Best Home Gym Design Ideas of 2020 – From Home Office to Basements

BySteve Hall
Best Home Gym Design Ideas of 2020
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Because of so much new and affordable workout equipment available online now, the number of trendy home gym design ideas are infinite.  However, just how much you can do with your home gym layouts for your exercise room or space can be limited.

For most of us, there is a limitation either with the amount of money in the budget or how much space there is to work with… or many times both.

This makes choosing the right workout machines and fitness gadgets the first time, so important.  This article should help you decide the best home gym exercise equipment for your situation.

Best Home Gym Design Ideas of 2020

For this discussion on what to buy for a home gym, we will primarily be focusing on the best way to use what little(or big) space that you have to work with.

This can range from a small exercise room to an entire basement. Some of you may have a dedicated “fitness room”, the corner of a home office, or confined to one side of the garage.

No matter where your home gym space is, it’s always a smart idea to purchase exercise equipment that has multiple uses, allowing several exercises in one item.

These types of versatile home gym equipment is another thing that we will concentrate on. This includes some other smart gym ideas like folding exercise equipment that you can easily move out of the way.

When choosing your gym equipment and accessories, the most important thing is what works best for you, your workout routine, and your individual fitness goals.

Dumbbell Sets For A Home Gym - woman using dumbbells at home

Considerations When Designing a Home Gym

Here is a list of key factors and questions to consider or ask yourself before purchasing or designing your home gym layout.

  • Is it cost-effective and what is your home gym budget
  • How much space is needed without overcrowding the equipment or your mobility
  • What kind of exercise equipment will work best for your goals
  • Do you need to leave room for future expansion
  • Is your home gym set up made to be functional
  • How is the lighting levels and can you make the space brighter
  • Do you have options for entertainment such as television and music
  • What kind of do you need or what can easily be added
See the Best Exercise Equipment for the Home Gym in 2020

Home Gym Budgets

No matter what your budget, an important recommendation is to be sure to purchase quality rather than quantity when making selections. You can always add on to your gym slowly, as your exercise program and your strength grow.

Exercise equipment is known to hold its value. Selecting good quality the first time is a much better option than trying to find parts or replacing cheap equipment. Inexpensive home gym equipment does exist, but you will have the best luck with brand names if at all possible.

To keep the price low for the different gym ideas below, I’ll be listing a lot of functional gym equipment that will have multiple uses to help keep down both the cost and amount of home gym space.

Best Home Gym Design Ideas and Options

There can be many types of home gym ideas and designs depending on the individual situation. Here are examples of the different options most homeowners will be working with.

We will start with home gyms with the least amount of room and work up in size.

The Corner of a Room or Home Office Gym

Home Gym Design Ideas - office home gym idea

Corner of your room? Talk about a compact home gym. However, there are still options to get a full-body workout! This is where a multiple-use exercise machine or foldable exercise equipment really comes into play.

Here are some ideas to consider that will take up the least amount of surface area for this type of small space.

Keep in mind that you may not have the opportunity with this kind of space to alter or or install gym mirrors. However, you may be able to add a ceiling fan to help stay cool.

Check Out the Best Rowing Machines of 2020

Home Exercise Rooms

Home Gym Design Ideas - Exercise room design

This is ideal and will greatly expand your options in order to get a more complete exercise program. Considerations for your compact home gym include installing or other gym flooring alternatives since carpeting will wear out quickly.

Rubber mats will work, but you may want to consider a few gym flooring options that look more natural in a home. These include cork flooring, floating laminate, or LVT floors.

Having one wall designated for gym mirrors gives a more complete home gym look as well as being functional for your workouts. Also, don’t forget about a ceiling fan to keep you cool, and music or TV

Depending on the size of your space, here are some exercise room ideas for you to consider. Chances are that you don’t have unlimited space, having to pick and choose between the ones that you will get the most use out of.

There are tons of other workout accessories available that you should look at to complete your home gym. Some of these include kettlebells, rollers, mats, slant boards, etc. You may even want to consider a punching bag or speed bag set up.

Basement Home Gym Ideas/Garage Gym Ideas

Home Gym Design Ideas - Garage home gym ideas

Let’s assume that this means there is plenty of room to work with (unless you are limited to one garage bay). Budget may still be an issue, but you can also leave room for fitness accessory expansion.

Rubber flooring for a gym is probably the most functional option since this will most likely be on concrete.

The walls in your basement or garage may be unfinished and expose bare studs and ceiling rafters. This is a good thing! It makes it easy to hang exercise accessories, TV, mirrors, etc.

There are also stable pull up bars made especially to anchor into framed walls/ceilings. Don’t forget your music and some fans for air.

There are many other fitness accessories that make an excellent addition to any nice home gym setup. Think about kettlebell sets, medicine or slam balls, workout mats, ropes, benches for sit ups and back hyperextensions, and the list goes on.

See the Best Dumbbell Sets for a Home Gym

Crossfit Garage Gym Ideas

Home gym design ideas - Crossfit home gym ideas

Of course, all of the ideas above are fair game. Your options for Crossfit home gym setup are practically unlimited, this would require an article dedicated to this.

My best advice is to get a quality Power Squat Rack. Look for a company that makes attachments to add to this rack. The opportunities can be endless.

Check Out the 3 Best Squat Racks for a Home Gym in 2020

Home Gym Design Ideas Wrap Up

In conclusion, depending on your budget and amount of space available, the number of home gym layout ideas are numerous.

First, to help make the best choices, put together the workout goals that you want to achieve. Keep in mind that you can always add equipment later as your home workout program evolves.

I recommend purchasing items that are not only functional but will provide multiple exercises, saving both space and money.

Power racks are a great idea because some have tons of accessories that can be added to expand the number of exercises.

If you are putting together a garage or basement gym, take advantage of the framing so you can use fitness equipment that will attach or hang from the walls or ceiling.

Remember, that there are many adjustable and foldable pieces of equipment available to save room such as benches and squat racks. Lastly, there are also many great space-saving, all-in-one full-body workout machines out there.

If you have any questions or comments about the best exercise equipment for a home gym, please leave a message below.

See the 12 Best At-Home Gym Equipment of 2020

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Steve Hall

I've been training since I was a teenager and started this site to help others get the most out of their workouts. I look forward to sharing a ton of useful information about this awesome topic.

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