Quick answer: Panels only make a room feel smaller or darker if they are dark, too many, or scattered. Panels in a colour close to the wall blend in and keep the room open. Group them in neat blocks, keep them slim (25 mm), and use light colours in small rooms. Well-placed panels are easy to miss.

Key takeaways

  • Light colours close to the wall keep rooms open.
  • Neat blocks look calmer than scattered panels.
  • Slim 25 mm panels barely stick out.

What makes rooms feel small

Dark colours on many walls make a room close in. Lots of small pieces scattered around look busy. Bulky items that stick out make it feel cramped.

Colour

Match the wall: pearl, light grey or beige on white walls. Panels close to the wall colour blend in. From across the room, they look like part of the wall. See choosing colours.

Not sure what your room needs? Send us a photo on WhatsApp or request a free quote. We'll tell you how many panels, where they go and the price. See our acoustic panels for homes and recent projects.

Keep rooms feeling open infographic

Layout

Group panels in neat rows or blocks. Line them up with furniture, windows or the TV. A planned layout looks calm, while scattered panels look busy.

Open vs cramped diagram

Thickness

25 mm panels sit almost flat to the wall. They stick out less than most picture frames. 50 mm panels do more for bass but stand out a little more.

Light

Light panels do not darken a room. Dark panels can, so use them on one wall only. A dark feature wall behind a bed or desk adds depth without making the room gloomy.

Small rooms

Use fewer, well-placed panels in small rooms. Put them where the sound bounces first, near where you sit. A bedroom usually needs 6 to 10 panels. See where panels go first.

Line them up

Align panel tops with door frames or window heads. It looks planned. A neat line makes the panels look like part of the design.

Mirrors

Panels next to mirrors keep the bright feel while fixing echo. The mirror still reflects light. The panel beside it soaks up the sound the glass bounces.

What we see on real jobs

Well-placed panels in a wall-matched colour are easy to miss. The room just sounds calmer.

Get a straight answer for your room

WhatsApp a photo of the room (+65 8930 1905) and tell us what you use it for: calls, TV, music or mixing. We'll suggest a layout, a colour and a price, including no-drill options where your walls allow.

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