An Exercise In Good Taste

by David Sokol

You can rely on sheer willpower or guilt to prevent the exercise gear in your home from becoming a clothes rack. But a machine's looks can be just as motivating. "Aesthetically pleasing equipment has a psychological effect you can't replicate with a pair of dumbbells in a corner," said Jim Ryno of IRON HOUSE, a design company specializing in high-end home gyms; he adds that his clients tend to use equipment with visual appeal more regularly.

While studies have not found a $10,000 stationary bicycle to be better for cardiovascular health than a less expensive one, handsome exercise equipment (and its price tag) does quicken the pulse. It can also blend more easily into a high-profile part of the home, putting fitness-centric resolutions in closer reach. We found a handful of luxury machines that are too refined to hide, whether in a basement or under dry cleaning.