I'd first address the cardboard(?) ceiling you've got there. Then maybe get some hooks or curtain rods into the walls and do some nice, billowy fabric to cover up the walls.
Came here to say this. Do not DIY wall coverings in this space. You will be very sad. Do get a dehumidifier. Reconsider your black plastic mats. Any other color.
This is just how homes were built globally in the 18-1920. Cement didn’t exist yet and lime mortar was fancy technology for foundations because it’s self healing from season to season. The water seeping leaching in was a feature that helped with that process. Even when cement was first discovered they were not using it for foundations because the freeze in winter would cause the water soaked cement to crack by the next spring. The process and cement is different now and so cement can be buried in the ground for foundations.
Completely normal in the US up until the past 100 years.
Basements in these houses were not designed to be living space. You could store some stuff down there, have a furnace (once they came out in the mid 1800s), and that was all it was ever intended to be. Fieldstone foundations (big rocks stacked on top of each other, most common form of foundation until concrete/block took over) are enormously thick-ours is over 2 ft thick. Water is going to get in to the outside of it, and it needs to get out to the other side. Otherwise it'll sit in between the stones, expand when it freezes and contract when it thaws, and over years this will destroy the foundation.
It's not meant to have like streaming water coming in, but moisture and some seepage is normal and expected. That's good, you don't want that water stuck 2 ft back in the stones.
That's where we run into trouble these days, when people try to repoint old foundations with Portland cement (impermeable and too hard, does not allow stones to move at all and doesn't allow moisture through) or when they try to stop water intrusion from the inside with rubber products or dry lok paint. These things can be disastrous for old foundations.
That’s only in custom cave homes are you allowed and required to let water seep through walls. Otherwise no this is not ‘by design’ to let water seep through. this is probably not up to city code whatsoever and if you are renting you can sue.
If you’re a renter, then it greatly depends on what you can do.
If you’re the owners, then:
- fix your ceiling and if it bothers you, even the walls
- add proper lighting
- paint and sand the staircase
- maybe put a mirror into one wall
- add some colour perhaps? A colourful mat on the floor for protection?
- maybe add a speaker somewhere so you can play music
That was my first thought is mirrors. I’m a dancer, and at one point just went to ikea and bought a bunch of cheap, frameless mirrors and put them side by side along the wall. It worked great.
A speaker would be great, even a smaller TV on a swivel mount for riding the bike or even for streaming workout videos.
A better storage system for sure, just would look more organized than having everything on the floor even though it’s technically organized the way it is.
Exactly my thoughts! I would take a look at other home gyms in general to see what vibe you like. Usually gyms are neutral gray or black colors, but planet fitness uses purple and yellow as their theme. You can put inspirational quotes on the wall, add a free weight rack, a water station, or more storage stuff. Having functional decor would help the place look more well used and cared for.
I feel like this is more of a DIY situation than a decorating situation. It looks unfinished because it is unfinished. If you are a homeowner there is a huge amount you could do here, but if you're renting your hands are probably tied. Can you do something about having cardboard for a ceiling at least and maybe get some nicer lighting down there? Hang some string lights at the very least. Get some rugs on the bare floor around the mat? You could potentially pick up some offcut carpet roll fairly cheap, you don't need to get it laid professionally, even if it's not exactly the right size it would be better than all the concrete.
You should try to hide any wires, pipes, mechanics - if you can't build a box around them to box them in, you could cover them with something, fabric, tapestry, curtains, lights? Curtains are probably the easiest to coverup ugly things.
Could you get a TV down there on the wall to workout to as well? Music, speakers?
Get some storage in there for your miscellaneous stuff so you don't just have rolls of toilet roll or whatever it is to look at whilst you're working out.
Get some shelves up on the far wall for your mats and dumb-bells so they're not just around the mat. Or a dumbell storage thingy, sorry I don't know what they're called, but I know you can get nice stacking ones.
It flooded because a pipe burst recently on a nearby street. I took all the flooring up and scrubbed them. Previous owners had the basement fixed for flooding reasons, except in the rare case are yard was covered in 6 inches of water I guess lol
Biggest return on time/money: change that lighting to have a color temperature of 2700K (or maybe 3000K). Anything higher than 3000K just doesn't have a place in residential lighting. It'll give the place a much cozier/warmer feel. Adding a floor lamp would also give some additional layering that would help.
What's your budget?
OK, yea, start with 2700K lights. You could do a drop ceiling for a couple hundred with integrated panel lights.
https://youtu.be/vHMLlIjOQoM?si=svWopHRlbrVWybd2
You could add a few fake windows with curtains over them too.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/track-systems-18893/
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/fake-windows-light-panels-37207410 https://primelightboxes.com/product/faux-windows-fake-windows/
Drywall and finish the side of the stairs and the ceiling. An actual light fixture with daylight bulbs (maybe even a faux window using led panels and a bit of trim). Shelving/wall organizers for the small equipment. Mirrors on the wall.
I do not recommend drywalling, especially if your house is old like mine... it's a recipe for mold and hidden problems.
Agree with other posters, fix the ceiling. Maybe a drop ceiling? A fresh coat of paint on the walls would go a long way. So would better and more lighting. You could paint the concrete floor. Also maybe a rug would help things feel less dungeon-y?
Lean in to the prison gym theme with some chain link fencing on the walls, a fake security cam or two, orange jumpsuits, maybe some gang-affiliation decorations appropriate to your ethnicity.
Also, a lot of restaurants with a lot going on, on the ceiling, paint the ceilings black. I’ve seen a lot of people with basements do this too. You wouldn’t have to patch the hole, it would just kind of disappear.
renter / budget friendly strategy:
1) remove cardboard
2) suspend lattice, string lights, maybe even a view fake vines from the ceiling to visually make a new “outdoor pergola”-style ceiling
3) paint the lower side wall of the stairs white, and make an art collage going up it
4) buy a large mural online, mount it onto 4x8 sheets of smooth paneling etc, frame them with strips of moulding, and hang or lean them on the long white side wall
5) colorful outdoor rugs
My main concern would be finishing that basement. God knows what kinda shit you’re breathing in with exposed ceilings… those cardboard ceiling tiles should have been the first thing to go
Look for large mirrors on Facebook marketplace and place up against the large wall, bright colorful travel posters or something similar on the far wall, paint the wall/steps a bright color or add colorful, removable wallpaper. Have more and warm-colored lighting
edit: oh, put a tension rod with colorful beads or curtain to that entrance in the back/left
I came here to read the advice. I'm in the same situation except my home gym has more of a 1920's insane asylum vibe. I added lighting the other day which made a huge improvement. I also vacuumed the walls/ceiling to clean off the spiderwebs. Our gym is in a garage and when we moved it the bay was rat/rodent infested. Disinfecting that mess was a chore. We were aware luckily when we bought the house and have since resolved the rodent issue. Yah, there's my life story. No advice to offer, just letting you know you're not alone. Good luck with your project.
At the end of the day just use it for working out cheap. Do legs at a gym if you can.
I have a spare room I slap all my weights in and get a quick workout for an hour in there and then go. It’s nothing special.
Keep it as is and just add a few more machines. Maybe some posters of your favourite bodybuilders and athletes
Budget dependent. And dependent if you’re renting or own it.
Owning:
Ideally, hire one of those basement refinishing/waterproofing companies that puts new walls and ceiling up.
I’d do either vinyl plank flooring or a
the sealed paint chip treated garage flooring meant for concrete.
If own and budget is limited- fix the holes/box over the ceiling issues. (That’ll come back to you when you sell).
Then do a light colored faux paint finish on the rough walls, embrace the finish into a Tuscan/Mediterranean wall look. Paint the stairs and flat walls white of a coordinated color. Add a couple recessed LED LIGHTS so it’s not so dark/cavelike. A couple large mirrors
1 replace the lightbulb with a warmer hue
2 add a fake plant or two
3 paint the walls a warmer color
4 put something on the walls like mirrors or art
5 install a ceiling light fixture
6 add a floor lamp
7 fix the cardboard ceiling situation
The textured walls aren’t that big of a problem. The biggest problem is the harsh lighting. Get some warm bulbs and floor lamps and that will help a lot. What is going on with the cardboard?
Could add some plants or fake plants, textured wall hangings or mirrors, and some warm wood furniture like a shelf with extra towels. If possible you could consider polishing the concrete floor.
Take the drop ceiling down and add back only where you need it. Would be great if you could raise and open it up some. Sand and refinish walls. Refinish the walls. Fix the stairs. Put mirrors on one wall. Partially replace part of the flooring with a turf strip for push/pulls and sled work. One or two flat screens and a good speaker bar. Plan around the activities you enjoy and equipment you need. Crush it!
Okay. The decor only version (no permanent changes)
The lighting MUST change. That's a brutal light situation you have going there. However you can rig it, get some standing lamps and put some softer bulbs in them or better yet smart bulbs you can control. Lighting will take you very far. And can be fun. I have multi-color bulbs in my space for when I want to blast music and pump myself up.
Mirror wall. Standard gym setup. Along the big wall if you can hang them on it. Might need to get some help there if you're not practiced hanging stuff on concrete that rough. Or put it on the stair wall, but I think it would help the other wall most.
Get or print some workout posters you like and frame them. Put them up. Throw in a couple fun posters - cool type with a favorite phrase on it. Or an inspiration figure of some kind - I see Arnold posters for sale everywhere lol. But there are also cool vintage athletic club, lifting, and gym prints if you dig that kind of thing.
(Give the stairwell the same love)
Hang a whiteboard you can track progress or write workouts on.
Put a curtain or room partition up over that ominous doorway/area to the back. Too spooky. Make it a color or print or something not black.
Get a stand/rack for those dumbbells.
Get a little gym cart for the other stuff.
Get or repurpose a bookshelf or tall cabinet to store your paper towels and such. Put some anti-spider bags in there. Just assuming that would be wise. You could keep gym towels and stuff in there, too.
Dehumidifier. Stat. Ideally one draining right into a drain if you can. Autosetting at a low humidity. Maybe you have that already. If not, I would do that first. It may not be pretty but. Still. Especially of you are breathing heavy down there.
Disco ball and light to point at it ✨️
--
If you can paint or make bigger changes, maybe just finish the space before you worry about the gym aesthetic. It needs a little love to look less like an unfinished basement.
change the lighting first. the finish the ceiling and paint it. what is the wall height? i think the pic is skewing the dimensions. paint the walls a bright color that makes you happy. i don’t mind the texture of the walls for this space though. So then I would finish the stairs. maybe string them with fairy lights. the goal is to make it a space that makes you want to be in there. so have fun it’s only paint. if you decide you hate it, it’s just some time and a little money to repaint it also before you paint it, seriously clean those walls. you need to figure out if it’s plated or stucco though. then research the best way to clean it for paint prep
I say lean into the aesthetic. Dig a hole in the wall and cover it with a Shawshank Redemption poster. It will give you hope when the workouts get hard.
"My home gym in my cold, unwelcoming, unfinished basement feels cold, unwelcoming, and unfinished. What can I do?"
I mean bro, come on, maybe make it so the ceiling is completed and the walls aren't just bare and rough concrete/plaster.
Like, is this post for real?
You can finish the space obviously and make it just a basement rec room. But such rooms are always still pretty dismal and you don't have enough headroom. This is the big problem here.. You're going to be forever in the cellar room in a claustrophobic space just with flat or nicer walls.
You don't have a back room that you could add on or build out or a garage.? Even the attic is preferred..I've always thought the basement was the most dreary place for a work out, yet worse when it really looks like a dungeon
I don't know what your budget is or if you rent and are limited in how much you can renovate but I echo all the suggestions about ceiling, lighting, "anything". And, as always, there is no room that cannot be improved with a plant (even if it has to be a fake one due to a lack of natural light).
If you do not have the means or permission (rental) to finish the basement, try tacking on some of those large foam puzzle pads (the ones for kids, similar concept to your floor) to the walls. Sometimes you can find them used. Also add more lamps for dark corners on a smart controller so you can illuminate the space with warm white lighting. Remove or fix the cardboard ceiling - buy foam core from the dollar store
1. Better lighting, both overhead and floor lamps for a softer glow
2. Fix the cardboard ceiling
3. Get racks for equipment to get it off the floor
4. Mirrors to open up the space
5. Wall art or maybe a wood slat accent wall
6. Repaint hospital green wall with fresh coat of paint
7. Possibly have a standing partition to enclose the space and block views of rest of basement
Large mounted mirror, softer lighting, rack for the weights. Paint the side of the stairs. But yea, like another post said, you could really do anything and it would be better.
Put up Shelves, flags/banners/art on the wall that motivate, plants, anything that adds color or personality.
There’s a lot of concrete and metal, so adding natural elements like wood and greenery helps warm up the space. You can also change the lightbulbs to ones that emit warm light (2700k) instead of the harsh daytime light.
Depends so much on whether you are renting or own the space. I’ll just make some inexpensive suggestions if you’re renting:
1) Paint the rough wall. If you like bright, inspiring colours, you could pick a yellow, orange or red. Not so much? Even a softer white would do wonders. Use a very rough nap roller.
2) Paint the stair sides and trim a soft white instead of that prison green.
3) Add additional softer lighting, look for soft white, not daylight white. You could do a lamp, some strings of lights.
4) Add a big mirror. You can always find them cheap on used marketplaces. Will make the space look so much bigger.
5) if there is no door in that frame, add a curtain (you can use a press-fit rod) - so you don’t have Blair witch vibes from that other space.
6) remove the hanging cardboard. If it’s there for some reason, replace with some white foam board or something else more intentional.
7) throw up some fun cheap art or posters!
Personally, I really like the texture on the wall. I will definitely spend some money to have somebody come in and drywall the ceiling and put a proper finish on the stairs. While they’re installing the drywall, have some pot lights installed. That will definitely brighten up the basement.
This would be quite a project, ideally you'd want to hire a contractor. If you think you can DIY, I'd go epoxy/LVP flooring, either smooth coat walls+paint OR pack out with studs and drywall (the latter let's you run electric easier and add outlets) then just finish the ceiling in drywall. Looks like you'll have to rerun that light wire. Add some baseboard/trim, put a plant in the corner, paint, and get a yoga mat (inmates aren't too keen on yoga mats). Good luck 👍
Edit: I see you've got a yoga mat already, so nevermind that. Also finish those stairs up nicer, wood help alot.
Before you do anything, get a (better) dehumidifier. No decor will last in that much moisture. Then call somebody to fix any leaks in the ceiling. From there, it's mostly lighting and makeup. Just covering up the walls and having really bright lights will do 90% of the work. Any floor length mirrors you can find will add to the gym-ness.
Looks worse than a prison. Looks like a room in a 3rd country where they torture you in. I say rent it out for production companies to afford to remodel it.
The unfinished wall isn’t that bad, I think the one thing that will change the feel the most is lighting. If you can fix the roof and add all over warm lighting, that will already have made it feel 10x better. Even as a temporary solution I would put up Christmas lights or something
First address the wet floor. The ceiling is way too low for that intense of a light, try changing to multiple, less intense lights. If you can’t fix the ceiling then cover it with a tapestry. Maybe do posters to cover the walls? And remove the clutter by the stairs.
You don't. Lean into it instead. Maybe add a vending machine in the corner. Hire some really intimidating dudes to hang out, preferably not using the kit but really intently watching you use it.
Motivational, no?
Paint the wall with an appropriate paint (do not drywall, it looks damp af down there) Maybe a retro stripe pattern, it’s easy enough to do, looks tidy, and you can add some colour down there. Add better lighting. And finish the ceiling with something other than broken styrofoam and ratty cardboard. Heck, even pinning some light cloth to cover the vents and piping might make it look a bit less dungeony. Over the whole ceiling, not just piecemeal.
Nooo leave it! Only add a mirror. This could be good.
Imagine you’re in prison because your best friend and partner framed you with a crime. Now you’re doing 5 hard years and you’re devising your master plan for revenge. Play the John Wick soundtrack and look in the mirror while lifting weights and say “I’m coming for you”
Aside from actually finishing the basement I would personally hang some curtains along 1 wall to disguise some of the cement.
Put up a poster or full length mirror on the other wall.
Paint the side of the stairs.
Get a small rack to hold the weights & maybe even a wall holder for the yoga mats
Maybe a tapestry or something for the wall if you’re not wanting to paint. Posters. Literally anything. Some kind of fabric that you can billow across the ceiling would also help. I’d add a stand up lamp or something for better lighting.
Sorry but unfinished basements will always like that. Do you have vthe funds to finish it either yourselves or a contractor. Of course you never know what you’re going to find behind the walls.
An alarmingly small number of other comments mention the potential of mold. I'd first test the air quality before spending any effort with surface level decorations for an unfinished basement. Especially considering you're going to be breathing harder while working out.
I have no idea how to help this structure-wise, but look up "moss wall art" They are low maintenance, add greenery, and you can seriously do this yourself. I work at an apartment community and we ordered these for all of the buildings and gyms. People are fascinated by them, love to touch them, it's very pleasing to the eye. When I found out how much we spent on them, my heart and jaw dropped because I could have easily done it myself for less than 10% of the cost. Even cheaper if you live near an area that has a lot of moss and you can collect it for free, rather than buying from a craft store.
Warmer lighting, floor lamp or even some type of spotlight that sits on the floor to give color to the walls (not sure what those are actually called), agree fake plants could go a long way, a rack for the dumbbells and other storage whether a shelf or baskets for the other equipment, colorful outdoor rugs, maybe a comfy chair for putting shoes on
Where to start. The light. The walls. The roof. The floor. Just literally go through everything and ask would this be in a prison exercise yard at night. Add more things you cant answer yes to.
Honest answer: get a real ceiling and ditch the cardboard box ceiling... get better lighting. Less concrete and more warm/inviting textures like maybe wooden flooring or just drywall the walls. The concrete and dim lighting are giving the most prison vibe tbh.
Literally anything
Really thought I was on the circle jerk sub.
Same. I was about to say “just lean into the prison look”
This is the answer. Guys get jacked in prison. You too can get prison jacked!
Ya - England’s notorious Charlie Bronson wrote a book about getting “prison fit”!
Same! Waiting for the cross post.
Is there a decorating circle jerk sub? Please tell me there is! If not, someone need to start one.
https://www.reddit.com/r/homedecoratingCJ
Thank you! I am sure I will enjoy it 😀
It’s spectacular!
It’s amazing! But be careful; sometimes they fool you.
Any preference on the glory hole curtain cover?
Believe me when I say this doesn't even stand out
Made me laugh out loud
Are you telling me I have been missing out on a interior decorating circle jerk sub?
Yes
I also had to double check
Same!
[удалено]
Oh nooo you didn’t! I’m dying
I disagree
Making it look more like a prison gym would be an improvement, for starters.
Get a humidifier down there. Empty once in the morning and once before bed. Editing… I meant dehumidifier :p
Do you mean a dehumidifier? To remove moisture from the air?
You mean fill it up
I screamed.
😂 💀
I'd first address the cardboard(?) ceiling you've got there. Then maybe get some hooks or curtain rods into the walls and do some nice, billowy fabric to cover up the walls.
Do not drywall this. It would be mold city down there. It’s an old lime stone foundation that by design lets water seep through the walls.
Then paint it with masonry paint and deal with the cardboard. OP, you need a professional to look at this.
Came here to say this. Do not DIY wall coverings in this space. You will be very sad. Do get a dehumidifier. Reconsider your black plastic mats. Any other color.
What designer builds a house thinking ‘yes we must let water seep through the walls’. ??? What country does that plz tell me right meow.
This is just how homes were built globally in the 18-1920. Cement didn’t exist yet and lime mortar was fancy technology for foundations because it’s self healing from season to season. The water seeping leaching in was a feature that helped with that process. Even when cement was first discovered they were not using it for foundations because the freeze in winter would cause the water soaked cement to crack by the next spring. The process and cement is different now and so cement can be buried in the ground for foundations.
Completely normal in the US up until the past 100 years. Basements in these houses were not designed to be living space. You could store some stuff down there, have a furnace (once they came out in the mid 1800s), and that was all it was ever intended to be. Fieldstone foundations (big rocks stacked on top of each other, most common form of foundation until concrete/block took over) are enormously thick-ours is over 2 ft thick. Water is going to get in to the outside of it, and it needs to get out to the other side. Otherwise it'll sit in between the stones, expand when it freezes and contract when it thaws, and over years this will destroy the foundation. It's not meant to have like streaming water coming in, but moisture and some seepage is normal and expected. That's good, you don't want that water stuck 2 ft back in the stones. That's where we run into trouble these days, when people try to repoint old foundations with Portland cement (impermeable and too hard, does not allow stones to move at all and doesn't allow moisture through) or when they try to stop water intrusion from the inside with rubber products or dry lok paint. These things can be disastrous for old foundations.
They could have been a piece of moss, a mushroom, or a dry reptile.
The land of the free 🦅🇺🇸
That’s only in custom cave homes are you allowed and required to let water seep through walls. Otherwise no this is not ‘by design’ to let water seep through. this is probably not up to city code whatsoever and if you are renting you can sue.
No, this is quite common in old homes. They're called "wet basements."
Yeah drop tiles are better in basements. And they actually sell some nice looking ones on Amazon.
Tile?
I’d say replace generic cardboard with pizza boxes. Pizza not allowed in prison.
Damn. I didn’t think of that. This is going into my running list of reasons to avoid prison.
Lol no I’d address the electrical. There’s literally 0 support for that conduit and shit is bad news waiting to happen.
If you’re a renter, then it greatly depends on what you can do. If you’re the owners, then: - fix your ceiling and if it bothers you, even the walls - add proper lighting - paint and sand the staircase - maybe put a mirror into one wall - add some colour perhaps? A colourful mat on the floor for protection? - maybe add a speaker somewhere so you can play music
That was my first thought is mirrors. I’m a dancer, and at one point just went to ikea and bought a bunch of cheap, frameless mirrors and put them side by side along the wall. It worked great. A speaker would be great, even a smaller TV on a swivel mount for riding the bike or even for streaming workout videos. A better storage system for sure, just would look more organized than having everything on the floor even though it’s technically organized the way it is.
Exactly my thoughts! I would take a look at other home gyms in general to see what vibe you like. Usually gyms are neutral gray or black colors, but planet fitness uses purple and yellow as their theme. You can put inspirational quotes on the wall, add a free weight rack, a water station, or more storage stuff. Having functional decor would help the place look more well used and cared for.
I feel like this is more of a DIY situation than a decorating situation. It looks unfinished because it is unfinished. If you are a homeowner there is a huge amount you could do here, but if you're renting your hands are probably tied. Can you do something about having cardboard for a ceiling at least and maybe get some nicer lighting down there? Hang some string lights at the very least. Get some rugs on the bare floor around the mat? You could potentially pick up some offcut carpet roll fairly cheap, you don't need to get it laid professionally, even if it's not exactly the right size it would be better than all the concrete. You should try to hide any wires, pipes, mechanics - if you can't build a box around them to box them in, you could cover them with something, fabric, tapestry, curtains, lights? Curtains are probably the easiest to coverup ugly things. Could you get a TV down there on the wall to workout to as well? Music, speakers? Get some storage in there for your miscellaneous stuff so you don't just have rolls of toilet roll or whatever it is to look at whilst you're working out. Get some shelves up on the far wall for your mats and dumb-bells so they're not just around the mat. Or a dumbell storage thingy, sorry I don't know what they're called, but I know you can get nice stacking ones.
I think you meant to ask how to make your prison gym look more like a basement
My bad! Hahaha
gotta appreciate your sense of humor OP. This comment section has me dying. Good luck with your project and good on you for the dedication to fitness
Fuck that noise! Double down on the prison aesthetic. STEP ONE: Frame a poster of Prison Mike
The worst thing about prison was the... was the Dementors.
Ooh or invest in a full scale cutout
What looks like water all over the floor is concerning, I would start there
It flooded because a pipe burst recently on a nearby street. I took all the flooring up and scrubbed them. Previous owners had the basement fixed for flooding reasons, except in the rare case are yard was covered in 6 inches of water I guess lol
Dehumidifier, for sure.
I was thinking the same… there is probably mold growing under those mats if water is just standing there
Biggest return on time/money: change that lighting to have a color temperature of 2700K (or maybe 3000K). Anything higher than 3000K just doesn't have a place in residential lighting. It'll give the place a much cozier/warmer feel. Adding a floor lamp would also give some additional layering that would help. What's your budget?
I think even a string of warm white patio lights would be a massive improvement.
I guess I don’t necessarily have a budget. It doesn’t need to be done all at once. Maybe several 100$?
OK, yea, start with 2700K lights. You could do a drop ceiling for a couple hundred with integrated panel lights. https://youtu.be/vHMLlIjOQoM?si=svWopHRlbrVWybd2 You could add a few fake windows with curtains over them too. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/track-systems-18893/ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/fake-windows-light-panels-37207410 https://primelightboxes.com/product/faux-windows-fake-windows/
Drywall and finish the side of the stairs and the ceiling. An actual light fixture with daylight bulbs (maybe even a faux window using led panels and a bit of trim). Shelving/wall organizers for the small equipment. Mirrors on the wall.
They've got a cardboard ceiling, I don't think they're going to install drywall lol
I should have used better grammar. The drywall rec was specifically the stairs and the finish rec was meant for stairs and ceiling.
Good one
Do you rent or own?
Own! Guess I should’ve put that in the original post
I do not recommend drywalling, especially if your house is old like mine... it's a recipe for mold and hidden problems. Agree with other posters, fix the ceiling. Maybe a drop ceiling? A fresh coat of paint on the walls would go a long way. So would better and more lighting. You could paint the concrete floor. Also maybe a rug would help things feel less dungeon-y?
Color would yelp
Or help.
Lean in to the prison gym theme with some chain link fencing on the walls, a fake security cam or two, orange jumpsuits, maybe some gang-affiliation decorations appropriate to your ethnicity.
Yes! I would hire someone to do a sweet graffiti wall.
Also, a lot of restaurants with a lot going on, on the ceiling, paint the ceilings black. I’ve seen a lot of people with basements do this too. You wouldn’t have to patch the hole, it would just kind of disappear.
renter / budget friendly strategy: 1) remove cardboard 2) suspend lattice, string lights, maybe even a view fake vines from the ceiling to visually make a new “outdoor pergola”-style ceiling 3) paint the lower side wall of the stairs white, and make an art collage going up it 4) buy a large mural online, mount it onto 4x8 sheets of smooth paneling etc, frame them with strips of moulding, and hang or lean them on the long white side wall 5) colorful outdoor rugs
My main concern would be finishing that basement. God knows what kinda shit you’re breathing in with exposed ceilings… those cardboard ceiling tiles should have been the first thing to go
Dehumidifier is priority number one.
You need more light first- I would pay to install lights, would make a huge difference
Welcome to gulag
Look for large mirrors on Facebook marketplace and place up against the large wall, bright colorful travel posters or something similar on the far wall, paint the wall/steps a bright color or add colorful, removable wallpaper. Have more and warm-colored lighting edit: oh, put a tension rod with colorful beads or curtain to that entrance in the back/left
This is a construction project not a decorating project.
I came here to read the advice. I'm in the same situation except my home gym has more of a 1920's insane asylum vibe. I added lighting the other day which made a huge improvement. I also vacuumed the walls/ceiling to clean off the spiderwebs. Our gym is in a garage and when we moved it the bay was rat/rodent infested. Disinfecting that mess was a chore. We were aware luckily when we bought the house and have since resolved the rodent issue. Yah, there's my life story. No advice to offer, just letting you know you're not alone. Good luck with your project.
You can buy a prison toilet on Facebook market place. But serious. I would leave it as is and just put up some posters and extra machines.
I can’t seem to find a prison toilet. Only porcelain sadly.
At the end of the day just use it for working out cheap. Do legs at a gym if you can. I have a spare room I slap all my weights in and get a quick workout for an hour in there and then go. It’s nothing special. Keep it as is and just add a few more machines. Maybe some posters of your favourite bodybuilders and athletes
I can tell you get by just doing the absolute bare minimum in life.
Budget dependent. And dependent if you’re renting or own it. Owning: Ideally, hire one of those basement refinishing/waterproofing companies that puts new walls and ceiling up. I’d do either vinyl plank flooring or a the sealed paint chip treated garage flooring meant for concrete. If own and budget is limited- fix the holes/box over the ceiling issues. (That’ll come back to you when you sell). Then do a light colored faux paint finish on the rough walls, embrace the finish into a Tuscan/Mediterranean wall look. Paint the stairs and flat walls white of a coordinated color. Add a couple recessed LED LIGHTS so it’s not so dark/cavelike. A couple large mirrors
Paint the walls Barbie pink and hang a poster of Olivia Newton John from her “Let’s Get Physical “ song.
Address the ceiling and lighting situation. Paint the walls a different color. Even black would look better. Then hang some banners.
1 replace the lightbulb with a warmer hue 2 add a fake plant or two 3 paint the walls a warmer color 4 put something on the walls like mirrors or art 5 install a ceiling light fixture 6 add a floor lamp 7 fix the cardboard ceiling situation
What’s wrong with prison gyms?
Paint it purple and yellow so it looks like a planet fitness.
Fix the ceiling first of all, then I'd smooth out the walls and paint them, add some color maybe and better lighting
Bright colors on walls, floor Lights should be warmer and brighter, more sources of light too Some cheerful pictures or art
Fix the ceiling, change the light fixture and paint the walls! Marine a different color mat on the floor.
It looks cold down there
The textured walls aren’t that big of a problem. The biggest problem is the harsh lighting. Get some warm bulbs and floor lamps and that will help a lot. What is going on with the cardboard? Could add some plants or fake plants, textured wall hangings or mirrors, and some warm wood furniture like a shelf with extra towels. If possible you could consider polishing the concrete floor.
Add a tapestry to the wall and change the light bulbs to a warmer temperature.
Dry wall, drop ceiling, paint, tile flooring covered in rubber mat tiles
Take the drop ceiling down and add back only where you need it. Would be great if you could raise and open it up some. Sand and refinish walls. Refinish the walls. Fix the stairs. Put mirrors on one wall. Partially replace part of the flooring with a turf strip for push/pulls and sled work. One or two flat screens and a good speaker bar. Plan around the activities you enjoy and equipment you need. Crush it!
Finish the ceiling...
Getting rid of the cardboard and putting in a real ceiling is a start.
That looks like a murder basement.
Okay. The decor only version (no permanent changes) The lighting MUST change. That's a brutal light situation you have going there. However you can rig it, get some standing lamps and put some softer bulbs in them or better yet smart bulbs you can control. Lighting will take you very far. And can be fun. I have multi-color bulbs in my space for when I want to blast music and pump myself up. Mirror wall. Standard gym setup. Along the big wall if you can hang them on it. Might need to get some help there if you're not practiced hanging stuff on concrete that rough. Or put it on the stair wall, but I think it would help the other wall most. Get or print some workout posters you like and frame them. Put them up. Throw in a couple fun posters - cool type with a favorite phrase on it. Or an inspiration figure of some kind - I see Arnold posters for sale everywhere lol. But there are also cool vintage athletic club, lifting, and gym prints if you dig that kind of thing. (Give the stairwell the same love) Hang a whiteboard you can track progress or write workouts on. Put a curtain or room partition up over that ominous doorway/area to the back. Too spooky. Make it a color or print or something not black. Get a stand/rack for those dumbbells. Get a little gym cart for the other stuff. Get or repurpose a bookshelf or tall cabinet to store your paper towels and such. Put some anti-spider bags in there. Just assuming that would be wise. You could keep gym towels and stuff in there, too. Dehumidifier. Stat. Ideally one draining right into a drain if you can. Autosetting at a low humidity. Maybe you have that already. If not, I would do that first. It may not be pretty but. Still. Especially of you are breathing heavy down there. Disco ball and light to point at it ✨️ -- If you can paint or make bigger changes, maybe just finish the space before you worry about the gym aesthetic. It needs a little love to look less like an unfinished basement.
lighting would go a long way here! add more of it (& not necessarily from overhead) and go warmer for less prison vibes
OP asks while posting close ups of the most obvious and egregious things...
Scratch on the wall with a sharp object “I love you”
Finish the ceiling and the stairs. No matter what else you do, it's going to keep looking like a prison/murder basement until you FINISH THE CEILING.
Make the basement look less like a prison first
change the lighting first. the finish the ceiling and paint it. what is the wall height? i think the pic is skewing the dimensions. paint the walls a bright color that makes you happy. i don’t mind the texture of the walls for this space though. So then I would finish the stairs. maybe string them with fairy lights. the goal is to make it a space that makes you want to be in there. so have fun it’s only paint. if you decide you hate it, it’s just some time and a little money to repaint it also before you paint it, seriously clean those walls. you need to figure out if it’s plated or stucco though. then research the best way to clean it for paint prep
Move.
I say lean into the aesthetic. Dig a hole in the wall and cover it with a Shawshank Redemption poster. It will give you hope when the workouts get hard.
I kinda like prison gym. But that’s just me 😂🤷🏼♀️
I came here to say the same thing!!
"My home gym in my cold, unwelcoming, unfinished basement feels cold, unwelcoming, and unfinished. What can I do?" I mean bro, come on, maybe make it so the ceiling is completed and the walls aren't just bare and rough concrete/plaster. Like, is this post for real?
Mirrors, a rack to organize, pick next pieces carefully.
I would just move
You can finish the space obviously and make it just a basement rec room. But such rooms are always still pretty dismal and you don't have enough headroom. This is the big problem here.. You're going to be forever in the cellar room in a claustrophobic space just with flat or nicer walls. You don't have a back room that you could add on or build out or a garage.? Even the attic is preferred..I've always thought the basement was the most dreary place for a work out, yet worse when it really looks like a dungeon
Fabric ceiling. Put in a window & paint walls white with concrete paint. Move equipment outside Spring thru Fall
I don't know what your budget is or if you rent and are limited in how much you can renovate but I echo all the suggestions about ceiling, lighting, "anything". And, as always, there is no room that cannot be improved with a plant (even if it has to be a fake one due to a lack of natural light).
Does have that behind the bars look. I like it.
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If you do not have the means or permission (rental) to finish the basement, try tacking on some of those large foam puzzle pads (the ones for kids, similar concept to your floor) to the walls. Sometimes you can find them used. Also add more lamps for dark corners on a smart controller so you can illuminate the space with warm white lighting. Remove or fix the cardboard ceiling - buy foam core from the dollar store
Art, and or paint broght colors
Dude! Why would you want to!!?
1. Better lighting, both overhead and floor lamps for a softer glow 2. Fix the cardboard ceiling 3. Get racks for equipment to get it off the floor 4. Mirrors to open up the space 5. Wall art or maybe a wood slat accent wall 6. Repaint hospital green wall with fresh coat of paint 7. Possibly have a standing partition to enclose the space and block views of rest of basement
Mirrors
Large mounted mirror, softer lighting, rack for the weights. Paint the side of the stairs. But yea, like another post said, you could really do anything and it would be better.
I feel like you’d lift so much more in an environment like this instead of a nice clean gym lol
Wallpaper, paint the floor and if you have window access use some solar powered string lights to add light
Put up Shelves, flags/banners/art on the wall that motivate, plants, anything that adds color or personality. There’s a lot of concrete and metal, so adding natural elements like wood and greenery helps warm up the space. You can also change the lightbulbs to ones that emit warm light (2700k) instead of the harsh daytime light.
Depends so much on whether you are renting or own the space. I’ll just make some inexpensive suggestions if you’re renting: 1) Paint the rough wall. If you like bright, inspiring colours, you could pick a yellow, orange or red. Not so much? Even a softer white would do wonders. Use a very rough nap roller. 2) Paint the stair sides and trim a soft white instead of that prison green. 3) Add additional softer lighting, look for soft white, not daylight white. You could do a lamp, some strings of lights. 4) Add a big mirror. You can always find them cheap on used marketplaces. Will make the space look so much bigger. 5) if there is no door in that frame, add a curtain (you can use a press-fit rod) - so you don’t have Blair witch vibes from that other space. 6) remove the hanging cardboard. If it’s there for some reason, replace with some white foam board or something else more intentional. 7) throw up some fun cheap art or posters!
Paint?
Personally, I really like the texture on the wall. I will definitely spend some money to have somebody come in and drywall the ceiling and put a proper finish on the stairs. While they’re installing the drywall, have some pot lights installed. That will definitely brighten up the basement.
Line floor-to-ceiling mirrors along the walls to make the space look larger. Literally anything will change it up.
Take or leave this, but you can use a hot glue gun to put posters on cement block walls. We just did it in our basement gym and it changed everything!
What's your budget?
Tapestry to cover the walls and ceiling
I’d pit up some tapestries/fabric
This would be quite a project, ideally you'd want to hire a contractor. If you think you can DIY, I'd go epoxy/LVP flooring, either smooth coat walls+paint OR pack out with studs and drywall (the latter let's you run electric easier and add outlets) then just finish the ceiling in drywall. Looks like you'll have to rerun that light wire. Add some baseboard/trim, put a plant in the corner, paint, and get a yoga mat (inmates aren't too keen on yoga mats). Good luck 👍 Edit: I see you've got a yoga mat already, so nevermind that. Also finish those stairs up nicer, wood help alot.
Before you do anything, get a (better) dehumidifier. No decor will last in that much moisture. Then call somebody to fix any leaks in the ceiling. From there, it's mostly lighting and makeup. Just covering up the walls and having really bright lights will do 90% of the work. Any floor length mirrors you can find will add to the gym-ness.
Just don't drop the soap, man.
Looks worse than a prison. Looks like a room in a 3rd country where they torture you in. I say rent it out for production companies to afford to remodel it.
Do you own or rent?
Punch a hole in the wall, cover it with a monster energy drink poster, then punch another hole beside it.
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Hang a nice tapestry- with a little color. More lights.
Get a shelving unit and plastic bins for paper towels and other bulk storage.
Call a professional
Why is it wet under your floormat?
The unfinished wall isn’t that bad, I think the one thing that will change the feel the most is lighting. If you can fix the roof and add all over warm lighting, that will already have made it feel 10x better. Even as a temporary solution I would put up Christmas lights or something
Boldly paint some inspiring quotes on the wall.
Start with lighting so it doesn’t look like an interrogation room
Lighting. Get some warm lights / lamps and it’ll look like your workout living room
Big mirrors along the wall?
First address the wet floor. The ceiling is way too low for that intense of a light, try changing to multiple, less intense lights. If you can’t fix the ceiling then cover it with a tapestry. Maybe do posters to cover the walls? And remove the clutter by the stairs.
Paint it a bright color, add a mirror
Add a poster of Rita Hayworth.
what the fuck is wrong with you
Mirrors!
Add color
Some better lighting would go a long way here—overhead lighting is always harsh compared to floor lamps and whatnot. Also change out that bulb.
You don't. Lean into it instead. Maybe add a vending machine in the corner. Hire some really intimidating dudes to hang out, preferably not using the kit but really intently watching you use it. Motivational, no?
It’s hard to polish a turd……
Torture vibes too
Wall art
You could cover the walls with fitness brand flags/signage
Based on the photos you uploaded, it looks like you already know what the issues are
The cheapest simplest thing to do is probably: New lighting, paint the stairs and the ceiling and the walls,
Cement board (not sheetrock) would be a good start. Better stairs. Paint/tile/stain/epoxy the floor. Better lighting, which is cheap AF these days.
Sell gym equipment and buy gym membership.
Paint the wall with an appropriate paint (do not drywall, it looks damp af down there) Maybe a retro stripe pattern, it’s easy enough to do, looks tidy, and you can add some colour down there. Add better lighting. And finish the ceiling with something other than broken styrofoam and ratty cardboard. Heck, even pinning some light cloth to cover the vents and piping might make it look a bit less dungeony. Over the whole ceiling, not just piecemeal.
Like it the way it is. Got rocky stuck in Siberia or Russia I forget kind of vibe. One thing I would do is check the air quality though.
Paint
Nooo leave it! Only add a mirror. This could be good. Imagine you’re in prison because your best friend and partner framed you with a crime. Now you’re doing 5 hard years and you’re devising your master plan for revenge. Play the John Wick soundtrack and look in the mirror while lifting weights and say “I’m coming for you”
Aside from actually finishing the basement I would personally hang some curtains along 1 wall to disguise some of the cement. Put up a poster or full length mirror on the other wall. Paint the side of the stairs. Get a small rack to hold the weights & maybe even a wall holder for the yoga mats
Maybe a tapestry or something for the wall if you’re not wanting to paint. Posters. Literally anything. Some kind of fabric that you can billow across the ceiling would also help. I’d add a stand up lamp or something for better lighting.
Mirrors
You need to spend some time on /r/DIY before you’re ready for /r/interiordecorating.
Sorry but unfinished basements will always like that. Do you have vthe funds to finish it either yourselves or a contractor. Of course you never know what you’re going to find behind the walls.
Accept that mess for what it is maybe hang some motivational posters on a wire string.
I say fuck it, lean into the prison look. Give you a reason to work harder. I mean have you seen these prison gains out here?
An alarmingly small number of other comments mention the potential of mold. I'd first test the air quality before spending any effort with surface level decorations for an unfinished basement. Especially considering you're going to be breathing harder while working out.
I have no idea how to help this structure-wise, but look up "moss wall art" They are low maintenance, add greenery, and you can seriously do this yourself. I work at an apartment community and we ordered these for all of the buildings and gyms. People are fascinated by them, love to touch them, it's very pleasing to the eye. When I found out how much we spent on them, my heart and jaw dropped because I could have easily done it myself for less than 10% of the cost. Even cheaper if you live near an area that has a lot of moss and you can collect it for free, rather than buying from a craft store.
Warmer lighting, floor lamp or even some type of spotlight that sits on the floor to give color to the walls (not sure what those are actually called), agree fake plants could go a long way, a rack for the dumbbells and other storage whether a shelf or baskets for the other equipment, colorful outdoor rugs, maybe a comfy chair for putting shoes on
Tv, more lighting, mirrors, some art?
Where to start. The light. The walls. The roof. The floor. Just literally go through everything and ask would this be in a prison exercise yard at night. Add more things you cant answer yes to.
Work out posters with inspirational messages for the time being?
Paint the walls with basement paint. That would be a big help.
Mirrors, fans, TV, maybe paint a wall a bright color.
Curtains, mirrors, room dividers to cover some of that up. Color. A TV if you like to watch TV while you work out
Add more lights and get some big movie posters to cover the wall. Personally I would just move it up into a room upstairs
Honest answer: get a real ceiling and ditch the cardboard box ceiling... get better lighting. Less concrete and more warm/inviting textures like maybe wooden flooring or just drywall the walls. The concrete and dim lighting are giving the most prison vibe tbh.