The Hard and Soft of It: Hardening of Homes in North America

By: Michael Hetherman, President & CEO

With today’s aging population, there are several facets of society that are being molded to conform to the needs of this rapidly-growing demographic.  For instance, the popularity of “aging in place” has hit an all-time high.  Many seniors are opting to modify their homes in order to make their living situations more comfortable.  However, there is one aspect of “aging in place” that seems to be increasingly overlooked: the importance of sound-reducing appliances and surfaces throughout the home and the effect that they have on the elderly generation.

It is no mystery that the greater the age, the greater the odds of having complications with eyesight and hearing.  The typical baby boomer would, no doubt, tend to prefer a quieter, more peaceful environment.  But wait – would it not be just as easy to assume that everyone would prefer a quieter and more peaceful home environment?  Perhaps the needs of one generation cascade into the desires of an entire population.

At some point in the 1970s or 1980s, there came a grandiose design scheme called “open concept”.  This truly changed the way our homes functioned.  Walls were torn down to create “great rooms”.  Hardwood and tile flooring took precedence over carpet.  Cloth drapes were replaced by wood blinds.  Oil paintings were replaced with glass-faced paintings.  All of these designer trends became wildly popular – and yet not a single consideration was made for the acoustical sacrifice that comes along with these aesthetic changes.  This is not to say that any of these trends are “wrong”; it simply means we’ve uncovered something.

In a recently-printed article in the Globe and Mail which focused on the effects of noise throughout the home, I was left pondering one interesting quote: “When we come home, it’s supposed to be our sanctuary.  What’s happened is, we’ve gone on this amazing technological revolution where everything around us is technology but often the compromise in the design is that the sound hasn’t been considered, so you’ve got this massive orchestra at home.”  The article stressed that homes are being constructed with no consideration for the acoustical disturbances that come with homes that are technologically-advanced.  Many of these design aspects – from appliances to the home décor itself – are causing a wealth of acoustical annoyances that are affecting the homeowners who reside in these spaces.

Though I have yet to realize the full effects of the acoustical “annoyances” that are present in many modern-day homes, my recently passed father-in-law, John, certainly had his fair share of these annoyances while living in our home.  When my daughter would serve meals on our quartz kitchen island, John would cringe at the sound of the plates and glasses clanking on the hard surface.  Switching to a more sound-absorbent countertop surface - one simple design change - would have made a world of difference for him.  His sound-sensitive ears were further affected by the presence of hard surfaces and fixtures throughout our home which created, in his eyes, one large acoustical nightmare.  Once John passed away, my wife and I – as recent empty nesters – heeded his opinion and decided it was time to renovate.  We wanted to know what it felt like to have a truly euphoric, peaceful home environment.

We began our renovation by tackling the great room.  We covered our hardwood floors with carpet.  We replaced our leather furniture with fabric furniture.  We removed our wood blinds and replaced them with cloth blinds.  We insisted on only placing canvas-wrapped art in our newly-renovated space.  And, as we truly did “gut” our great room during the renovation and had the room down to the studs, we made the conscious decision to not install surround sound.  In considering our desire for a quieter home, the acoustical factor of our re-design truly did influence our decisions.  In our dining area, we opted for an over-sized area rug; we removed the hutch and replaced it with a canvas-wrapped piece of art which now functions as one large acoustical panel.  These changes, coupled with our new lighting scheme of lamps and dimmer switches, truly transformed our space into something spectacular – and peaceful.

Post-renovation, the feedback from our family and friends has been astounding.  They frequently comment on how warm and tranquil our home environment has become - though nobody can quite put their finger on the exact design aesthetic that makes it so inviting.  The truth of the matter is, we have softened our home.  We have removed every ode to modern-day “hard” design aesthetics and transformed our home into our own place of solitude.

So what about the other areas in my home?  As an experienced kitchen designer, I believe the kitchen is one of the most important spaces and needs to be designed carefully in order to create a functional environment for the homeowner.  Though I have yet to fully tackle my kitchen renovation, one thing is certain: aside from the floors, the kitchen countertop is the largest horizontal surface in the home and, as such, should be designed to be functional for the homeowner – not just designed to be attractive.  Does the function and attributes of a hard, shiny countertop surface make an impact on the eyes and ears of an aging population?  Absolutely.  Would a seamless, integrated work surface – such as DuPont™ Corian® - reduce visual and acoustical strain?  Without question.  Surfaces such as Corian® seem to find the perfect blend between hard and soft; they can truly transform the acoustics of a room.  And when considering new appliances, is it easy to overlook the more expensive yet much quieter options that are available in the market today?  No doubt.  But I still ask one question: at what point during a $20,000 kitchen renovation did saving a few bucks win over the overall function and ambiance of the kitchen?  This is perhaps the most commonly overlooked consideration for designers today.  We need to ask Mr. and Mrs. Jones what is important to them in terms of appeal and function and ensure the end design is going to work for their lifestyle.

When it’s all said and done, the design community is, at large, continuing to place their focus on the “wow-factor” designs that are found on TV and in magazines.  If we can simply begin to speak about “softer” design aesthetics and ask each homeowner if these factors are important to them, we can stop the unnecessary “hardening of the homes” in North America and offer a place of peace from today’s hectic world.

 

This floor-to-ceiling wall art functions

beautifully as a large acoustical panel.