Mini home gym design ideas are perfect for your workout space.
Let’s just face it: getting in shape is the new status symbol. A toned, taut body is not easy to get and you can’t put a price on it. For many of us, the hardest part of getting that lean look is finding the time to go to the gym.
Few things make people rethink a workout night like having to go to the gym after a long commute. Thankfully, you don’t need to have a full gym to get a great workout. With a little careful purchasing and planning, you might be able to get a full workout at home.
It’s all about setting up the right home gym for your workout style and your home size. These home gym ideas can help you come up with an imaginative way to maximize the space (and workout) you have..
1. Tucked Away
Don’t have a dedicated room or corner for your home gym? Live in a NYC-style studio apartment but still want to get gear for at-home workouts? Not a problem. You just need to designate a storage spot for your stuff.
The easiest way to make the most of your home space is to have a place to tuck gym equipment away, out of sight. Covered storage boxes neatly arranged on shelves can work well, as can under-bed storage bags.
Putting together a quick mini-gym like this is easy. Just add a yoga mat, a hula hoop, and maybe one or two small weights or pushup bars. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do with it.
Best For: People who love to keep fit, but have a very limited amount of free space and minimal budget.
2. Gone Yogi
Sometimes, you just want a home gym that brings in that free spirit bohemian vibe that people love. If you’re a fan of yoga studios, you’re in luck. You can add a stylized box for your yoga supplies, some cute tie-dye banners, and a patterned bean bag for your meditation corner.
If you want to make sure that you have the best outcome, make sure to add some scented candles and a wall-mounted TV for your at-home practice. It’ll be your hippie heaven!
Best For: People who love yoga, pilates, and meditation…maybe with a little extra boho ambiance.
3. Keep on Bikin’
Biking stations have become de rigeur as of late, especially now that Peloton bikes have become so popular. Sometimes, the easiest way to mak your home gym come to life is to get a multifunctional gym equipment piece and keep it in a clean part of your room.
All you really need to do is get a mirror for your workout area once you have a treadmill or Peloton. Of course, you can also keep a smart mirror that offers up guided workouts if you’re in a pinch.
Best For: Techies who want function and form, but don’t have much in terms of space.
4. Feelin’ Rocky
Are you more of a kickboxer or MMA type of person? If so, your home gym might as well encourage you to get your fight on.
MMA mats on your floors, mirrors to help ensure you have good form, and a punching bag can go far for your training sessions. To pull the look together, add motivational posters, a Rocky movie poster, and a brick facade.
Best For: MMA fighters and kickboxers who want to have a little fighting haven for themselves.
5. NYC Workout Loft
Many elite gyms in New York City take on a “loft” aesthetic with crisp white walls, wooden floors, a couple of workout machines, and minimalist looks in a room dedicated to you moving around.
When in doubt, going for an airy, low-equiment layout that has an industrial feel can always make your home look more stylish. Add metal coathangers and simple weight caddies to help store your goods.
Best For: The person who wants to channel city vibes to their workouts.
6. Add An Accent Wall
While many home gym setups tend to focus on function and tidiness, there’s something to be said about having a home gym that works with your aesthetic. A quick and easy way to jazz up a home gym is to add an accent wall.
You can find affordable patterned wallpaper and wall decals online for dirt cheap—and yes, that wallpaper can even be removable. It’s a cute way to quickly zazz up a home gym without breaking the bank.
Best For: People who like a side of artwork with their home gym.
7. Corner It Cute
Most people do not need a full gym set in their homes. If you’re a huge fan of efficiency and minimalism, you can simply niche out a corner in your home. Keep your gym supplies in a stylish and modern carrier or shelf.
Then, just add a workout mat in the corner that you have carved out. To give it a sleeker look, use a monochromatic theme to make it look unified.
Best For: People who want to keep things stylish and minimal, but have the budget for a really nice weight rack.
8. All Boarded Up
Peg boards, hanging caddies, and a well-organized shoe rack can work wonders for a home gym. It’s amazing how many knickknacks having a serious gym habit can take.
You can create your own wall-hanging units through peg boards, chic hanging caddies, and the right shoe rack. The best part? You can DIY most peg board storage systems, which means that you can get the theme and storage you need, tailored to you.
Best For: Gym packrats with a DIY lean.
9. Black And White
Sometimes, the best way to make a home gym feel legit is to stick with a classic color theme. The easiest way to get a sleek and modern appearance to a gym is to stick to a black and white motif.
Black rug? Black weight rack? White accents? Perfect. You’ll never have to worry about color coordination again.
Best For: People who like minimalism and keeping things simple.
10. Beachhouse Chic
There’s something really refreshing about having a workout by the sea, so why not channel that feeling in your home gym area. A nautical theme can help bring out an oceany vibe throughout your workout…and it’ll help add some fun to your rowing machine routine, too.
Navy blue, gold, and white are excellent colors to add for this look. For a more “authentic” look, add some driftwood accents or cork-based equipment.
Best For: People who want to keep their nautical home theme but don’t want to skip on leg day.
11. Scandi Sweet
Scandinavian design is marked by light neutral wood finishes, crisp white backgrounds, and a little bit of terra cotta or aquamarine. In other words, it’s open, airy, and heavily reminiscent of an IKEA store—but in a good way.
Light wood stains and a clean layout is the easiest way to make this building style come alive. A good rule of thumb? If it looks like it belongs in Norway, you’re doing it right.
Best For: People who enjoy airy, light surroundings.
12. Woodn’t You Love This Gym?
Metal is often the most common accent (or focal material) in mainstream gyms, but why stick to pumping iron while being surrounded by iron? A little bit of wood can go a long, long way.
Having specially burned wood with patterns as accents in your gym (or even as a gym wall) can give you that masculine “lumberjack” look that you will adore.
Best For: Guys who want a more rustic take on a home gym without sacrificing style.
13. Pastel Power
Pastel colors were all the rage when it came to the early 2010s into the late 2010s. It was a part of #girlboss culture, but let’s be honest. It also looks good—really good.
If you loved the perennially-Millennial look of pastels and Southwestern terra cotta, this gym theme will work well for you. Might we suggest duty rose-colored weights, or a beige yoga mat?
Best For: People who want to have that “influencer chic” look for their workout studio.
14. The Neo-Spa
Do you have a lot of money? Renovating a room to give it a more spa-like appearance will turn a typical home gym into a sanctuary. Slatted wood accent walls, carefully picked wood finishes, and woven straw accents can all be used in designing a high-end gym.
We suggest adding some floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a lot of windows for natural light. If it looks like it belongs in a Japanese ryokan, then it could work in a home gym with this theme.
Best For: People who love a trip to their local Equinox, but don’t want to pay $200 per month for it.
15. The Roman Colosseum
Most people have heard that ancient Romans had their own idea of how gyms should be run. Why not incorporate some Greco-Roman architecture so you can party like it’s 199 BC?
Marble accents, a little gold leaf, and maybe a poster of the Statue of David can give your home gym a classical touch. This would work well for a home that already has a Mediterranean or Italian motif.
Best For: History nuts who love having a little Roman flare in their gym life.
16. Overly Ornate
There’s something to be said about a home gym that is not just well-designed, but ornate. The right wood panels, patterned tiling, or maximalist wallpaper can make it possible to turn your gym into a work of art.
Though rare, it is possible to see a Rococo or even Baroque look to a home gym. Whether or not you are willing to shell out the money required to make something like this a reality, though, is up to you.
Best For: The maximalist that has everything but the gym that works with their own vision.
17. The Specialty Dance Gym
Dance is now one of the most common forms of exercise in America, so why not go all-in? If you are a dance enthusiast, you probably have at least one or two types of equipment pieces that require a special installation—such as a barre or a pole.
You might as well go “whole hog” on your home and get a specialty gym designed for your particular dance style in mind. It’ll be the best investment you ever make on your fitness journey.
Best For: The person who loves to dance, dance, dance…even when no one is watching.
18. The VR Trooper
Most people know about virtual reality-based games and how they are starting to become a workout of their own. It’s true, Sometimes, the best way to get your sweat on is to get a VR headset and go to town.
You might as well outfit your home gym as a quasi-arcade. Adding a little bit of retro-gaming decor and an open space for your workouts near a TV will usually be enough to do to the trick.
Best For: The person who loves exploring digital worlds.
19. Gone Garage
There are few locations as timeless as a garage for a home gym. Garages aren’t just places for your cars; they’re the quintessential place for a man cave.
Garage gyms are great because you can klunk your weights around without scratching hardwood. They are functional and slick, but at the same time, still homey. It’s a great choice for people who want to keep things “blue collar” with a side of father-son tradition.
Best For: Heavy weight lifters, man cave enthusiasts, and people who like to keep the gym out of the main portion of the house.
20. The Outdoor Gym
If you live in an area with a friendly year-round climate, it’s important to remember that you don’t always need an indoor gym. People who like to commune with nature might want to bring their gym outdoors.
You can keep your weight in your garden. You can add a yoga mat to your porch or backyard patio. No one is saying it’s against the rules.
Best Fo: People who love doing their sweaty stuff in a lush garden.
21. Wood And Tan
It can be hard to make a home gym that looks cozy and elegant, especially when it comes to a gym that doesn’t break the look of the rest of your home. Most homes in America now have elements of beige and tan in them—so why not bring that to your gym.
Dark brown wooden accents and tan walls can help you get a more homey look without breaking the basic themes of Spanish, Mediterranean, and Tudor design. It’s old school, yet modern at the same time.
Best For: The person who wants to keep their house aesthetic, kick it old-school, and also sweat it out.
22. Totally Textured
Wallpapers can add texture. Flooring can add texture. Stonework used on the walls can also add texture. Texture can help make a room feel unique, modern, and sleek without having to stray too far from a color palette.
A good way to make your home gym “pop” without taking away from the color palette you want to use is to incorporate different textures into your walls, ceiling, and flooring.
Best For: Gym friends who want to keep their home looking stylish before their trends are even cool.
23. For The Superfan
For some reason beyond our understanding, there doesn’t seem to be much of a connection between home gyms and sports fandoms. Isn’t it about time that changed?
If you are a huge fan of a specific team or sports star, it’s okay to create a home gym that inspires you through their work. Memorabilia, outfitting the gym in team colors, and even a motivational poster can help you make the most of your sweat.
Best For: The person who really, truly takes their sports fandom to the next level.
24. Southwestern Glam
Southwestern style has become hot once more, and it’s a beautiful thing. This home decor style features terra cotta walls, turquoise accents, and (maybe) a little bit of pink and brown to help flaunt the desert-y vibes.
An ideal choice for people who like to work out through yoga or pilates, this is a great way to add a uniquely warm look to an otherwise cold gym.
Best For: People who want to have cozy gyms that serve their purpose well, but also look stylish enough for Instagram.
25. Stone Cold Strong
There’s something to be said about the look of poured concrete for walls. It’s edgy, gritty, and meant to look tough. Cement walls and flooring are typically used for parking decks, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
A cement-look wallpaper and poured concrete floors can give you an incredibly modern look to a home gym. To add extra flair, use colored lights to make your place feel like a slick nightclub or elite gym.
Best For: The person with a big budget who wants to have their own version of Equinox at home.
