How To Creatively Hide A Treadmill In A Room

BySimon Gould
smiling man running on a treadmill

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By Simon Gould

While treadmills are great for our health, they’re not the most attractive looking equipment. They don’t make a room look very nice. You can try and stick it in the corner, but it’s still there for everyone to see. You especially might want to do something about it when it’s in your living room. There are ways you can creatively hide a treadmill, so here are a few ideas.

1. Room divider

A simple attractive room divider or folding screen like the one above could easily make a treadmill disappear. I like the leaves as accents decorating the screen further. With a room divider you can still use the treadmill, it just creates that barrier in the room which takes the eyes off the equipment. Most dividers are folding so you could manipulate them around corners.

Room dividers come in a range of sizes and materials. I’ve seen some attractive designs like this Vincent Van Gogh’s Almond Blossoms room divider*, or just a plain one might suit your room. They’re mostly wooden but bamboo looks quite nice. Antique looking ones with carved wood on both sides like this* make a room stand out.

There are room dividers that can be built into the room which have sliding doors. These are popular in Japan and can give a room a different feel and contain your treadmill into a new. You just close the doors when you don’t want it to be seen. It’s like creating a totally different room within which can be decorated in it’s own right.

2. Drapes and curtains

Using fabrics to hide your treadmill may be something you prefer rather than wooden panels. They create a more softer feel. When it comes to drapes and curtains your choice of design and style is almost infinite. Whatever matches your room the best. You can get ideas everywhere. All you need to do is mount a curtain rod to hang the drapes on.

The curtain rod doesn’t need to be straight, a semi circle one going round the treadmill could be nice. Choosing the location of the curtains makes all the difference. Think about any light you may be blocking as they’re floor to ceiling. They can either match your decor, or contrast it. For some ideas and a wide selection you can find room divider drapes and curtains here*.

3. A throw

A throw may not be the first choice to hide a treadmill, but it could work. Putting a throw over furniture is nothing new, so why not a treadmill. If you have a lot of furniture like tables and shelves then something over a treadmill will not look out of place. People need never know what’s underneath it, they would just appreciate the fabric they can see.

A throw can be subtle or a geometric design like a large quilt. If you use your imagination and what would look good in your room, you’ll soon be able to find something that matches. Explore some fabrics to see what inspires you. Make sure you measure the treadmill so you can find enough fabric to cover it entirely. It could be a very cheap way of hiding your treadmill.

4. Under a couch, bed or desk

Most treadmills have folding mechanisms, but even these will be too big to fit under a couch or bed. But there are special treadmills that don’t have frames. These have a height of around 5 inches which could easily fit under a bed and some couches. These are usually designed for walking and have a top speed of 6 kmh or 3.7 mph. To see what they look like here are some*.

They just have a deck and your workout information is shown on a display at the front in a large font so it can be seen. These are popular in some offices as you can put a desk above them. You can then walk while you work and burn calories at the same. Hiding one under a couch means visitors would never see it or know you had one, unlike room dividers.

5. Behind furniture

If the room is large enough you could put a treadmill behind some furniture. A book shelf may be able to hide a treadmill. You normally put a treadmill against a wall so it may take some thinking outside the box to imagine furniture in front of it. But a corner of a room could have something in front of it concealing your equipment behind it.

Some treadmills can be put on their side when folded. These could easily fit behind a wardrobe, bed or couch. It may be difficult if your treadmill is heavy which is increasingly likely these days. But it’s one way of hiding it if you wanted to on special occasions like Thanksgiving, for example. It wouldn’t be noticed and you would keep the space in the room.

6. DIY solution

You could make whatever you use to hide your treadmill a real focal point if you made it yourself. It would certainly impress if you’re the one who made the throw or the folding screen. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, this could be the option for you. It’s certainly the cheapest way. Maybe you know someone who makes quilts and you could both design one.

If you’re a carpenter or know one, then a piece of furniture could be made specifically to house and hide your treadmill. It could be multi functional by serving several different purposes. This is certainly not a cheap option but could be the most impressive. It could be something permanent in the home or more portable.

7. Half wall

This is definitely something that would be permanent in the home. It could be a full wall or not. It could be the height of the treadmill or go up to the ceiling. This is the option that would most match your decor. If it looks like the other walls then it would conceal a treadmill perfectly. There could be some curiosity as to what’s behind it, but it means you don’t have to stare at your machine whenever you’re in the room.

A new structure like this would require a lot of thought before you undertake it. It could affect the value of your home if it significantly reduces the size of a room or it doesn’t work well. Perhaps you wanted to break up a room anyway and a short wall could be the perfect way to do this. With a bit of thought, you could make it look good in your property.

8. Customized cover

If you’re looking to hide your treadmill to avoid it getting any spillages and protect it. There are special treadmill covers you can buy. These are usually black, plastic and not very aesthetic. They’re more designed to used in cold rooms like garages and porches. You’re not really hiding it but you wouldn’t know what was under the cover without asking.

You certainly wouldn’t use these covers if your treadmill is in your living room. They’re a good idea if you’ve got your treadmill in a room that attracts a lot of dust. Covering equipment that’s already hidden could be something you wanted to do. These covers are very cheap and easy to use. You can find them here* for around $30 each.

9. Elegant treadmills

This one is not really hiding a treadmill, but buying one so elegant you want to show it off. Some are like works of art and made with expensive materials. Some have sleek lines and really make a feature of the equipment. They stand out from one you see in a fitness equipment store. However, they have a price to match their elegance.

Sprintbok treadmills are “curved treadmills” that incorporate wood. They come in varieties like walnut, oak or cherry. They’re beautiful pieces of equipment you certainly wouldn’t want to hide. As you can see in the video below, they look stunning. Another brand that makes attractive treadmills is Technogym. You can often find these inside fitness facilities and celebrity homes.

Summary

It can be a real challenge to make a large piece of equipment not the focal point of a room. But it is possible, and it’s possible to do it in a way that enhances the room. Whether you choose to decorate around it, or conceal it completely, it doesn’t need to be the eyesore in the corner. A pretty folding screen could give the room some real character it never had before. You just need to use your imagination.

Thinking of buying a treadmill? Here’s my favorite, I always recommend it when asked.

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