deal with appliances

washing machines and extractor hoods, as well as other appliances, can result in shouted conversations and TVS turned right up so you can hear the dialogue in open-plan spaces. If you’re buying new appliances and they’ll be part of an open-plan area, look out for products with Quiet Mark accreditation (quietmark.com). However, you might prefer to plan a separate soundproofed utility room partitioned off from the rest of the space. Ducting for extractors, meanwhile, should be as short and straight as possible to reduce noise.