When my youngest son and his girlfriend moved into their own apartment, we suddenly had an extra bedroom. My husband wanted to turn it into a man cave, while I pictured a puzzle and craft room. Then my son asked whether we had considered creating a home workout room. I immediately wondered why I hadn’t thought of it myself.
Until then, I had been exercising in our family room. It worked most of the time, but there were evenings when I wanted to exercise without disrupting everyone else. Turning the extra bedroom into a home gym gave me a dedicated place where I could work out whenever it fit my schedule.
I initially started searching for workout room ideas, but I quickly realized I already knew what I wanted: a functional, comfortable space with organized equipment and plenty of motivation.
Turning an Extra Bedroom into a Home Gym
Most of the weight equipment in our workout room was purchased over several years. My husband and I once completed P90X together, so we already owned many of the weights. Creating the room was mainly about organizing what we had and adding the right flooring, storage, and finishing touches.
The yoga basket and small motivational sign came from HomeGoods, while the plant came from Five Below. These inexpensive decorative touches helped the room feel more inviting without taking away from its purpose.
A few of the main pieces we used include:
- Adjustable weight rack: This is a sturdy rack that was easy to assemble. The supports can be adjusted to accommodate wider or smaller weights, which makes it useful as your equipment collection changes.
- Wood-look foam flooring: My husband found this flooring, and it completely changed the appearance of the room. We wanted something softer than our existing wood floors, but I preferred the wood-look design over traditional gray or black gym flooring. It remains one of my favorite features in the room.
- 43-inch Toshiba Smart TV: Mounting a television on the wall allows me to follow workouts without using valuable floor space.
- Cable concealer: I wanted the television cords hidden as much as possible so the room would look clean and organized.
Prices may have changed since I originally created the room, but these links show the products I purchased or the closest available options.
Simple Workout Room Storage and Shelving
The two black floating shelves provide a place for a few decorations without taking up any floor space. I purchased two individual shelves, although the available black floating shelf set includes the same style shown in the photo.
I also added a large-number digital alarm clock so I could easily check the time during a workout. Looking at the photo, I may need to investigate which setting I had it on because the display is certainly interesting!
Small wall-mounted storage options work especially well in a bedroom home gym because they keep accessories off the floor and leave more room for exercising.
Home gym Motivational Posters
I wanted the workout room to feel motivating rather than looking like a bedroom filled with exercise equipment. One wall is lined with six motivational fitness posters, combining colorful scenery with encouraging quotes:
- Difficult Roads Lead to Beautiful Destinations
- Remember Why You Started, Don’t Give Up, Find a Way
- The Pain You Feel Today Will Be the Strength You Feel Tomorrow
- If You Want Something You Never Had, You Have to Do Something You’ve Never Done
- The Best View Comes After the Hardest Climb
- A Journey of a Thousand Miles Must Begin With a Simple Step
“The Pain You Feel Today Will Be the Strength You Feel Tomorrow” is my favorite of the six. I placed the prints in matching 11-by-17-inch poster frames, which gave the wall a more finished appearance.
The goal for our workout room was functionality and motivation. Adding artwork was a simple way to create both without occupying space needed for equipment.
Creating a Workout and Relaxation Corner
Not every part of a home gym needs to hold exercise equipment. I also wanted one corner of the room to feel comfortable and relaxing.
The four yoga-pose canvas prints add color to the otherwise neutral room. I used the set of four yoga prints with a matching set of four black frames.
The oversized bean bag chair originally ended up in the workout room because my daughter no longer had space for it in her bedroom. However, I think it adds coziness and creates a comfortable place to relax, stretch, or cool down.
The right workout room equipment will depend on how you prefer to exercise and how much space you have available. A spare bedroom does not need to be filled with large machines to become useful. Starting with the equipment you genuinely enjoy using is more important than trying to recreate a commercial gym.
Fitness Poster
I was surprised that I couldn’t find many fitness posters I liked while browsing Amazon. I chose this black-and-green fitness poster because I liked the design and the price. I completed it with an inexpensive poster frame from Walmart.
The large poster fills an otherwise empty section of the wall and coordinates well with the black weight rack, shelves, and picture frames throughout the room.
I also moved the iLive soundbar and wireless subwoofer into the workout room. It gives the music a little extra kick and makes the room more enjoyable to use.
My oldest son would like to add a workout bench so he can perform bench presses more easily. I’m leaving that purchase to him because I am perfectly comfortable doing mine on a step bench.
Workout Room Equipment
You do not have to purchase everything at once when converting an extra bedroom into a home gym. We collected our equipment gradually and used many pieces we already owned.
The primary equipment in our workout room includes:
- Step bench
- Adjustable dumbbells
- Barbell
- Peloton bike
- Rowing machine
- Weight rack
- Foam flooring
- Wall-mounted television
The linked dumbbells are not the exact set I own because mine are no longer available. I have two sets that were originally purchased from Dick’s Sporting Goods.
My barbell came in a Beachbody package years ago and connects in the middle. If you lift heavier weights, I recommend choosing a full bar without a center connection.
I recently added a rowing machine, which has been an excellent option for low-impact cardio and full-body movement. My Yosuda RM2 rowing machine review explains how the machine works and why it fits well in my home workout setup.
I love having a dedicated workout room and use it regularly. The most important thing is to create a space that works for the types of exercise you enjoy. Comfortable flooring, organized equipment, motivating artwork, and a few personal touches can turn an unused bedroom into a home gym you genuinely want to use.