Do you love working out but don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket for a costly gym membership?
How about setting up your own gym in your garage?
And for this, all you need are the right equipment, a little creativity, and, of course, an empty garage. Sound cool?
Don’t worry if you lack ideas. I have shared some amazing home gym ideas for garages along with organization tips in this post. Now, you can design the workout space of your dreams with ease!
Before I move on to the ideas, let me tell you something. Setting up your garage gym doesn’t mean filling up the room with home gym equipment. You need to make important decisions about design, the right kind of storage, the lighting, and the right flooring. Also, you need to counteract the darkness of your garage, which can, sometimes, be the issue.
RELATED POSTS
5 Best Home Gym Size Ideas: Floor Plan & Equipment Dimensions (Includes 5 Possible Floor Plans)
10 Home Gym Layout Ideas That Work Even in Small Spaces
Buyers Guide: 10 Best Half Power Racks and Squat Racks for Your Home Gym
Home Gym Set-up Ideas for Your Garage
The ideas that I have shared are practical, and they meet your design requirements pretty well. Let’s start with that, shall we?
1. Make the Space Look Bigger with Sliding Doors
Many people say that the space in their garage looks dark, which can make your garage gym look shabby too.
Do you have the same complaint?
I have come up with the perfect solution for that!
You can install sliding or b-fold doors. Or, if you have the budget, you can even go for a glass roof. This will make your garage look way brighter and bigger.
Now, let me tell you something about the home gym in the picture above. It is one of the smartest I have ever come across! The space has been designed in such a way that it has formed continuity with the outside decked area. And as you can see, the result is amazing – an open-feeling, airy home gym that looks bright and happy!
2. Build a Multi-purpose Space
You are converting an empty garage into a home gym, right? Did you know that you will have enough space in your garage to create a multi-purpose area with a lot of different workout areas?
Well, yes. And that is exactly what the charm of a garage gym is!
It can easily make room for a yoga mat, a rowing machine, and a dedicated corner for High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or weightlifting.
I really like the space in the picture! It is uncluttered and streamlined. In a way, it is perfect. You can go for a diverse selection of workout equipment. The best thing I liked about it is that this design will allow multiple people to do different kinds of exercises – all at the same time!
Did I tell you that the layout is beautiful, even for half-garage gyms?
This means you can use half part of the garage as a gym and the other part of the garage as something else.
Like the idea?
3. Make the Space Look Happy with Colorful Flooring
Are you bored seeing the same colorless home gym ideas for your garage?
How about making things a little bit more beautiful and exciting?
Go for colorful flooring in your gym! Two good options are resin and vinyl flooring. You can choose any one of these two. Both of these are durable materials. But, you know you can find eventual scuffs on your floors. Want to avoid that? Choose deeper, richer colors instead of light ones.
I like the color of the floor in the picture above. It has a quirky combination of orange and blue, making the entire room super vibrant and happy.
4. Share the Space of Your Garage Gym with a Utility Area
Do you have a small home? Is there a lack of space in your home for a utility room?
How about combining the gym area in your garage with the utility area?
Yes, I understand if you have a small home, you may think, why use all of that extra space only for your home gym, isn’t it?
After all, your garage is like a blank canvas. And this gives you the complete freedom of putting in whatever you want there. Can it be a treadmill, a freezer, shoe storage, and a washing machine?
Well, why not?
It will look pretty when put together, and not to mention it is way more functional than just a gym with no utility room.
5. Go for an All-White Garage Gym
Are you worried that your garage gym will look too dark even during the day?
Go for an all-white design. The color white has the power to brighten up any dark space. And did I tell you how elegant it looks?
Also, you can pair the white color of the space with white panels in the interior.
Add a lot of spotlights or lighting panels. This will make the space look brighter even more! And trust me, you will not have a dark garage anymore. In fact, the lighting and the color will make your garage gym look classy.
6. Keep the Room Tidy with Proper Storage
Do you want to make your home gym a workout space for your entire family?
In that case, it can be quite a task to keep the area tidy and well-organized. But don’t worry, I am here to help!
Invest in some good-quality storage items. Have a look at the picture for some inspiration.
The back wall of the gym has been filled with locker cabinets that are perfect for storing smaller items when you are not using them. There are some hooks on the left wall where you can hang the cycles of all your family members in a line. On the right, you can place the treadmills one by one. If you organize your garage gym like this, it will look tidy and clutter-free.
Like it already?
7. Build a Station for Weightlifting
Do you have any specific fitness goals?
I am talking about strength training here.
Then, buddy, I am sure you want to invest in some of the best available dumbbells, isn’t it?
As you start experimenting with different weights and different types of dumbbells, you will see that you have made quite a collection of them! That is exactly when you will find the need to organize them properly in your gym.
Do you like the way they are organized in the picture?
You can try that too!
Get a couple of multi-tier storage units and organize your dumbbells in such a way that it is easier for you to select and retrieve them easily. Happy?
8. Make the Decoration Cool to Keep You Motivated
Do you want to stay motivated during your workout sessions?
Use your old sports medals as wall decorations for your home gym.
Now, don’t get stressed if you don’t have any medals. You can use literally anything that can motivate you. It can be some motivational posters, your old jerseys, ribbons, and even motivational quotes.
These will give you a competitive edge to stay motivated and focused on your fitness goal. So, on some days, when you don’t feel like working out, look at the wall decoration, and it will give you that extra dose of motivation to keep you going.
9. Make Use of Vertical Storage
Do you have a small garage? Or, do you want to equip your garage gym with a lot of exercise items?
Make use of vertical storage!
Yes, this is the best thing you can do to store plenty of gym equipment in your garage. And not to mention that the wall storage will keep the floor space free from clutter.
Do you have mats, weight plates, and weight benches?
Mount them on the garage wall and save up your precious space on the floor.
10. Make Your Squat Rack Your Erector Set
Did you know that a squat rack can be the most versatile equipment in your garage gym?
Get hold of a squat rack that comes with plenty of holes and places where you can attach accessories. It is the foundation of your exercise equipment—the more attachment points and holes, the better.
You can hang the gymnastic rings that you need for your bodyweight exercises.
And did I tell you that you can attach your TRX bands to it too?
11. Create a Modern Garage Gym
Do you want to transform your garage into a modern gym that can make heads turn?
Get some strong steel beams. Hang them from the ceiling and use them as gymnastic rings for perfect strength training. For cushioning on the floor, you can use old-school gym mats. Build a loft at the back of the room – this will provide you with a great storage option.
Look at the picture to know exactly what I am suggesting.
Did I tell you that you can also build a toilet in your garage?
Just make sure to add a chalkboard-covered barn door.
And no modern gym is complete without a place to rinse off after a workout! You can place a stainless steel sink on the left of the room.
For lighting, place overhead pendant lights that are industrial-inspired. It will give your garage gym a beautiful look.
And don’t forget to get a couple of hammock-style hanging chairs that can offer you relaxation once you are done working out!
12. Build a CrossFit-inspired Garage Gym
Are you a fan of CrossFit? Do you dream of having a CrossFit-inspired garage gym?
Well, here I am with the design idea!
Have a look at the home gym in the picture, which is made for cross-training.
Do you have concrete walls in your garage?
Great! With this design, you get to keep the wall the way it is—no need to spend money on the walls. The concrete walls are just perfect for anchoring heavy equipment.
To cover the floor, you can go for rubber flooring. This will save the floor from scratches.
Now, how about making the space a bit more interesting?
Hang a disco ball from the ceiling! This will add a dash of flashy whimsy to the entire space.
13. Create a Designer Garage Gym
Are you ready to splurge on setting up your garage gym?
How about creating a designer space for your workout session?
Turn your boring garage into a gorgeous gym with this design! If you enjoy using the treadmill, get one and place it on the left in the room.
It is time for the walls to get some love! Spruce them up with painted ombre stripes. If you want, you can use black stripes on white walls too. Also, add custom wall art to perk up the whole look of your home gym.
Let’s move on to the floor. To make it stand out, go for interlocking rubber tiles. They look good and offer you the right kind of support when you work out.
Don’t forget about the storage. To keep smaller gym equipment, you can opt for gym lockers. They are affordable and do their job of keeping your items safe pretty well.
And don’t forget to place a bench on the right. There you can rest after your workout. Keep a couple of clean towels on it to wipe off your sweat. And that’s it. Your designer garage gym is ready!
What do You Need in Your Garage Gym?
Now that you have got some ideas about how to design your garage gym, are you not sure what exactly to include in your gym? Do you want some help?
Well, in an ideal scenario, it would be good if you could tick every box when it comes to a garage gym. You may ask, “What are those boxes?” The answer is free weights training, resistance training, cardio training, and body weight/core/ floor/mobility/functional work. These can be regarded as the four primary categories. And this would mean including a number of machinery in your home gym setup.
Here are my recommendations –
- Get a free weights solution. You can get a squat rack that has complimentary weight plates and bars.
- Go for dumbbells. Or, you can choose a squat rack hybrid. The choice is yours.
- Get a piece of equipment that can help you with resistance training. For example, you can get a good-quality adaptable multi-gym or a cable machine.
- If you have a good budget, keep a piece of cardio equipment, such as a cross-trainer, in your garage gym.
Are you planning to use your entire garage as a gym?
Then this equipment will work perfectly. But, what if you have limited space?
In that case, you can combine the cable machine and squat rack in one footprint. Also, remember, you will need the maximum space for bodyweight/core/floor/mobility/functional work. This means you need to go for a lot of vertical storage so that you can keep the floor space free.
How Can You Make Your Garage Gym Look Good?
Garages are not naturally beautiful, isn’t it? And the main problem that most of you face with this space is that it is often dark, and some even don’t have windows.
- So, the first thing that I need to tell you is to pay attention to the lighting if you want to make your garage gym look nice. Go for LED lighting options that can act as a substitute for natural daylight. For example, you can choose LED panel lights. They can work wonders in brightening up your garage gym and boosting your workout.
- The second is flooring. Flooring plays an important role in shaping the overall look of your home gym. I am not saying that you have to match the floor with anything else in the space. You can choose rubber flooring, as it is a good option for gyms. But if you want to make the space look bright and vibrant, going for a colorful floor would be the best option.
- Lastly, get your hands on some high-quality storage lockers. They can enhance the look of your garage gym in no time. A simpler option would be open shelving. But if you want to give your gym a more organized look, a well-built locker will do the needful.
Did you like the home gym ideas for a garage? Which one is your favorite?
Let me know in the comments!