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Writer Anna Myers thought she’d found her dream flat, until the traffic noise began to keep her awake all night. Here she shares the simple interiors switch that helped her get a good night’s rest – noise-cancelling curtains. 

I immediately loved the apartment: it was bright and airy, with large windows spanning the length of the main living space and bedroom. It was August, which here in Italy is the month when everyone swaps the city for the seaside, and everything was quiet. The estate agentkept the windows open throughout the viewing, but there were few cars on the streets and very little noise pollution. 

The problem

Fast forward a few weeks and I’d moved in, but so had the rest of the city, back from the August break in all its glory – the constant commotion, the Italian penchant for honking, and the loud scooters starting up with a bang at every traffic light. The intersection right beneath my bedroom window, deserted back when I’d viewed the place in summer, was now busier than ever.

As my apartment is on the first floor, I’m closest to the street. The noise was impacting me most at night – my sleep had never been more disrupted and I was desperately trying to block out the noise at all hours with no success.

The solution

I don’t like earplugs and I didn’t know if anything else would make a difference, but I still set out to look for possible solutions. I didn’t even know noise-cancelling curtains existed, which tells you how lucky I’d been up until then. Enter my lifesaver: Deconovo’s noise-reducing, insulated blackout curtains.

After checking out the positive reviews, I decided to give them a shot. I received them within a week and, while putting up curtain rods was not exactly a walk in the park, setting the panels up took me all of two minutes.

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I installed them during the day and straight away I noticed how little light they let through. I wasn’t as interested in blacking out the room, but it was handy to know they did a great job at that, should I ever need it. (I love big windows, but that’s a lot of light and heat in summer.)

The real test, however, came that night. Deconovo explains that the dense fabric and pleats used to make its curtains allows them to absorb and deflect sound. While I could hear a difference almost immediately after putting them up, I was anxious to see how I would sleep. The answer? Like a baby. I didn’t hear a single scooter, not a single honk. I slept through the night for the first time since I’d moved in.

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The result

I would give my curtains a five-star rating in terms of value for money, because at €44 (around £37) for both panels, they really are a steal. As for quality and ease of use, I would honestly say five out of five for both, because the process couldn’t be simpler nor the result prettier to look at. The product description promised “fantastic” material and “modern design” and I wasn’t disappointed. They’re soft, smooth to the touch and an elegant dark navy blue.

I’d read online that the most important thing is to make sure not to leave too big a gap between the curtains and the window, so as to not let any sounds in through the sides. My one concern is I might have misjudged how much room they need to be able to easily slide and I now have a bit of difficulty getting them open and closed. But that’s on me, not on the product.

I was pretty sceptical going into the search process and wondered whether I’d get anywhere in my journey to a peaceful night’s sleep, but I’m so happy with my curtains. I can now easily sleep through the night and I already know I’m not getting rid of these gems anytime soon. 

Images: Westend61/Getty Images, Deconovo, Anna Myers

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