Room Dividers Blog

Here are some of the best new picks for room dividers on the market. The focus on the new folding screens seems to be focused, appropriately, in all parts of Asia - Celebrate the traditional styles of the countries of East and South East Asia with a new folding screen for your home or office. One of the easiest ways to effortlessly achieve an Asian theme décor in any space is with a room divider. Specifically one that has an Asian flair to it. While not hard to find, the choices can sometimes be overwhelming. Here are some things to think about that should help you narrow down your choices when designing your own home décor.

Nature vs. Architecture: Folding screens come in many varieties, but one way to distinguish their styles is by looking at the shapes they present. For example, a traditional shoji screen has a grid on it, giving it a very structured look, almost like a skyskraper. If you like these but prefer a softened effect, choose a screen with a light color of wood (such as natural or birch) instead black or dark cherry. For a more natural look, steer clear of the grids and geometric shapes and look for something with more natural lines, like the Tropical Philippine Room Divider. It offers the same Asian flair, but all of the lines are soft and curved, giving it a more natural look that is enhanced by its simple brown textured color and open base. Another way to divide (pardon the pun):

Bold Statement vs. Discreet - A dark screen with a bright painting on it is going to look huge in a room. It will probably be the first thing that someone sees when he or she walks into the room. If that is not the look you are going for, choose colors that match your wall color, carpet color or other color scheme, with subtle patterns.

I came across the most beautiful way to divide a room up.  This is a great alternative to French doors or any other “sliding door” area in the home.  I’ve seen these with the partition style sliding doors that you find in schools and offices, but never any as beautiful as these!  They are actually shoji screens, and sliding doors, all in one piece!  Check out the 7 foot Tall Cherry Blossom Shoji Sliding Door Kit – it is absolutely exquisite, like all shoji screens, but this one is meant to be installed as a sliding door.  It is available in several styles, colors and would be a wonderful addition to any space.  If you have a really large area to separate, this is a great choice.  The frame is solid spruce wood and comes in several wood finishes to complement your décor.  The interior is very thick rice paper, difficult to puncture, yet it still allows light through – this is the great thing about shoji screens, they can help to separate a large space, but they don’t have the shrinking effect.  Allowing the light to flow through means that you space appears as large as possible, even if you have divided it up.  This room divider will go well with almost any décor, but especially with East Asian themes and is great for homes where the living room and dining room are attached – easy to close off for privacy.  It is less expensive than French doors, and looks much better than simply hanging a sheet in a door jam.   If you like the general look but not the flower motif, there are more traditional styles as well, with just the criss crossing.  They are easy to install as well, just like a pre hung kit from the hardware store.  Add style, function, utility and whimsy to your home with this elegant room divider.

Fans of the Shoji Room Dividers Gather ‘Round!

I’ve found a new room divider, the Coco Room Divider, which looks much like traditional shoji screens, but with a different design to spice up your style!  So, whether this is your first room divider or you are looking to replace the one your cat has torn up, give these new Shoji Screens a whirl in your home!  The Coco Room Divider has vertical lines all the way across, with some grid work, just like traditional Japanese shoji screens, in the center, top and bottom.  This is a fresh take on the old room dividers, but still with the beautiful Asian theme going on.  A cherry wood frame is complemented by white rice paper inlay with wooden cross panes to make the shoji design.  Another new screen that is similar to this but with a totally different design is the Reno room divider.  I’m not sure why it’s called Reno but it’s beautiful, nonetheless.   The Reno Room Divider takes the shoji design to the next level, with no small grids, just longer grids basically.  It almost reminds me a little bit of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs, giving it a modern twist!  Both screens come in three or four panel designs to customize to your needs.  Use room dividers all over the house for functional and stylish purposes.  In large rooms and small rooms alike, a folding room screen can divide and define a space, perfect for studio apartments and creating a home office within the living room.  For the master bed and bath, a room divider can offer privacy between the two rooms, or be used as a dressing area in the corner of the bedroom.  So whatever your current home decor style is, consider giving one of these new shoji screen designs a chance!

A Room Divider takes center stage as a home decor focal point!

Room Screens perform many functions in the home or office environment.  First and foremost, they are most often used for privacy.  They are great in the bedroom to create a dressing area or in the master bathroom for privacy around the bathtub when the master bath and bedroom are connected without a door.  Another function they perform is to define a large (or small) area.  For example, in a large open style home living area, a room divider can be placed in between the dining room and living room to create a nice sitting area.  In smaller areas, like condos and apartments, you may need to create an office, but you don’t have a separate room devoted to this.  A simple way to achieve a small home office in a small home is with a room screen.  But, a third function is becoming more and more important to home decorators:  room dividers as focal points in the home decor.  For one thing, room dividers themselves are getting fancier and more bold.  You can now find them in very bold colors and styles, from bright red modern art styled room screens to heavy folding screens made of bark and wood for a cabin feel.  Even a traditional shoji screen can create an instant facelift for your living room, bedroom or dining room decor.  To get this effect, use the room divider away from the walls, and complement it with another large piece, like a large house plant set in a pot on the floor.  I saw these new shoji lamps, very beautiful and a great complement to the shoji screens, old and new.  Wow visitors with your great sense of style by using a room divider as your center focal piece in any room of the home!

Should a Room Divider be a focal point or something more discreet?

Of course this is a question of individual style and needs. A room divider can either be a very bold design element, or it can simply perform a needed task, say to cover up a messy desk, act as a window shade, or divide a large room into separate, defined spaces.  So, what should you look for when you want your room divider to be noticeable?  And what should you look for when you want your room divider to blend in?  Here are some tips on choosing the right room divider for your style and needs.
First,  a Room Divider as a  Design Statement.  There are many ways to go with this.  Obviously color is a great place to start.  But, you don’t have to choose a floor screen that is bright red, orange or blue all over (although those certainly have a place in the right decor, too).  This cherry blossom shoji screen is really the best of both worlds.  With four panels, it’s wide enough for even the largest hiding jobs, and most of the colors are plain, black and white.  However, this screen has added a twist with beautiful bright pink cherry blossoms.  This splash of color is sure to draw the eyes of guests when they arrive, a great way to add a touch of Asian themed decor to the home. 
Second, a Discreet Room Divider.  This is a little bit trickier, since a floor screen, by definition, is a large piece of home decor.  If you want your room divider to blend in with your decor rather than stand out, I would stick with very muted, single palette color themes.  A natural screen with white panels is a great idea – it is unlikely to draw attention to the area you wish to hide.  Another option is a fully wooden screen, as long as the screen is all the same color, and the color is mellow (light and medium browns work very well).  Enjoy!