A new year is generally accompanied by new goals, and for many people, one of those ambitions is to improve their physical condition. No matter whether you’re trying to burn off all of those Christmas sweets or get in shape for the new year, a home gym may make it more convenient – and safer, as the flu epidemic continues to spread.
Of course, having a separate home gym isn’t a need, but if you’re lucky enough to have the room, it can be a true luxury — particularly if it’s well-designed. Sara Story, an interior designer and workout enthusiast located in New York City, said that you should give it some consideration and focus on the design in order to make it a place you’ll love spending time in. Just like any other room in your house, she believes that it should have a pleasant ambiance and enough illumination to function well.
We asked designers how they approach developing a hard-wearing gym that is also enjoyable to use in order to get their recommendations.
Although it is preferable to have a large area for your gym, it is not need to have a large room. Using a tiny and inconvenient space on the top floor of her San Francisco townhouse — about the size of a walk-in closet — Nicole Hollis converted it into a home gym for herself and her husband.
When it comes to exercising, there are several options available, ranging from free weights to elliptical machines. Knowing which equipment you’ll really utilise is essential. And if you want a gym that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is useful, you’re in luck: finding nice equipment with a small footprint is much simpler now than it used to be in the past.
Interactive fitness systems such as Mirror, Tonal, and Forme are as subtle as a wall-mounted mirror or picture frame in terms of appearance. Peloton has simplified the design of its stationary cycles and treadmills. Wahoo and Tacx are two companies that make stationary smart trainers that allow carbon-fiber racing bicycles to be used indoors without sacrificing performance. Ergatta and WaterRower are two companies that manufacture rowing machines that are nearly as beautiful as carefully built rowing shells. And firms like as Bala and Kenko are reconsidering what the appearance of weights should be.
She went on to say that while using electronic devices such as treadmills and Peloton cycles, it’s vital to have electrical outlets nearby so that you don’t end up with extension wires running across the room. Floor outlets right below the machines are something Ms. Hilliard loves to include whenever feasible.
Also, according to Ms. Story, it’s critical to give enough room for floor workouts. You don’t want to go to a gym where the only thing you can do is utilise equipment, she says, since it might make you feel claustrophobic. Leaving open space in the middle of the room will make your gym seem less claustrophobic while also offering space for yoga, stretching, and callisthenics exercises to take place.
An other alternative, according to Ms. Hollis, is the use of cushioned mats that may be placed in distinct training zones over a hard surface made of wood, laminate, or concrete and rolled out individually. (Plastic flooring is not recommended due to the difficulty in cleaning it. It was advised that “a couple of different sorts of mats — one for weights and one for yoga” be used in the workout. Individual mats may also be put beneath equipment such as stationary cycles to decrease the noise and collect sweat droplets as they fall.
Alternatively, you might choose a more lasting material to cover the walls. Ms. Hilliard utilised plywood to construct the walls of one of the home gyms she planned and constructed.
All of the designers who were interviewed for this piece recommended adding mirrors to the area — either mirrored walls or huge framed mirrors — to increase the impression of space while also allowing you to check your form while exercising.
You don’t need to flood your training room with the type of overhead lighting that you’d find in a professional gym to get the same results. In addition to creating a more attractive ambience, installing layers of lighting with many lamps and utilising dimmers to regulate those fixtures may also enable for different light levels to be adjusted for different activities.
WRJ Design, based in Jackson, Wyoming, employs “a mood light as well as ambient light for the experience,” according to Rush Jenkins, the company’s chief executive.
The use of furnishings and accessories that make it simple to maintain your gym clean and tidy — as well as to finish your workout without interruptions — will assist you in sticking to a regular exercise regiment.
If you want to use foam rollers, resistance bands, or boxing gloves, Ms. Hilliard advises that you consider where such materials will be stored while they are not in use, as well. However, even a collection of baskets on the floor might be useful. Cabinetry and case goods are preferable.
Including a seat, stool, or chair in your workout area gives a place to rest between exercises and a place to toss a towel. Additionally, if you like watching television or listening to music while you exercise and do not intend to utilise a portable speaker or headphones, consider adding audiovisual equipment to the area.
Ms. Hilliard also enjoys installing a small station, comparable to a kitchenette, in her home when the space permits it. Custom cupboards, with a water cooler or water bottles, as well as a place for new towels and a basket for dirty towels, are available on occasion, she said. “The more we can make it seem and feel like a high-end gym, the more likely it is that people will really want to go there and utilise it.”
