How to Design a Home Gym—7 Tips from Our Austin Architects
Home Gyms are Quickly Becoming One of the Most Popular Design Features in Residential Architecture—Our Austin Architects Share 7 of Their Favorite Home Gym Ideas and Design Tips
Home gyms are now one of the most popular requests we receive at our Austin residential architecture studio. Homeowners are saying goodbye to the garage gym and are now investing in designated gym spaces filled with natural light, energizing design, and built-in amenities. The convenience of working out at home is well worth the investment for families who value an active lifestyle. Our Austin architects share seven ideas and tips to consider when designing your home gym.
1. Decide What Workouts Your Home Gym Will Accommodate
Start working with your architect on home gym ideas early to decide what workouts and equipment your home gym will accommodate. The style of workout and amount of equipment will dictate the size of the space, window placement, and built-in storage needs. A simple yoga room will only require a small amount of square footage and lots of natural light, while a full gym complete with a Peloton bike, treadmill, rowing machine, and free weights will require more square footage and designated workout zones.
2. Create a Dedicated Room for Your Home Gym
The days of a home gym sharing space with the garage or storage room are gone. Now, homeowners are seeking dedicated rooms for their workouts—sometimes multiple rooms! Creating a dedicated workout space allows you to focus on your workout, get energized, and feel productive. In some cases, families may benefit from adding multiple gym spaces to their home, like a weight gym on the ground floor and a yoga room on the upper floor with a view. Another popular option is to build a detached casita or pool house on the property to house gym equipment and provide a place to change in and out of swimwear.
Choose a Space for Your Home Gym
When creating a dedicated room for your home gym, find a space in the house that will promote easy use of the area and encourage those early morning workouts. Typically, gyms with weights are better suited for the ground floor. Second-story gyms require special reinforced flooring systems to reduce noise and support the weight of heavy equipment. If you have a pool, locating the gym space to a detached pool house may offer the ease of incorporating swims into your workout routine. Gyms with access to the master bathroom add an extra layer of convenience for cleaning up and getting ready for the day.
3. Add Natural Light to Your Home Gym
Adding windows to your home gym will bring in natural light and create an indoor-outdoor connection. Natural light is shown to increase productivity, improve mood, and promote a general sense of wellness. All of these elements are crucial for a successful workout, making natural light an asset to any home gym design. If privacy is a concern, clerestory windows are an excellent option for letting in the sunshine while maintaining an intimate feel. If there is a nice view, consider floor-to-ceiling windows for a dramatic effect.
4. Expand Your Home Gym with Outdoor Spaces
Who says your home gym has to be limited by four walls? The architects at our Austin architecture studio are receiving more requests to incorporate outdoor spaces into home gym designs. Adding an outdoor space adjacent to your home gym is a great idea for expanding usable space and incorporating another workout zone into the floor plan.
Patio Doors
Sliding glass patio doors will bring in plenty of natural light and create a seamless indoor-outdoor connection. Large sliding doors leading onto a deck can open up space for activities like rope training, yoga, and HIIT workouts, especially in smaller gym spaces.
Pool Access
If your home has a pool, designing a home gym with easy access can open up new workout possibilities. Workouts can begin or end with swimming laps, and plunge pools can be a welcomed retreat after working up a sweat.
Decks
Decks and patios are a fantastic way to increase the square footage of your home gym without taking up more interior space. Plus, a morning outdoor yoga session is a great way to connect with nature and unplug.
5. Match the Architectural Style of Your Home
When designing a home gym, it is important to match the architectural style of your home to maintain consistency and create a luxury feel. Building a home gym in a different architectural style can make the home feel disjointed. Interior and architectural style elements can be carried through with flooring, paint colors, light fixtures, and built-ins that match the rest of the home.
6. Choose Durable Flooring for Your Home Gym
An important tip for designing a home gym is to choose durable flooring. While most commercial gyms feature rubber flooring, that is not the only possibility. Discuss the types of workouts and activities you will be doing with your architect. Other durable options include polished concrete, tile, terrazzo, and even cork flooring.
7. Add Mirrors, Media Systems, and Storage
Finally, finish your perfect home gym with finishes like mirror walls, media systems, and built-in storage. Adding a mirror wall or a full-length mirror in a strategic location will help you monitor your form and continue to improve in your workout practice. Media and sound systems will make it easy to stream your favorite music, listen to podcasts, and watch your favorite television programs. Like any room in the home, storage is a necessity. Consider the benefits of open and closed storage and which workout items require easy access. Closed storage will create a cleaner look, while open storage will make it easy to grab equipment when you need it.