If you’ve been following along with my garage gym makeover series, then you already know this project turned into SO much more than just a place to work out. What started as a cluttered lime green garage slowly became one of my favorite spaces in our entire house — a boutique-style home gym, movie room, and family hangout space all in one.
I wanted this renovation to feel high-end while still keeping as much of it DIY and budget-friendly as possible. So in this post, I’m breaking down every project, product, and major cost that went into transforming our garage from loud chaos into a zen custom luxury home gym. You can see here where I have done a home gym before and this was a similar take off that look.
Garage Gym Before & After
The Vision for the Space
Our garage was dark, cluttered, and honestly not a space we wanted to spend time in. The walls were lime green and black, the lighting was terrible, and everything felt unfinished.
The goal was to create a multifunctional space that felt warm, elevated, and inspiring while still being practical for daily workouts. I also wanted it to feel less like a garage and more like an extension of our home.
Some of the main goals included:
- Brightening the entire space
- Adding warmth and texture
- Creating a luxury gym feel on a budget
- Building custom storage solutions
- Making the space multifunctional for family movie nights and lounging
- Keeping as much of the renovation DIY as possible
Shop Sources Below
Demo & Prep Work
The first step was completely clearing out the garage and starting fresh. This included demo, deep cleaning, patching walls, sanding, moving gym equipment, and prepping for paint.
Projects Completed
- Removed clutter and storage
- Patched and repaired walls
- Sanded and cleaned surfaces
- Reorganized gym layout
- Added recessed lighting
- Added additional outlets
- Prepped entire garage for paint
Painting the Entire Garage
One of the biggest transformations came from paint alone. I used my paint sprayer to completely change the look of the garage from dark and dated to bright and modern.
The color I chose was Balance by HGTV Sherwin-Williams, and it instantly warmed up the space while still keeping it clean and neutral. See the process here.
I also installed the rubber mat flooring at this point and installed a cabinet that I modified to fit in front of the water heater to hide it. It was coming along but still had a ways to go!
Faux Marble Epoxy Feature Wall
This wall completely changed the vibe of the gym and is definitely one of the statement walls in here. I created a giant faux marble epoxy slab to go behind the TV and dumbbell storage wall for a luxury gym aesthetic without the luxury price tag. I used products from ZCounterform whom I have worked with multiple times in the past doing epoxy pours as well as concrete countertops. They are a great company and super helpful if you have questions.
This project definitely tested our strength and patience, but it ended up being one of my favorite DIYs in the space. We didn’t really plan well when we decided to pour this 10ft epoxy wall down at our workshop. We had to get very creative hauling it up to the garage for install!
Feature Wall Details
- Faux marble epoxy finish
- Mounted the TV to the wall
- Dumbbell storage backdrop
- Custom luxury-inspired look
DIY Faux Wood Beams from Foam Board
This was actually my first time creating faux beams out of insulation foam board, and I was honestly shocked by how realistic they turned out. See the process here!
These beams added so much warmth and architectural character to the garage and helped the space feel less industrial and more like an extension of our home.
Faux Beam Materials
- Foam insulation board
- DAP Wood Filler, Spray Paint & Gel Stain
- Construction adhesive- Gorilla Glue
- Clamps, multitool, sander
Slat Wall Installation
The slat wall became both a design feature and a functional upgrade for the space. It added texture, warmth, and helped make the gym feel custom and high-end. These panels are also acoustic with a felt backing so it helps with noise control as well! See the process here!
Slat Wall Features
- Main accent wall detail with cool lighting feature for ambiance
- Modern luxury gym aesthetic and added warmth and dimension
- Easy installation with black screws into the felt, so no wood filling!
- Beautiful backlit mirrors and we ended up adding in a futon which has totally changed the space!
Lighting Upgrades
Lighting made a HUGE difference in this renovation. The original garage lighting made the space feel dark and cold, so adding recessed lighting completely transformed the atmosphere.
Lighting Improvements
- New recessed lights
- Brighter overall space compared to the black and lime green space it once was
- Cleaner and more modern appearance
The Multifunctional Lounge Area
One of my favorite additions to the gym was turning it into more than just a workout room. By adding a sleeper sofa and projector setup, we created a space that doubles as a movie room and family hangout area.
Honestly, we only work out in here for a small part of the day, so creating a space we wanted to spend MORE time in made the renovation feel worth it. It has now become almost my home office as well, because I am constantly hanging out in here after my workouts!
Lounge Area Features
- Sleeper sofa using the Rove Lab S8
- Projector setup
- Movie nights in the gym
- Family hangout space
- Multifunctional design
Final Garage Gym Reveal
This renovation completely transformed how we use this space. It went from one of the least inspiring areas in our house to one of the most functional and beautiful rooms we have.
And the best part? So much of it was done DIY.
Garage Gym Renovation Cost Breakdown
Major Project Costs
Paint & Painting Supplies – $331.00
- 5 gallon Paint – Color: Balance by HGTV Sherwin-Williams — $311.00 *(gifted)
- Paint Sprayer — already own but cost would be $229
- Painter’s Tape — $10
- Drop Cloths — $10
Faux Beam Supplies – $147.61
- (3) Foam Board Insulation — $97.17
- Adhesive — $8.48
- Wood Filler – $16.98
- Aged Oak Gel Stain — $24.98
Slat Wall Materials – $2,606.23
- Oak Veneer Acoustic Slat Panels (30) — $1,218.27 *(gifted)
- 2 LED Backlit 96″x36″ Mirrors — $1,348.98 *(gifted)
- Rope Lighting – $38.98 *(gifted)
Epoxy Feature Wall Materials – $286.94
- Epoxy Kit — $129.00 *(gifted)
- 5 Pigments & Additives — $95 *(gifted)
- White Smooth Hardboard — $62.94
- TV & Mount – already had
- Soundbar – already had
Lounge Area – $1,484.98
- Sleeper Sofa — $997.00 *(gifted)
- Arch Cabinet – $89.98
- Projector — already had
- 8ft Ekianthius Tree — $354.00 *(gifted)
- 4ft Eucalyptus Tree – $44.00
Gym Equipment & Storage – $817.94
- Dumbbell Rack — $109
- Missing Dumbbells from my set (10,15, 25, 40,45, 50) – $471.94 *(gifted)
- Black Storage Solution Cabinet — $218.00
- Pulley System— already owned
- Rogue Squat Rack – already owned
- Wood Grain Duct Tape for Weight Bench – $19
Garage Door, Flooring, Misc – $2,301
- Roll Up Garage Door — $942.57
- Wall Mounted Motor – $524.45
- 12 Rubber Mats Flooring – $588
- 12 pack LED Canless Lights — $129.98 *(gifted)
- 2 Electrical Outlets & Switches – $51.00
- Roller Shade – $65.00
Grand Total
Total Garage Gym Renovation Cost: $7,975.70
Would I do it again? Absolutely. I always disclose when I collaborate with businesses as this is my full time job now. With that said, I did partner with Lowe’s Home Improvement, Concrete Countertop Solutions, Rove Lab, Nearly Natural and Wagner SprayTech for this project so my cost was lower. My cost was $2,881.55
This project completely changed how we use our home, and creating a gym that also functions as a family space made it feel so much more intentional and worth the investment.
If you’ve been thinking about transforming your garage into a home gym, hopefully this gives you some inspiration that you can create a high-end look without hiring everything out.
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