be done, could find the right workers, and would keep things progressing smoothly,” the couple explains. The architect managed the design, took care of the permits, and served as the supervisor.
“We saved ourselves a lot of trouble because we didn’t know how the process worked,” Juuso admits.
The construction went smoothly but was held up a few months in the interior phase because of a late tile shipment. The building was finished in spring 2018. From a technical standpoint, the yard sauna is like a small smart house with all the comforts. It’s airtight, free of plastic, built to modern standards, and designed to last at least a hundred years.
In addition to electric heating, there’s a round stove that supplies most of the warmth. The building also has its own hot-water tank, separate from the main house.
“We got some comments about the amount of electricity. There are more outlets and electrical provisions here than in the average single-family home,” Marjaana laughs.
The family is very satisfied with the yard sauna and the work of the building professionals. Both the construction and the space planning are top-notch. Every detail—from the window views to the sauna’s ventilation and energy solutions—has been thoughtfully considered.
Taking their time and finding talented experts truly paid off.
“We had the chance to consider the building’s look, select materials, and calmly think through every possibility. Still, it turned out even better than we ever imagined,” Marjaana notes.
“When we knew exactly what we wanted, we could plan a building that would keep us happy for a long time. The most important thing was choosing an architect who understood the spirit of the main house and knew how to make the most of the space,” Juuso adds.
”The family’s Christmas traditions combine an elegant English manor style with the atmosphere of a Finnish country house.”
In winter, the yard sauna is heated two or three times a week. On weekends, they at least head there to enjoy steaming mulled wine after a long dog walk. Come summer vacation, they often head straight to the sauna in the morning for breakfast and the paper. The building also doubles as Juuso’s remote office.
A compact mini-kitchen allows for cooking and food storage.
“We head straight to the sauna with the groceries and cook everything there.
The Rautalin family usually kicks off their party season on May Day, but now they plan to host a Shrove Tuesday party in the yard as well.
“We could set up a soup kettle on the terrace,” Marjaana muses.
The brick surface of the building looks different under winter and summer light, but it stays beautifully vibrant. Marjaana re-decorates the yard sauna every time the season changes.
“When we were thinking about buying this house five years ago, our friends recommended building a new yard sauna soon so the children could still enjoy it while living at home. They said it would bring loads of joy—and they were absolutely right,” Marjaana says.
