Gym & Fitness Center Painting Ideas

Did you know over 64 million people in the U.S. have a gym membership? Motivations range from wanting access to high-caliber equipment and resources like physical trainers, to wanting to meet a personal fitness goal. 

If you own a fitness center, it makes sense that you’d want to deliver the best experience possible for your customers. Sometimes, that means livening the place up with a fresh coat of paint! 

If you’re considering painting your fitness center, and you’re looking for neat ideas, why not try one of these on for size?

Use Different Colors To Encourage Motivation, Good Moods

Colors affect people’s moods, thoughts, and behaviors in unexpected ways. 

Certain effects seem to be automatic, a default physiological response to particular hues and tones that appears to stay consistent across culture. Others seem to draw more on cultural connotations and personal symbolism, and thus vary by region. 

At a fitness center, colors most known to enhance motivation, reduce pain or stress, or spark an energized mindset can make the space more appealing to gym goers. Consider the impact of some of these color choices. 

Reds & Pinks

Red is associated with passion, drive, and ambition. Pink can also evoke passion, but it also has a feminine aspect. Both colors could be good options for a cardio-oriented space. Just beware of combinations that cultivate a romantic mood rather than an athletic one.

Blues & Greens

Did you know blue is the most popular color worldwide? Internationally, more people choose a shade of blue as their favorite color than any other, by a large margin. 

It’s popularity might stem from its soothing properties. Blue and green shades tend to cultivate a sense of calm automatically. This could make these hues a good choice for a space dedicated to doing yoga, or cooling down after a workout. 

Sunshine Colors

Yellows, oranges, and “shiny” translucent hues have diverse cultural meanings. In the United States, they tend to be associated with warmth, friendliness, creative energy, and positivity. Orange, in particular, has a strong cultural association with brands that are affordable, sociable, and reasonably-good quality. 

Earth Tones

Earth tones are shades that evoke natural landscapes. These palettes are full of blue, brown and green hues drawn from seascapes, warm deserts, or rainy redwood forests.

Earth tone interior decor often makes people feel grounded. They’re more embodied, have a greater sense of connection to the natural world, and can tune out artificial distractions. This harmonious sense of physical and spiritual balance can definitely motivate people to work out long-term, without over-exerting themselves. 

Consider Your Brand Aesthetic & Style

Interior design should align with a fitness center’s broader branding and marketing. All three should stem from the center’s heart and goals. Who are your ideal customers? How are you trying to serve them?

Color and aesthetic can be part of how a brand tells its story to customers–and differentiates itself from competitors in the process. Consider the different color palettes and aesthetics of Orange theory Fitness and Curves. 

Orangetheory looks practically science fictional, with its high-contrast orange and blue lighting, sleek rows of metallic, futuristic machines, each with prominent personal data screens. The sci-fi action movie aesthetic works for a brand that centers on hyper-personalized, data-driven workouts as the future of fitness.

In contrast, step into Curves and see warm earth tones, with splashes of its iconic lavender-violet. The lighter shade of purple weaves a feminine element throughout the space, visually reinforcing one of its appealing differentiators: it’s a gym for women,by women. Exercise equipment is positioned in a circle, to encourage social connection. That camaraderie is key to Curve’s brand of fitness: working out isn’t about competition, but about keeping one’s whole self healthy. 

The brands’ visions and styles couldn’t be more different. Yet, both get the job done.

What story is your gym trying to tell? And how can you use interior design to tell it?

Decorate With Inspirational Messages and Imagery

Inspirational motivational posters may have become a cliche at this point. Yet, people do like being inspired. So, why not give the fitness inspo-imagery a bit of an update?

Consider grounding your gym a bit more in your local community, and choose inspirational quotes from locally popular figures. Or, lean into your brand’s voice, and choose quotes aligned with your sense of humor or personable tone. 

Use Different Colors For Distinct Gym Sections 

When painting your gym, color-coordinating sections can make it easier for customers to know where to go for different activities, intuitively. Signage and brochures can provide additional guidance. =

You might combine the color coordinating with some of the earlier insights on how different colors impact mood and motivation. Just make sure to plan your color palette cohesively, so you don’t inadvertently combine hues that clash. 

McLean Company: Take Your Gym To The Next Level

At McLean Company, we’re not just painting pros. We’re total interior experts. Call 978-774-4330 today, and enjoy a free consultation on your commercial or industrial project. Or, use the form below to get more information.