As open-plan spaces became more desirable, so did the concept of making them multi-purpose. Now, with so many of us doing, well, everything at home, the notion of designating areas to different activities—or just carving out some privacy—has never been more important.
Fortunately, room dividers offer a simple, stylish way to make your home more flexible, and you can even tailor partitioning preferences to what best suits your needs and lifestyle. Read on to explore 23 ways to divide and conquer beautifully!
Open-and-close room divider ideas
These room dividers are ideal for situations where you want to simply and quickly transition between sectioning off and opening up your space.
Folding Screen
A hallmark of Asian design for centuries, folding screens are simple, lightweight, and attractive. These room dividers hinge together three, four, or more panels that may be translucent (known as shoji in Japanese) or opaque (fusuma). A basic four-panel shoji screen can be had for about $100.
DIY Folding Screen
DIY a folding screen by stapling a favorite fabric onto panel frames. Tip: When attaching panels, mount hinges on alternating sides so the screen can fold up. (Check out this blogger’s supply list for specifics.)
Curtain
For instant space partitioning, call on a curtain. Suspend a rod from the ceiling and use rings or hooks to attach drapery panels. Think velvet for drama or go gauzy for a lighter look. Pull closed for privacy, open for spaciousness. Perfect for sectioning off a sleeping area in a studio apartment or mother-in-law suite.
Barn Door
If a curtain feels too flimsy, jump on the trendy barn door bandwagon, for under $200. Or build your own with guidance from This Old House’s Mark Powers.
Simple Sliding Door
For a simpler sliding door project, make a frame out of 2x2s, nail or glue on Masonite sheets, add wheels to the bottom and hinged loops to the top, then hang from plumbing pipe attached to the wall.
Often used in commercial or professional settings like meeting rooms, accordion doors suspend from an overhead track but eschew a floor track to avoid a tripping hazard. They’re typically manufactured from vinyl, laminates, wood, aluminum, or acrylic.
Wood Divider Screen
Wood divider screens start at around $200, but you can DIY one for less with three sheets of 16″ x 64″ plywood and, for the frame, a dozen pieces of 3/4″x 2″ lumber — half of them 16 inches long and the rest 6 feet long.
Build the frame, attach the plywood boards (painted in your preferred shade), and hinge together. Tip: High quality hinges add stability and look nicer too, so don’t skimp! (Go here for full instructions.)
Storage Room Divider Ideas
Some spaces—like a shared children’s bedroom or makeshift home office—will benefit from a partition with places to put things. These ideas fill the bill:
Bookcase
Any bookcase, set perpendicular to a wall instead of flush against it, becomes an instant room divider. Just be sure to secure it for safety: Attach metal L brackets to the top of the bookcase and a wall stud, then drive a few screws through the side of the unit into the same stud. For further insurance against tipping, anchor the bottom.
Bookcase with locking wheels
A bookcase with locking wheels affords utmost flexibility, especially in larger spaces like a loft or basement. Just roll and lock where you want to separate the space today, and move it to a new location tomorrow.
Tall, Wide Bookcases
The bigger the bookcase, the greater the privacy. Set up a tall, wide pair, back to back, to create storage on both sides of the divided space for books, toys, knickknacks, etc.
Cubbies
Go low with cubbies (a.k.a. cube storage) to delineate a border on the floor while maintaining open space above. This eight-cube organizer got raves from a reviewer who bought two—one placed horizontally for toys, the other vertically for display items.
Prefer to build your own cubbies? This Old House’s Kevin O’Connor shows how in an easy family project tutorial using simple square cuts and basic assembly and finishing.
Headboard
A high-profile headboard with shelving on both sides can delineate a sleeping area while offering useful storage.
Open Shelving
Open shelving physically divides a space while allowing in some light and offering lots of versatility. Depending on shelf size, you may even be able to install a flat screen TV on a swiveling base.
Columned Room Divider
DIY a columned room divider for your home’s entranceway to direct incoming traffic toward a particular area. While you’ll need some solid mitering skills to build this attractive piece, our tutorial takes you through the process step by step.
Best Room Dividers to Let in Light
Some spaces—an exercise or meditation area, say—call for a floor-to-ceiling partition that also lets in light.
Macramé
Tie one on! Create a hanging room divider with the macramé, the art of knotting rope to produce textiles. (Check out this blog for a how-to using 700 feet of cotton rope.)
Linen Fabric
For simplicity and elegance in one fell swoop, suspend a piece of sheer linen fabric. Go with a barely there neutral to suit any décor or choose a bold shade, like this red, to make more of a statement.
Stitch a hem top and bottom and insert a rod in each, one to hang the divider from the ceiling and the other to add just enough heft so it won’t waft too much in a breeze.
Wooden Slats
Slat’s the ticket! If you’ve got a pile of wooden boards in your workshop, why not turn them into a slatted partition—simply a row of boards with gaps every few inches. Straight, high-quality lumber yields sturdy results, but imperfections can be part of the partition’s charm. Tip: Make gaps caused by bowed or warped lumber less obvious by spacing them wider apart.
Wooden Blocks
Let the building blocks of style set your place apart—literally and metaphorically. This designer used chunky beech squares and rectangles to fashion a double-sided partition to separate a den from a dining room. The effect is warm and organic, yet modern and chic, and with solid construction it’s a lot more stable than the Jenga game it channels!
Best Room Dividers for Salvagers and Upcyclers
If you’re always ready to remake found objects or yard-sale steals, consider these space-sculpting projects:
Folding Screen Made from Doors or Shutters
DIY a folding screen using discarded doors or shutters as panels. Stain, paint, or keep in as-found condition depending on your decor, then install hinges to connect panels.
Tree Branches
Bring a sense of the outdoors in with a room divider fashioned from fallen tree branches. Insert branches (birch looks particularly beautiful) to a secure base, adding stones at the bottom to enhance the natural look, or twine with twinkling lights for a fairytale forest feel.
Old Window Frames
Old window frames get a new life as light-allowing room dividers. They can hang from from the ceiling or be hinged together as a screen.