Postponing Decking the Halls, to Build Up Walls

It has been a whirlwind few weeks starting with the girls' birthday party (mermaid party pics coming soon I promise) to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season. While most people are busy decking the halls, we've been building some walls. And though we might be the last ones on our block to put up our lights this year, we are getting a jump on all those new year resolutions to get fit because the walls we are building belong to a new exercise room for me!
I confess exercise has not been part of my daily routine and it should be. I want to start exercising again not so much to get back in shape but to gain some more energy. Other times in my life when I exercised regularly, I had more energy, stamina and focus.  My life with twin four year olds and a demanding full time job is exhausting- more energy is high on my wish list. So an exercise room is what I asked Santa (Mr.Cabin) for this year.

I know an entire room sounds a little extreme but let me explain a few things.
#1 - It's winter. Had it been spring or summer, I would just go outside and take a walk. But it's dark and cold by 4:30 every afternoon. Walking outside in the dark and the cold does not appeal to me.

#2- Why not just join a gym? I could of course but it all goes back to the cold and the dark. I would not want to leave my nice, warm and cozy cottage to drive to a gym. I just wouldn't go.

#3- I already have some equipment. A gazelle, which got put in the basement when pregnant me got put on bedrest- the poor machine has not seen the light of day since. Four long years. I used to have it set up in the living room but the twins and their toys have taken over and that is just not a good option anymore.

#4- You may be picturing an entire room as a large space. Nope- this room is going to be tiny. The reality is the only room we could spare was some space in basement. The basement right now is dark and dinghy- basically storage and laundry space. We were able to figure out a little space I could call my own- all 8 feet by 9 nine feet of it.

#5- If I am going to use the space it has to be pretty. Who wants to work out staring at the pile of dirty laundry? An inviting, pretty little space all my own will make working out less of a chore.

So this is what Mr.Cabin was doing this weekend instead of putting lights on our house. First he replaced the window.

He installed a slightly larger window but first he had to cut out all this excess concrete. I was so impressed he knew what he was doing!

The new window and trim.

Here is the space- can you see now why I don't want to work out in the basement as is? Yuck!

The beginning of the framing.

And since I don't want to leave you with all dinghy, dirty basement pictures- here are some pretty pictures.

This is an idea I came across while looking for inspiring exercise room photos.

from Cottage Living

I am contemplating using this cabinet from the kitchen in the same way- TV/DVD player on top, exercise dvd's and supplies inside. I just repainted it when we repainted the kitchen except the color isn't quite right for the kitchen. I going to repaint it again but now I think the color might be perfect for the exercise room.

The rest of my inspiration so far- bright, happy, invigorating and pretty. What more could a workout room ask for?

Of course, Mr. Cabin has not seen the above yet. It drives him nuts when I start decorating while he is still working. I can't help it- I'm excited about my Christmas gift!