Make room in your home for music with these music room ideas! Whether you can dedicate an entire room in your home or you’re creating an area for music in a shared space, here are ideas for a music room that will bring more music into your life.
Keeping musical instruments at hand for playing and practicing will make it more likely that music is a part of your routine. Good lighting, easy access to sheet music, and electronics for listening and recording are a must. Providing a healthy environment for your instruments where they won’t be damaged by spills or extreme changes in temperature is also important to consider.
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What should be in a music room? What does every music room need?
Every music room needs something that makes music! Whether it’s as big as a grand piano or as small as a ukulele, your instrument needs a place to belong. Choose a place where your instrument is easily accessible, but where there’s not so much traffic that it will make your instrument prone to bumps and damage. It’s also good to keep instruments out of direct sunlight and away from heating and cooling vents.
An instrument isn’t going to play itself, so make sure there’s a comfortable spot for a musician to sit as they play. Have a piano bench for a keyboard instrument, or a chair at a good height for a guitar, drums, or other instruments.
Music rooms need a place for storing sheet music. This can be a shelf, a cupboard, or a file cabinet. Keep it organized and within reach of your instrument so that when you want to play a song it won’t be hard to find. Having a computer and a printer nearby makes it easy to print and play downloadable sheet music. A tablet that lives in the music room is a fantastic tool that can be used to view sheet music electronically, either from your own collection or online. Make sure there’s a music stand too.
Another great thing to have in a music room is a way to play recorded music and to make recordings. A computer with a microphone that’s designed to record music would be ideal, but it’s also possible to use the built-in microphone and speaker on a phone, laptop, or tablet.
If your music room is being used by a music student, then it needs a place to store music learning materials. A file box or file cabinet is a good place to keep flash cards, games, reusable worksheets, markers, pencils, stickers, and other music learning supplies. Keep a practice progress chart, a daily practice plan, and other reference materials on the walls for motivation and reminders.
Don’t forget good lighting! If the room doesn’t have a strong overhead light, then an extra lamp to make it easy to read music is a definite must.
Home music room ideas for small spaces
If your music room is more of a music corner, you can still make it a special place that invites the family to gather around and enjoy music together. For a small space that doesn’t have room for an acoustic piano, an electric piano or keyboard is a good choice. Sheet music and music learning supplies can be stored in a basket or file box beneath the piano or keyboard when they’re not in use. You may also want to have a bookcase next to your instrument with a shelf dedicated to music books and other music supplies.
If you have an electric piano or keyboard, one big advantage is that the person playing can use headphones so that they don’t disturb anyone else. If you have an acoustic piano and need to prevent the sound from bothering other people, try putting a heavy blanket over the top and back of the piano. Rugs, curtains, and soft furniture in the room can also help dampen the sound.
Avoid putting musical instruments near exterior doors, large windows, and heating and cooling vents. Exposure to frequent temperature changes could affect how long your instrument lasts and how well it stays in tune. You’ll also want to keep food and drinks away from instruments to protect them from spills.
Remember, instruments should be accessible, but not placed where they might be in the way, such as in a hallway or partially blocking a door. Be sure to include some seating in the nearby area so that other people can enjoy when music is being played!
Home music room design ideas
Have some fun designing your music room or music corner! Taking time to create a well-thought out design can maximize the use of your space and make your music area a more enjoyable place. If you have a young music student in your home, involving them can be a fun activity to do together.
Draw a floor plan of the existing area and make note of where the windows, doors, and vents are. Sketch in a good spot for your piano, keyboard, or other instrument. Add a place to keep sheet music and other supplies. Don’t forget a good light source!
Home music room decorating ideas
Here are some additional ideas for decorating your music space:
- Have a mirror in the music room so you can watch yourself playing or singing. This not only makes the space feel larger but can help you check your posture and technique.
- Guitar learners will especially enjoy having a good guitar chord chart on the wall.
- A clock placed where it can be seen from the piano bench can help keep track of practice time.
- Include an extra lamp for additional lighting.
- Extra seating for listeners will invite others to enjoy the music too.
- A nice metronome is not only a handy tool, but can add a touch of class to your music area.
- Keep pencils handy for marking music or composing with a music-themed pencil holder.
For more ideas about creating a music room in your home, check out this article from Redfin.