Designer Gretchen Simon teamed up with Marks-Woods Construction Services, www.markswoods.com, on the addition of a sports complex to a Virginia home. Marks-Woods oversaw the construction and project management, while Simon was the interior designer. The goal was to create a multi-purpose space for entertaining up to 100 guests and for exercising with a basketball/volleyball court and a dedicated exercise room – all while connecting seamlessly to an existing home.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your professional background?
Gretchen: I have a Masters from George Washington University and first worked in the hospitality industry designing hotels and restaurants in Washington, DC. Then I transitioned into residential design, working with homeowners and construction firms, such as Marks-Woods.
Q: Can you tell us a little about this project?
Marks-Woods: The homeowners tasked us with building and managing the addition of a multi-purpose event and sports complex that connected seamlessly to their existing home, which was comprised of wood and stone in a farmhouse style. The new interior spaces were focused on entertaining and exercise with a new basketball/volleyball court, an exercise room, a full bathroom with laundry, and a mudroom with wet bar. The spaces needed to be large enough to accommodate their many family members and guests, and high tech and tall enough for professional grade audio-visual equipment and commercial grade lighting. Safety and durability were key for the court’s surface, which was engineered to reduce shock and increase traction. There are even commercial grade water fountains to keep spills off the court!
Q: How do you approach a design concept for an at-home gym?
Gretchen: I had previously worked with these homeowners so I had an idea of their needs, knowing that basketball and Georgetown University were both very important to them.
Q: Listening to your client’s wants and needs is critical to a successful design, but how did you incorporate your own personal style into the project?
Gretchen: The needs of the upper level gym had to be light, bright and fresh, as opposed to the lower level, which was more about incorporating the darker colors of Georgetown University.
Q: How long did this project take from inception to completion?
Gretchen: The design and construction took one year.
Q: What was your most favorite aspect of the design?
Gretchen: I enjoyed working with the vendor who supplied the nets and made the court operational. I also enjoyed planning the volleyball suites by creating a multi-use court for volleyball and badminton all in one space.
Q. How did you combine utility with design? Which do you feel is more important?
Gretchen: Both are important. It’s very rewarding toguide homeowners towards a solution that is aesthetically pleasing while also optimizing the space and the design for the best outcome.
Q: How do you balance the different styles of exercises – e.g., a yoga centered area with a heavier machine-driven component – to create a seamless, aesthetic, visual masterpiece?
Gretchen: By fulfilling all the athletic needs through flooring and equipment, using neutral paint, adding windows, and keeping the space bright and open, we created a seamless design. We also added some life with plants!
Follow Gretchen Simon @gretchensimoninteriors and Marks-Woods Construction Services @mwconstruction on Instagram.
