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And in the lead up to Christmas, there might be many people who prefer to gather the family together instead of going out.
While modern, open-plan homes are perfect for hosting a few guests, it does carry a disadvantage. Open spaces with hard flooring (such as tiles and timber) and large windows causes sound to bounce and echo which makes conversations difficult - even if you have perfect hearing.
We share tips on what you can do to improve your entertaining space to help maximise hearing.
Create quiet zones
If you have a patio or a backyard, then you already have a ready made space for good conversation. Arrange chairs facing each other, positioned in such a way that each person can clearly see the others.
You can also do the same thing indoors. Use a rug and place it in a quieter corner of the room and add two or three chairs with cushions. The use of rugs and cushions will help absorb sound to make conversation easier.
Create your own media room
Have you ever considered why cinemas have big comfy seats and carpet that goes all the way up the walls? It’s all about keeping your attention on the screen and hearing the film properly.
If you can, draw the curtains and throw down a big comfy rug between the couch and TV if you have tiled or timber floors. Using couches and sofas to “box in” the space will help reduce the impact of ambient noise and make watching your favourite film a more enjoyable experience.
Take advantage of new technology
Assistive listening technology that streams TV directly to your hearing aids via Bluetooth will help by allowing the TV volume to remain at a much lower level.
Decor with a practical purpose
Curtains, rather than blinds, are an excellent way of dampening sound and one of the easiest ways of improving sound clarity in a room. Also, bring out the table cloth, rather than leaving the dinner table bare to absorb sound.
If you are planning to redecorate, wallpaper has made a comeback in interior design over recent years and textured wallpaper can help diffuse sound.
Clever interior designers reduce echoes in large open spaces with artwork painted or printed on acoustic tiles. You enjoy reduced noise and lovely artwork.