If there are any lessons to be learned from the last year and a half, perhaps the biggest takeaway (and sanity saver) is that wellness takes precedence—over everything. Whether or not the home’s status as multihyphenate is permanent remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Just like athleisure, home gyms are here to stay. More than simply an afterthought relegated to a dank basement, workout spaces are becoming inspired places—mixing form and function in bespoke ways.
One company that’s helping make this a reality for many homes is Technogym. It elevates gym equipment to design-forward furniture that deserves to be showcased, not tucked away in a forgotten corner. Crafted in Italy with cutting-edge technology, ergonomically minded engineering, and sleek silhouettes, these are more than simply workout machines.
Bringing fitness equipment into your home takes a bit of know-how—both from a stylistic and substantive standpoint. Take your cue from these design and innovation trends from designer Karim Rashid, a featured Technogym speaker. Technogym Talks are a series of exclusive interviews and discussions featuring experts in health, fitness, sport, and design happening virtually and across the country. To see the lineup and register for one, just go to Technogym Talks.
During a July talk in New York, Rashid spoke about how home gyms are becoming more home-friendly. Here are the three trends he cited that are helping to make personal gyms the new normal.
Gym Equipment = Decor
As architects and designers increasingly view the home gym as a must-have instead of an amenity, they're designing homes to fit treadmills, stationary bikes, and weights. The result is the elevation of exercise equipment to furniture and decor status.
“When I walk into my home, my treadmill is part of the furniture, and I love that feeling," Rashid says. "It should blend and meld."
This is why Technogym equipment is designed to create a seamless flow in a living room or bedroom. Its Kinesis Personal line looks like an elegant wood slatted shelving unit, yet it’s a completely functional gym with a sleek pully system that’s as effective as it is unobtrusive.
Goodbye Hardwood, Hello Soft Floors
Instead of putting down wood flooring, which scratches, wears over time, and echoes sound, Rashid favors a more performance-forward solution.
“When you go into a gym, you have a soft floor. Why not have a soft floor at home?” he says. “My former loft has a light pink ballet floor. The floor itself is acoustic, so you don’t hear the neighbors. It’s soft. It’s warm. It feels good when you walk on it. And when people come in, it’s quiet.”
Plug In, Work Out
Manuals can be as archaic as hardcopy tomes. And when it comes to exercise equipment, people expect a kind of plug-and-play functionality, Rashid says.
“You should be able to understand [how to use a piece of equipment] immediately," he says. "I’ve gotten on a lot of treadmills, and I can’t figure out how I can input my height or my weight. This stuff has to be seamless or consumers will reject it."
Take the Technogym Run Personal treadmill, which like the brand's other Personal line machines, features a wide touch-screen display, built-in speakers, live programming, and a library of guided workouts, so all you have to do is hit the virtual ground running. The key is the new Technogym Live console, packed with those on-demand trainer-led sessions, athletic training routines, and virtual routes set in nature or real cities. Plus, you can use it to access TV, social media, Netflix, and apps from games to news.
See more of Rashid's full talk below. And to learn more wellness tips and design trends, sign up for a Technogym Talk, a series of exclusive interviews and discussions featuring experts in health, fitness, sport, and design.
