WLLW Round Up: Our Top Five Articles of the Summer
As summer draws to a close, we revisit our top five stories that shaped the season.
WORDS Elissa Rose
As the light shifts and the season turns, we pause to reflect on the themes that defined our summer editorial – from the grounding warmth of wood and sauna rituals to the relationship between craft and technology, and rethinking how we design nurseries. Each story circled back to the same idea: how the spaces and objects we choose can support health, wellbeing and connection.
Suvisaaristo archipelago sauna, Finland. Photo courtesy of Maija Astikainen
Sauna: How Heat Supports Hormones and Holistic Wellness
In this article we explored the transformative power of heat. Far from being just a comforting ritual, the sauna is a deeply physiological practice with the potential to regulate stress, support reproductive balance and even protect DNA integrity. With insights from hormonal health specialist Dr. Emilia Vuorisalmi and HARVIA CEO Matias Järnefelt, we examined how traditional Finnish, infrared and steam saunas each impact the body and why sauna has become a cornerstone of holistic wellbeing worldwide. As seasons shift and cooler months approach, this ancient ritual reminds us of the restorative warmth we can always return to.
Aiayu works with Bolivia’s indigenous people and is dedicated to craftsmanship and the artisans behind its textiles. Photo courtesy of Aiayu
The Human Touch: Craft in the Age of Technology
We turned our focus to the tension between craft and digital technology. While automation dominates production, craft offers something irreplaceable: the imperfections, textures and sensory richness of the handmade. Studies show craft lowers stress and reinforces self-worth, while sustainable practices remind us of slower, more intentional living. Yet rather than rejecting technology, many makers are blending tradition with innovation, weaving CNC or 3D printing into craft while preserving human essence. As summer gave us long days for slowing down, this feature asked what role care, materiality and cultural heritage should play in a future defined by speed.
Real estate expert Kirsten Jordan. Photo courtesy of Clare Perry
How Wellness Is Reshaping the Real Estate Market
For this piece we took a look at real estate and how health is influencing what buyers want. Speaking with New York broker Kirsten Jordan, we uncovered how wellness amenities, such as saunas, cold plunges and steam rooms, are becoming non-negotiables and why the real shift lies in healthier materials, better air and water and biophilic design. With wellness real estate valued at $438 billion globally and growing fast, the ‘wellness premium’ is now tangible, boosting both property value and daily life. This piece reminded us that where we live isn’t just about square footage or location, it’s about how well we live once we’re there.
Designed by Emma Shone-Sanders of Design and That Studio. Photo courtesy of Ellen Christina Hancock
Designed to Last: The Return of Real Wood
This feature brought us back to wood, a material that grounds, warms and restores. Once the foundation of every home, real wood has been edged out by fast furniture and synthetic substitutes. Yet we’re witnessing a quiet return. Beyond aesthetics, studies confirm that wood reduces stress and blood pressure while enriching indoor environments. This article reminded us that bringing natural, enduring materials back inside our homes can provide the same grounding calm through thoughtful design and pieces that last from season to season, year to year.
Caravan Crib by Kalon Studios. Photo courtesy of Kalon Studios
Your Baby’s First Environment: A Healthier Approach to Nursery Design
Finally, we turned to the most delicate of spaces: the nursery. Drawing from personal experience and research, WLLW founder Lisa Sternfeld shared how design choices can safeguard infant health. Babies breathe faster, absorb more and are especially vulnerable to toxins; creating a healthy nursery means rethinking air, light, materials and storage. Practical strategies ranged from HEPA purifiers and mineral paints to organic mattresses and natural rugs. This feature reminded us that design is never just about beauty, it’s about care and the choices we make at home can shape a child’s first sense of safety and wellbeing.
These articles remind us that wellness is layered: it’s in the materials under our feet, the heat that calms our nervous system, the craft that slows us down and the homes we create for both ourselves and future generations. Summer gave us warmth and reflection; autumn invites us to carry those insights forward with fresh clarity and intention.
Feature Image: A floating Swedish sauna designed by Big Branzino. Photo courtesy of Filip Gränström
Photography: Maija Astikainen, Aiayu, Clare Perry, Ellen Christina Hancock, Kalon Studios
