Draw the outer room dimensions. Allow space for a control room, an isolation booth (for recording vocals) and a main recording area. Consider creating a small drum room to record drum sets in an environment that will allow you to control the effects used on each drum---large multipurpose rooms often introduce unwanted reverb and/or have bass traps that absorb low-frequency sounds.
Design the control room. Draw the mixing board and effects units rack. The control room should be large enough to allow bands and other visitors to sit behind the producer and engineer to listen to tones and play-backs. Many control rooms include an island that can serve as a desk area about five or six feet behind the mixing board. This island can hold all of the rack-mountable effects on the front and have a sitting area in back.
Create a small isolation booth. This room should be roughly the size of a large closet and completely deadened with soundproofing material and/or carpeting. This room can be used to record guitar or bass cabinets as well as serve as a vocal booth.
Add the main recording room to the design plans. This room can be very large or small, depending on your overall space. In many cases, studio designers use two different flooring surfaces for this room. Lay down wood laminate on one part of the floor to get a nice, lively sound when recording pianos or stringed instruments; add a carpeted area for drum sets and percussion.
Add a lobby or office area if you have space available. Many artists like to relax when they are taking a break, so include enough space for a refrigerator and a television as well as a few chairs and a couch. Make this area near the front door so it can be used to receive clients and their guests.