Designing an open plan home often involves addressing echo and sound reflections from hard surfaces. Many people value spaces that are both visually appealing and comfortable to use. The placement of acoustic panels can influence these qualities, particularly when the panels combine sound control with an attractive design. WoodUpp’s Akupanel collection integrates wooden slats with an acoustic felt backing, providing both visual interest and practical sound absorption. For those seeking a living area with good acoustics and a sense of Nordic-inspired calm, knowing where to position these panels can be helpful.
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Why acoustic treatments matter in open spaces
Open plan homes are appreciated for their spacious layouts, but this openness can allow noise to travel easily between areas. Hard floors, bare walls, and large windows reflect sound, which can make conversations less clear and increase background noise. Acoustic panels help absorb excess sound, supporting a more comfortable environment for relaxing or focusing. Reverberation time, the time it takes sound to fall by 60 dB after the source stops, is a useful measure here, and a target of roughly 0.4 to 0.6 seconds is common for living areas. Because the required absorption grows with room volume, a large connected kitchen, dining and living space needs more panel area than a closed living room.
Selecting acoustic panels suitable for both walls and ceilings allows for a balance of function and appearance. Panels like WoodUpp’s Akupanel pair wooden slats with felt backing to reduce echo while adding a textured element to main living spaces. Adhesive is spread on the felt back, or about 15 screws per 240 cm panel are driven through the felt between the slats. This method helps maintain a cohesive design without overpowering the room.
Where to place panels in an open plan home
In many open plan homes, one of the most effective locations for acoustic panels is the largest bare wall facing the sofa or main seating area. This placement intercepts sound waves as they travel across the room and absorbs noise before it reflects back into the space. Focusing on this wall can help reduce echo in the areas where people spend much of their time. A practical starting point is absorbers on about 15 to 25 per cent of the total wall area, towards the upper end in rooms with hard floors, large windows and a high ceiling, spread over two adjacent walls rather than one.
Both panel size and arrangement are important considerations. Covering larger surface areas increases absorption; standard sizes such as 240×60 cm or 300×60 cm can cover substantial parts of a wall without disrupting visual continuity. Each panel is 22 mm thick, with 27 mm wide slats sitting 13 mm apart on 9 mm of felt, and the 13 mm gap is kept where two panels meet, which gives a consistent look across a wall. Fixed straight to the wall with adhesive or screws through the felt, the panel reaches absorption class D under EN ISO 11654; on 45 mm battens with 45 mm of mineral wool behind it, the tested build reaches class A.
Combining style and function in your home
Acoustic panels serve more than just a practical purpose. They can also contribute to a room’s overall aesthetic when chosen carefully. Options include Natural Wood veneers that highlight wood grain or colored versions suitable for accent walls, allowing panels to complement different decor styles. Panels that replicate wood finishes offer durability and are simple to clean, retaining their color over time.
In a living area, a home workspace or a media zone, acoustic solutions from collections like Akupanel support both comfort and visual harmony. Installing panels on key walls helps integrate functional benefits with design preferences, resulting in rooms that feel cohesive and inviting on a daily basis. The panels reduce reflections within the room; they do not block sound travelling to neighbouring rooms.
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