Inside Out of the Valley, Britain’s bespoke sauna specialists

The sauna has become one of the defining luxuries of modern life. Once associated primarily with Nordic bathing culture, it is increasingly viewed as something more essential: a space for recovery, reflection and ritual in an age of constant connectivity.

Emerging research has linked regular sauna use with a range of wellbeing benefits, from stress reduction and improved cardiovascular health to better sleep and recovery, helping to explain its growing appeal among those seeking balance alongside performance.

It is this intersection of craftsmanship, design and wellbeing that sits at the heart of Out of the Valley, the Devon-based studio creating some of Britain's most distinctive bespoke saunas.

The story began on the edge of Dartmoor beside the River Teign, where founder and master craftsman Rupert McKelvie built an off-grid timber cabin shaped by landscape, light and the rhythms of daily life. The experience informed a philosophy that continues to define the studio today: creating spaces that are beautifully restrained, purposeful and deeply connected to their surroundings.

Rupert McKelvie

Founded in 2016 and later joined by co-founder and Author Christopher Selman, whose lifelong immersion in sauna culture brought a complementary perspective rooted in wellness and global bathing traditions, Out of the Valley has become known for a quietly luxurious approach to sauna design.

Commissions range from compact saunas and portable designs to panoramic retreats and cabin-style sanctuaries. For larger estates, complete contrast bathing suites can incorporate fully integrated ice baths and outdoor showers.

Working across the UK and Europe, the studio has delivered commissions everywhere from London to St. Tropez, Tuscany, Lisbon and Dublin. Whatever the scale or setting, every project reflects the same commitment to British craftsmanship, timeless design and meticulous attention to detail. Each sauna is made to order and developed in close collaboration with its owner, offering an almost limitless range of bespoke design possibilities.

As sauna culture continues its resurgence across the UK, Out of the Valley remains deliberately measured, taking on only a limited number of commissions each year. The result is not simply a luxury object, but a place of ritual and refuge: somewhere to slow the day, steady the body, and reconnect with what matters.