soffit mount/ listening position in a long room

i'm building a one room studio (recording/mixing) mostly rock music. the dimensions are 26' 2" x 10' 5" x 7' 8" if i don't soffit mount my monitors, my desk and listening position will be almost 10 feet back. i feel like this takes up too much 'work' space for drums and what-not. my question is. . . if i DO soffit mount my speakers, can i move my listening position closer to the wall, thus opening up more of the room? and, is there any quick work-a-round for this, like gobos to 'fake' a shorter room when mixing? a simpler version of the question: is the 38% rule for listening postion only pertain to desktop speakers (ie: non-soffit/flush mounted speakers? a sketchup of my room is here: http://johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7411

Ethan Winer recommends the 38% mix position here. But he says he prefers soffit mounting speakers here. I think in many studios with soffit mounted speakers, the mix position is not at 38%, but rather just an equilateral triangle in a reflection free zone.

dynamike wrote:

if i don't soffit mount my monitors, my desk and listening position will be almost 10 feet back. i feel like this takes up too much 'work' space for drums and what-not.

what type of console do you have? are you basing the set-back on the SBIR off the front wall or some other factor? my console is 3'6" deep by ~7' wide and if I mount my monitors on properly decoupled stands behind my console, I'm sitting about 6'-7' back. so my guess - since you're building your room to have the performing area as well, if you can be 7'-8' you should be ok. just do a check on room modes to verify any nodes so you position the desk and monitors to avoid them. you will still need to account for some treatments on the floor, front and side walls, and ceiling.