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When designing a wall, a couple things to keep in mind:

~ The space you’re working in. Don’t just fill it up with walls. From day one, you’ll need a sign-up area, a seating area (or else people will be using the pads for seats and you’ll lose valuable space), and “stuff” space. You will not believe the amount of crap that piles up on the floor and your workspace per capita — and how much booty you’ll be able to take home that goes unclaimed.

~ Don’t make your wall the features, design angles that highlight the holds you plan on using. Volumes are a new type of hold on the market and can transform a bare wall into a bulging dream. If you keep your planes flat and uncomplicated, you’ll get a lot more out of them.

~ It’s important to have some beginner terrain, but don’t give it too much. You can make steep stuff close to beginner stuff by adding big jugs.

~ Do not make slab or low-angle walls, you will regret this.

~ If you are working with plywood, don’t make features like angle changes – you may think it’s neat when you build it, but the fact is, you’ll never use it and the routes folks set on it will be ruined if the angle changes.

~ Big cliff-like caves will get repetivite. They have their place, but don’t waste too much wall space with them if you must.

~ Prows are ALWAYS awesome. You will be stoked on prows you build.

~ Consider headroom, living space, etc.

Some more tech tips as you get going:

Top holds to check out (no, we aren’t paid for this):

http://www.teknikhandholds.com/
http://www.etchholds.com/
http://www.projectholds.com/
http://www.bomberholds.com/
http://www.pushergear.com/
http://www.soillholds.com/view-all-grips

Tell them you’re a gym and they will give you wholesale prices.

As far as the number of holds you get, start with a minimum of 1 hold per 3 square feet. This will give you a good foundation to build on, allow you to figure out which brands and shapes you like and not be as huge an investment up front. Determining the number of each style hold depends on the angle of your walls and the clientele you have.  If I were to make a percentage break down It would probably look something like this.

I personally love features/volumes for the spice they can add to climbs.

T-nuts

http://www.stafast.com/products/weldnuts.html

 tell them you’re a climbing gym and you need to put a 3/8 bolt in it.

Check out the HDLF-Hex Drive with Locking Flange for a concrete wall,  and the holes for a regular plywood wall when you install them you only need to put in 2 out of the 3 screws.

I’d go for a 1 t-nut every 6 inches, random pattern. Don’t do a grid layout. On your bouldering wall you can go even closer.