Happy New Year from Lehner Designs! Isabel the intern here to talk about a popular subject at the beginning of a new year – the gym. Everyone has new resolutions and new fitness goals for 2024, I know I do! But did you know that January, February and March are the most crowded months of the year for the gym? Also, a gym membership can be anywhere from $40-$70 a month on average. So, if you are paying a hefty membership for a crowded gym that you can only make it to once a week, you might need a home gym!
What is a Home Gym?
The term home gym covers a wide variety of spaces. Some people dedicate large amounts of space to build a home gym, while others might have just a couple pieces of machinery in a corner. Other gyms might look completely different than that even! There are a lot of ways to design a home gym and there are no right or wrong answers. There are also a lot of ways to make your home gym pop!
Check out this small home gym with a bright and energizing accent wall to make the space more fun!
Or how about this one that has design elements to match the rest of the farmhouse look? They even saved space by implementing some parts under the staircase!
How Do I Make a Home Gym?
Like I said before, when designing a home gym there are no right or wrong answers, it entirely depends on your lifestyle, preferences and space! Here are a few key components to consider to help guide you in creating the perfect space for your needs.
Location
Location of your home gym is entirely dependent on how much space and dedication you want to give it! Maybe you want a large space? You could consider putting a home gym in your garage or using a large portion of your basement. Here is a great example of a large garage gym with plenty of equipment!
If you’re looking at this and thinking it’s not really for you, don’t worry! Maybe you are more inclined to a peaceful, serene workout routine. Consider a smaller room with lots of natural light, like this example instead!
Equipment
What kind of workouts do you do? Your answer could determine the type of equipment you need. Weightlifting? Consider a free weight rack set up like this garage gym.
Maybe you are a runner looking to build endurance and strength training. You could consider a treadmill, spin bike or stair climber, or all three if you have the space like this one!
Maybe you love yoga, or even pilates. You might consider a more open floor with plenty of loose equipment such as exercise bands, yoga balls and floor mats. I love how this one really leans into the design elements you would see in a professional studio!
Design Tips and Tricks
There are a lot of ways to elevate your space to make it feel more like a gym, I’ll share few below!
Wall length mirrors serve many purposes. They provide a way to check your form when working out while also making the room appear bigger and reflecting more natural light into the room.
Here are a few examples of how mirrors are used in these spaces that I love!
Organization
Wall Storage can help keep your floor space clear of loose equipment while adding some interest and dimension to your space! It’s always great to fill up wall space and this is both an aesthetic and practical solution!
I especially love the abstract gold rack that adds a luxurious feel and some metal material to the space. It almost feels like a piece of art itself!
Another good solution to organization is a rolling cart! This can hold so much of your equipment while also being conveniently movable if your home gym functions as more than one space. This can be easily tucked into a corner out of the way when needed.
If you’re really dedicated to the leveling up of your home gym, you could even install cubby shelving to hold your things, plus a mini fridge for those pre and post workout refuelings like this!
Flooring
Flooring is a component that a lot of people might overlook for their home gym, but it can be a very important step to achieving the space you are desiring. If you can, be sure your home gym is in a space with a hard flooring surface as this is ideal for most workout routines.
Adding rubber tile on top of your hard surface is also helpful to reduce impact and accomplish the underfoot feel that you would have in a gym setting. It also helps protect your floor from any damage. I like this blog about rubber tile install because they cover the dos and don’ts, the lessons they learned, and they even links to products for you to check out, so be sure to read up on the subject here: GrayHouse Studio; Choosing the Right Home Gym Floor Mats
We hope this has helped inspire you to create your own space to accomplish your individual goals for this year. Home gyms can be so much more than you think, the opportunities are endless!
Happy New Year from Lehner Designs! Here’s to accomplishing milestones and feeling good this year!
