Interior Design Ideas for Living Rooms: Unusual Solutions

How About a Home Gym?

Just one exercise bike in the house can cause quite a stir: initially, household members may enjoy the idea of setting up a bicycle without wheels, but over time, interest in this type of sports equipment, as practice has shown, fades and the machine slowly but steadily moves toward the balcony, garage or someone else's cottage. To avoid cluttering space with such bulky purchases, we suggest creating a compact fitness zone in the living room.

Is There Enough Space for Fitness in the Living Room?

Living room up to 2 m² (yes, such small ones do exist)

Do you think it's impossible to set up a mini 'fitness complex' on such an area? You're mistaken! The minimum setup in this case is a pull-up bar mounted in the door frame or a small Swedish wall. How to determine whether there is enough space for fitness training on the wall? Sit by the wall where you plan to mount sports equipment and stretch your legs: if they reach the opposite wall, limit yourself to a pull-up bar (such ones look great in living rooms with an arch), if not, install the wall safely.

Living room up to 3 m²

In a slightly larger space, you can place inconspicuous equipment: a compact portable fitness center or install a small stationary machine in a free corner. These can be various types of foldable strength machines or cardio equipment, best placed opposite a mirror.

It is also convenient to hide some types of machines not just inside wardrobes, but even install them within them. A simple example is a leg pull-up bar used for core exercises, which can be integrated into the interior of a wardrobe as part of a shoe shelf.

IMPORTANT! If you decide to set up a fitness zone in the living room, you must use appropriate wear-resistant finishing materials (better forget about floor frescoes or solid paintings near the active rest area). Flooring options: tile cladding, linoleum or laminated planks covered with a softer carpet or foam mats during workouts.

Living room over 3 m²

With a room combined with the living room and more free space available, you can install almost any equipment: from a press board (also serving as a 'landing spot' for footwear), a corner with a basketball hoop (if your living room has a window, avoid broken glass) to a full Swedish wall made of several sections. Even though such equipment doesn't take up much space by itself, while exercising they can occupy much more area, so always plan this zone with a generous margin.

How to Incorporate a Fitness Corner Into the Living Room Interior?

A fitness corner placed outside a child's or adult bedroom may look rather strange in the living room. To aesthetically adapt the space for such an unusual area, highlight it with more vibrant finishing materials or a podium. Alternatively, integrate the fitness corner into the room using non-standard equipment structures but modern designs.

Living Room with a Gym: PHOTO GALLERY

Photo 1 — Home Fitness Cabinet from Designer Lucie Koldova

Photo 2 — Multi-functional Solution for a Living Room Fitness Corner

Photo 3 — Fitness Cabinet - Compact and Useful