Serene Spaces

When we envision the interior design of our homes, we tend to think first of the spaces where we cook and share meals, spend time with family, and get ready for the day. We also consider the rooms where we relax and, for many, where we work from home. But over more than a decade in the design industry, Sam and Madeleine Kimball noticed one space that was regularly overlooked: the home gym.

“We kept seeing beautifully appointed homes with an afterthought of a gym tucked in a basement corner,” notes Madeleine. “The equipment was industrial-looking, the layout was uninspired, and the space felt completely disconnected from the rest of the house.”

Identifying the gap in their field presented an opportunity to provide a new, much-needed service. In 2023, the couple founded Sportova, a brand specializing in premium fitness equipment and full-service gym design, with the mission of elevating the aesthetics of home fitness spaces.

The demand for home gyms has increased dramatically over the past few years, Madeleine says. Not only are more people prioritizing dedicated fitness rooms in their homes, but they are also considering how color palettes and materials can reflect their style and boost their motivation daily. “It’s no longer just about function. People want their fitness space to reflect the same taste and care they put into the rest of their home,” she observes.

As a full-service design company, Sportova provides everything its clients need to plan their dream fitness space, including custom layouts and floor plans, photorealistic renderings, consultations for materials and finishes, and delivery and installation. Prior to developing a design concept, they meet with clients to discuss their lifestyle and design preferences and assess the home's architecture. The goal is to create a space that becomes a natural extension of their existing aesthetic: “That might mean selecting equipment in custom colorways to complement a specific interior palette, sourcing particular flooring or wall treatments, or designing built-in storage that keeps the space feeling clean and intentional.”

This applies to fitness equipment, too. Through relationships with manufacturers that offer a wide range of customizations—including custom frame colors, upholstery materials, and specialty finishes—Sportova enhances the look of exercise mats, treadmills, and even dumbbells. “We’ve done projects where custom colorways on a set of dumbbells or a particular bench finish became the anchoring detail of the whole design,” says Madeleine. “It’s those kinds of thoughtful touches that elevate a home gym from functional to exceptional.”

The possibilities are practically endless. For example, she says, “a client might want all of their equipment finished in matte black with saddle leather accents to match the millwork in their home. Another client might prefer white frames with a soft-gray upholstery for a lighter, more contemporary feel.” All of it is achievable, and each detail has a significant impact on the overall design.

When a workout space is designed with the same intention and forethought as the kitchen or living room, it has a psychological impact, too, and that can change a homeowner’s entire approach to wellness. “When you walk into a space that feels considered and personal, you want to be there,” Madeleine says. After completing a project, clients often share that they look forward to their workouts more because the room itself is more inviting. “A well-designed environment removes friction and creates a sense of ritual. It signals to you that this time matters, that your health is worth the same investment as any other part of your home. We believe that design is one of the most underrated tools in wellness,” she says.

The couple recently launched a sister company, Samuel Madeleine, which specializes in European-inspired, luxury furniture. The brand is a passion project that Madeleine envisioned over the past six years. “My heart is in the materials of anything design. I love choosing woods, selecting metals, and bringing either a gym [to life] or helping someone select a piece of furniture,” she says, noting that there is a natural overlap between Samuel Madeleine and Sportova. Many of their home gym designs, for instance, incorporate Madeleine’s original artwork from Samuel Madeleine, “which adds a personal and artistic layer to the space.”

This year, Sportova opened its first showroom in New Canaan, Connecticut. Customers can now visit to see and experience the high quality of their customized equipment. The in-person experience makes a real difference, Madeleine says: “Clients often come in thinking they need a single piece of equipment and leave with a vision for an entire room.”

Having a fitness space that feels inviting and elevated makes homeowners want to spend time there, explains Madeleine Kimball.