Why Do So Many Rooms Have Poor Acoustics?
Understanding the Causes of an Uncomfortable Sound Environment
You enter a room and, without really knowing why, something feels off. Sound echoes, voices rise, and fatigue sets in quickly. Yet the space is beautiful, well designed, and filled with light. This invisible discomfort has a name: poor acoustic ambiance.
Acoustics have a direct impact on our comfort, concentration, and even our mood. Here are the main reasons why a room can become noisy and tiring — and how to better understand them.
1. Hard surfaces everywhere
This is the number one cause.
Materials such as concrete, glass, drywall, varnished wood, and tile reflect sound instead of absorbing it. Sound waves bounce from wall to wall, creating echo and reverberation.
The more smooth, rigid surfaces a room contains, the longer sound remains “suspended” in the space. As a result:
conversations become unclear
people need to speak louder
overall noise levels rise quickly
Modern, minimalist interiors are particularly affected by this phenomenon.
ATOLL mural
2. A lack of sound-absorbing materials
Thick curtains, wall textiles, rugs, cushions, acoustic panels…
These elements absorb sound energy and help calm a space.
When a room lacks them, sound has nowhere to settle. Even a small room can feel uncomfortable if it contains no textile or fibrous materials at all.
Sound absorption is not always visible — but it is immediately felt.
3. High ceilings or open volumes
Cathedral ceilings, mezzanines, and open-plan spaces are stunning… but acoustically demanding.
The larger the volume, the more freely sound travels. Without proper acoustic treatment, sounds rise, overlap, bounce back down, and create a diffuse sound environment that is difficult to control.
In these spaces, treating walls alone is often not enough. A global approach is needed: walls, vertical surfaces, and sometimes even ceilings.
ENERGIE artwork
4. The function of the room is not taken into account
Each space has its own acoustic reality.
A living room, dining room, office, meeting room, or library all have different acoustic needs.
For example:
- a space designed for conversation requires clear speech intelligibility
- a workspace calls for a more subdued, calm sound environment
- a public space must absorb multiple sound sources at once
When acoustics are not designed in relation to how a space is actually used, discomfort quickly appears.
5. Noise… coming from within
We often assume the problem comes from outside (traffic, neighbors), but very often the noise is generated inside the room itself:
voices, footsteps, chairs, equipment, echoes.
Poor acoustics amplify these everyday sounds and make them overwhelming, even at low intensity.
VITRAIL artwork
Conclusion
Poor acoustic ambiance is never caused by a single factor.
It results from an imbalance between volume, materials, and function.
The good news?
It is entirely possible to significantly improve sound comfort without sacrificing aesthetics, thanks to solutions such as textile acoustic wall art, which absorbs sound while becoming an integral part of the décor.
Because a space that is beautiful to look at should also be pleasant to live in… and to listen to.