5 Acoustic Treatment Ideas For Your Restaurant/Cafe
If you are starting your restaurant/café design from scratch there are many planning/layout considerations as well as treatment ideas for walls, furniture, ceilings, screens, and floors that can be incorporated to minimise unwanted noise in your restaurant and/or cafe.
If you are working with an existing space that isn’t working for you don’t worry there are still plenty of things you can do to help minimise existing noise disruption.
Treatments could be proprietary (things you can buy off the shelf and install) or custom (designed by an Interior Designer and created by a shopfitter especially for your space). Below is a mix of proprietary and custom ideas for your space!
1. Window and Wall Acoustic Treatments
Consider adding curtains to windows or even walls. Keep in mind though to use a fabric that is easy to clean and hides minor marks. Choose something that is both commercially rated, and has a slight to heavy pattern.
Consider incorporating wall treatments such as upholstered panels, or proprietary acoustic wall systems as well.
2. Ceiling Acoustic Treatments
There are so many options when it comes to incorporating acoustic treatments to your ceiling. From perforated ceiling panels/ceiling tiles, hanging plants, acoustic pendant lights, acoustic ceiling systems both proprietary and custom there are many opportunities to reduce unwanted noise as well as make a great design statement in your space.
3. Furniture as Acoustic Treatment
Consider incorporating upholstered seating options both loose seating and banquette, this will dampen some of the noise. Remember though to use fabrics that are both suitable for commercial use and waterproof (i.e. a crypton fabric, vinyl, or leather options)
4. Screening Acoustic Treatments
You may choose to divide large dining areas with screening, how you screen between areas could present another opportunity to dampen noise in the space. Consider constructing screening out of sound-absorbing materials such as drapery, upholstered panels, planting, or even rope as is cleverly shown in the example above – the key is to choose something that isn’t a hard surface.
5. Floor Acoustic Treatments
Carpet in the dining areas can be a great way to minimise noise. I know what you are thinking ‘Ew, carpet, really?! Won’t that absorb spills, and look like an office fitout?!” – Actually no, not if done correctly, as long as you keep these principles in mind it can actually look pretty great, and if used in select areas it can break up a large floor space and create a sense of different dining areas. Just keep to these general rules when selecting a carpet for your space:
Inlay carpet level with surrounding floor finish, or install a diminishing angle to avoid trips on edges
Select carpet tiles with a waterproof protective coating and backing so spills can’t pool under the carpet tile and cause unpleasant odours.
Select carpet TILES not broadloom – so that any heavily damaged tiles can be easily swapped out (always buy an extra box of carpet tiles for easy replacement)
Select carpet tiles with a pattern or texture – this will hide marks that are inevitable to occur during the day’s trade until maintenance can get to it
Let’s discuss your acoustic treatment plans and needs with our experts!
Simply fill in this form to get started, or contact us by email: enquires@acousticaprojects.com.au
Source: emmarusso