Softly, Softly: Turning Down the Volume at Home
Intrusive noise from outside is a problem in many neighbourhoods – but what about the noise created inside your four walls?
Take a moment and listen to the sounds of your household going about its business. You may be surprised by what you can hear and what you wish could be quieter, less frequent or not there at all. All the beeps, bangs, squeaks and rattles of modern life accumulate. Then one day you realise you can’t recall when you last heard the golden music of silence. Constant low-level sounds inside your home may be just as irritating to live with as unwelcome exterior din. Fortunately, they’re also much more controllable.
Of course we don’t want our homes to be cones of silence. Some sounds soothe and reassure, show productivity and happiness, or alert us to something amiss. But when we close the door on the crazy cacophony of the outside world, isn’t it nice to exhale and relax, rather than enter a whole new realm of noise? Major structural sound controls, like insulation in internal walls and acoustic glazing, are best done in the construction phase. But there are many sound-baffling ideas that can be added later too. For serenity’s sake, take steps to turn down the volume in your home.
Step on it
Stairs are a significant source of household noise, especially if family members take them at speed or wear loud shoes. We walk differently on stairs than on the flat, with different weight distribution and a heavier ‘land’.
TONE IT DOWN: Carpet is by far the best way to mute footfalls. Choose carpet that is hard-wearing, practical for your lifestyle and in harmony with your decor. Avoid toe-snagging long pile or thick plush – this reduces stair depth, disguises the edge of the tread and may cause falls.
Stairs are a significant source of household noise, especially if family members take them at speed or wear loud shoes. We walk differently on stairs than on the flat, with different weight distribution and a heavier ‘land’.
TONE IT DOWN: Carpet is by far the best way to mute footfalls. Choose carpet that is hard-wearing, practical for your lifestyle and in harmony with your decor. Avoid toe-snagging long pile or thick plush – this reduces stair depth, disguises the edge of the tread and may cause falls.
Under-stair cavities are handy for creating storage. Filled with items like books and linen, they absorb some noise from the stairs. Another trick is to put a substantial cabinet or dresser against the cavity wall. Or you could consider making the stairs and the upper level a soft shoe or shoe-free zone.
If you can’t bear to cover timber stairs with a runner, have any squeaks or movement investigated – they can usually be quietened with wedges or fillers.
Concrete flooring is cool, but warmer than you think
If you can’t bear to cover timber stairs with a runner, have any squeaks or movement investigated – they can usually be quietened with wedges or fillers.
Concrete flooring is cool, but warmer than you think
Sound on the rebound
The ricochet of voices and music in high-ceilinged or minimally furnished living areas, especially those with predominantly hard materials, is distracting for chatting.
TONE IT DOWN: Improve acoustics in living areas with sound-absorbing soft furnishings. Aesthetically, a room should have some texture contrast, so keep hard surfaces like glass, metal and tile to a minimum and pump up the volume of plump cushiony sofas, ottomans, carpet, rugs and window coverings. Carpet underlay should be the best you can afford – it not only muffles noise, but also increases the life of your carpet.
The ricochet of voices and music in high-ceilinged or minimally furnished living areas, especially those with predominantly hard materials, is distracting for chatting.
TONE IT DOWN: Improve acoustics in living areas with sound-absorbing soft furnishings. Aesthetically, a room should have some texture contrast, so keep hard surfaces like glass, metal and tile to a minimum and pump up the volume of plump cushiony sofas, ottomans, carpet, rugs and window coverings. Carpet underlay should be the best you can afford – it not only muffles noise, but also increases the life of your carpet.
The popularity of timber in interiors is skyrocketing. If you’re contemplating timber boards throughout living areas, investigate acoustic flooring options. Layering rugs is an attractive and effective sound-absorbing tactic, as is attaching rug pads to their undersides.
Choose the best hard flooring for your living area
Choose the best hard flooring for your living area
Thin walls
You don’t always want to share what’s happening in the next room, which tends to happen a lot when you have thin walls. Thankfully, the laws of acoustics prove that adding mass to a wall reduces the amount of sound that passes through it.
TONE IT DOWN: Drywall linings and insulation create a sound barrier, but for a less structural method, ‘fatten’ walls with tapestries, woolly hangings, woven carpets and padded fabrics. Felt has great absorption qualities and colourful felt ball rugs on the wall are a fun look. Felted wool wallpaper comes in many colours and textures, and is easily applied to whole rooms or just shared walls.
Even large artworks can increase sound absorbency. This artwork from Alex&Elle is part of a decorative range with optional sound insulating backing.
You don’t always want to share what’s happening in the next room, which tends to happen a lot when you have thin walls. Thankfully, the laws of acoustics prove that adding mass to a wall reduces the amount of sound that passes through it.
TONE IT DOWN: Drywall linings and insulation create a sound barrier, but for a less structural method, ‘fatten’ walls with tapestries, woolly hangings, woven carpets and padded fabrics. Felt has great absorption qualities and colourful felt ball rugs on the wall are a fun look. Felted wool wallpaper comes in many colours and textures, and is easily applied to whole rooms or just shared walls.
Even large artworks can increase sound absorbency. This artwork from Alex&Elle is part of a decorative range with optional sound insulating backing.
Another effective way to add mass to walls is lining them with floor-to-ceiling shelving. These brightly-painted bookshelves create a quiet hideaway for browsing bookworms.
Does acoustic paint sound too easy? Manufacturers claim significant sound reduction from multiple coats of a paint that contains resins, fillers and hollow sound-absorbing microspheres. Dampening sound is often a case of lots of small measures adding up to success, so it may be worth investigating.
Does acoustic paint sound too easy? Manufacturers claim significant sound reduction from multiple coats of a paint that contains resins, fillers and hollow sound-absorbing microspheres. Dampening sound is often a case of lots of small measures adding up to success, so it may be worth investigating.
New arrivals
Babies keep irregular sleeping hours, so a quiet space for undisturbed snoozing is important for new arrivals.
TONE IT DOWN: Babies’ rooms are best located away from household activities. Avoid a shared wall with a bathroom, playroom or TV room. If this isn’t possible, put the cot as far from the shared wall as possible. Carpet floors and put a chunky rug under the cot, as well as substantial drapes or blinds on the windows.
Add soft furnishings, like a comfy chair, foot stool, cushions and shelving with toys and blankets against walls. These tweaks will muffle sounds from the rest of the house and prevent noisy night-time wake-ups from affecting other sleepers. You, of course, will wake at the first squeak!
Create a baby’s room in a teeny apartment
Babies keep irregular sleeping hours, so a quiet space for undisturbed snoozing is important for new arrivals.
TONE IT DOWN: Babies’ rooms are best located away from household activities. Avoid a shared wall with a bathroom, playroom or TV room. If this isn’t possible, put the cot as far from the shared wall as possible. Carpet floors and put a chunky rug under the cot, as well as substantial drapes or blinds on the windows.
Add soft furnishings, like a comfy chair, foot stool, cushions and shelving with toys and blankets against walls. These tweaks will muffle sounds from the rest of the house and prevent noisy night-time wake-ups from affecting other sleepers. You, of course, will wake at the first squeak!
Create a baby’s room in a teeny apartment
Sleep spoilers
Sanctuary, retreat, refuge, hideaway – all words we use to describe our bedrooms, and all with one thing in common: quietness. Have silent nights and recharge your batteries with some simple sound-quelling moves.
TONE IT DOWN: If you are planning a master bedroom suite, having a separate dressing area between the sleeping space and ensuite reduces noise from midnight bathroom visits. In a smaller space without a dressing area, a bedroom wall of built-in cabinetry backing onto the bathroom dampens midnight flushes and gurgles.
A bedroom door with acoustic seals cuts down on noisy entrances, and an upholstered floor-to-ceiling bedhead reduces sound transference, as do carpet, curtains, cushions and other furniture. Power off phones and other technology before sleep and have a separate – non-ticking – alarm clock.
Sanctuary, retreat, refuge, hideaway – all words we use to describe our bedrooms, and all with one thing in common: quietness. Have silent nights and recharge your batteries with some simple sound-quelling moves.
TONE IT DOWN: If you are planning a master bedroom suite, having a separate dressing area between the sleeping space and ensuite reduces noise from midnight bathroom visits. In a smaller space without a dressing area, a bedroom wall of built-in cabinetry backing onto the bathroom dampens midnight flushes and gurgles.
A bedroom door with acoustic seals cuts down on noisy entrances, and an upholstered floor-to-ceiling bedhead reduces sound transference, as do carpet, curtains, cushions and other furniture. Power off phones and other technology before sleep and have a separate – non-ticking – alarm clock.
The irregular clicking of an out-of-balance bedroom ceiling fan is sure to spoil your sleep. Check websites with customer satisfaction ratings before you pick your fan, and ensure it’s installed correctly.
How to choose a ceiling fan
How to choose a ceiling fan
Noiseworks
Working from home has many pluses, but many challenges too. One of them is creating a quiet space.
TONE IT DOWN: While internal insulation and acoustic wall panels are effective in reducing inter-spatial sound transfer, cabinetry, either built-in or free-standing, performs a similar function. If your workspace has another storey or apartment above it, acoustic ceiling panels are also an option.
Working from home has many pluses, but many challenges too. One of them is creating a quiet space.
TONE IT DOWN: While internal insulation and acoustic wall panels are effective in reducing inter-spatial sound transfer, cabinetry, either built-in or free-standing, performs a similar function. If your workspace has another storey or apartment above it, acoustic ceiling panels are also an option.
If you want to be isolated from noise but still in visual contact with household activities, take a tip from pro office designers. A wall of acoustic glazing integrated with an acoustic glass door cuts off all but the loudest outside noise. Double-laminated ‘comfort glass’ is primarily for insulation, but blocks some noise too. With an office that can’t be closed off, options are more limited. You may have to resort to noise-cancelling headphones.
Bells and whistles
Once upon a time, a home had one phone. Now everyone has one and the sound of multiple ring tones and duelling conversations can be exasperating, not to mention anti-social.
TONE IT DOWN: A few house rules won’t go astray. For starters, in shared living spaces, phones are on ‘vibrate’ and phone conversations are had outside shared areas.
Once upon a time, a home had one phone. Now everyone has one and the sound of multiple ring tones and duelling conversations can be exasperating, not to mention anti-social.
TONE IT DOWN: A few house rules won’t go astray. For starters, in shared living spaces, phones are on ‘vibrate’ and phone conversations are had outside shared areas.
Kitchen clatter
Kitchens are the powerhouse of the home and with that comes all the hubbub that cooking entails.
TONE IT DOWN: Select kitchen materials to avoid noisiness, as much as for efficiency and appearance. Fireclay or porcelain sinks are quite noisy, as are stainless steel sinks and benchtops. Instead consider materials like Corian for sinks and timber for benchtops; they’re quieter and still look great.
Kitchen floors take a pounding, literally. Cork and linoleum-type flooring options are eco-friendly and excellent for absorbing sound. They’re also easy on tired feet and even save some breakages.
Kitchens are the powerhouse of the home and with that comes all the hubbub that cooking entails.
TONE IT DOWN: Select kitchen materials to avoid noisiness, as much as for efficiency and appearance. Fireclay or porcelain sinks are quite noisy, as are stainless steel sinks and benchtops. Instead consider materials like Corian for sinks and timber for benchtops; they’re quieter and still look great.
Kitchen floors take a pounding, literally. Cork and linoleum-type flooring options are eco-friendly and excellent for absorbing sound. They’re also easy on tired feet and even save some breakages.
Another noisy element in kitchens is the deafening conversation-drowning extractor fan. In open plans, these essential appliances must be powerful to do their job. But there are strategic technical ways to hush them: the position of the motor, having more than one outlet, ducted rather than recirculating, sound bafflers and so on. Seek advice before you commit to any option.
‘Rear riser’ extractors can be much quieter than overhead ones, and they’re closer to cooking fumes and stovetop heat so they don’t have to work as hard. A great bonus is they increase bench depth by up to 15 centimetres too.
‘Rear riser’ extractors can be much quieter than overhead ones, and they’re closer to cooking fumes and stovetop heat so they don’t have to work as hard. A great bonus is they increase bench depth by up to 15 centimetres too.
Laundry lather
Despite many advances in noise reduction technology, laundries are typically the noisiest room in the house, with hard surfaces and hard-working appliances that run for hours at a time.
TONE IT DOWN: Consumer and manufacturers’ verdicts suggest that front-loading washing machines are relatively quieter than top loaders. Front loaders spin faster, so clothes require less time in a noisy dryer. Many laundry appliances have noise ratings – if these are not displayed, contact the manufacturer for information.
Building plans should provide for the laundry to be located as far from living areas as possible, and your choice of laundry flooring may be the key to a quieter wash. Concrete absorbs sound better than timber-framed floors. This laundry floor is Aquastep, a laminate wood product with acoustic and waterproof properties.
Despite many advances in noise reduction technology, laundries are typically the noisiest room in the house, with hard surfaces and hard-working appliances that run for hours at a time.
TONE IT DOWN: Consumer and manufacturers’ verdicts suggest that front-loading washing machines are relatively quieter than top loaders. Front loaders spin faster, so clothes require less time in a noisy dryer. Many laundry appliances have noise ratings – if these are not displayed, contact the manufacturer for information.
Building plans should provide for the laundry to be located as far from living areas as possible, and your choice of laundry flooring may be the key to a quieter wash. Concrete absorbs sound better than timber-framed floors. This laundry floor is Aquastep, a laminate wood product with acoustic and waterproof properties.
Dripping taps and clanking pipes
A plumber who once came to fix a leak had the best-ever sign on his van: “You don’t have to sleep with that drip tonight.” And you don’t.
TONE IT DOWN: Fixing a dripping tap (and stopping the water wastage) may be as simple as changing a washer – easy for a handy DIYer. Modern ceramic disc taps that develop a drip may need cartridge replacement though, which is a job for a plumber.
‘Water hammer’ is a vibration that happens when a tap is turned off quickly. The rapid velocity change creates hydraulic shock waves in pipes. It may be caused by air in pipes – run the tap at the highest point in the property for a while, and get in the habit of turning taps off gently. Bangs and rattles are also caused by undersized, unsecured or damaged pipes, and are amplified in copper and iron. If you’re experiencing these noises, it may be time to get the plumber on the line.
A plumbing guide for beginners
A plumber who once came to fix a leak had the best-ever sign on his van: “You don’t have to sleep with that drip tonight.” And you don’t.
TONE IT DOWN: Fixing a dripping tap (and stopping the water wastage) may be as simple as changing a washer – easy for a handy DIYer. Modern ceramic disc taps that develop a drip may need cartridge replacement though, which is a job for a plumber.
‘Water hammer’ is a vibration that happens when a tap is turned off quickly. The rapid velocity change creates hydraulic shock waves in pipes. It may be caused by air in pipes – run the tap at the highest point in the property for a while, and get in the habit of turning taps off gently. Bangs and rattles are also caused by undersized, unsecured or damaged pipes, and are amplified in copper and iron. If you’re experiencing these noises, it may be time to get the plumber on the line.
A plumbing guide for beginners
A musical arrangement
Do members of your household have the music in them? A home with music is a lovely place to be… most of the time. But the noise can get a bit much, especially when the musicians are not yet the masters they think they are.
TONE IT DOWN: A dedicated music room can be muffled with padded doors, acoustic seals and heavy drapes. If your home doesn’t run to this luxury, set up a spare room, garage, toolshed or even the laundry for practice. Acoustic wall panels are quite well-priced and effective. Without curbing your budding musicians’ enthusiasm, limit practice hours and duration.
Do members of your household have the music in them? A home with music is a lovely place to be… most of the time. But the noise can get a bit much, especially when the musicians are not yet the masters they think they are.
TONE IT DOWN: A dedicated music room can be muffled with padded doors, acoustic seals and heavy drapes. If your home doesn’t run to this luxury, set up a spare room, garage, toolshed or even the laundry for practice. Acoustic wall panels are quite well-priced and effective. Without curbing your budding musicians’ enthusiasm, limit practice hours and duration.
Movie mayhem
As large houses make space for home theatres and entertainment rooms, a whole industry has grown up around controlling acoustics and excessive noise. This is a specialist – and expensive – area too complex to deal with here.
TONE IT DOWN: The average home doesn’t run to a home theatre and often movie-watching occurs in a shared space. If movie tastes vary widely in your house, invest in a set of wireless headphones, so that The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes doesn’t intrude on music, sleeping and reading. If you can get a consensus though, why not make movie night an enjoyable social time for everyone?
As large houses make space for home theatres and entertainment rooms, a whole industry has grown up around controlling acoustics and excessive noise. This is a specialist – and expensive – area too complex to deal with here.
TONE IT DOWN: The average home doesn’t run to a home theatre and often movie-watching occurs in a shared space. If movie tastes vary widely in your house, invest in a set of wireless headphones, so that The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes doesn’t intrude on music, sleeping and reading. If you can get a consensus though, why not make movie night an enjoyable social time for everyone?
One solution fits all
A small backyard ‘studio’ may be the best idea you ever have to reduce noise in your home. It needn’t be elaborate or very expensive – get quotes to see what fits in your budget. An insulated, plumbed and furnished separate building will work its socks off as overflow accommodation, creative space and home office – while also keeping some noisy activities at a safe distance.
TELL US
Are there noises in your home that drive you crazy? Do you have any good tips for managing them? Share with us in the Comments Section
MORE
Reclaim and Recharge: How to Find Serenity in the City
Home Sound Systems and All That Jazz
How to Plan a Family-Friendly Home
A small backyard ‘studio’ may be the best idea you ever have to reduce noise in your home. It needn’t be elaborate or very expensive – get quotes to see what fits in your budget. An insulated, plumbed and furnished separate building will work its socks off as overflow accommodation, creative space and home office – while also keeping some noisy activities at a safe distance.
TELL US
Are there noises in your home that drive you crazy? Do you have any good tips for managing them? Share with us in the Comments Section
MORE
Reclaim and Recharge: How to Find Serenity in the City
Home Sound Systems and All That Jazz
How to Plan a Family-Friendly Home