Jun 30, 2025 04:37 PM IST
Embrace peace in your home by creating urban living spaces that are mindfully designed, where sound, style, and sustainability come together in harmony.
The quiet solitude of silence is a luxury that may be elusive in urban living. From honking traffic to relentless construction noise, the city’s soundtrack can be overwhelming sometimes. But here’s where design steps in, bringing in a much-needed sense of calm and relief. Turns out, the interiors are not only about how to looks or feels, but also about how it sounds, so that even amid a bustling city, your space is uniquely and peacefully yours. Let peace prevail both on your senses by reducing the city noise and on your mind by going sustainable.
HT Lifestyle reached out to experts to understand how urban homes are becoming quiet sanctuaries where there’s both style and peace.
5 acoustic design tips
Varun Poddar, Founder, VOX India, shared with HT Lifestyle 5 fresh and functional ways spaces are attuned to be acoustically calm while still being aesthetic:
1. Install acoustic wall panels
- Acoustic wall panels reduce reverberation and absorb unwanted sound, all while offering a sleek, modern finish.
- From wood-textured slats to soft 3D patterns, these interior wall panels work great in living rooms, bedrooms, or home offices.
2. Choose soft, layered surfaces
- Hard surfaces bounce sound. Soft surfaces absorb it.
- Introduce layered textiles, upholstered headboards, or wall-mounted fabric panels to reduce echo.
- Stick to light, warm tones or natural hues to maintain a cosy vibe.
3. Ceiling and floors
- Most sound travels through ceilings and floors. A floating false ceiling with insulation can block noise from above.
- Pair it with SPC (stone polymer composite) flooring, which adds mass and reduces sound impact.
4. Create zoned quiet spaces
- If full home soundproofing isn’t possible, design one zone, a reading nook, a home office, or a meditation corner, dedicated to quiet.
- Install acoustic slats or a mix of soft finishes, rugs and dimmable lighting to make it your personal cocoon.
5. Plants and natural textures
- While not traditional sound absorbers, plants help reduce ambient noise slightly, and more importantly, bring calm into the space.
- Tall indoor plants placed in corners or against windows can diffuse sound waves and soften the room visually.
As people in their urban homes are reclaiming their peace despite living in metro cities that never sleep, the consciousness around comfort is also growing and evolving. Now it is no longer about just reducing noise; it’s also about intentional living. Homeowners are leaning towards sustainability, embracing a kind of luxury that is both green and quiet. It not only soothes senses but also shows reflection on a deeper set of values.
Sustainable designs
Chander Goyal, MD of Luxeartisanship, shared with HT Lifestyle how sustainability is becoming the new comfort luxury, quiet and soothing the inner values. He said, “Millennials and Gen Z consumers today wear sustainability as a badge of honour. For them, luxury is not merely about appearances; it is about authenticity. Timelessness is the foundation of this movement. Sustainable luxury prioritises enduring, high-quality pieces over fleeting trends. Investing in fewer items that carry a story not only reduces waste but also adds character and depth to a space or wardrobe.”
He shared these tips:
1. Choose ethically crafted decor
- Opt for pieces that are made with traditional techniques and ethical production practices, like hand-forged brass idols or ecologically sourced devotional items.
- These not only add spiritual and cultural depth but also reflect sustainability through craftsmanship.
2. Invest in natural materials
- Decorate with items made from natural, renewable materials such as organic cotton, bamboo blends, or natural fibres.
- These are eco-friendly alternatives that are gentle on the planet and pleasing to the eye.
3. Complement with houseplants
- Houseplants aren’t just aesthetic; they balance and complement the warmth of brass, bringing harmony and calm into the home.
- They support sustainable living by improving indoor air quality and reducing ambient noise. Position them near windows or corners to soften both the space and its acoustics.
