How to improve acoustics in an open kitchen and living room without losing the openness?

By Koen V. · Written on 27 July 2026

You are cooking, someone is talking at the dining table and the television is on by the sofa. In an open kitchen and living room, those sounds soon overlap. A cup sounds sharp on the worktop and conversation at the table carries across to the seating area.

You can improve this by looking at where sound starts and where it reflects. Soft furnishings and acoustic wall or ceiling panels can help the space sound calmer while keeping the open layout and long sightlines.

Why does an open kitchen and living room sound busy?

In the kitchen you hear appliances, cutlery and dishes. At the table people talk and move chairs. Near the sofa there are conversations, music and the television. With few dividing walls, sound travels throughout the living space.

Many modern open kitchens also have hard surfaces: tiled, vinyl or poured floors, stone or composite worktops, smooth cabinet fronts, glass and plastered walls. They absorb little sound. Sounds reflect and linger. A high ceiling or large room can make this more noticeable.

The amount of reverberation depends on the room's dimensions, hard materials and sound sources, as well as how much absorbent material is present.

Absorption and insulation have different purposes

Sound absorption helps with reflections inside the open living space. Absorbent materials take up some of the sound, so voices and everyday noises can sound less hollow or sharp.

Sound insulation limits noise travelling through a wall, floor or ceiling into another room or home. If you hear neighbours or impact noise from upstairs, a building assessment is usually needed. Wall panels and ceiling islands for room acoustics do not replace that insulation.

Listen in the kitchen, at the table and by the sofa

An open living space does not sound the same everywhere. Some activity is normal in the kitchen. At the table and by the sofa, you mainly want to follow a conversation comfortably. Looking at each area separately helps you make focused changes.

In the kitchen

Soft materials are not always practical around the cooker and sink. Maintenance and safety matter there. For acoustic panels, look outside the immediate cooking and splash areas, such as a free wall away from the worktop.

The ceiling may also offer space. A panel there leaves work surfaces and walkways free.

Around the dining table

Voices, dishes and moving chairs come together here. Upholstered chairs, curtains at nearby windows or a filled bookcase can soften reflections. A rug can help, but is not practical in every dining area. An acoustic wall panel close to the table can add absorption.

If the ceiling above the table is large and bare, a ceiling island can define the dining area while leaving the floor free. Choose a shape that fits the table and check the position of lighting and other ceiling fittings beforehand.

By the sofa

The sofa, cushions and a rug already absorb some sound. Yet voices and television sound may still linger because of glass doors, a bare wall or the open connection to the kitchen.

See whether a wall near the sofa has room for acoustic panels, modular elements or a decorative wall piece. If you want to keep that wall free, look at the ceiling above the seating area. A large or high room may need a combination with soft furnishings.

Where should you start?

Listen on an ordinary evening, while the space is in use. Where do cooking, conversation and television sound overlap most? Start there.

Then look at the hard surfaces nearby. Are glass doors opposite a bare wall? Is there a hard floor beneath the dining table? Is the ceiling above the seating area high and empty? Notice what already absorbs sound, such as curtains, an upholstered sofa or a rug.

Begin with changes that fit the furnishings. Upholstered chairs, curtains or a filled bookcase can take some sharpness out of the sound. If it remains busy, choose one area for extra acoustic panels. This makes the effect easier to assess.

Fit the panels into your interior

A wall panel near the sofa can follow the sofa's width or the line of a cupboard. Above the dining table, a ceiling island can echo the table's shape. You could also repeat a colour from the kitchen cabinets.

Consider the proportions of the panel and furniture. Keep walkways, daylight and sightlines clear. A limited number of well-placed elements often looks calmer than many small additions.

Listen again after the change, at roughly the same time of day and during the same activity. Is conversation at the table easier, while the seating area still sounds busy? That gives you a place to look next.

Wall panels, ceiling islands or a room divider?

Silensa has acoustic design solutions for modern homes. A large bare wall can accommodate a panel that also serves as decoration. A ceiling solution may suit larger or higher rooms, or spaces where the walls are already occupied.

A room divider can define a dining area or workspace without adding a fixed wall. The right choice depends on the dimensions, furnishings and where you hear the most reverberation.

Curtains and a rug can help with plenty of glass and a hard floor. In a large open space, they may not be enough and wall or ceiling absorption may be needed. These solutions address reverberation within your living space; they do not replace building sound insulation against noise from neighbours.

Help with your open kitchen and living room

Want to know where extra absorption could help? We can look at where the sound feels busy, how much wall and ceiling space is available and what fits your interior.