Why Wellness Rooms Are Replacing Wine Cellars in Australian Homes
From Wine Cellars to Wellness Suites: The $100K Trend Redefining Aussie Homes
A new home design trend is quietly reshaping suburban life in Queensland—and it’s got nothing to do with wine cellars, cinema rooms or even larger kitchens. Instead, we’re seeing a surge in meditation spaces, infrared saunas, magnesium pools, yoga retreats, and in-ground ice baths.
What started as a niche wellness luxury has become a mainstream priority for homeowners. A new wave of Australians are now investing up to $100,000 in creating at-home health sanctuaries, and builders and architects are rushing to keep up with demand.
According to sauna specialists SDS Australia, there’s been a 144 per cent rise in sauna-related inquiries over the past year alone. Co-founder Michael Doubinski believes the shift isn’t a trend—it’s a paradigm shift. “Eventually I think every home will have a sauna,” he said. “Wellness isn’t a luxury anymore—it’s essential.”
A Wellness Revolution in Suburbia
Gone are the days when the pinnacle of luxury was a home theatre. In 2025, the gold standard is having a wellness floor—complete with a sauna, cold plunge, home gym and red light therapy bed. Queensland homes are leading the way, with some developments featuring these amenities as standard in every floor or apartment.
Builders like TH7 Homelabs have responded accordingly. According to co-director Danny McDonald, every new residential project he touches now includes some form of wellness space. “It’s replaced the cinema. Why not build a room that gives back to your health every single day?”
Their portfolio of 20 wellness-focused projects totals well over half a million dollars, and that figure is growing monthly. Whether it’s a yoga lawn in an apartment complex or cryotherapy pods in a luxury unit, these features are fast becoming non-negotiables for the next generation of buyers.
Post-Pandemic Priorities: Bringing Wellness Home
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically reshaped how Australians value their homes. For many, it was a wake-up call—home wasn’t just a place to eat and sleep; it became the gym, the office, the school, and the spa. And as Savva Koulouris of Place Woolloongabba notes, that shift has stayed.
“People are giving up drinking, getting serious about health, and spending more time at home,” he said. “Wellness spaces give that lifestyle physical form—whether it’s an infrared sauna in a $1M townhouse or a magnesium pool in a $4M home.”
He adds that the most engaged buyers are in the 30 to 45 age bracket, who are increasingly opting out of traditional layouts in favour of open-plan homes with wellness at their heart.
Case Study: Health at Home for the Modern Family
Manoli and Paras Antonarakis, parents of three and residents of Carina Heights, designed their home to reflect their health-first lifestyle. Through Gant Construction, they added a Finnish sauna, a home gym, and a magnesium pool designed with their children’s wellbeing in mind.
“Time is the biggest barrier for families,” Manoli explains. “If you have to go to a gym or wellness centre, that’s time away from your family. Bringing wellness into the home solves that.”
Their daughter’s negative reactions to chlorinated public pools inspired their investment in a gentler magnesium alternative—complete with private swimming lessons at home. It’s convenience, control, and care rolled into one.
Wellness Adds More Than Just Value—It Adds Vitality
The growing appeal of these spaces isn’t just about lifestyle—it’s becoming an expectation. In the high-end market, wellness is no longer seen as aspirational—it’s essential. As Antonarakis puts it, “If you're building or buying above $3M, wellness inclusions are just assumed.”
And it's not only luxury buyers who see the value. Lower price point homes are now being retrofitted with wellness upgrades—learn how financing solutions like home loans can support these lifestyle enhancements.
A Trend Set to Stay
The wellness revolution in Australian housing isn’t going anywhere. With builders reporting year-on-year growth, and buyers prioritising health alongside square footage, this is more than a design fad—it’s a cultural reset.
Wellness rooms are not just the new status symbol—they're the new standard.
Author Bio:
Kalpi Prasad is a finance expert, entrepreneur, and founder of Renown Lending. With a passion for ethical investment, wellness-driven property design, and alternative lending, he explores how emerging trends reshape the way Australians build, live, and invest.
