Pleasant Acoustics in Your Dining Room
The dining room often turns out to be acoustically challenging because it is a multipurpose area: During everyday life, the only people using the dining room is the family living there, but on festive occasions, many other family members may be invited.
So, imagine this: the whole family is gathering; the food is about to be served; the children are playing and the grown-ups chatting; it is a pleasant time, and you have been looking forward to the event.
Are you envisaging the scene?
Are you also hearing it?
When the whole family gather and there is a lot of chatter all around, the acoustical issue arises and so does your awareness of the issue, perhaps not immediately, but after a while you start to feel weary - or even worse, you feel a creeping headache or experience other symptoms of exhaustion.
The dining room contains all “good” noise
This is exactly why acoustics are important: a dining room, which is often crowded by people talking and conversing, is also a room that contains a variety of other noises:
Knives and forks clinking against each other, the sound of cutting when food is sliced on plates, glasses clinking when toasting, and chairs being moved around; and all of this complemented by sounds of conversation (and maybe even chewing)
But if I’m not aware of acoustics in my daily life, there is not much I can do, anyway?
But there is! The acoustics of a room can always be improved. It’s a matter of balancing the elements.
What should I be aware of when adding acoustics to my dining room?
There are many factors to consider when optimizing dining room acoustics. Below we have listed some of the most frequently asked questions in relation to this issue.
How big is your problem?
If you only experience acoustic issues when you entertain guests, then you should be aware that adding too many acoustic elements may cause sound to die out too quickly in your everyday life, making it difficult, for instance, to hear the person sitting across from you. However, if you do experience the problem daily, we recommend that you add wall panels to optimize the acoustics.
How many acoustic panels do I need?
Unfortunately, there is not one definitive answer to this question.
However, in this article, you can read more about how to calculate the number of acoustic wall panels you need in a room.
Nevertheless, we must emphasize that when it comes to acoustics, the result varies greatly and depends largely on the number of acoustic elements and the decor of the room.
Where do I place the wall panels?
Another point to consider is how you position the wall panels. It is important to identify the areas where the problem occurs and determine where the reflection points are - that is, where the sound is likely to hit and be reflected.
By investigating this, you have a much better starting point for finding the right solution, as it is often here that you should place the wall panels so that the sound is absorbed rather than reflected.
Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the wall panels should be mounted at eye level for the people sitting at the table. This maximizes the chance that the sound will hit the wall panels, allowing them to capture the sound and minimize noise disturbances.
Our wall panels are respectively 150 and 180 cm high, so it is not the hardest thing to hit – but, still, we stress the importance of placing the wall panels correctly in relation to the sound.
What if the panels cannot go there?
There may be reflection points where it is not possible for you to hang a wall panel, for example, if you have a large glass partition.
In such a case, we recommend hanging the wall panels opposite these areas, so when the sound reflects, it will hit the wall panels.
We always recommend that wall panels should be installed opposite the various sound sources to ensure that the sound hits the wall panels, thereby minimizing noise disturbances.
We are always here for you
Sometimes, acoustics can be overwhelming, as can the efforts of trying to make acoustic improvements. Luckily, even small adjustments often make a positive difference to your dining room acoustics.
You are always welcome to reach out at hello@dampa.dk; we are happy to advice you and answer all your questions.
