There are two main reasons one might be looking for noise reduction in their home: keeping noise in and keeping noise out.
As the summer months pass by and children are on vacation, parents might feel it necessary to keep the noise of their kids’ parties in so as not to disturb the neighbors. For those living close to a highway or in the center of a busy city, keeping external noises out is the priority for being able to relax and get a good night’s sleep.
The Basics
It is true that in the United States detached housing has long been the preferred option of living, with this type of housing making up 82% of owned housing in the country, up from 80% in 2000. Just because the majority of Americans live without a shared wall with noisy neighbors, that does not mean they don’t crave a little peace and quiet from the outside world.
Soft furnishings are one simple way to absorb noise and not have echoing rooms, as will be discussed later, but the very basics of noise reducing in your home is to have secondary glazing in your home’s windows. Quality windows can reduce sound up to 65%, prevent drafts from coming through in the winter and stop your home from heating up like a greenhouse in the summer.
Once you have these installed, you can start to consider what other additions will contribute to having a tranquil home.
Soft Furnishings
Soft furnishings, from carpets and cushions to curtains and blinds, are the most homely and stylish way of reducing how much noise bounces around your home.
Make sure every room in the house has some soft furnishings, taking care to theme each room so that the items match and complement each other. Have a look at the latest trends – for instance, Very Peri is the Pantone color of the year for 2022 – and ensure you’re not investing in an outdated style. Fitting out your home in this way will stop footsteps echoing, absorb the harshness of dogs barking and help soften any noise from the outside.
Future
While cushions are certainly effective, the future is bound to bring more high-tech solutions to noisy neighbors and echoing floors. The improved quality of window glazing is, of course, one of them, but smart tech is also starting to make its presence known with noise cancellation technology – even some that doesn’t require wearing headphones.
This technology is being developed due to the rising issue of noise pollution but is certain to be deployed in people’s homes as soon as it becomes financially and commercially viable. If noise cancellation technology can work in the home in the same way as `11noise-canceling headphones do – by processing unwanted noise through a microphone and emitting a canceling sound wave to drown it out – those living near traffic can look forward to hearing movies without turning the television all the way up, those with loud kitchen appliances can expect a more serene cooking experience and anybody with noisy neighbors can stop longingly looking in their nearby estate agent’s window.