You may not realize it, but the choices you make for your home’s decor can affect what your home sounds like. For example, you may have a room that echoes loudly when you speak, and you may view that space as undesirable for a home office. You may even have another room of the same size that doesn’t sound as loud, and you’re not sure why. The reason why the sound in those two rooms differs greatly is likely because of the design choices made in each room. Certain design decisions can help you reduce noise and essentially can soundproof your home to a level that creates the perfect ambiance.
Flooring Options
You may have noticed that bedrooms often come installed with a carpet; it’s partly because of their sound-dampening qualities. That way, you can enjoy a good night’s rest without any sound bouncing off a hard floor. If you love the look of hardwood or tile in your bedroom, you may want to consider adding an accent rug to help absorb sounds that may interrupt your sleep. In kitchen areas, where carpet would be inappropriate, consider luxury vinyl flooring, which has a foam backing that, like carpet, has sound-dampening qualities.
Window Treatments
We have helped many of our clients choose the perfect blinds for their homes, including automatic blinds that can be adjusted through a remote or even your phone! It may be surprising to find out that the materials of your shades can affect the sound of your home, but many options can reflect sound, including wood, metal, or plastic. So if you are looking for options that help soundproof your home, consider blinds that are made of fabric, silk, or linen. You could also consider mixing and matching your window treatments by adding decorative drapes, which are very effective in reducing extra noise in any environment.
Upholstered Furniture
Interestingly enough, sound can bounce off hard furniture as well. We recommend choosing upholstered furniture to help absorb a bit of the noise. You can upholster furniture yourself by simply adding fabric or padding to it. The soft material will make any seat, couch, or chair more sound-absorbent. Don’t want to get rid of the furniture you already own? We can help you get old and worn furniture re-upholstered to make it good as new. Looking to update your favorite furniture pieces? We can help with that, too! Upholstering your furniture can be a small change but goes a long way when it comes to soundproofing your home.
Textured Wallpaper
Textured wallpaper adds an extra pop of color to any boring room and helps reduce sound in your home. Especially in the past couple of years, wallpaper has been a popular choice to add a touch of personality to any space. You can easily find one that matches your style because they come in a variety of fun patterns and designs to choose from. Don’t be afraid to go bold with your wallpaper. And if you’re choosing wallpaper for a room that echoes when it shouldn’t, then consider a design with texture to help soundproof your home.
Accessorizing your home can greatly impact not just the look of your home but its function as well. If you are ever concerned with the acoustics of your home, the key to curbing loud noises and echoes will be intentionally incorporating softer surfaces into your home’s decor. We love helping clients find the perfect details for their home, from window and floor treatments to interior decor, together we can create the exact environment you seek. Fill out our design inquiry form today!
