The Smaller Sauna: Why I Finally Said Yes

Last week, we delivered a sauna that I'd been resisting for two years.

Let me back up.

Since starting Nightjar in March of 2023, I had a consistent answer whenever someone asked for a smaller sauna: No.

I didn't say it to be difficult. I had real reasons—good reasons, I thought—for why smaller wasn't better.

Why I Said No (At First)

Reason #1: Space and Materials

In the US, we build on an 8-foot system. Plywood sheets are 4x8 feet. Lumber comes in 8-foot lengths.

I'm a maximalist. I want to use every inch, every piece, every opportunity to create something complete.

Reason #2: The Experience

I've been in small saunas. They feel like closets. The steam is harsh and hits you right in the face. There's no room to move, no space to breathe, no sense of openness.

When I build a sauna, I want people to feel relaxed. I want them to have space to stretch out, to move around, to actually enjoy the experience. A cramped sauna defeats the whole purpose.

Reason #3: Timing and Production

New products take time to develop. We're focused on getting more saunas out of the shop, building momentum, refining our systems. Adding a new product to the mix isn't ideal when we're trying to scale.

So when people asked for smaller builds, my answer was simple: No.

Enter Stephanie

About a year ago, Stephanie reached out.

She wanted a sauna. But she had two problems.

Problem #1: Her backyard was a postage stamp. It had a beautiful garden, but not much extra space. If a sauna was going to fit, it needed to be small.

Problem #2: She only had access to 30 amps of power. The 9kW IKI stove I'd been using in every other build? Not going to work. She needed the 6kW unit.

I told her what I'd told everyone else: I wasn't going to build it.

But Stephanie was kind. And persistent.

Every few months, I'd get a call or a text: "Hey David, have you made any progress on that smaller sauna yet?"

And it helped that Joe, her partner, really supported her vision. He wanted her to have this thing she'd been dreaming about.

The Game Changer

Eventually, I made space for it.

"Yes, Stephanie," I said. "I'll build it for you."

But here's what changed everything: the full glass window.

We now offer a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall glass window option. And that completely transformed what a smaller sauna could be.

Suddenly, it didn't feel like a closet anymore. It felt like you were outside. The space opened up. The boundaries dissolved. You're surrounded by your garden, by the sky, by the natural world—all while enjoying the heat and comfort of your sauna.

That's what really changed my mind. The glass wall solved the problem I couldn't get past. A smaller footprint didn't have to mean a smaller experience.

Last Week

We delivered it. The new sauna measures 6x7' (don't tell the middle schoolers).

Stephanie was thrilled. Beyond thrilled, actually.

And standing there in her backyard, watching her reaction, I had one of those moments that reminds me why I do this work.

We don't just build saunas. We build things that increase people's enjoyment. We build things that make life better. We create experiences that bring wellness, community, and beauty into people's everyday lives.

That's the whole point.

That's what led me to start building saunas for other people and not just for myself. That's what drives everything we do at Nightjar.

The Lesson

The best innovations often come from constraints, not from comfort. Stephanie's postage stamp backyard and limited electrical capacity forced me to think differently. And that thinking led to something better than what I'd been building before—a sauna that brings the outside in, that dissolves boundaries instead of just creating shelter.

I'm grateful for customers like Stephanie and Joe. They didn't just get a sauna. They pushed Nightjar to evolve and create something we hadn't imagined before.

And I look forward to more challenges like that in the future.

 

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Stephanie and Joe's custom compact sauna with full glass wall proves that sometimes the best solutions come from the challenges we initially resist. Interested in exploring what's possible for your space? Reach out.