26 Clever Room Divider Ideas for Style and Privacy
These dividers make the most of an open layout.
If you’re looking to define cozy spaces in your home, a room divider can be a surprisingly effective way to do so. We’ve gathered our favorite room divider design ideas that anyone can use, whether you’re looking to carve out a comfy corner in an airy studio apartment or need to create a little privacy in a cramped dorm room.
Room dividers are an often-overlooked solution to common home design problems. Many people find open-concept layouts or studio apartments difficult to design, but room dividers can help make sense of the space. For instance, they can easily divide a sleeping alcove from a living or dining area in a studio. Similarly, room dividers can make it easier for children to share a room, or for a single room in the home to serve multiple purposes. A home office can easily double as a guest room with a cleverly designed room divider.
Many of these room dividers are easy to move, so it’s easy to pop them up when you need them and fold them away when you don’t. But if you’re looking for a more permanent design solution—think a dramatic frosted glass windowpane or rows of eye-catching wooden slats—we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire your renovation.
Ahead, check out our favorite room divider design ideas.
Play up a Modern-Industrial Flair
Love the look of modern-industrial spaces? Bring a dose of the design style into your abode with a glass-and-metal divider. Since the design makes a major statement, stick to minimalist furniture and decor.
Show off a Beaded Curtain
A simple beaded curtain can easily separate two compact spaces, like this laundry room and kitchen. Here, blogger Elsie of A Beautiful Mess relied on the same color scheme in both areas for a cohesive look.
Make Room for a Bookcase
If you love the concept of a hidden room, this setup from designer Terri Fiori is for you. "An unexpected feature in a room always surprises and delights," says Fiori, the founder of Fiori + Co. "This bookcase leads to a "secret" room that any Young Frankenstein fan would enjoy."
Embrace a Bronze Finish
A decorative screen in a bronze finish creates visual interest in a layout full of white walls. Plus, the openwork design lets the natural light from any surrounding windows pass through.
Space Out Wooden Slats
Create division between a staircase and living room by installing warm wood slats vertically, just as Maestri Studio does here. Place them ½ inch or a full inch apart, depending on how much transparency you'd like between the spaces.
Try Glass Partition on a Half Wall
A glass partition ensures a seamless flow from kitchen to dining area in this cozy bungalow designed by Four Brothers Design + Build. The glass creates a sense of separation, while also keeping the rooms connected.
Hang a Macramé Divider
Partially enclosure your home office with a playful macramé divider. With a roll of cotton cord and wooden dowel, this knotted divider is easy to make yourself.
Paint Wood Slats Black
Create contrast in a bright living room by installing black wood slats in an entryway, like this setup from Kaminski + Pew. You can even use wood slats to create a hidden door, so you can move around the house with ease.
Arrange a Rattan Screen
A decorative screen introduces a pop of warmth and texture in an empty bedroom corner. It also provides a private space for dressing!
Mix Materials
Take note from Kaminski + Pew and rely on a combination of wooden slats and frosted glass partition to create a wall between two rooms. The glass allows natural light to flow between the two rooms but doesn't forgo privacy.
Make a Hallway
Block off a living room with sky-high tinted glass partitions. This way, the sofa won't look like it's floating in space, and a clear hallway is created.
RELATED: Small Apartment Living Room Ideas for a Cozy Home Makeover
DIY a Woven Divider
Personalize a simple rattan or bamboo screen by weaving the slots with yarn of various colors. Try a mix of vertical and horizontal strands to create more visual interest.
Install a Decorative Glass Partition
In this modern interior, Maestri Studio doesn't settle for a basic glass partition. Here, glass panels with geometric designs separate a wet bar from the rest of the house.
Hang Curtains Around the Bedroom
To forge a bedroom, blogger Brigette Muller hangs curtains in an archway of her railroad-style apartment. Not only do they soften the space, but they ensure there's a quiet and private area to rest.
RELATED: Renter-Friendly Design Upgrades You Won't Regret Trying
Put In a Freestanding Fireplace
Place a modern double-sided fireplace between two rooms, which instantly elevates both spaces while also creating a degree of separation.
RELATED: Stunning Fireplace Decor Ideas That'll Make Your Home Chic and Cozy
Build Modern Wood Slats
Turn a few 2' x 4' boards into a sleek room divider. This blogger includes six inches between each board, but you can do more or less depending on your space.
Opt for Rolling Wood
A tambour screen sets a dramatic mood in this city apartment designed by studio CAK. Depending on your daily needs, this wooden screen can be rolled and readjusted to open or close a space.
Weave in Artful Glass
Designer Elizabeth Metcalfe shows how a simple doorway can be transformed into something delightfully new with the addition of a basic screen panel.
Rely on Louvered Panels
To divide an office from a living room, designer Vicente Wolf installed a room divider constructed of minimalist louvered panels. Painted a bright white, the panels also help to brighten up the open space.
Hang Shoji Screens
For a serene and minimalist office, Gemma Parker Design opted to cocoon the walls in Shoji screen details. These room dividers are normally used free-standing in Japanese abodes.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
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