Three Peas Art Lounge

The Issue

The management at Three Peas Art Lounge in Chicago recently had been noticing an echo, as well as high noise transfer from the apartment above their gallery. To solve these issues, they contacted Acoustical Solutions.

After suggesting various noise reduction techniques, Acoustical Solutions was able to supply Three Peas with acoustic panels and a sound barrier. Today, these solutions reduce echoes considerably while effectively stopping noise from transferring into or out of the space.

The Challenge

Three Peas Art Lounge almost had all five senses covered. Gourmet coffee aromas drifted, delicate wines rolled across palettes, old friends embraced, and artwork astounded. Noise in the Chicago art lounge, however, wasn’t so posh.

When management at Three Peas Art Lounge contacted Acoustical Solutions, two main acoustical problems plagued the business.

1. An empty “echoey” sound caused by the large open space. This sound reverberation is called a flutter echo.
2. The sound transfer between the art lounge and the apartment above. Sometimes loud music or conversation from the lounge disturbed the apartment, and at other times, footsteps and general noise from the apartment disturbed Three Peas’ quieter events.

The Solution

One aspect of Three Peas Art Lounge that makes it unique is, well, its art. Because artwork uses up almost all of the wall space in the lounge, Acoustical Solutions suggested AlphaSorb^® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Ceiling Clouds in SoundSuede™ Fabric.

These hanging acoustic panels, which are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, are used for noise reduction and reverberation control. So as to not draw attention away from the artwork, Three Peas chose white cloud panels that blended perfectly with the walls.

In tackling the issue of sound transfer between the lounge and the apartment above, Acoustical Solutions suggested using a very dense, one-pound-per-square-foot product called AudioSeal^® Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) Soundproofing Barrier.

This product is a sound transmission blocker that reduces sound from transmitting through walls, floors, and ceilings. Its mass is what allows it to be so effective at reducing airborne noise transmitting into or out of a space.

Three Peas Art Lounge — Lounge area using AlphaSorb^® Ceiling Clouds to reduce noise in the lounge area and vinyl sound barrier in the ceiling.

The Result

Today, the sound transfer and the echo problem are both drastically reduced at Chicago’s Three Peas Art Lounge. No art had to be moved or otherwise disturbed for the solution, and because the SoundSuede™ Ceiling Clouds blend in, attention remains focused on the art.