Great acoustic design begins with understanding how sound behaves. In a commercial interior, sound doesn’t travel in neat, predictable paths. It reflects off hard surfaces, gets trapped in corners, and lingers in open spaces. The materials, layout, and purpose of a space all shape how it sounds — and how it feels.
We hear sound with our ears, but we experience it with our whole bodies. And when it’s not managed properly, it affects productivity, focus, communication, and wellbeing.
Sound is energy. When someone speaks or a phone rings, that energy radiates outward until it meets a surface. What happens next depends on what that surface is made of. Glass reflects it. Carpet absorbs it. Timber might diffuse it — scattering it in multiple directions.
The key problem in most commercial interiors isn’t just volume. It’s reverberation — the time it takes for sound to decay after the source stops. A space with too much reverb feels noisy and chaotic. Conversations blur. Focus evaporates. Privacy disappears.
Designers use RT60 (reverberation time) to quantify this. It’s measured in seconds — how long it takes a sound to fade by 60 decibels. For context:
- A small office should target around 0.5 seconds.
- A larger open-plan space might aim for 1.0 to 1.2 seconds, depending on use.
- A restaurant, classroom or coworking zone will often need something in between.
Not all acoustic problems are solved with panels — and not all noise is created equal.
- Absorption reduces reflected sound. Think acoustic felt panels, ceiling rafts, baffles, and soft furnishings. These help shorten reverberation time and improve clarity — especially important in open-plan areas and meeting rooms.
- Isolation blocks sound from travelling between spaces. You’ll need this in private offices, focus rooms, or places where external noise is a problem. It often involves denser materials, acoustic doors, or specialist partitions.
- Masking adds a gentle, calibrated ambient sound that reduces the intelligibility of speech — useful in large offices, call centres, and reception zones. It doesn’t remove sound, but helps us tune it out.
Each approach plays a different role. Most successful commercial interiors rely on a combination of all three — absorbed, blocked and masked sound working together to create acoustic balance.
Felt is a hero material for good reason. It’s lightweight, sustainable, easy to work with, and highly effective. At Ekko Acoustics, we use dense recycled PET felt in many of our panels, baffles and rafts. But it’s far from the only material worth considering.
Timber, especially when slatted or perforated with acoustic backing, brings texture and warmth while maintaining performance. It’s ideal for spaces where a natural, biophilic or luxurious aesthetic is desired — think hospitality, education, or wellness brands.
Cork is another strong option. With its soft cellular structure and low carbon footprint, it offers both functional and environmental benefits. It’s tactile and underused, making it a great choice for brands that want to stand out.
And depending on performance needs, designers might turn to acoustic foams, fabric-wrapped mineral fibre, or hybrid materials that combine aesthetic finishes with technical cores.
The material choice should always serve the design narrative — and the function of the space.
"Acoustic design isn’t about making spaces silent – it’s about shaping sound to support focus, collaboration, and well-being."
One of the most overlooked causes of poor acoustics is the layout itself. Even with the best materials, a poorly planned space will underperform acoustically.
Open-plan offices with no zoning often suffer from speech distraction. High ceilings without rafts or baffles create echo. Glass-walled meeting rooms offer visibility but little privacy. Even furnishings — like hard-backed chairs or exposed flooring — can contribute to excess noise.
Good acoustic planning starts early. That might mean:
- Introducing soft zones in breakout areas.
- Hanging rafts or baffles in double-height atriums.
- Using wall panels as a design-led way to reduce reverberation.
- Selecting the right products based on the space’s primary use — from soft collaboration to focused concentration.
Acoustic comfort shouldn’t be an afterthought. It’s an integral part of how we experience a space.
Whether you’re tackling reverberation in a busy open-plan office or looking to enhance well-being in collaborative zones, our range of acoustic solutions is designed to meet the challenges of modern workplace design.
Explore our full product range, request material samples, or book a CPD session with our team to learn how acoustic solutions can elevate your interior projects. Contact us to get started →
Up next: In part three, we’ll explore how to specify acoustic products for different settings — from offices and coworking spaces to restaurants and retail. We’ll explain what works where, and why.
