A Bespoke Small Garden Gym
A compact home gym in Breaston
Our clients wanted to create a dedicated gym at home without the need to travel to a commercial gym or compromise space inside the house.
The brief was to design a high-quality garden room that would provide enough room for strength training, cardio equipment and floor-based exercise, while still fitting comfortably within the garden.
The finished room is a great example of how a compact garden gym can be both practical and attractive. With careful planning, the 5m x 3.5m space now works as a bright, comfortable and fully equipped training room.
The brief
The clients wanted a garden gym that felt separate from the house but still easy to access and enjoyable to use.
The building needed to accommodate a power rack, free weights, cardio equipment and gym matting, while leaving enough space to move around safely. It also needed to look good in the garden, with a finish that felt natural and contemporary rather than overly commercial.
As with all gym projects, the layout was key. The position of the doors, window, sockets and lighting all needed to work around the equipment and the way the clients intended to train.
Designing a gym that works in a smaller footprint
At 5m x 3.5m, this garden room provides a generous but efficient gym space.
The 2.5m-wide black sliding doors bring natural light into the main training area and allow the room to be opened up to the garden in warmer weather. A three-pane black window with two openers was also included on the side elevation to provide additional light and ventilation.
Internally, the space was planned to allow the heavier gym equipment to sit comfortably around the room while retaining open floor space for stretching, movement and general training.
The finished layout shows how a well-designed smaller garden gym can still feel spacious and practical when every detail is considered from the outset.
A fully finished training space
The room was built as a fully insulated garden room with plastered walls and ceiling, giving it the feel of a proper internal room rather than a basic outbuilding.
Skirting boards were installed, and the interior was finished neatly, ready for the gym matting and equipment to be added.
The electrical specification included six internal spotlights, a dimmer, four double sockets and a TV point. This gives the clients the flexibility to power equipment, use entertainment or training screens and adjust the lighting depending on how the room is being used.
A wall-mounted heater was also added, making the gym comfortable to use throughout the year.
Cedar cladding and garden decking
Externally, the garden room was finished with cedar cladding to the front and left-hand side, creating a warm and natural appearance when viewed from the garden.
The right and rear elevations were finished in black composite cladding, providing a smart contrast and a practical finish on the less visible sides of the building.
The garden room was positioned within a wider timber-decked area, creating a generous platform around the building. This helps the gym feel settled into the garden and provides a useful outdoor seating and transition space.
The combination of cedar, black doors, black roofline and timber decking gives the finished building a clean, contemporary look while still feeling relaxed and natural.
The finished result
The completed gym gives the clients a dedicated space to train at home in comfort.
It is compact enough to sit comfortably within the garden, but large enough to work properly as a home gym. The finished room includes space for weights, cardio equipment, floor work and storage, with plenty of light and a high-quality internal finish.
This project shows that a garden gym does not always need to be huge. With the right design, a smaller garden room can still become a highly practical, enjoyable and professional-feeling training space.
