Large rooms can feel cozier by separating them into smaller spaces with room dividers. This, however, is only one way you can incorporate room dividers into your home design. Not only are there a large variety of decorative room dividers to suit almost any decor, there are also many assorted types to accommodate different functions in your home. Whether you prefer a portable, free-standing divider or a more permanent, built-in type, consider incorporating one into your next home design.
Shared Kid’s Rooms
Kids often like having their own private space. When they are forced to share a bedroom, a room divider may help. The floor space of a bedroom will help to determine the type and size of room divider that will work best. Smaller rooms can be separated by something as simple as a tall chest of drawers placed between two twin beds that are positioned in opposite corners. Hang decorative floor-to-ceiling curtains suspended from a curtain rod that’s secured to the ceiling to provide a visual separation between the two spaces. A knee wall or waist-high fence can help to divide the bedroom space between siblings, without creating a “boxed-in” feel. A row of refurbished old lockers can make an ideal room divider for older kids, as well as providing extra storage space.
Headboards
Paneled room dividers can be used as headboards to create a budget-friendly focal point that can be easily replaced when you change your decor. A freestanding divider that’s positioned behind your bed can add color, texture and drama to your bedroom. Adjust the width of your new headboard by slightly folding the panels to a desired width. You can also extend the panels to their maximum width, so they are completely flat. Secure them to the wall behind your bed for a more permanent look. Ornamental, carved wooden headboards provide a stately, elegant look, while fabric-covered panels impart a softer, more casual ambiance.
Studio Apartments
Since studio apartments are typically designed as one open room used for living, dining and sleeping, room dividers can help to separate them. A freestanding piece of furniture, such as an open-shelving unit, can help to divide a studio apartment. It can also provide display and storage space, while retaining an open and airy feel. Suspend a sheer screen from the ceiling to create a feeling of separation; hang a piece of artwork from the screen to create even more of a wall effect. Install a drapery divider on a hospital rack to add visual privacy around your sleeping area. A sliding door divider that operates on a track system is another ideal solution to help you divide your studio space.
Other Ideas
Situate a portable, translucent room divider in front of bare windows to provide limited privacy, while allowing natural light to filter into a room. You can also place a floor lamp or an accent table topped with a table lamp in front of a mirrored room divider. This creates the visual illusion of a larger space with a sparkly effect. Build a permanent divider by constructing a knee wall with built-in shelves. Add columns or posts from the top of the knee wall to the ceiling to create the feel of a taller wall without enclosing the space. Suspend an oversized, two-sided piece of artwork or a metal sculpture from the ceiling to separate a room with an artistic flair.