How to Design a Quieter Home

Photo: Art3d
There are a lot of reasons to love open-concept floor plans, but the way sound carries from room to room isn’t one of them. And with more people being at home full-time these days, it’s more important than ever to find a little peace and quiet. How can you nullify the noise without sacrificing your expansive space? Follow these simple tips.
1. Log & timber head start.
Full-log homes have built-in soundproofing benefits because solid wood walls absorb sound better than a flat drywall, creating an ultra-quiet house.
Post construction, you can take that sound transmission down another notch by adding shiplap; tongue-and-groove; leather or upholstered panels; or another sound-absorbing finishing treatment to the walls and ceiling.
2. Add knee-walls.
Since sound bounces off the nearest thing it comes in contact with, give it something to hit. Knee (half) walls are enough to keep everything from voices to footsteps from carrying; plus, they will give you extra display space for books or photos.
3. Hang window coverings.
4. Install solid-core interior doors.
5. Go softer underfoot.
Though they are log and timber home staples, hard flooring materials, like tile and wood, are less than ideal for achieving a quiet space. Not into carpet? Consider alternatives like linoleum, which is a durable and practical finish in a kitchen, or luxury vinyl planks, which can give you the hardwood-floor look that reduces both sound and cost.
6. Minimize cabinets.
Open shelving is a trendy design choice, but did you know it also has an acoustical benefit? Since sound bounces of flat, hard surfaces, reducing the number of opportunities it has to echo will quiet the clamor. And it will save you a little coin on costly cabinetry, too.
Published at Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:42:00 +0000