Multiple living zones in the modern, average family home have many benefits, allowing families to have a formal living space away from the informal areas of kitchen, dining and outdoors. However, acoustic privacy can be an issue and it is crucial that these two living areas are well separated and can be closed off.

Initially, noise may not be a problem while the family is young, but it can become an issue as the family grows. More than ever, you need to buy for the long-term: you don’t want to sell your dream home in a few years’ time because noise in one area, whether it’s from a television, stereo or musical instrument, is invading the rest of the house. This is why brick Edwardian homes, with generously proportioned front rooms with fireplaces and doors, situated well away from the noisy informal areas, tend to work well.

When searching for houses, look for two living areas that are distinctly separated and able to be closed off. Sometimes the problem can be fixable, so if there are no doors, look to see if they can be easily added. In two-storey houses, open staircases and theatrical voids, while an impressive feature, can make matters worse in terms of sound travel. Older houses made of brick and with a good building mass tend to perform much better than houses with timber plasterboard walls.

In our property ratings, acoustic privacy is taken into consideration and rightly so.

Buy well. Buy long-term. Design smart.