5 Stunning Ideas for the Perfect Home Gym Accent Wall

When it comes to DIY interior design, the home gym seems to be one of the most neglected rooms of all, which honestly seems strange. If you’re going to have a home gym in the first place, you’d want it to reflect your taste just as much as any other space in your home, no? But if you've searched Pinterest for home gym design inspiration, you'll know that it’s anything but inspirational. This why we’re tackling this subject today.

Working out at home requires motivation already, so having a less-than-inspiring exercise room is just going to create more barriers that we don’t need. If you’re avoiding the monthly cost of a gym membership, investing a little into making your home gym setup aesthetically pleasing can be well worth it.

Accent walls have been popping up all over the place lately, but they're almost never discussed in the context of the home gym. What's up with that?

As we all know, accent walls are a great way to draw attention to a certain part of any room, and when it comes to a home gym, having a focal point can make the space (as well as your workouts) feel more focused and less cluttered.

So, let’s get into it.

1. Plankboard Wood Accent Wall

Creating a feature around a certain section of your home gym is a great way to make it look and feel more legitimate. Horizontal plank boards are somewhat similar to shiplap, with a more permanent, classic feel. You didn’t just plop your rack down against the wall and get to it, you’re a sophisticated person who thought ahead and made the squat rack, or the bench, or whatever your favourite workout is, the focal point of the space. That takes brains, creates beauty, and hopefully results in some brawn after you start using that thing 5 times a week.

2. Vertical Wood Slat Feature Wall

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Vertical wood slat walls have been around for centuries, but they’re making a comeback like no other in the interior design world. This is mostly because wood slats, when done properly, create a modern aesthetic that's simple yet sophisticated, all while leveraging the gorgeous grain of real wood. 

Different wood shades will inspire different aesthetics depending on your taste, but there’s a ton to choose from. Walnut feels a bit more moody, while a white oak slat wall will lighten the space, making it feel more airy and uplifting. These are important to take into consideration, as your workout style may require a different mood, and therefore, a different type of wood.

A wood slat feature wall in your home gym can be created fairly easily using wood slat wall panels, which come preassembled and basically just need to be drilled to your wall. The fact that they’re premanufactured eliminates the fear that you’re going to cut, or install them crooked or unevenly (it happens to the best of us).

3. Faux Brick Accent Wall

Even if you don’t happen to have a gorgeous exposed brick wall in your home exercise room, you can still get the look to create the vibe. Faux brick looks great when it's applied properly, and we’d recommend steering away from the faux brick wallpaper. Etsy has some great options for faux brick veneer products that can help you create that perfect home gym brick accent wall.

4. Painted Home Gym Accent Wall

Credit: Sherwin-Williams

Why you gotta make things so complicated? The textured looks are great, but if you want to keep things simple while getting a similar effect, you might be better off just painting your accent wall rather than going for a textured look. The colour you choose will definitely depend on the style of workouts you plan to do in this room. For example, if it’s more of a yoga or pilates room, you might opt for a forest green that feels calm and welcoming. If you’re more into high-intensity interval training, something higher energy like a yellow, black, or orange might be a better fit.

5. Pegboard Home Gym Accent Wall

Last, we can’t forget about the pegboard. While pegboard might look a bit plain on it’s own, it's usually made of MDF which is super easy to paint! This allows you to make the pegboard not only a functional place to hang workout gear, but a coloured accent that really freshens up the space and gives it a focus. 

What do you think, would you try any of these ideas? Let us know in the comments! 

As home decor experts, we cover a variety of topics. Check them out:

1. Where to Place Acoustic Panels: A Comprehensive Guide
2. Creative Ideas for Your Very Own Kitchen Accent Wall
3. How Do Acoustic Panels Really Work?