One Year Later … The Weight Room in the Carriage House

A year ago, we were busy converting the Carriage House in the back of our yard into a weight room. It’s been a year, and we love our spacious home gym!

I know some of you were disappointed that our Carriage House was no longer an entertaining area. But we rarely used it. This transformation has been amazing and it’s used almost every day! I can’t wait to share how fun it was to convert this room.

Transforming Our Carriage House into a Dream Fitness Weight Room

In the twenty-six years we have lived in our 100-year-old home, the Carriage House has served as a charming storage space, a versatile art studio, and an occasional entertaining area. Over time, it became a catch-all for various items, transforming into an overcrowded storage facility.

Over the years, it has looked like this!

However, one day, amidst the clutter, we had an epiphany—why not transform this underutilized space into something truly transformative?

And so, the idea was born: to turn our Carriage House into a spacious and well-equipped weight room, or as my husband fondly calls it, our very own fitness center.

I am excited to share the journey of how we revitalized this misused space into a haven for health and fitness.

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The Decision to Transform

After years of neglect and accumulating clutter, we realized that our Carriage House had the potential to be so much more. To prioritize our health and fitness goals, we boldly decided to repurpose this space into a dedicated weight room.

For years we have had a small but adequate 10′ x 10′ weight room upstairs in the old sleeping porch. But it was small and couldn’t hold more than a few items.

The prospect of having a larger area to work out in, with ample natural light and high ceilings, was incredibly enticing. Plus, it meant reclaiming a part of our property that had been underutilized for far too long.

Clearing Out and Cleaning Up

The first step in our transformation journey was to declutter and clean out the Carriage House. We spent countless hours sorting through boxes, donating items we no longer needed, and hosting a large sale where most items found a new home. It was a labor-intensive process, but the prospect of creating a functional and inspiring space kept us motivated.

Maybe I wasn’t always motivated because it was a massive project! OMG. But at least I was technically working out moving and lifting everything out of the Carriage House!

Once the clutter was cleared, we cleaned the space to remove the accumulated dust and grime. As the dust settled, we could already envision the space’s potential and felt a renewed sense of excitement for the project ahead.

Adding Essential Features

With a clean slate before us, we began to envision the layout and design of our new weight room. My son Matt created the design and layout of the space and created a budget for the transformation.

One of the first additions was a durable mat floor, providing a comfortable and supportive surface for workouts. Additionally, we installed a heater/AC split air unit to ensure year-round comfort during our training sessions.

Equipment Upgrades

Next came the exciting part—outfitting our weight room with top-of-the-line equipment. We started by relocating our existing workout gear, including dumbbells, a reformer, and a Peloton bike, from the smaller space inside our house. These staples formed the foundation of our home gym setup.

We invested in additional equipment tailored to our fitness goals to enhance our workouts further. This included a Squat Rack for strength training, individual floor mats for stretching and core exercises, a reclining bench for added versatility, and a Tonal digital weight machine for a comprehensive full-body workout experience.

The mats and hanging rack we bought are perfect because they hang on the wall. This prevents them from getting stepped on all of the time!

Choosing the workout equipment wasn’t hard.

Plus, we have many foam rollers (hard and soft), kettlebells, and bands.

My boys and husband use the squat rack and trap bar more. It took me a while to get used to them, but I like them, too.

Embracing the Space

The Carriage House, once a forgotten storage space, had been reborn as a vibrant and dynamic fitness center.

The open layout, flooded with natural light from all four sides of the room, provided an invigorating environment for our workouts. The high ceilings added a sense of spaciousness and freedom, allowing us to move and stretch without constraint.

And the chandeliers (which were already there) add a touch of elegance.

And light!

The Joy of Movement

Since completing the transformation last year, our family has fully embraced our new weight room. I commit to three days of workouts per week, relishing the opportunity to challenge myself and push my limits.

Meanwhile, my husband makes use of the space nearly every day, incorporating strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises into their routines.

The Perfect Transformation

Looking back on our journey, we couldn’t be happier with the decision to convert our Carriage House into a weight room. It has provided us with a dedicated space to prioritize our health and fitness and breathed new life into a previously neglected area of our property.

A New Addition – The LG StanbyMe Go

We have purchased one additional piece of equipment for the weight room this past year. Because Dave and I both have training sessions that are remote, we needed a larger screen. We also wanted to be able to bring the screen with us to our home in Ventura, so I bought the LG StanbyME Go.

The LG StanbyME Go is packaged as a suitcase, and the screen can be viewed horizontally or vertically. It is amazing!

The transformation of our Carriage House into a weight room has been nothing short of extraordinary. From clearing out clutter to outfitting the space with state-of-the-art equipment, every step of the journey has been worth it.

Now, as we sweat, challenge ourselves, and grow stronger together, we’re grateful for the opportunity to turn our vision into reality and create the perfect fitness haven right in our backyard.

Gym Apparel Favorites

My Favorite Fitness Essentials!

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