Silence! How to make things quieter at home

Shelves, art and furniture will all help dampen the echo in your home. A rug, meanwhile, will reduce the noise of your footsteps for the neighbours. Photo: Monique Wüstenhagen/dpa

Finally, it's home time! But the longed-for peace on the sofa is disturbed by annoying noises.

Whether it's street noise, loud music from the people next door, the clatter of shoes in the flat above or a rickety washing machine that's been going round for hours, there's a solution that can at least reduce the noise.