Dress It Up with Room Dividers!

Did you know Room Dividers originated hundreds of centuries ago in China? Heavy and ornate, they were not moved around, unlike those of today. The Japanese can be credited with designing and manufacturing portable, light-weight, folding screens, which were later brought to Europe and America by travellers between the 15th and 17th century and creatively reproduced, with wood, leather, silk, mirrors, tapestry and embroidery. These works of art were not only visually appealing, they served a functional purpose of dividing space, creating privacy, and even cutting the flow of cold air.

Now, room dividers are multi-purpose, and home makers and stylists maximise their versatility.

These protean pieces are used for:

• Separating open spaces (as in a divider in a living cum dining room)
• Creating private corners
• Imbuing accent in and character to a room

Let’s look at some creative and functional ideas for these precious pieces of furniture.

Given the paucity of space in current times, dividers are extremely helpful in carving spaces for different requirements – like the separation of dining and living area, dining and kitchen; a dressing area in the bedroom, a study corner in a common space, a work space in a dining room, the possibilities are infinite.

Wooden, handcrafted filigree folding screens, wooden slatted dividers, which can be opened out to complete closure, or simply left slatted, custom metal panels, textile tapestry hanging dividers, wooden/metal beaded ropes, thick jute ropes, metal pipes, bamboo branches from floor to ceiling, are some of the stand-alone options for screen dividers.

21st-century décor, however, is defined by myriad avatars of one item. Reuse, recycle, upcycle, multiuse, are some of the trends; justifiably so, given the slow, steady depletion of natural resources, and the concomitant move to a minimalist, or at least, a less wasteful lifestyle.

Multiuse room dividers are hugely popular. Let’s look at some of them.

Shelves are a functional and attractive means for dividing up common spaces.

Living and dining room areas can be aesthetically separated by a wooden cabinet with shelves on either side – those facing the dining room, showcasing crystal, silverware and porcelain, those facing the living area, decorated with curios, and filled with books. Elegant, functional, and a reflection of the inhabitants’ culture and style.

You can also do easy-on-the-eye and-on-the-move open shelves with locking wheels dividing the room with artefacts of your choice on display on both sides of the shelves. If it’s challenging to think of different items for both sides, think staggered open shelves, holding house plants – a great way to go green AND enhance the oxygen quotient in the room.

Add the Aromatherapy quotient the good old-fashioned, eternal way – hang up floor-to-ceiling flower garlands –smells divine, feels divine and looks divine! True sensory treat that comes up trumps, always!

Passionate about upcycling?

Salvage wooden pallets from packing cases, paint them over, or leave as is for a rustic, distressed look, frame it up with hinges, and hang up anything you want – your scarves, art attempts, photos, hats, ribboned awards, posters, keys – anything that gives your bedroom, a warm, lived-in, loving vibe, while parting off a study or dress space.

Have a huge collection of LPs, but don’t want to dispose? String them together for a quirky divider, steeped in nostalgia.

Salvage old wooden doors, paint, attach hinges and locking wheels and move them around as and when you need them to divvy up a room.

At Artisans Rose, we have an eclectic collection of screen dividers to suit diverse tastes. We also custom-make ?. Take a look here: 

If you like what you see and want us to design and manufacture distinctive décor and furniture to enhance the experience at your home/establishment, do write to us at [email protected]. You can also call +91 90727 87773, Monday to Saturday, 10 am – 7 pm.

We spearhead interior design and architecture projects along with our esteemed partners and elevate and enhance spaces (home and commercial) to our clients’ complete satisfaction.