Nestled at the back of the whole-home barn conversion, between the planted beds and vegetable patch, the old piggery sits quietly within its natural surroundings. What was once a cluster of weathered stone walls will soon emerge as a light-filled wellness retreat, a calm, restorative space for movement, recovery, and reconnection with nature.
The vision for this rural renovation is to create a sanctuary that supports both body and mind. Designed as a private gym and spa, the retreat combines natural materials, soft light, and biophilic design principles to create a seamless dialogue between the indoors and the surrounding landscape. Every detail has been considered to evoke stillness, balance, and a deep connection to the natural world, the foundation of holistic wellbeing.
A Dialogue Between Old and New
Rooted in the agricultural character of the site, the design retains the stone foundations of the original piggery, celebrating their timeworn texture and quiet permanence. A new timber-clad structure rises above, introducing warmth and rhythm through its exposed trusses and natural finishes. The resulting composition feels both grounded and elevated, a contemporary response that respects the heritage of the farm while introducing a modern layer of wellness architecture.
Expansive glazing and skylights invite daylight deep into the interior, transforming with the seasons and connecting each moment of movement or rest to the rhythms of the land. The material palette is deliberately restrained, plastered walls, tactile timbers, and handcrafted details that embody simplicity, honesty, and balance. This approach allows the architecture to recede, creating space for atmosphere, reflection, and renewal.
Sustainability underpins every design decision. Natural insulation, energy-efficient heating, and locally sourced materials ensure the retreat feels both environmentally responsible and deeply authentic. This sensitivity to context and craftmanship is characteristic of Charlotte Findlater Design’s approach, designing spaces that feel timeless, soulful, and in harmony with place.
A Gym and Spa Designed for Wellbeing
At the heart of the retreat lies a minimalist home gym, furnished with sculptural wooden equipment designed for both form and flow. The open layout encourages movement with intention, creating a setting that feels light, uncluttered, and connected. Timber flooring, soft neutral tones, and views toward the garden promote mindfulness and presence, a gym that inspires not just physical strength, but calm and focus.
Each element contributes to a sense of equilibrium, the balance between exertion and restoration, activity and stillness. From the moment one enters, there is a quiet transition from the demands of the day to a rhythm guided by breath, light, and landscape. Beyond the gym, the design transitions into a thermal suite composed of two intimate, complementary spaces: a sauna and a Himalayan salt steam room, each offering distinct sensory experiences that nurture both body and spirit.
Sauna, Warmth, Renewal & Balance
The dry heat of the sauna promotes circulation, eases muscle tension, and helps release built-up toxins. Beyond its physical benefits, the ritual of slowing down and embracing stillness nurtures clarity, grounding, and mental balance.
In design, the sauna embodies simplicity and natural honesty. Lined in warm timber and softly illuminated, it celebrates texture, scent, and the elemental qualities of heat and wood. Its minimal aesthetic draws from the wabi-sabi principle, finding beauty in restraint and imperfection. The rhythmic grain of the timber, the subtle warmth of light across the benches, and the sound of crackling heat come together to create a deeply sensory experience of renewal.
The space invites users to reconnect with the primal comfort of warmth, an environment that calms the nervous system, encourages mindfulness, and restores physical vitality.
Himalayan Salt Steam Room, Purity, Calm & Connection
Infused with mineral-rich Himalayan salt and gentle humidity, this steam room purifies the skin, supports respiratory health, and soothes the mind. The soft glow of salt walls and misty air evoke a cocooning, sensory atmosphere, immersive, quiet, and deeply restorative.
The design draws from biophilic principles, connecting users to nature through materiality, texture, and light. The salt’s crystalline structure and warm coral tones create a subtle radiance that nurtures calm and enhances mood. Diffused lighting and curved edges soften the space, allowing the mind to unwind completely.
Beyond its wellness benefits, the Himalayan salt steam room stands as a sculptural expression of natural luxury, one that balances purity and warmth, function and beauty. It embodies Charlotte Findlater Design’s Salutogenic ethos: that interiors should feel human, harmonious, and alive.
Connection to Landscape
Outside, raised garden beds overflow with herbs and vegetables, echoing the retreat’s focus on holistic wellness. The stone walls and planted borders root the building within its setting, while open terraces extend the interior’s calm into the garden. The design encourages outdoor rituals, a morning stretch under the trees, an evening herbal tea among the garden beds, a quiet moment to breathe with the horizon.
This relationship between building and landscape transforms the retreat into more than a spa, it becomes a daily rhythm of connection, reflection, and renewal. Every view, scent, and surface is designed to remind the visitor of their relationship with nature and self.
A Serene Extension of the Barn
This project embodies the essence of Charlotte Findlater Design: thoughtful, sustainable interiors that nurture wellbeing through connection to place. The old piggery’s transformation into a wellness retreat represents a dialogue between old and new, a space where movement, stillness, and nature coexist in harmony.
Through craftsmanship, natural materials, and a sensitivity to light, this rural renovation becomes a modern sanctuary for body and mind. It is both a continuation of the barn’s story and a reflection of a slower, more intentional way of living, one defined by balance, authenticity, and the quiet luxury of nature.
