How to Reduce Noise in Your Room or Home

Here are 8 handy ways to make your room or home a noise-free haven!

Your home is a place where you can relax, unwind, and seek refuge, but between the noisy traffic on the streets, your children watching TV aloud, and the sound of the washing machine, your home might not be the calm sanctuary that you want it to be.

And because of lightweight building materials and open floor plans, living in a quiet home is more difficult than ever. If you find that unwanted noise is affecting your quality of life, fret not. We've put together this guide to help you minimise noise in your home so you can relax, work, and sleep in a more peaceful environment!

1. Hang thick, heavy curtains

Hanging thick, heavy curtains, or blackout curtains, is a great, inexpensive way to minimise the amount of outside noise that enters your home (or vice versa). The thick material absorbs sound while blocking light from entering the room, which makes it ideal for those living on a busy road with street lights. For the most sound-deadening effect, purchase soundproof curtains. Their core is filled with dense fibreglass or wool, which are great for absorbing noise.

Take style cues from this bedroom, where blackout ceiling-to-floor curtains not only help to muffle noise but also help to keep prying neighbours eyes from peeping inside the room.

2. Install tapestries or a large canvas painting

An echo occurs when sound waves bounce off hard surfaces, such as walls, ceilings, and floors. To combat echoes, consider hanging oversize tapestries on your walls. The soft material will help to disrupt the ability of sound to bounce back and forth between adjacent walls, creating a more acoustically comfortable environment. On top of that, it can serve as a stunning focal point, as seen in this bedroom.

In addition to tapestries, hanging a large canvas painting or cloth textiles can also help muffle unwanted sounds in your room.

3. Add some soft carpeting or foam mats underfoot

Aside from walls, you can reduce sound from bouncing around a room by covering your floor with a carpet or a high-pile rug, cushioned with a high-density foam pad underneath. Not only does a carpet or a rug reduce echo within the room, but it can also serve to provide a touch of cosiness and elevate the aesthetic appeal of a room!

4. Use large furniture to muffle noise

Large, freestanding furniture such as bookshelves, display cabinets or folding screens can not only act as room dividers, but can also help to break up sound waves, minimising noise transfer between different areas of the room.

Take a style cue from this bedroom, where the designer installed a wooden built-in unit to separate the sleeping area from the lounging area. Though it is not totally soundproof, the solid structure can prevent sound from flowing from the TV area to the sleeping area, resulting in a more serene sleeping environment.

5. Add acoustic wall panelling or tiles

Acoustic sound panelling, which is commonly used in cinemas or music studios, is an excellent way to reduce the amount of noise travelling to neighbouring rooms. They are wood frames filled with foam that are typically mounted on the walls. The foam absorbs all noise frequencies, reducing echoes and keeping noise contained.

Today, acoustic foam panels are widely used in residential spaces such as home theatres, music rooms, and karaoke rooms. Take design cues from this entertainment room, where white acoustic sound panelling perfectly complements the white sofa, ceiling, and walls, creating a visually unified ambiance.

6. Install door sweeps

The tiny gaps between your closed doors can cause sleep disruption, especially if other members of your family sleep later than you. Not only because of the light that comes in, but also because sound can enter through the gaps as well.

A practical solution is to install a door sweep or under-door draft stopper. They keep airborne noise out of the room, making them ideal for installation on your front door (especially if your neighbour is remodelling) or bedroom doors. It also helps to keep dust out of the room, and due to their ease of installation, they are a great alternative for renters as well!

7. Replace hollow doors with solid doors

In many newly constructed properties, hollow doors are commonly installed as they are a cost-effective choice compared to solid doors. While hollow doors serve the purpose of creating privacy, they offer limited noise insulation, allowing sound to easily enter the rooms.

If your home has hollow doors, consider replacing them with solid wood doors. Their dense construction makes them highly effective at blocking out unwanted noise and improves their ability to reduce noise transfer. This upgrade is particularly suitable for bedrooms or nurseries, where a tranquil and quiet environment is essential for restful sleep and relaxation.

8. Opt for quieter appliances

Some of the biggest culprits when it comes to noise are household appliances such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and all our electronic gadgets and gizmos. When buying gadgets or appliances, make quietness part of your buying criteria. These days, manufacturers are starting to develop less noisy products, so it’s also possible to switch some of your old vacuum cleaners to a quieter model!

TIP: To stop your own washing machine vibrations from adding to the noise, make sure the feet are level and nothing is touching the sides of the machine. You can also consider adding a platform/base under the washing machine to prevent it from making loud sounds when vibrating.

Note: Keep in mind that, while these tips can help reduce noise, they won’t completely eliminate it. For more significant noise reduction, you might want to consider combining various techniques or consulting with an interior designer to find the optimal soundproofing solution for your home!

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