If your room is "loud" to begin with then those materials will contribute but the real flaw is in the design of the room.

The floor will make the biggest difference - try wood or better yet cork.

I really want cork but the budget and DH is against it. DH is concerned that our family is not a good fit. Teenagers and the dog spill water on the floor now and just leave. What if there was a leak at the sink or dishwasher?

Antss, tell me more about what you mean by the design.

Thanks.

You could try Marmoleum for the floor (or Armstrong's version). That is quieter than a hard surface and is easier on the back. You could also add a mat or rug in the kitchen to help absorb the sound.

I think if you have ceilings pitched in a certain way, then the sound will bounce. It is acoustics. My last house had very high ceilings and our bedroom upstairs a half flight up. I could hear people talk in the kitchen as if they were in the room with me. I did not notice it until we had our sons and I would try to breastfeed and get either one to sleep. If people were in the kitchen, I'd be cringing hoping they'd "keep it down".
OTOH, I loved the high ceilings and it was worth it on the whole.
When we go for a walk through in an empty house, it always echoes and sounds so loud.

debrak

Another possible offender in a remodel is think wallboard, PVC piping replacing black pipe - Especially noted in houses where plaster is removed and replaced by 1/2" sheetrock

You could put mass loaded vinyl MLV on the subfloor before the tile that would help with sound absorption

I worried about this very issue during our remodel. When we replaced the nasty old carpet in the living room with wood, we were shocked at the way it changed the acoustics of the room--the noise bounced everywhere and it was disconcerting and annoying till we learned to turn down the TV and just be more quiet! We did adjust, but it took a few months. The new kitchen addition has a cathedral ceiling, which I worried would also contribute to 'loudness'. I will be installing a Stainmaster vinyl floor that mimics the look of slate. I wanted a softer, low maintenance surface on the floor, and it will be less noisy, we think. If not, then I'll consider repainting the ceiling with a noise deadening paint. We have a semi open concept from living room to kitchen/dining room.

Good luck to you!
Cj

Yes, hard reflective surfaces do change the acoustics of a room but the solution is very simple.
Add a few soft surfaces. Not the entire floor. Just a couple of kitchen rugs, maybe a runner. Drapes anything soft will significantly cut the reflections.

Try this in a bathroom. remove the towels and the bathrug. Totally different sound!
I wouldnt worry about a kitchen sounding loud.

Add a few items and the 'hollowness' will disappear.

I think DH and I need to revisit the flooring issue. I would be happy to have marmoleum, cork, or hardwood. I like tile too but do worry about the noise and hardness.

dianalo, we have a staircase off the kitchen that leads to our new master bedroom. I'm afraid of the effect you describe. The carpet is not installed yet in the bedroom and on the stairs but I hope it helps.

"You could put mass loaded vinyl MLV on the subfloor before the tile that would help with sound absorption"
I don't know what that means but will show it to DH. Yes PVC is louder that other plumbing.

CJ47, sound deadening paint? Never heard of it but will check it out!

Pharaoh, I tend to be very "basic" in my decorating as in I don't know what to do so I do nothing. I have no rugs, window treatments, or table cloths in my current kitchen, lol. When I get to that point I will post my kitchen and you all can help me out!

Pharaoh is right. Just a few simple throw rugs make a ton of difference. Window coverings of fabric will help immensely too.

"What if there was a leak at the sink or dishwasher? "

Do you worry bout the liquid in your wine bottle? It's cork and gets wet constantly. As for budget I don't get $$$ being a prob. Porcelain tiles are not cheap and lots of cork can be had for $3-6 a SF. Install is easier too, so I'd say it's a wash in broad terms.

Design means the architect's layout, if there are lots of vaulted - tall ceilings, tons of large fenestration, open stairwells then noise is going to be an issue that should be addressed. It's an issue that most don't have the training or experience to deal with as the trend of larger more open houses is still evolving.

MLV = mass loaded vinyl. BE VERY CAREFUL when trying to incorp. this into a tile assembly, you could have a disaster on your hands. Oh, and forget it if your budg. is tight. MLV on walls fine. Double layer of sheetrock is good too. Rug and drapes will work wonders also.

If you're redoing the bedroom down to the studs, think about doubling the wall board.

To stop the bouncing, all you need are some soft surfaces. A rug, a wall hanging, a table cloth, some curtains.

We totally changed the acoustics in a room with tile-floor and vaulted ceiling by installing ONE wall hanging - a big oriental rug hung about 3 inches away from the wall over the fireplace. Now that it's down for painting I can tell the difference.

Bookcases also help - sound bounces behind the books and doesn't get out again.

My sister's new open plan main floor/kitchen with its hardwood, granite cabinets and walls of windows was gorgeous, but was VERY loud. When I called, she had to go into the bedroom as the echos from the kitchen, TV & kids made it impossible to hear or be heard over the phone. Absolutely something to take into account.

I am almost finished with my kitchen remodel. I decided to go with cork flooring, for the sound issue too. Cork provides a sound barrier and is soft under foot. It is a great insulator. I researched extensively before choosing a floor. Cork will wear well. It also is water resistant. It has a natural wax that helps with water absorbtion. Of course you don't want it on the floor for a long time. The Library of Congress has a cork floor that is over 100 years old. In price it's cheaper than hardwood, and not much more than a good porcelain tile. You should really give it another look

I also bought water leak detectors and will use those under my sink, washer and freezer (icemaker inside). They were relatively cheap and I think worth it no matter what kind of floor you use.

The space for my DW was all lined with some kind of soundproof material (forget what GC called it). It really helped in cutting down the DW noise.

We bought "eDead" acoustic material for the dishwasher surround and for the range vent pipe. (Have heard that people apply it to the bottom of metal sinks also.)

We purchase new appliances only after reading and considering sound ratings.

I second the comments about adding rug, curtains, irregular sound-deadening items such as books. The more your room is like a hard-surfaced box, the more it will sound like one.

If you're still able to mess with plumbing pipes inside walls, insulate that space. We sure wish we had done so with the replacement pipes for bathroom adjoining kitchen where we previously had a run of cupboards and now have a bare wall. Sadder but wiser here.

Turn down the sound on the t.v. and radio. Make rules for kids and sports addicts about what activities are allowed in the kitchen. But let the laughter alone.

Doubling and even tripling wall board w/staggered seams is good sound deadening
however applied to most residential renovations is much more complex than simply adding another layer of sheetrock. It will involve removing most if not all trim work in order for it to have the original reveal - will also cause havoc with already completed electric boxes -

Link below to Sound proofing

One must first be able to clearly identify what sound they are objecting to - footsteps, conversation, plumbing, etc before applying any solution - otherwise it really is a chicken/egg chase

Here is a link that might be useful: soundproofing

This is all really great information and I think many people will find it usefull.

For us the drywall is mostly finished. We will have access to some of the plumbing and the DW which is too loud. So thats an area we can work on. Will check out edead and other products.

Still working on DH about the floor. He really thinks anything but tile will get ruined from the dog. Not just water but scratches and such.

I could hang a rug on a wall in the staircase which has a very high ceiling. Books, rugs, etc. are all great ideas that I can use.

Will rattan shades do much good? No need for window treatments so it would be decorative only but I don't want to cover the view.

florantha, I had to laugh, I'm sure I'm one of the biggest offenders. That morning I was running the DW and turned up the radio to hear the news. Also I tend to be a loud talker.

debrak, I talk very loudly also. It's a curse for the deaf.
As long as we're not bothering anyone else, hey, it's fine. I sing loud also, a mean alto.