Favorite Room Dividers

My Favorite Room Dividers: Room Dividers are such an interesting design concept. They can not only add height to a room, but can serve as a focal point, art piece, partial window treatment, the introduction of a new material, and add dimension to a space, particularly when used to great effect. As you can see from the images above, room dividers, also known as room screens, can be made of any material. They can be translucent, artistic, woven, antique, fabric, new, resin, mirrored, partially transparent… the options are limitless. This makes them such a versatile piece in your home and something worth incorporating.

In terms of placement, room screens can be used in so many parts of your home: in front of a window, in an empty corner, behind a bed or sofa, between two rooms as a partial wall. I like to think of them as a positive distraction from something you want to hide, or visual stimulation where it is lacking.

In my Zurich apartment, I have many large windows, limiting places to display art. Some of the windows have beautiful views of the lake, but one window looks out onto an exterior half wall. This is where I would like to use a Room Divider. I imagine mine would be antique wood, to add a warm element to my space, since it is rather modern and with tile floors and lacking in natural elements. A wood screen would provide visual warmth by bringing in a natural material.

Another good choice for a favorite room divider would be one of the antique screens in a blue/ green tone. It would incorporate art to a window wall, which is a challenging place to display art. Below are images of my living room with an antique art screen and an antique wood divider.

I apologize for my poor photo editing skills. They leave a lot to be desired. Let’s look at room screens used to great effect in interior spaces:

The image above, from Pinterest* shows a room screen hiding a door, with a sofa placed in front. The screen provides a dramatic color introduction, creating drama and warmth in the space. The material also adds another cozy layer. The space would be lacking without this room divider.

I love this dining room, designed by Studio Giancarlo Valle and featured in Architectural Digest. It has so many beautiful architectural elements: the chandelier, the sculptural table, the unusual dining chairs, and of course, the wood screen in the corner. It sets up a beautiful vignette with varying heights and dimension in the warmth of the wood tones, playing off of the art. It takes this corner dining room and gives it a presence it might not have without the screen. This, in my opinion, is a screen used to great effect: the height, the warmth, the weight of the wood and its natural qualities.

Below are some other inspiration photos from Pinterest of room screens being used to great effect:

So you see, when you are looking for that something, that punch or contrast, art or height, or just something to mask a less than ideal feature of your room, consider the room screen.