Do-it-Yourself Tips for Creating a Peaceful Atmosphere in Your Home
There’s nothing better than coming back to a quiet, peaceful home after a long day out. However, if you are dealing with street noise, loud neighbors, or other noise disturbances, it can be hard get the relaxation you deserve. Check out these 5 simple ways to soundproof your home, making it the perfect atmosphere to destress.
1. Add Plush Rugs and Carpets
Uncovered floors make footsteps echo more loudly, so consider carpeting your home to decrease the noise disturbance from footfall. If carpeting is not an option, laying down rugs around the home will have a similar effect. The plushness of carpets and rugs helps to absorb echo and reverberation, and the thicker the material the better!
2. Furniture
Furniture can help you manage noise in your home. Placing soft and plush furniture such as chairs and pillows can help with echo and reverberation issues in large rooms and other open spaces. For instance, many “Great Rooms” have high, vaulted ceilings with large footprints. This is conducive to a reverberant environment, which can make speech difficult. This is especially true during dinner parties or holiday gatherings. In that case, hanging thick, plush velvet drapery or moving a soft couch or other furniture into the space will reduce the echo, making it a more comfortable speaking environment.
3. Soundproofing the Windows
A lot of outside noise can seep into the home through windows. Rather than dealing with the high price and messy installation of new windows, soundproof curtains are a cost-effective and easy fix for blocking out street noise. Residential Acoustics AcousticCurtain™ can be hung over any sized window, sealing the perimeter of the window so that no noise can seep in and deflecting sound waves away from your living space.
4. Soundproofing Doors
Sound can often transfer between rooms within the home or enter in from outside through doors. Door sweeps are placed underneath the door, closing the gap between the floor and the door. Door seals form a tight fit around the perimeter of the door, stopping noise from leaking in through gaps or cracks.
5. Invest in a Good White Noise Machine
If you are facing annoying street noise that prevents you from working, relaxing, or sleeping, consider getting a white noise machine. They produce a low volume, steady background noise that drowns out loud or distracting sounds. We recommend this white noise machine that offers 10 tones and can also be used to play music. Check out Soundproof Direct’s portable sound masking white noise machine.
At the end of the day, soundproofing your home is all about working smart, not working hard. You can add acoustical finishes to reduce echo, or soundproof weak links of you have sound transmission issues. Not every noise problem in your home needs a roll of Mass Loaded Vinyl!
Did any of these tips improve the atmosphere of your home, allowing you to relax and get some peace of mind? Let us know in the comments below what worked best for you!
Note: This page was originally posted on December 2017 and has been updated with current information and links.
