Welcome to ADbR
Acoustic Designs by Rebecca, or ADbR, is…
a business I dreamed up while working as an Audiologist over the last 15+ years. In those years I’ve heard countless complaints from my patients about how they struggle to hear in noisy restaurants, coffee shops, at their fitness studios and even at home. It got me thinking about acoustics, how they have a huge impact on our day-to-day life, and how I could use my unique skill set to help small businesses and homeowners.
As I put more of my focus on room acoustics and stopped to take a look around, I saw interior spaces becoming very minimal in their design. For example, think about the restaurants you went to a decade or two ago. I bet you saw a lot of wall-to-wall carpet, windows with drapes, low ceilings, and linen-covered tables. Today, we see nothing but exposed floors, high ceilings, bare windows and bare tables. So while minimalist design is on trend, it’s creating the unwanted byproduct of a lot of noise and really poor acoustics in our favorite social spaces.
Here’s where my work as an Audiologist comes in…
Noise matters because it interferes with more than just a person’s ability to hear and easily communicate with friends and family; it can take a toll on our overall health, and not just our hearing. Having to tolerate a lot of noise is very taxing on the brain. It requires more effort, attention and focus which places a greater cognitive load on the brain. So when people have to work harder to hear and communicate in noise, it can leave us feeling mentally exhausted. Worse yet, if it’s high-level noise, people are at risk of developing hearing loss over time which brings its own set of challenges and health risks.
So, whether it’s restaurants, live music venues, coffee shops, play spaces, hair salons, places of worship, fitness spaces or even your home, Acoustic Designs by Rebecca offers an aesthetically conscious approach to acoustic consulting, design and install for commercial and residential spaces. Think sound panels… but really beautiful sound panels that create depth, interest and bring comfort to a space.
Here’s why it matters in Buffalo…
Buffalo is notorious for repurposing old buildings into updated homes, restaurants, social hang outs and multi-use spaces. We love our architecture, and while it’s beautiful to look at, these spaces are some of the most acoustically poor I’ve come across. It’s a challenge to hear in these spaces and it’s affecting people’s ability to focus, communicate, and, if you’re a small business, ultimately your bottom line.
The resurgence in Buffalo has been beautiful to watch over the last two decades, but Buffalo’s “old building acoustics” has been an unfortunate byproduct of the city’s transformation. My mission is to make these spaces easier to hear in and enjoy. I want to help homeowners, business owners, developers and contractors elevate the experiences this great city has to offer - whether it’s proactively or retroactively.
Here’s my ask…
If you know restaurant owners, spin instructors, builders and/or developers, people in the music industry, people who work from home, or anyone with small children, a playroom and a headache - let them know you know someone who can make their space more revenue-generating (places of business), more productive (office spaces), safer (fitness studios), and more peaceful (at home).
If you’re curious about what ADbR could do for your home or a business, head over to Acoustic Designs by Rebecca and find out how to elevate your space!
