Tagged with 'Clouds'

McDowell County Visitor Center

Jul 22, 2025

In late 2024, an old water heater at the McDowell County Tourism & Visitor Center in western North Carolina finally gave out and flooded the building, causing such significant damage that the flooring and furnishings had to be replaced. And while echoes had always been a problem in the visitor center, they became even worse in the wake of the water damage.

"The acoustics were overwhelming," says Kim Effler, president and CEO of the McDowell Chamber of Commerce and McDowell Visitor Center. "There were days we truly couldn't hear ourselves think."

With upwards of 20,000 visitors passing through the center every year en route to McDowell County's many attractions and activities, Kim knew the acoustics needed to be addressed.

Her search for an effective yet affordable acoustic solution brought her to Audimute and our Fabric Accent Acoustic Ceiling Clouds. Ideal for rooms with high ceilings or limited wall space, each Fabric Accent Acoustic Ceiling Cloud has an NRC rating of .95, absorbing an average of 95% of echoes, reverberations, and mid to high frequencies.

With three hexagon-shaped Fabric Accent Acoustic Ceiling Clouds now installed, the difference in sound quality inside the McDowell County Visitor Center has been significant.

"Acoustically, the space is now so much better," Kim says. "The ceiling clouds have created a calmer, more productive environment. Our team noticed the improvement immediately, and even our visitors have commented on how peaceful the space feels. It’s been a game-changer."

Posted in News

What Are Acoustic Ceiling Clouds

Mar 2, 2017

What is an acoustical ceiling cloud?

Ceiling clouds are designed to effectively reduce reflected sound in large and open environments as well as to delineate space. Stylish lines and soft shapes suspend horizontally from the ceiling and absorb sound across their entire surface for unequaled acoustical performance.

Ceiling Clouds create a modern appearance combined with noise reduction and reverberation control in most environments including residential and commercial spaces. Along with exceptional sound absorption and superior aesthetics, clouds feature outstanding architectural design flexibility and visual interest.

Are there other ways to perceive space?

Walls are perhaps the easiest and most recognizable architectural elements that define a room. Current design trends are focused on rooms that flow into one another without visual obstacles. Clouds are a subtle yet distinct method of delineating the differences that exist between areas.

How is a ceiling cloud different?

There is an acoustical benefit to exposing the backside of clouds. More air heightens the panel’s ability to capture and convert echo from the open space.

Acoustic clouds are hung parallel and offset from the ceiling allowing them to absorb sound waves at two points. Sound absorption occurs as sound travels toward the ceiling and then again as it bounces back to the floor. This dual-absorption ceiling cloud reduces echo and dampens noise.

Key Features:

• The perfect soundproofing solution for areas with limited wall space

• Dual sound absorption

• Define spaces and accentuate a feature area

• Mix and match sizes and shapes

• Custom configurations available

• Suspend individually or in groups

Acoustic ceiling clouds are the ideal solution for absorbing reflections from ceilings, reducing sound reverberation, and improving speech intelligibility!