Creating the perfect garden gym room: The complete guide

Garden gym rooms are one of our most popular requests here at Pegasus Garden Rooms, and it’s easy to see why.

Home workouts were all the rage during the COVID pandemic, but almost two years on and getting fit at home remains a preference for many fitness enthusiasts. We’ve come on leaps and bounds from scrambling to get your hands on whatever kit you could at a time of exceptionally high demand, and now people are designing their own completely bespoke workout spaces in their back gardens packed with the latest equipment.

Garden gyms are some of our favourite projects to work on, as they make a truly life-changing addition to the home that’s both functional and aesthetic. We’re passionate about creating the perfect garden gym rooms that promote a healthy lifestyle and help to transform our clients’ day-to-day lives.

When it comes to creating your perfect garden gym, where do you start? In this blog, we’ll share our top tips and discuss the key considerations that need to be made.

Garden gym room design guide

Before you go ahead and start building your outdoor gym, here’s how you’ll get it right the first time.

1. Choose the right location

Now, if you’re only working with a small garden space then there may be little room for movement in terms of where you place your outbuilding. However, the key things to consider when it comes to positioning it are:

Privacy

Ideally, you want your garden gym to have as much privacy as possible so you can exercise out of sight of prying eyes. This means positioning it so it faces away from any neighbours or parts of a garden not covered by a fence.

Accessibility

It goes without saying that garden rooms need to have an easy and safe access route, so ensuring that there is plenty of room at the front to install steps, a decking area or a ramp, if required, is essential.

Sunlight

An often overlooked aspect of gym rooms is lighting. It’s a known fact that sunlight helps to boost your mood and energy levels, which is exactly what you want to motivate you for your workout! Consider the orientation of the outbuilding and ensure it’s facing the right way to maximise sunlight at the time of day you’ll likely train.

If you do only have a small garden space and aren’t too sure if you can make it work, we can help. We’ve mastered the art of installing small garden rooms in even the most compact and awkwardly shaped spaces. This garden room in Knutsford is a great example!

2. Size

Garden rooms can be built to almost any size you require, providing it meets the planning rules and building regulations. Choosing the right size is arguably the most important thing to consider, as you need to ensure that it caters to all of your needs.

It’s a good idea to note down the type of equipment you plan to install, and how much floor space may be required to fit it all in. Don’t forget to factor into that the space you’ll need to move around comfortably and perform any exercises on the gym floor itself.

When it comes to using a garden room as something as functional as a gym, you’ll also need to factor in the room height. Exercises that involve jumping or lifting weights above your head will elevate your height, as will certain equipment such as treadmills and cross trainers.

Naturally, the larger the room the more equipment you’ll be able to fit inside it so don’t forget to consider any future purchases you might make. If you’re thinking about expanding your kit over time, making sure you’ll have room for it at the start will eliminate any problems in the future.

Don’t forget to consider wall space, too. This is critical if you’re hoping to install full-length mirrors or wall-hanging TVs.

3. Strength & durability

Garden gym rooms are expected to bear more weight and movement than a typical garden office or granny annexe, so this should be factored into the building’s foundations.

Of course, it’s imperative that the flooring of your garden gym should be sturdy enough to handle whatever weight you throw at it. Here at Pegasus Garden Rooms, all of our rooms sit on a sturdy, fully insulated flooring system which sits upon the building footings and an air circulation gap. We can also provide extra floor strengthening to support heavier weights or equipment – just ask!

When you have a solid foundation laid out, you’ll also want to consider extra protection for your internal flooring to keep it looking brand new. If you plan on using free weights, we recommend selecting specially designed rubber gym mats to protect the base from any bangs or scratches. This is especially important for future planning if you ever decide to repurpose the space or plan on selling your home.

If your gym will be used as a more free-flowing yoga, pilates or dance space, then solid wood or laminate flooring is a great choice to provide a sturdy base that’s easy to clean.

4. Security

Security is paramount in any garden room, but especially in a gym which houses expensive equipment. To protect your assets at all costs, ensure that you invest in high-quality windows and doors with anti-theft locking systems and potentially a security alarm. We’d recommend also purchasing window covers or blinds to conceal the contents of your gym and keep your equipment out of plain sight.

Pegasus Garden Rooms works with only the highest quality windows and door suppliers, and all of our rooms are fitted with double-glazed aluminium bifold doors. We can provide toughened glass if required.

5. Electrical installations

Continuing with the practical elements of your garden gym, you’ll want to carefully consider the electrical capabilities you’ll require which include the number and placement of plug sockets, and the type of heating/cooling and lighting.

Consider where your electrically powered equipment will be placed, and if you’ll be looking to install a TV or sound system to get you through your workouts. That way, any plug sockets can be strategically placed to avoid ruining the aesthetics and ensure it’s 100% functional!

We work with a team of expert electrical engineers and can cater to any power, lighting or heating requirements you may have. From modern spotlights and stylish exterior lighting to wifi connections, underfloor heating and air conditioning, we’ve got you covered.

6. Interior & exterior aesthetics

Undoubtedly the most exciting part of any garden room design is deciding on the look and feel you want to create. The beauty of a garden room is that you can really make it your own, unique to your exact taste.

Garden gym rooms for many are a place to escape for an hour or two, and have some time to themselves. So, how it looks will often play a big part in how often you use it and how long you spend inside it. Do you want a bright and airy gym room or a darker space with dim lighting to help set the mood for an intense workout? These are all things to consider in the early stages.

As standard, all Pegasus Garden Rooms come with plain plastered walls that can be decorated to your heart’s desires. If you’re on the hunt for some interior inspiration, check out this garden gym room we built for our client in Bramhall who opted for a chic and stylish minimalistic look with wooden flooring and a black accent wall. The look perfectly complements the gym equipment and black powder-coated bifold doors.

We’re sure you already have plenty of visions for how the inside of your gym could look, but one aspect many people tend to overlook is the exterior aesthetics. However, garden rooms can add substantial value to your home and it’s the exterior that makes the biggest impact on how it looks. It’s something that you’ll see every day when looking out into your garden, and often one of the first things a visitor will spot, so you want to make it look great.

Choosing a design that fits within your garden space couldn’t be easier with the various options of external cladding, design styles, and window and roof options available. We’ll work with you to design the most perfect finish that will make you the envy of your neighbours!

We can also offer landscaping services to really help blend the outbuilding into your garden and keep it all looking completely fresh, similar to how we helped this client in Denton.

Finding a garden gym room company near you

It goes without saying that the key to creating the perfect garden gym room is to work with a reputable company that can bring your vision to life. If you’re looking for a team of experts and professionals, look no further than Pegasus Garden Rooms.

We have unrivalled experience creating garden gym rooms and know exactly what it takes to build your dream workout space. Don’t just take our word for it though, take a look at some of our recent projects and see for yourself.

We offer garden rooms in Manchester, Cheshire, Stockport, Liverpool and Lancashire, but can be willing to travel further afield if required. If you’re interested in getting started or want to find out more, get in touch with us online or give us a call on 0161 399 0507.