Transforming a Villa in Al Barsha into a Personalized Fitness Haven
Name: Matty
Location: Al Barsha, Dubai
After moving to Dubai two years ago, Matty found himself drifting away from his usual fitness habits. With a spacious villa and a preference for staying indoors during the hot months, he decided to invest in a home gym setup that would work for him, his wife, and their family. The goal was to create an inspiring, functional gym space that would make training convenient, consistent, and enjoyable.
Project Overview
Matty wanted to convert two rooms in his villa into distinct training zones—one for weights and strength work, the other for cardio and movement-based training.
Design and Planning
Space Allocation
Weights Room: Designed for strength, resistance, and functional training
Cardio Room: Set up for cardio, recovery, and flexibility-based workouts
Equipment Selection
Five-Station Jungle Gym: We sourced a Spirit Fitness ex-demo unit. It delivered excellent performance and durability while saving him 12,000 AED compared to buying new
Half Power Rack: A sleek, professional-grade rack for barbell work
Adjustable Bench: A strong, cost-effective model from Insight
Dumbbells: A full range starting light and recently extended up to 50 kg
Training Bar: A lighter 10 kg bar ideal for his wife’s workouts
Treadmill and Bike: Reliable models selected for home use without the bulk or maintenance of commercial units
Pilates Reformer: A solid-value Align Pilates unit, chosen for quality and compact size
Additional Features
Boxing: We’re adding a wall-mounted boxing bag in the garage for a more dynamic training option
Flooring: Puri PDM rubber flooring was laid across both rooms—no rubber smell, looks beautiful, and performs well under heavy use
Mirrors: To be added to improve the feel of the space and help with form during workouts
Implementation
The project began with a deep dive into Matty’s goals, space, and budget. We mapped out how to use the rooms efficiently and created a phased rollout that allowed him to add more equipment over time without disrupting the space.
We started with the flooring, then installed the larger equipment with careful attention to positioning and usability. From there, we added more functional pieces and made sure the setup worked just as well for his wife and family as it did for him.
Outcome
Matty’s villa now features a fully functioning, premium-quality gym spread across two rooms. He has a dedicated space for strength and a separate room for cardio and low-impact work. The setup is efficient, motivating, and tailored exactly to how he wants to train.
Client Feedback
Matty is thrilled with the transformation. The convenience of having everything at home means he’s training more consistently than ever, and he appreciates how the gym feels like a natural part of the villa—not just an add-on. He especially loved the cost savings and quality of the Spirit Fitness five-station jungle.
Conclusion
This project shows how a thoughtful approach, high-quality equipment, and years of experience can turn unused villa space into a professional-grade gym. Matty’s new setup blends function and style, creating an environment that supports long-term fitness for the whole family.