How do I stop an echo in my open concept living areas?

Put a rug and some more on the walls

Add rugs, throws, pillows, curtains or drapes. Anything to absorb sound.

Usually your furnishings help to muffle sound. If your furniture is sparse then you will have the echo effect. Consider adding some large plants to the area.

Hi Ruthie,

Echos happen because there is not enough to absorb the sounds in the room. You can add rugs as Kathy suggested and also drapes, more furniture, more pillows - anything soft that will absorb sound will help. Wishing you the best.

A thick rug on the floor is probably the best bet for stopping the echo. Any fabrics will absorb some of the sound. If it is your style, a tall blanket ladder with several blankets folded over it might also help.

How high is your ceiling? Although rooms with very high ceilings often look elegant, they usually have very poor acoustics. It could be that the height of the ceiling is the source of the problem.

If your walls and ceiling are flat, rather than having any texture, they will bounce more sound, as will bare floors. Taller ceilings and those homes with drywall tend to experience more noise problems. Newer construction techniques have improved this somewhat by using heavier drywall, or double drywall installations.

Windows with wooden blinds, vertical blinds or roller blinds will not absorb sound as well as those with draperies, and the more folds and heavier the fabric, the better it will be for sound absorption.

Upholstered furniture and wood are better at absorbing sound than metals, glass, plastics, etc.