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Sharing a space with a partner (or roommates) is all fun and games until you wake up on a Sunday morning to the sound of an early riser unloading the dishwasher at 8 a.m.
Well, IKEA is here to bring harmony to the household—it just launched Gunnlaug, a new curtain that absorbs sound and “reduces echo in high- or medium-frequency waves.” While it certainly won’t muffle the clamor of a busy street on a Saturday night, it will help to minimize the daily noise pollution at home that can drive us all crazy (if only these were available during lockdown!).
IKEA assessed the effectiveness of the curtains with the ISO 354 method, which measures the sound absorption of materials. Gunnlaug, which is made of recycled chenille yarn with a special weave construction, has 50- to 100 percent greater absorption of medium and high sound frequencies—think of the sound of an alarm clock ringing in an adjacent room—than fabrics with the same quality and weight.
The one downside (for color lovers, anyway) is the drapes come in white and gray only. We suggest using them in place of standard sheers and layering brighter curtains in front. Do this in your kitchen, and then plan to sleep in as long as you want next weekend.