This year has taught us to invest in our home environment. After months of lockdown, many flocked to DIY stores and garden centres to begin home improvement projects.

It’s no surprise so many have turned to renovation, as our home space directly impacts mental health. Cluttered homes lead to reduced life satisfaction and mess can directly cause stress. Polluted, urban environments increase mental health problems and poor interior lighting can cause anxiety. It’s incredibly important that we create a home environment that promotes well-being and a sense of calm.

A home spa offers the de-stressing effects of a visit to the local leisure centre, without the uncomfortable use of communal changing areas and shared sauna benches. Creating a spa-like environment indoors – or out – could improve your quality of life by offering a luxurious area for relaxation and mindfulness.

Wellness therapies like the sauna and steam room have a number of health benefits, in addition to their positive effect on mental well-being. They improve circulation, detoxify the body aid in muscular and joint pain and promote healing. Steam rooms also improve respiratory health. If you would like to benefit from the effects of these leisure facilities in your own home, you may want to chat to the team at Milk Leisure.

Bespoke spa and wellness

Milk is a UK-wide provider of bespoke spa and wellness facilities. Their staff design, manufacture and fit a vast variety of leisure facilities. We spoke to managing Director Robert Merrick about the logistics of adding a spa to your home.

“My recommendation, if you have the budget and the space, is to extend the use of a traditional bathroom by adding a small sauna or converting your shower into a steam shower. Both of these offer health benefits, they have detoxifying effects and are good for circulation, muscle and joint pain, skin clarity and sleep quality.”

Milk has a lot of experience with projects like these; Robert has been in the industry for 30 years.

“I set up Milk Leisure 10 years ago. Since then we have been lucky enough to be involved in both commercial and residential projects.

“We are currently working with The Salutation Hotel in Ambleside to design and install a number of spa bathrooms. The hotel are incorporating a sauna, steam shower, whirlpool bath and heated bench in to each of their bathrooms to give users a relaxing and luxurious space.”

Some of Milk Leisure’s high-end work

A great place to de-stress

You don’t have to go to a hotel to get this kind of luxury though.

Robert said: “People would get a lot of enjoyment out of getting a spa experience at home. It’s a great place to de-stress and can really enhance a house.”

If you don’t have space indoors to create a luxurious spa bathroom, he suggests you get in the garden!

“We don’t make the most of our outdoor spaces in this country. If you’re Scandinavian, sauna is part of your culture. They don’t let a rainy day spoil their use of the equipment. In the UK, it clouds over and we stay inside and watch TV. But an outdoor spa area can really enhance the use of our gardens, without the weather being a determining factor.

I’ve used a sauna inside the Arctic circle. Going from a hot to a cold environment is actually very good for you. It can improve your mood, treat muscular injuries and is the best hangover cure you can imagine.”

Robert: “We don’t make the most of our outdoor spaces in this country.”

The sky’s the limit

On the topic of budget, Robert said: “It really depends on the range of facilities you choose, the extent of water features used and the quality of the tiling and other finishes you would like. You could put a spa facility in your bathroom from about £2,000, but the sky is the limit really.”

So how do you go about creating a home spa?

“Think about what you would like to achieve, what aspects of your health and well-being are you hoping to enhance? The only limit is budget and imagination, creativity is at the centre of everything we do.”

The only limit is budget and imagination

If you want to contact Milk about their work you can call on 0161 343 7100, or send an email to info@milkleisure.co.uk. Have a look at their recent work on their website and Facebook page.