In a remarkable transformation during the course of 2023, the owners of a Victorian-era apartment in Cadogan Square, London undertook the ambitious project of merging two separate dwellings into a single, stylish residence. With busy lifestyles involving frequent international travel, they recognised the importance of a healthy routine in order to maintain peak physical condition, and enlisted the expertise of Paragon Studio, based in Bath, UK, to design a gym space that would seamlessly blend sustainability, aesthetics, and functionality.
The challenge was substantial, as the designated gym area was formerly a living room situated in the corner of the building so optimising space and functionality was paramount. Ben Walter, Account Manager at Paragon Studio, commented on the project's scope, noting, "This was an ambitious project; the gym was previously a living room! It’s located in the corner of the building and now enjoys a dual aspect view. The client sought a calm and modern space to exercise in and was encouraged by our extensive and diverse use of natural materials."
Paragon Studio's brief involved not only designing a stylish and modern gym but also ensuring practicality and space efficiency. The team designed and created their first triple wall storage unit, innovatively engineered to hold both dumbbells and kettlebells, addressing the need to save space wherever possible and maximise the gym's floor space.
The triple wall storage unit has since become a staple in the Paragon Studio range, providing a vertical, stylish storage solution for many of their popular equipment pieces as well as creating a visual talking point. The studio's commitment to sustainability extended beyond design aesthetics, as they carefully selected low-impact machines to minimise noise and disturbance to other residences within the building.
The newly designed gym boasts a curated selection of high-quality equipment, including a 10-pair set of Paragon Studio’s award-winning Diabolo Dumbbells. These stunning free weights offer unparalleled levels of customisation and were the result of eight years of experience in the prime property and superyacht sectors, researching what makes the perfect dumbbell. Having recently conducted a full Lifecycle Analysis (LCA), they have also been certified as the world’s first Carbon Negative dumbbells, with all emissions annually offset plus ten per cent.
Alongside the dumbbells, the gym also includes four Paragon kettlebells, a TRX system, an exquisite leather Paragon Studio designer punch bag with matching boxing gloves, leather medicine balls, a Concept2 rowing machine, an adjustable bench, and various yoga accessories crafted from environmentally sourced and biodegradable cork. Not only does cork provide strong structural support whilst working out, it also maintains its natural warmth and provides a naturally non-slip surface. A NoHrd Slim Beam, in oak, completes the Knightsbridge gym with a smart and compact cable training facility. The cleverly curated use of natural oak, stainless steel, and leather throughout the space has created a luxurious and cohesive feel to the gym's aesthetic.
From the initial commissioning of the design brief to the completed installation, the entire project was realised within a remarkable four-month timeframe. The finished gym stands as a testament to the seamless integration of beauty and functionality, offering a blueprint for creating a home gym that is both visually stunning and fully equipped for a comprehensive workout experience.
About Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors
Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors is a specialist wellness design for the superyacht and prime property sectors. Their experienced team have an unrivalled understanding of the complexities of gym and space design, both on land and at sea. This, together with a vast experience in the health and wellness industry, helps create an unbeatable service.
If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.
Get an exclusive glimpse into the world of full-custom fitness design with ex-yacht deckhand Edward Thomas, as he reveals what it is like to design gyms for the most lavish of clients.
Palaces, Hollywood mansions, and multi-million-pound superyachts are all common design environments for former yacht deckhand Edward Thomas, who established an award-winning business that designs breathtaking gym spaces for some of the world’s most exclusive locations and lucrative clientele.
Edward started his career working onboard superyachts as a deckhand. Edward explains, “My duties were mainly cleaning and part of my remit was to look after the gym equipment. There was a particular set of dumbbells that used to rust like crazy, and I would sit up all night polishing them - only to find them orange again in the morning! This prompted me to look into products that were more suitable for the maritime environment and resulted in me starting the business in 2014.”
Designing gyms allows Edward and his team to travel to some of the most incredible properties and superyachts all over the world. Located in Bath, UK and operating internationally with distribution hubs in Europe and the USA, Gym Marine Yacht & Design further expanded its services with the launch of Coral Spa Consultants earlier this year. “Coral Spa Consultants is a natural extension of the business, and means we implement luxury spa and wellness spaces alongside the gyms already created,” says Edward.
The company has noticed a rise in popularity for having both guest gyms and crew gyms aboard yachts, and with crew wellbeing in mind Gym Marine collaborates with Saltlick Fitness, their crew wellbeing partner, to provide crew with carefully curated programmes that will work alongside the equipment crew have available. “Saltlick Fitness was founded by a duo of personal trainers that have worked on yachts, and who understand the demands of that working environment,” explains Ed. “They know how to motivate people and how the limited space available aboard a yacht can be optimised.”
Gym Marine has an impressive client base that trusts the team to manage their health and fitness needs in estates all around the world. As Edward explains, “One billionaire client approached Gym Marine to consult on 12 of his properties globally, plus a very large yacht currently in build in Europe. The brief was to make the experience the same in every property, so wherever he is in the world he can keep to his specific workout plan.” Being an independent consultant allows Gym Marine to not be tied to a single provider, and the team specific only the very best equipment for their clients.
Gym Marine often receive requests for custom pieces of gym equipment, and the team frequently collaborate with Paragon Studio to create luxurious, sustainable products made from premium natural materials. “Working with UHNWIs means expecting the unexpected,” says Ed. “Requests can include everything from leopard print kettlebells to $50K teak-and-bronze dumbbells, or wrapping equipment in leather for an ‘Hermes’ style.”
For those with expensive tastes, Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors are clearly the name top of the shopping list.
The spirited, high-end lifestyle hotel located in Kentucky is an upscale, independent property housing 125 rooms, featuring restaurant and dining spaces, lobby lounge and bars, rooftop with sprawling views of downtown Lexington and the Distillery District, as well as an accompanying event space and bespoke gym.
Working with the hotelier and his design team, Paragon Studio were delighted to be involved in this boutique gym project right in the heart of Lexington’s famous Bourbon district.
The gym replicates the incredible finishes incorporated throughout the hotel; built to mirror Kentucky’s unbridled enthusiasm, warm Southern light, and full-galloped feeling.
The team worked on the gym layout design, and created a kit list including Paragon Studio adjustable gym benches and boxing equipment with the hotel logo debossed into the leather pads. They also specified Diabolo Dumbbells with the logo laser engraved into the end plates, matching racks and cork yoga equipment.
Lastly, Peloton and Precor were brought in to the project to complete the gym’s cardio and strength offering.
The Manchester Hotel opened on 2nd June 2023!
Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors is a specialist wellness design for the superyacht and prime property sectors. Their experienced team have an unrivalled understanding of the complexities of gym and space design, both on land and at sea. This together with our vast experience in the health and wellness industry helps create an unbeatable service.
Coral Spa Consultants, part of the Gym Marine Group, will be managed by Kayleigh Westgarth and will allow the Group to expand its service offering and providing clients with spa design and specification services alongside Gym Marine’s successful gym design and equipment supply business.
Initial offerings from Coral Spa Consultants include a spa starter pack, which will allow any yacht with the necessary space and skill amongst its crew to offer massage and spa treatments to guests, without the need for a pre-existing or purpose-designed space.
Coral Spa Consultants will advise interior designers of the operational practicalities, they will provide expert design and specification, and manage installation, focusing on operational flow for a seamless onboard experience.
Coral Spa Consultants outfit spas with the most suitable equipment for the space, whether that’s a dedicated wellness area, a treatment room, or a portable massage setup.
The team will also support crew and onboard therapists with pre-launch recommendations for professional products, how to create a treatment menu, and provide ongoing training if required.
“With over 15 years in the health and wellness industry, I have worked on many prestigious yachts and was I responsible for setting up and managing the spa aboard one of the world’s largest superyachts. This first-hand experience of onboard spa use and guest requirements has helped me identify gaps in the market in terms of design and layout, as well as guest needs and the needs of the spa therapist.” – Kayleigh Westgarth, Coral Spa Consultants.
"When it comes to space planning for superyacht spas, the required storage space is often overlooked, causing last minute changes and disrupting the treatment flow. My goal is to commence these conversations earlier in the design stage, placing owner and guest experience forefront of the discussion – so that ultimately, the spa therapist can provide the level of luxury expected in these environments.” – Kayleigh Westgarth, Coral Spa Consultants.
“This is a very natural development for us, and we’re really excited about this new arm of our business. Kayleigh’s expertise in all areas of spa design and specification will allow us to offer a broader scope of services to our clients and design full-scope health and wellness spaces aboard yachts, as well as designing for private residences and luxury resorts.” – Ed Thomas, Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors.
Engaging Coral Spa Consultants for spa design and guidance will result in a perfectly proportioned, holistically designed space, which is equipped to offer the latest in spa trends and treatments and meet every owner and guest requirement.
A gym’s layout has a big impact on the aesthetics of the overall space and, as such, careful planning should go into the positioning of each piece of equipment. “As with every room in a house, a home gym should be worthy of an amazing photoshoot and avoid falling into the all-too-common trap of looking like a cluttered jungle of metal and plastic,” advises Edward Thomas, Managing Partner of Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors.
Firstly, it helps arrange equipment in a way that is aesthetically optimised when anyone walks into the gym so that the space feels expansive and orderly. This can be done by placing equipment in ascending height order and avoiding any bulky machines directly in front of the entrance.
It is also recommended that gym layouts feature zoned areas in terms of the equipment, creating distinctive cardio, strength and stretching or yoga areas. Each of these areas come with individual considerations that will impact the overall layout of the gym.
For the first incarnation of any home gym, it’s also advisable to only fill the space up to 75 per cent. “Fitness is an ever-evolving pursuit and if the user takes up a new discipline in the future, this extra space will allow for new additions, such as specialist machines,” adds Edward.
Access to equipment
Leaving enough space to get on and off equipment might sound obvious, but it is often overlooked during the planning of a gym layout. This is a particularly important consideration for cardio equipment, with treadmills accessed from the back, and bikes and cross trainers accessed from the side.
Minimum safety clearance
Manufacturers will require that treadmills are positioned with a minimum safety clearance of at least one metre behind for safety purposes. In smaller spaces, this can be challenging and will often dictate the layout of the room.
Ceiling height
Cardio equipment requires ample ceiling height, which may also dictate the layout of a gym, particularly in spaces with pitched roofs.
Power supply
Cardio equipment generally needs to be powered and, therefore, positioned near power sockets. While more flexibility can be added to the gym layout with self-powered equipment, these versions don’t feature touchscreen displays. Installing floor boxes with power sockets is another solution that allows for flexibility in the layout of powered cardio equipment without visible wiring.
Television
It’s advisable that all cardio equipment faces a television as these are the machines that people spend the longest duration on and may like to watch TV or an online class while doing so. It’s important, therefore, to consider the distances between the machines and the TV.
Strength Area
Flooring
As strength areas usually incorporate free weights, such as dumbbells or Olympic barbells, a different type of flooring will be needed in this area to provide protection.
Multi-functional equipment
Traditional strength equipment takes up a lot of space, but modern-day solutions allow gym designers to optimise the number of strength exercises per square metre. Choosing multi-functional equipment can allow more layout flexibility by incorporating many different exercises into a single footprint.
Working area
A lot of strength equipment, such as dual-adjustable pulleys or power racks, requires a certain amount of working area around it. These working areas are not included in the item’s CAD block, which many interior designers and architects rely on to plan a gym layout. As such, it is important to check the recommended working area for each piece of equipment and draw that onto any plans to ensure that users will have space to move around it and exercise to the full potential of the machine.
If you’d like to feature your news and stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more.
New to the market, Paragon Studio was founded in 2020 in Bath, where all its products are designed. Manufactured in the UK & Europe, the SBID Accredited Supplier designs high-end, sustainable gym equipment for private, residential and superyacht gyms across the globe. With years of experience in the luxury fitness sector, Paragon Studio meets the increased demand for customisation and bespoke gym design with its extensive collection.
The company ethos of 'form follows function' ensures all products meet the highest standards of quality, whilst boasting an exquisite design aesthetic. Understanding that luxury gym products are made for real people and not museums, its equipment stands up to the challenge of everyday use. The collection has been carefully crafted and rigorously tested to guarantee long-lasting durability.
The British company offers its customisable gym products using sustainable, natural materials. With its origins in the Superyacht and hospitality sectors, Paragon Studio understands that the identity of a boat or hotel is part of the whole experience and enjoyment of a space. Its ability to customise products with logos and monograms, whilst matching materials used throughout the rest of the space offers interior designers complete ease of design specification.
Similarly, when it comes to home gyms, working alongside designers and architects, Paragon Studio is able to customise and incorporate the same colours, finishes, materials and handle patterns used in the rest of the design scheme, ensuring seamless integration so the gym becomes an extension of the overall design rather than an obvious add-on.
Using only the finest and sustainably sourced materials, the entire collection is plastic-free, manufactured in the UK & Europe. Every product is made-to-order preventing any surplus of stock or wastage of materials. Reducing waste further, the whole collection comes with a lifetime warranty for mechanisms and structural integrity. Repairing products rather than simply replacing them, Paragon Studio offers a full refurbishment service to ensure equipment continues to look and perform beautifully.
All wood components are FSC Certified and locally sourced where possible. Unlike synthetic alternatives, wood's natural grain and quick-drying properties offer unparalleled grip - essential for handles and storage. With its natural antibacterial properties, easy maintenance and a warm-to-touch surface, the collection includes a range of standard wood options including Oak and the ever-popular American Walnut. However, products can be customised with any wood specifications if required.
Where possible, Stainless Steel is sourced from recycled steel billets in line with the company's sustainability ethos. Resistant to corrosion and extremely hard-wearing, Paragon Studio only uses the highest quality stainless steel across the range - including offering the option of 316 marine grade Stainless Steel components for use on superyachts. Alongside the classic steel finish, products are also available in bronze.
The collection comprises benches, barbells, dumbbells, wall bars, boxing equipment, storage solutions and accessories - including exercise balls, rollers, skipping ropes, push-up handles, and plyo boxes.
Discover more sustainable products for interior design, here.
If you'd like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more.
Join SBID
Find out more about our flexible membership structure.
By subscribing, you agree to be added to SBID’s mailing list. As an industry’s standard bearer organisation, we strive to bring you the most up to date news and access to exclusive industry content through our various newsletters.
First Name
Last Name
Email Address
I accept the SBID Terms of Use