Recording Studio Decor and Final Finishes

Finally, it’s time to talk about fabric and finishes.

There are several rules you need to keep when you think about your recording studio decor. The first and most important is that if you have a set of draws with a closed back, the chances are it’s going to resonate with some of the music you place and interfere with the sound and acoustic response of your new space. So where possible, choose open-backed furniture or if you are able, carefully cut large holes in the back (where it can’t be seen and doesn’t interfere with the integrity of the strength of the furniture). The holes need to be bigger than 150mm.

When choosing light fitting and even curtain rails, make sure they don’t or can’t rattle. When placing pictures around your room with all your gold records, avoid spaces to the left/right and behind your monitor speaks. Anything like glass or plastic is very reflective and will cause additional reflections that will be delayed in time and hit your eats later making it harder for your brain to hear the direct source (This I think will need to be another topic).

When choosing a sofa for the rear of your control room, even though leather is cool, it’s also reflective especially if it’s thick leather. So try and go for a fabric sofa or invest in loads of cushions.

If you have gone for a laminate or hardwood floor in your control room or live room, buy a couple of rugs. This way you can take them up if you want to change the characteristics of the room. It’s always a good idea to have a laminate or hardwood floor under your studio chairs, purely so that it’s easier for you to move around between your ever-decreasing racks.

If you have the luxury of an outside window, invest in some heavy curtains, as this will help reduce reflections from the glass back into the space when the curtains are closed. Thick curtains also help when they are open to a degree.

Finally when it comes to your acoustic treatment. Stay away from foam tiles, they look cheap and aren’t all they are cracked up to be. Have you ever seen foam tiles in a professional studio…. If you purchase one of our acoustic packages, we explain how to build a professional acoustic treatment that not only works extremely well, they look good to.