A dream home for all

A cocoon of tranquillity, like this treehouse could make anyone find self harmony!

It's a sanctuary, a refugee away from “unnecessary” noise.

This is what coming home should feel like!

The “quiet treehouse” is designed by Blue Forest Treehouses.

“We have noticed that customers have an increasing awareness of household noise, and the negative impact it can have,” says Jonathan Marsh, head electricals buyer at John Lewis.

“We are all used to edging up the volume of the television to drown out the dishwasher. For a long time we’ve just accepted that modern life means a cacophony of noise, which really affects the way we feel – just as much as harsh lighting and other design factors that we consider carefully. But people’s tolerance levels are getting lower, and they are now making decisions based on sound as much as price”.

No appliances for it, thou: “The sound of appliances is a particular problem because space is at a premium, many homes don’t have a utility room; and, of course, because of open-plan living,” Marsh says.

“The body’s natural reaction to a sudden loud noise is an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and this may be worse if the noise is also perceived as annoying,” says Dr Anna Hansell. “Having quieter household appliances seems eminently sensible. There is a growing awareness of noise as a pollutant,” she says.

“Maybe surprisingly there is only a relatively small amount of research so far on health effects of noise, such as high blood pressure and heart disease – there are many more studies on annoyance – but research from studies on transport noise suggest that experiencing high levels of noise over a long period may be linked to risks in these areas”.

Tips for a quiet life

Acoustiblok, a 'noise-isolating material’, can be used in walls, floors and ceilings to reduce sound transmission. Both are ideal for refurbishment or new-builds (acoustiblok.co.uk; rockwoolco.uk)

Poppy Elliott at Quiet Mark, suggests: “Change ring tones, beeps and clicks that go off all day long to soothing, soft sounds. Set aside an hour of 'quiet time’ every day. Get rid of noises from machines that are aggressive or repetitive. And listen to harmonious nature sounds from Wild Sanctuary (wildsanctuary.com) on noise cancellation headphones, such as Bose Quiet Comfort, or on high-quality speakers.”