Your home gym doesn’t have to be devoid of style

Perhaps your house has an extra room above the garage, an unused guest room or a spare space now that the kids have gone to college. These empty areas can be a great place for a home gym.

If you have a workout area right in your house, you'll find that it's much harder to come up with an excuse not to exercise – plus you won't have to wait for a machine or pay for a monthly gym membership. With 2012 coming to a close, and New Year's resolutions just around the corner, perhaps it's time to add a home gym to your house and finally lose those last ten pounds.

The design for your at-home exercise room is going to vary based on the size of your space, as well as the type of equipment that you need – but don't feel as though the industrial style of your local weight room is your only aesthetic option for this space. Rather, the more interesting you decide to make your home gym, the more likely you will be to make use of it.

Consider, for instance, putting in an area rug rather than a yoga mat. These can be more comfortable, and are great for stretching, without feeling like you're in someone's garage.

The same is true for your window treatments. Though it's important that you preserve the window's ability to open and let fresh air into the room, you can feel free to choose the colors and fabrics that you desire.

A roman shade or silk drape will look particularly nice in your home gym, and if you choose artwork for the walls in a similar color scheme, you will be thrilled with the results, and be motivated to maintain that new year's resolution.