My initial reaction is I love it. The orange is stunning and energizing.

Ida, I was thinking about you today and my treadmill in my garden room which is a very nice space. I need to get on that treadmill. If Ida can do it, so can I.

I really love what you have done!

Love it. The room definitely looks more appealing so hopefully that will enhance your motivation to go in there and do the work. It just looks warmer and more energized! Also, without the clothes hanging in there, seems more restful too. There's more room for the exercise stuff to "breathe" if you will.

You might want to add some kind of bright chart that you can fill in that marks your progress towards some kind of goals. Hey, it works for 4th graders . . . !!!

Ida, I love the empowering orange. I hope you have speakers to blast some good workout tunes.

I really love this. It looks awesome. The orange is great!

You were/are a woman on a mission! It looks great and has become a place you'll WANT to go - half the battle. That is motivating me to spruce up my gym space so I'll actually use it.

Lovely & inspiring!!

Didn't think I'd like the orange, but I do!

That orange just reads as pure energy!

Thanks so much for the kind words! I know this doesn't look like major change, but the space really does have a whole new vibe when I'm in it.

I considered buying new art for the room, but couldn't really justify doing that. The only thing I would like to somehow incorporate is something with this quote: "The person on top of the mountain didn't fall there." I love that!

Jinx, you absolutely must use that wonderful Bee Gees piece and show us when you do! That's the coolest! (And a good reminder that the working out is for the purpose of Stayin Alive, Stayin Alive!)

I enjoyed a good cardio workout this evening and then DH gave me a nice little personal training session with the free weights. I had forgotten many of the exercises that he took me through, but I did remember how good this was for me back when I did it regularly. It was hard work, but I enjoyed it. I want that back.

Oh boy you work fast! It looks so good too now that you have a dedicated space, and sounds like you are already putting it to good use as intended. I hope you recapture more joy of the process.

That is fabulous!!! You did a great job.

I have to correct you Ida, it DOES look like a major change! Wonderful job and amazing how fast you and your husband made it into a really beautiful place to work on getting stronger and feeling better.

I agree, that you work fast! Congrats! We have major Swedish Death Cleaning to do before we are at this stage. But gotta start somewhere!

Such guts to paint that color, and it really works!

You're motivating me. Looks great, Ida.

Thank you all! It has a little floor mat now, so unless I decide to add something to the walls, it's finished!

Yesterday afternoon we went outside for a run, and wouldn't you know, saw a big bathroom vanity mirror that someone had set out for trash collection. Would've been perfect if we didn't have the framed mirrors already, so we stood by the side of the road and contemplated, but ended up passing it by. Hopefully someone else can use it.

We see who the floor mat is for.

:D

Oh, ain't that the absolute truth! I'm really beginning to understand (and accept) that we are completely OWNED by a tiny little runt-of-the-litter brown tabby. ;-D

Your workout room looks amazing, and it is a big change. I'm very jealous. We have a workout space in our attic amongst tubs of Christmas decor and shelves of luggage and outgrown but saved kids' toys. Not so motivating...

I think this is a great example of what "home decorating" is really about. Optimizing the comfort and function of our living spaces. Often that can be done very easily with tweaks of color and arrangement of what is already there. Or slight adjustments to scale or style of a couple items. I'm one of those people who firmly believes in the subliminal power of our environment to affect us profoundly. We don't have to become slaves to perfection in our environments, but there are some easy ways we can make our lives better by applying some thought to our living spaces. That's what a home decorator should be, not some artist who uses your home as a canvas or a vehicle for selling things, rather a person who can assist you in living the life you have with more ease.

Thanks, y'all! I think we invested right at $250 in this room's "makeover" (including the paint, one mirror, the weight bench and mat), and it is an infinitely more pleasant place to be now, so that was money well spent. I also take pride in the fact that we used much of what we already owned. That lamp? It's not ideal, but it's a nice vintage lamp and it works just fine to shed more light on my activities in the room. The "art?" I made three of the pieces, and if you look closely, they do LOOK homemade, but I don't care. I find myself looking forward to being in the space (ok, so it's only been a couple of days since we painted and revamped, and the 'new' might wear off at some point), and even enjoyed the time I spent there this morning before the crack of dawn.

I've just committed to a 5K that takes place in a mere two weeks. Luckily, it's billed as a run/walk, and it's so close to my house that if it absolutely sucks, I'll just walk home and call it a day. ;-) But it feels great to have signed up for something that motivates me even more, and is for a good cause (benefits our local animal shelter). I find myself very much looking forward to the days ahead, and time spent both outside when I can find the time (and temps allow), and in this formerly under-utilized little room at the back of the house.

Way to go, Ida! Good luck, let us know how it goes!

Looks fantastic and motivating. Great work!

Looks great Ida! I so miss having that extra room for a home gym. My activity level has dropped dramatically since my downsize.

Your Orange is the inspiration for a new 1st of every month “Rooms we Love“ post.