A HOME RECORDING STUDIO DOUBLES AS A DREAM GARAGE

Before Mark Blaha got his own space, he put his recording studio in one half of a renovated barn on his spread 30 minutes outside Philadelphia while his wife Georgette set up her weaving studio in the other half. It didnt' take long for them to realize that loud music and textiles don't go together.

Lucky for him, the couple needed extra space to store tractors and mowers, so he hired architet Peter Archer to design a new barn with room for a studio. The 900 sq ft space has a main music room, a small mixing station, a kitchenette, a loft room, and a bathroom. Mark chose all-wood interior because it helps absorb sound better than wallboard or concrete. Exposed trusses in the vaulted ceiling also help break up the music.

From ManSpace: A Primal Guide to Marking Your Territory

Blaha, who toured with rock bands through the 1980s and 1990s, spends time every day in the studio. After years crammed into a tour bus with other musicians, he enjoys the open space and solitude of the barn. There's a bass setup, drums, three electric and three acoustic guitars, and an electric mandolin. He and his blues band practice regularly in the music room and his teenage son, who goes to boarding school nearby, comes over to jam with his dad on weekends. On occasion, Blaha, who is retired, rents the space to local bands as a favor. In his control room he mixes and records songs with a professional collection of electronics. For Blaha, having his own space to do what he wants whenever he wants is the best tune he's come up with yet.