Creating the perfect home music room

How to set up a home music room

Depending on your particular passion, your home music room could take a variety of forms. Perhaps it’s a classic piano room or a place where your band can gather and rehearse. You may simply want a private space with great acoustics to enjoy your records in peace, or perhaps your needs stretch to a full-blown recording studio. Whatever the case, once you’ve pinned down the purpose of your room, the rest of the design and your home music studio ideas can follow.

Choose your location

The location of your home music room is key, so select it carefully. Basements, extensions and garage conversions make fantastic spaces for a home music room, as they tend to be separate from other living spaces and so require less soundproofing. In general, it’s best to avoid putting a home music room or studio directly above or below a bedroom, where it might disturb family members. In the same vein, a recording space shouldn’t go next to the bathroom or kitchen, as running water and flushing noises will affect sound quality.

Insulate well

You should be sure to soundproof effectively so you don’t accidentally affect the value or appeal of your home for resale. While one prospective buyer could find the home music room appealing, another might have reservations if they feel it’s been poorly insulated from the rest of the home.

By soundproofing well, however, you can simultaneously improve the acoustics. Sound bounces off hard surfaces like tile and hardwood flooring, so avoid those and opt for softer options. In a basic music room, soft chairs and rugs or carpet should provide enough sound absorption, while more serious set-ups may require acoustic ceiling tiles and specialised foam insulation. Prism-patterned foam is commonly used for professional studios, but a good music store can advise on the grade and type of foam that will suit your space.

How to decorate a home music room

After the bricks and mortar decisions, it’s time to style your music room to fit with your interior design scheme. Musical instruments, from guitars to exotic African djembe drums, can make great focal pieces. You might prefer to showcase iconic album covers, records and pictures from concerts for fabulous on-theme wall hangings. You could also borrow home music studio ideas from the style of musicians you admire, whether that’s chic black-and-white, 1950s-inspired furnishings or a more bohemian, colorful look.

Once you have a concrete plan on how to organize your home music room, you can begin the construction process, with the help of an interiors company specializing in studios. Before long you'll have your very own musical sanctuary to enjoy at home.