Atmosphere is the ultimate flex for studio-inspired home gyms

From Pelotons to Pilates reformers, modern home gyms are all about bringing a studio experience into your space. And while having the right equipment for well-curated workouts matters, setting the vibe is key.

Sydney-based interior designer Thomas Hamel’s Hidden Treasure project, a luxe villa in Melbourne’s south-east, leans into the mood of lush, vacation-style gyms with large windows that look onto grand pool views. Inside, warm timber accents, brass details and sleek custom-designed equipment bring softness and a polished edge into the space.

Rob Mills, founder and creative director of Rob Mills Architecture, says more and more clients are looking at opportunities to include wellness centres in their homes. “The easier it is to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle, the more chance you’ve got in a busy world,” he shares.

Alongside a portfolio of luxury residential projects, Mills and the RMA team are responsible for the oasis-like design of One Hot Yoga, a luxe studio with locations in both Melbourne and Sydney. Natural light and organic materials define these spaces, where mindfulness is just as important a practice as physical exercise.

Mills – who sees the home as a place of refuge – is attuned to elements that deliver studio aesthetics into home fitness spaces. From gentle heating and adjustable lighting to ample room to roll out a yoga mat, or a colour palette that works well with aluminium-framed Allegro Reformer machines, he believes that an individual’s ideal fitness routine should lead the brief.

Architectural director and project manager of design studio KA-IA Karen Abernethy agrees with this sentiment. “You can create a sense of ritual within a space by thinking through the journey of the practice (which encompasses more than just the class) and how individual senses feel throughout.” Abernethy worked with the team behind multisensory yoga studio Humming Puppy to fit out their locations in Melbourne, Sydney and New York.

“Subtle design features create a seamless experience: tiering of the platforms and careful mat spacing for optimal practice, as well as overhead heating, fragrant oil burning and lighting layers that are controlled by the instructor throughout the class,” she says.

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Atmosphere is one of the main reasons that Humming Puppy has earned itself a cult following across the globe. Abernethy’s tips for re-creating this at home include taking stock of light levels – both natural and artificial – and adjusting for your practice, as well as implementing sound isolation and absorption to create a sanctuary-like space. You can also focus on temperature control and mood-enhancing fragrances.

Scent is a trending topic when it comes to modern movement. Kirsten King has always been drawn to the way different scents make her feel. The founder and owner of Fluidform, which has Pilates studios across the East Coast of Australia, as well as a dedicated global fan base for its Fluidform At Home offering, knows that fragrance can help to activate senses and stimulate motivation, as well as bring a sense of calm and solitude. She says cedarwood, amber, sea salt and hinoki are some of her favourites.

King also notes the release of the signature Fluidform scent used in studios – available in the form of candles and a room spray – which embodies “feelings of warmth, energy and restoration”. It’s the little things that bring an elevated experience into your home practice.