Restaurants, cafés & bars
Keep the buzz, lose the din, so guests can talk without raising their voices.
The problem
Hard floors, glass, tiled walls and bare or exposed ceilings make busy dining rooms loud. Guests raise their voices to be heard, which makes the room louder still (the Lombard effect). Noise affects trade: in an RNID survey of 1,200 members of the UK public, almost half had left a café, pub or restaurant because it was too noisy. In RNID's separate Speak Easy survey, 79% of respondents had left a venue early because of the noise and 91% said they wouldn't return to one that was too noisy.
How acoustic lighting helps
Acoustic pendants over tables absorb speech-frequency sound close to where conversations happen, and light the table at the same time. Baffles over bars and open areas add absorption where pendants aren't practical, so you can keep an industrial or minimal look without the din. How many you need depends on the room's volume and finishes, and we can calculate it from your plans.
- Hang pendants over tables, close enough to the conversation to help but high enough to keep sightlines clear
- Spread absorption across the room rather than concentrating it in one area
- Combine pendants with baffles or a few wall panels in very hard or high rooms
- Keep felt away from grease and steam over cooking lines; use it in the dining area
- Warm 2700–3000 K light suits evening dining
Products that suit this space
Adagio
Acoustic pendant · Ø700 / Ø1000 / Ø1400
Adagio Acoustic
Acoustic absorber · Ø700 / Ø1000 / Ø1400
Allegretto
Baffle with spotlights · 1510 / 2350 mm
Arioso
Acoustic pendant · Ø800 / Ø1000
Arpeggio
Hexagonal pendant · 1022 × 924 / 1500 × 1387 mm
Ballata
Diamond-shaped pendant · 1355 × 769 / 2003 × 1140 mm
Barcarola
Curved acoustic ceiling · up to 2350 mm elements
Calando
Acoustic pendant · flat / round / oval / asymmetric · S / M / L
Calando Wall
Acoustic wall light · flat / round / oval / asymmetric · S / M / L
Cantabile
Acoustic pendant · Ø800 / Ø1200 / Ø1800 / oval
Cantilena
Acoustic pendant · vertical felt disc · Ø400 / 600 / 800
Cavatina
Square pendant · 845 / 1235 mm
Coda
Acoustic pendant · Ø1200
Corale
Acoustic wall light · 1600 mm
Dolce
Acoustic pendant · Ø450 / Ø600 / Ø800
Fermata
Acoustic wall light · Ø600 / Ø1200
Grazioso
Suspended acoustic tile · single or linked pairs
Grazioso Wall
Acoustic wall tile · single or linked pairs
Leggiero
Acoustic linear · 1800 mm
Madrigale
Acoustic raft · hexagon 600 / 800 · oval 660 / 960
Marcato
Angular acoustic ceiling · up to 2350 mm elements
Notturno
Acoustic pendant · Ø1200 / Ø1800 / Ø2800
Notturno Acoustic
Acoustic absorber · Ø1200 / Ø1800 / Ø2800
Pausa
Patterned wall panel · 2400 × 1200 mm
Preludio
Acoustic sail with light · round / square / rectangular
Preludio Acoustic
Acoustic sail · round / square / rectangular / hexagonal
Quartetto
Acoustic raft · 600 / 900 mm square on 1200 × 1200 mm felt
Rondo
Acoustic pendant · Ø800 / Ø1200
Serenata
Ring pendant · Ø1000 / Ø1500
Soave
Acoustic pendant · 350 / 450 / 600 / 900
Sordino
Acoustic wall light · round / oval · smooth or grooved
Sospiro
Lit acoustic raft · Ø1200 / oval / Ø2400
Tenuto
Acoustic pendant · Ø1200 · direct or direct/indirect
Trio
Acoustic raft · 900 mm triangle on 1200 × 1200 mm felt
Velluto
Acoustic wall panel with light · 500 / 750 / 1000
Got a space that's too loud?
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