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ALEXANDRIA, Va. ¡ª Fitness guru Denise Austin tapes workout segments at luxurious resorts and on exotic beaches around the world. But Austin's ultimate oasis is her home just outside Washington, D.C. Like the tropical paradises Austin frequents, it is filled with palm trees.

Palm-printed drapes populate Austin's home office, appear in several rooms as lamp bases and are prominently featured as giant floor-to-ceiling sconces in the family's entertainment room. "I am from California, so I love palm trees. It is my homage to California," she says.

Austin, 50, who hosts two fitness programs on the Lifetime Network (Fit and Lite and Daily Workout), has written nine books and sold more than 20 million fitness videos and DVDs. Her two latest titles, Denise Austin: Yoga Body Burn and Denise Austin: Burn Fat Fast Cardio Blast, arrived Tuesday, just in time for the post-holiday weight-loss blitz.

As bubbly in person as she is on her shows, Austin left the palm trees of California behind and traded them for the dogwoods of Virginia almost 25 years ago when her husband, Jeff, took a job with a sports marketing firm. The family has since expanded to include daughters Kellie, 17, and Katie, 14, and Madonna, a 10-year-old Portuguese water dog.

The Austins settled into their six-bedroom, six-bath, two-story Colonial 7½ years ago after extensive renovations. Virginia-based architect Eunice Murray, who specializes in large additions in transitional styles, expanded the original 1,800-square-foot home to 7,400 square feet (including the garage.)

"We used handmade brick on the front exterior to blend with the originals and relied on more glass and windows on the back of the home," Murray says. The result is a near-seamless transition between the 75-year-old original structure and the massive addition.

And though the home's square footage more than quadrupled, the feel remains cozy and intimate. The interior is awash in creamy blends of soft buttermilk, pale gold and faded pinks. Layered and textured fabrics and wallpaper add a sense of depth.

Even Austin's home gym is more homey than high-tech. Exercise equipment is scattered casually around the room, and a mirrored wall helps Austin watch her form. A balcony overlooks the backyard.

"In the mornings Jeff and I will exercise here together," Austin says. "And yes, I really only work out 30 minutes a day."

Throughout the home are photos of Austin with President Bush, journalist Larry King, her mentor and fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne and other celebrities.

But it is photos of family and friends that dominate the walls and shelves. Candid photos of the couple's daughters and extended family are everywhere: daughter Kellie playing lacrosse, Katie in her first Communion dress and Austin's father Joe Katnich in uniform. (He played baseball for the St. Louis Browns in the 1940s.) Even a black-and-white shot of Austin's sister-in-law Tracy Austin, winning the 1979 U.S. Open tennis championship. "The photo was featured on the cover of Life magazine," Austin says proudly. "You can see Jeff in the background cheering her on. "

Because Austin married into a family of tennis pros ¡ª Jeff's siblings are all professional tennis players ¡ª it's no surprise that a tennis court takes center stage in the home's well-manicured backyard. "We actually lucked out with the court. You want it to face north and south, not east to west, so it worked out perfectly. ¡­ It took six months to dredge the area and build the walls surrounding the court."

A basketball hoop hangs off to one side of the court, where equipment for lacrosse also can be found. "We play on the court but we also use it for other events," Austin says. "My oldest daughter and her friends had her last few pre-prom pictures taken here."

The home's interior is as rich as the backyard. Austin features artwork from area artists, including landscapes by artist Kevin Fitzgerald, a painting of palms by Maryland artist Kirk McBride and a floral still life by Virginia's Republican senator, John Warner.

"Not a lot of people know he paints," Austin says. "For years we would bump into each other at events and he would ask me what my favorite flower was. ¡­ I won a still painting by him at a charity auction, and he painted a yellow tulip for me."

Like the myriad photographs, it is Austin's family story that is woven into much of the artwork. One piece by the late Maryland artist Susan Davis, best known as a cover artist for The New Yorker, features Austin in a winter setting, ice-skating with her daughters.

A hieroglyphic-style piece in the family entertainment room by artist Dana Cavanaugh chronicles the family story. It features milestone events and symbols from throughout Austin's life: Her start as a gymnast, her husband playing tennis, her two daughters and, of course, Austin's beloved palm trees.