By Monica Jones
Photos By David Dietrich
It’s easy to find excuses to avoid working out. Still, Judy Jenkins and Glenda Selman had decided that they would make the commitment. They had even set aside space in their Brevard home—a lower -level area that provided breathtaking views of a sparkling lake and the surrounding hardwood trees. But that room! "It was a dank, crummy, concrete basement," Judy recalls.
"I don’t like to exercise at all," says Judy, "but I’d reached the point where I’d tried every which way around it and finally said ‘no, I just have to do it.’ I decided I needed an area that had a wonderful atmosphere—somewhere that would make me want to exercise."
Mary Adams and Paula Benton of Cocoon Interior Design were given the challenge. "The goal was to create an environment that tantalizes and energizes, and one to encourage a lifestyle focused on health and well-being," says Adams.
They wanted a space that was "soothing but not cold, serene but not dull, beckoning but not frantic," according to Adams. "We wanted to harness the view and bring it indoors. The setting just took us by the hand and led us through what we wanted to do."
The designers envisioned two areas: one for working-out and one for rejuvenation and relaxation. Reclaiming an adjacent cinder-block storage area and transforming that space into three finished rooms also gave their clients a bathroom with a steam shower, a laundry room and a wet bar/entertainment area. The uninviting basement evolved into a practical, useful space that not only fulfills their initial quest for an enticing work-out area, but also enhances and transitions indoor and outdoor living spaces.
"This is my room. I could live down here," says Judy, as she turns the door handle to reveal sounds of softly splashing water heralding a sense of peace, calm and tranquility. Instinctively you know you are entering a very special place—this is definitely not your everyday "guy’s" gym or sweatbox. It is a true woman’s retreat: a place to escape and rejuvenate.
The palette of soft blue-greens on walls and ceilings, with cabinets and trim in a peaceful dark brown truffle color, echo shades of nature and provide a soothing environment. Natural cork floors warm the space, as well as being soft underfoot. "We took cues from the colors and serenity of water, stone and other natural elements," explains Benton.
Screens built between two load-bearing beams and their adjacent walls help separate the main area into two distinct zones. Custom made from willow branches embedded in Ecoresin, a translucent, environmentally-friendly product, the screens have a depth to them that almost pulls you in, perpetuating the illusion of oneness with nature.
For serious work-outs, there’s everything a high-end gym could offer: a stationary bicycle, an elliptical trainer, a treadmill, an ab-lounger, a flat screen TV, central AV system and plenty of storage space. The spectacular view through the window is enhanced by a floor fountain’s soft melodious tones.
The relaxation area offers two curvaceous, overstuffed chaises, half-moon ottomans, stone-topped, petrified-wood side tables and a recessed fireplace in the wall. "It’s not a roaring fireplace—it has an expanse of softer flame—but it really throws off the heat," says Adams.
Artwork from the Bluewood Gallery in Brevard includes fine art photography printed on archival canvas and coated to resist fading and water damage. "It’s like adding windows to the room," says Jenkins. "Instead of seeing a wall, you see infinity."
The adjacent utility areas have travertine-tiled floors throughout. The stacked washer and dryer in the laundry room capitalize on the small space and a drying rack folds out from the wall, leaving the floor free of clutter.
The steam shower in the bathroom is perfect after a grueling work-out. Concrete countertops and sinks—here in the gym and in the wet bar area—have a variegated veined finish with a Mayan Tan acid stain. "We used concrete because it gives a wonderful organic feel, just like carved stone," says Adams.
A stone backsplash in the wet bar incorporates more elements of nature, while a wine rack, under-counter refrigerator and floor-to-ceiling cabinets provide plenty of storage for glasses and wine bottles. The wet bar also has direct access to the deck and the welcoming hot tub, and becomes a natural connection between the outside and inside.
According to Judy, the relationship between designer and client either works or it doesn’t. This one, it seems, was made in heaven. "Paula and Mary just understood what we wanted. The space is serene, but energized. Everything they brought in—from colors to furniture—was perfect. I used to hate exercising, but now I can’t wait to get down here and work out."
