LaLa’s Sangria’s modern design features exposed HVAC and lighting as well as a concrete ceiling and floor, combined with pop colored furniture creates a beautiful venue for their craft Sangria and small plates! However, the reflective finishes in the space would have made for some bad echo and an unpleasantly loud establishment. This is why the owner contacted the sound experts at Commercial Acoustics. We were able to provide the bar with stylish acoustic treatment and help mitigate the sound issue.
See Also: When to Use Sound Absorbing Panels
They were interested in acoustically treating the soon-to-be restaurant/bar, but it needed to match the desired aesthetic. This resulted in the installation of ceiling clouds, as well as 12 fabric wall columns matching the colors of the bar integrating pop color elements and displaying the message Eat, Drink, Be Merry.
After performing an initial acoustic assessment of the space using our Reverberation Calculator, we were able to determine that approximately 200 square feet of acoustic treatment were needed to bring the reverberation down to an acceptable range. This treatment was divided between acoustic ceiling clouds, art-wrapped acoustic panels, and vertical stretched fabric walls.
As with many bar restaurant clients, we wanted to preserve the ambiance of the space and not over-treat the interior, creating a “deadened” feel. Therefore, we aimed the final reverberation time for the high end of 1.1 seconds, which is more characteristic of a lively, upbeat restaurant. While target reverberation times may be set higher for more liveliness (in the 1,1-1.2 second range), they should never exceed 1.5 seconds, above which speech intelligibility is lost.
By providing a pre-install site visit and acoustic assessment, applying Sabin’s formula to determine the amount of acoustic treatment the bar needed, then fabricating and installing a treatment that matched the aesthetic desires of the client, Commercial Acoustics was able to treat the echo issue while also adding to the restaurant vibe.
