Enhance the Ambiance:

5 Discreet Ways to Improve
Restaurant Acoustics

It's easy to underestimate the value of restaurant acoustics. When business is booming, noise is booming. You may think that's a good thing. But when your restaurant's reputation takes a hit because it's too loud to enjoy a meal, you'll wish you had known about these 5 versatile acoustic solutions.

1 Acoustic Planks

SoundPly Planks in dining area, Cooper's Hawk IL

Project Details

Cooper’s Hawk
Winery & Restaurant

Location

Downers Grove, IL

Architect

Aria Group

Millworker

Premier Architectural
Products

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Lino Acoustic
Planks

Cooper’s Hawk is already making waves as a (relatively) new addition to the restaurant business. Their formula combines winery and restaurant into one stylish, well thought out space that has attracted large crowds and devoted fans. Without successful acoustic treatment, though, their bustling space would become too noisy and overwhelm restaurant patrons.

Aria Group, the architecture firm behind Cooper’s Hawk, knows how important acoustics are to the success of a restaurant. They chose SoundPly Lino Acoustic Planks to address potential noise issues throughout dozens of Cooper’s Hawk locations nationwide. This Illinois location opened in 2019 with stunning, real wood veneer acoustic ceilings to help absorb the cacophony of noise that comes with running a successful restaurant. The planks reinforce the restaurant’s existing linear design elements, blend seamlessly with Cooper’s Hawk’s rustic aesthetic, and they don’t require reveals or plenum space that would distract from the planks.  

2 Acoustic Panels

SoundPly panels in bar area, Matsuhisa CO

Project Details

Matsuhisa

Bar & Sushi Restaurant

Location

Denver, CO

Architect

Indoteak Design

Millworker

Merritt Products

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Alta Acoustic
Ceiling Panels

Acoustic Ceiling Panels

As one of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s many namesake restaurants, Matsuhisa Denver was designed with the careful consideration and foresight of an experienced restaurateur. Michael Goldberg (Matsuhisa Denver co-owner) and Chef Nobu know that successful restaurants have exceptional acoustics.

With the help of Indoteak Design, they chose to incorporate SoundPly technology into their restaurant for a sleek acoustic panel that actually works. Adding acoustic panels to your restaurant’s ceiling is a great way to absorb sound while maintaining an attractive aesthetic. SoundPly Alta Acoustic Ceiling Panels can add to the modern, natural look of a restaurant (thanks to dozens of real wood veneer and specialty finish options) while subtracting any distracting noises.

 

SoundPly panels in lobby area, Rare DC

Project Details

Rare
Steakhouse

Location

Washington, DC

Millworker

Goebel Fixtures

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Latus Acoustic
Wall Panels

Acoustic Wall Panels

The look of an old fashioned steakhouse is timeless. Dark wood, mood lighting, and intricate fixtures set the tone for the satisfying meal to come. With such a mouthwatering menu and classy aesthetic, the roaring noise of satisfied customers at Rare Steak & Seafood demands some serious acoustic control.

To match the dark steakhouse ambiance and give the restaurant a classic feel, SoundPly Latus Acoustic Panels with real Mahogany veneer were utilized in Rare’s D.C. location. Rich mahogany wood helps to add warmth to the space, draw patrons’ eyes to ornate gold details, and compliment the restaurant’s color scheme. SoundPly panels also absorb more sound than any other acoustic material of the same size, which means its slim profile can blend seamlessly into the restaurant’s other wood features.

SoundPly panels in dining area, Hazelwood MN

Project Details

Hazelwood
Bar & Restaurant

Location

Bloomington, MN

Architect

Shea Design

Millworker

LL&H Woodworks

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Alta Acoustic
Ceiling Panels

Curved Acoustic Panels

Even in cold Minnesotan weather, hungry northerners will still brave the outdoors to go to amazing restaurants like Hazelwood Food and Drink in Bloomington, MN. Conversation can become overwhelmingly loud in a space packed with defrosting Minnesotans, so Hazelwood had to be prepared with adequate acoustic material in their restaurant.

Shea Design envisioned curved, high ceilings for Hazelwood. That can pose a challenge for some types of acoustic materials. Trying to bend a rigid material like wood, metal, or glass can be difficult; and adding sound absorptive properties through backloading can take several valuable inches off of a ceiling’s height.

Navy Island’s SoundPly technology provided the perfect solution for Hazelwood Food and Drink. They were able to create their unique ceiling plan because SoundPly Alta Acoustic Ceiling Panels can be molded to fit a curved radius and installed without any backloading, which most other acoustic panels require.

SoundPly panels, Tribute Pizza CA

Project Details

Tribute Pizza
Pizza Restaurant

Location

San Diego, CA

Architect

Foundation for Form

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Latus UV
Printed Acoustic Ceiling
Panels

UV Printed Acoustic Panels

Tribute Pizza is a restaurant with an appetizing menu and a cool, colorful look. With such a unique style and color palette, most acoustic material simply wouldn’t fit in. Tribute Pizza had to get creative to incorporate acoustic material into their design.

You may be wondering where the acoustic material is in this restaurant. Is it in the exposed ceiling? Perhaps the walls? Could it be in the countertops, lighting, or even floors?

It’s actually very well hidden in the colorful art prints behind the counter! SoundPly Latus Acoustic Wall Panels can be UV Printed with any image, making it the perfect solution for sneaky soundproofing when traditional acoustic panels don’t fit the look of the restaurant.

 

3 Acoustic Baffles

SoundPly baffles in bar area, Lena Brava IL

Project Details

Leña Brava
Bar & Mexican Restaurant

Location

Chicago, IL

Architect

Foundation for Form

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Cella Acoustic
Ceiling Baffles

Panels and planks are great options for sound absorption, but they’re not the only ones.

Acoustic baffles are just as effective as panels and planks, and SoundPly’s Cella Acoustic Baffle is better at absorbing sound than any felt or foam plank, panel, or baffle. On top of that, they give ceilings a unique visual texture and a more cozy feel that’s perfect for bars and restaurants.

SoundPly Acoustic Ceiling Baffles at SweetGreen, Hudson Yards.

Project Details

SweetGreen
Health Food Restaurant

Location

Hudson Yards, NY

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Cella Acoustic
Ceiling Baffles

Custom Acoustic Baffle Installation

Acoustic treatments also don’t have to be mounted traditionally as planks, panels, or baffles. There are endless designs and combinations of acoustic treatments that can give a truly one-of-a-kind look to any restaurant.

“The ceiling has received nothing but extremely positive feedback . . . both in terms of aesthetics and the drastic improvement of acoustics from within the store.” Justin Brooks, SweetGreen Design Manager

One great example of eye catching restaurant acoustics is SweetGreen in Bryant Park, New York. SoundPly Cella Acoustic Baffles were installed vertically, along a curved surface to create this impressive ceiling feature. And it doesn’t just look unique, it has sound absorption properties that are unique, too. In fact, just one face of a Cella baffle absorbs more sound than an entire felt, foam, or metal acoustic baffle.

 

4 Acoustic Beams

SoundPly Sero Acoustic Ceiling Beams

Project Details

Confidential Client

Acoustic Product

SoundPly Sero Acoustic
Ceiling Beams

Ceiling beams are extremely versatile. They can be made in styles like boxed, coffered, or curved; or materials like wood, metal, plastic, foam, or resin. They create unique visual interest that guides your eyes through a space, and would be perfect for any restaurant. But until recently, acoustic beams simply didn’t exist.

SoundPly Sero Acoustic Ceiling Beams are the first and only acoustic beams in existence. Lumber and veneer wood beams naturally diffuse sound to an extent, but SoundPly beams are actually able to effectively absorb sound because of patented micro-perforation technology called MicroPerfection.

SoundPly is so confident that their beams (and all other acoustic products) will perform acoustically, they guarantee any SoundPly material will match or exceed its certified lab tests for sound absorption performance.

 

5 Coming Soon: Acoustic Lighting

Pro Tip:

Rensa Acoustic Lighting products are designed to blend seamlessly with SoundPly and AeroPly products. Explore various combinations to create the perfect lighting and acoustic solution for your restaurant!

Keep an eye out for Navy Island’s newest acoustic creation: Rensa acoustic lighting featuring SoundPly technology.   This new product will be released in 2020, and has already proven its value in the acoustic lighting industry.

Rensa lit baffles boasts the highest sound absorption of any acoustic lighting system, features dimmable LED lights, and utilizes SoundPly’s simple to install hardware options. Win, win, win.

How did SoundPly help Starbucks’ lead designer overcome a huge design challenge? Check out the solution in “Next Level Design: Shaping the Sound of the World’s Largest Starbucks.”