HOME GYM REVEAL

Home gym is a game-changer, at least for me! I’m someone who finds going to the gym a bit of a chore. I get bored with gyms very quickly and will find excuses not to go, or tell myself won’t have time to squeeze it in. Having a home gym eliminates all the excuses and lack of time and effort. It’s very hard to make excuses why you can’t exercise when the gym is right in front of you.

Now, I get it’s not for everyone. You will miss out on the social aspect and may find it hard to find the space in a normal-sized house. Our gym isn’t huge. It’s an ok size room that has enough space for all the gym equipment we use. But I’m not exactly a gym bunny. I mainly use this room for doing mat workouts and the Peloton bike. My husband takes things a bit more seriously and has proper weights and boxing sessions here.

But without a doubt, having a home gym has made our lives easier. And I do exercise more regularly! I prefer squeezing in shorter workouts which feels less daunting and won’t wipe out an entire Morning or evening. I do still like to get out too (which I think is very important for your mental health). I love running through the woods and going horse riding once a week, which gives me that outdoorsy and social aspect I would probably otherwise miss. A home gym doesn’t have to be the solution to all your exercise needs. You can use it to supplement other activities and hobbies. Most importantly, create an exercising space that works for you and your lifestyle and you’ll have a better chance of sticking with it.

CONVERTING THE UTILITY ROOM INTO A GYM

We were very lucky that the previous owners saved us the hassle and converted the old utility room into a gym. I sometimes miss having a bigger space to do all the domestic things but I would never swap it back to what it was. They also added a toilet next to the gym which is right behind those mirrored sliding doors. We also have a much smaller utility behind the doors which will require revamping at some point. We could fit more in here but since it’s straight off our kitchen I didn’t want it to feel too chaotic. The mirrored sliding doors are not only great for checking your form and movement but they also make the space appear much bigger. A total must-have in my book!

COLOUR SCHEME

Since the gym isn’t exactly tucked away, I wanted to make sure it flows with the rest of the house. That’s why I opted for white walls and lots of wooden accents. It always helps if you pick a main colour, or two, for your home gym. Think about how you want to feel within that space. Do you want to feel energised or relaxed? I need a bit of both depending on the workout I’m doing. White walls work nicely in a room with lots of natural light. I tried to reduce the whiteness with contrasting colours and warmer tones. Mixing different textures helps too to soften things up. I just wish that modern gym equipment would be available in more inspirational colours than the typical black and white, but I’d like to think we’ve made it work.  Thankfully, Peloton bikes are now available in three different colours which is fantastic. I think my dream gym colour would be white walls with a beige floor but not sure how practical that would be. The black floor is very forgiving but shows dust like crazy.

SPACE SAVING SHELVING

When space is limited shallow shelves are your best friend! I prefer short shelves to long ones and although they don’t need to match, try to stick to similar materials or one or two colours. We have quite a bit of clutter here so it was important to hide it all somewhere. Rattan baskets will look cute too if you’ve got some space. All our floating shelves are from Amazon and I couldn’t be happier with them. Super easy to install too!

DECORATIVE DETAILS

Functionality should be the priority when designing a home gym but don’t forget about the decorative details too. My husband thought it was a waste to put up a decorative shelf just for a few plants, a scent diffuser etc. Well, I beg to differ! I think it’s pretty important that the gym smells nice too and has somewhere to place things like antiseptic wipes, healing crystals etc. Incorporating a few decorative pieces that mean something to you will add a bit of personality to the space. And that of course means that you will more likely want to spend some time there and exercise! Genius, right? I love our round rattan shelf so much that I’m thinking about adding another similar one next to it. I’m also toying with the idea of getting an LED Neon sign but I haven’t quite found one I like yet.

LIGHTING

Lighting can make or break an interior scheme. The same goes for home fitness rooms. It’s a good idea to have different layers of lighting for different purposes. I love dim lighting in the evenings when doing mat workouts. It’s so much more relaxing and almost puts you to sleep. That’s why we installed dimmer switches and I just wish we had done it sooner. It’s amazing to be able to control how much light you have in the room and dimming lights is more energy efficient too. I also have an LED Disco Ball diffuser for more energetic workouts. Do whatever floats your boat!

WALL BRACKETS

You’ll definitely need a shoe organiser, which can be used for a multitude of things. Our shoe and yoga mat storage are both from Amazon and I love that they are so minimalist. I didn’t want anything that would stand out too much and these are just perfect.

WHAT DO I LOVE MOST?

There are so many things I love about our home gym but I’d say what I love most is the convenience of it. I also love the view of our garden when I’m on my Peloton bike. I open the French doors during the summer and it feels almost like you’re outside. I also love my new Yoga mat which a personal trainer friend recommended. Lululemon yoga mats are the best! I’d also say having a TV on an adjustable bracket is a must. Makes my Les Mills workouts so much easier!

Would you ever consider setting up a home gym?