Cozy Up Your Open-Plan Space With These Stylish Room Dividers

Divide and conquer

Whether you have a large open-plan home or a snug studio apartment, room dividers are an invaluable tool when it comes to making your available space work harder. From creating distinct living areas and rooms within rooms to offering plenty of privacy in a flash, these dexterous room divider ideas will help you get the most from your floor plan. Click or scroll for more...

Create a canopy

In a snug studio apartment with a single living area, add curtain tracks on the ceiling either side of the bed to create a cozy canopy at night. Go for a heavy, warming fabric that lets you shut out the world whenever you need it. Place cupboards with open shelves at the end of the bed to complete the cocoon without compromising on airflow.

Plump for a pegboard

Sure, concertina screens are pretty, but they're not massively functional. Enter: the pegboard room divider. This nifty fixture offers all the privacy of a traditional design, with the storage capacity of a shelving unit. Its clever peg system is great for hanging jewelry and bags, and can also accommodate wooden ledges to hold books and prized trinkets.

Conceal with a curtain

If you are looking for a softer way to zone a space without losing daylight, opt for sheer curtains. Tucked under a floating staircase, this hardworking home office nook can be screened off at the end of the working day. 

Let in the light

In large living rooms where privacy is not essential, think about using glass as a divider to keep the room light, open and airy. If safety is an issue or you have little ones toddling around, why not opt for glass on the upper portion and a solid structure on the lower half?

Bring in a barn door

Sliding barn doors are a popular design choice in country and farmhouse-style decorating schemes. Mounted on runners, these rustic statement screens can easily be drawn across when a little extra privacy is required. 

Work in wall art

If the idea of a plain zoning wall leaves you uninspired, elevate a vacant white room divider by transforming it into a vibrant feature wall. Use the blank canvas to hang a favorite wallpaper print or create a stunning focal point with an amazing art mural. 

Go large with bookshelves

Large modular bookcases make ideal room dividers. Opt for a backless design and use a wall of shelving to bisect two distinct areas of your living space. Be sure to secure the unit, then add books, trinkets and decorative items that complement your room scheme. Leave some shelves completely clear to allow air and light to flow through the space.

Rearrange the closet

If you live in a micro-apartment where the bedroom is part of the living space, get creative with large furnishings to make the square footage stretch further. Instead of keeping your closet pushed against the wall, pull it out and position it at the foot of the bed to create a multipurpose divide between the sleeping area and lounge.

Embrace abstract

With a little imagination, room dividers can add a pop of personality to an otherwise unremarkable space. This stylish red metal statement screen not only frames the bed, placing it center stage in this petite bedroom, but also creates a handy dressing nook behind.

Roll in retro curves

In open-plan spaces that lack character or quirky architectural features, opt for a partition with a bold, curvaceous design that adds drama to your living area. This rounded Art Deco-style room divider is made of pale ash wood that adds warmth and texture to the room.

Warm with wood

A securely-fitted slatted wooden divider is a more permanent way to create distinct spaces. Minimalist, linear designs will complement contemporary schemes and allow light to filter through, while more rugged versions made from reclaimed materials like wood pallets will look rustic and relaxed. 

Plan for a peninsula

A permanent peninsula or kitchen island is a practical way to break up open-plan living areas. Not only does this handy countertop help to zone off the preparation space and create an intimate dining nook, but it also offers a great solution for entertaining, allowing you to whip up a meal while socializing with family members and guests.

Highlight the hearth

A glass fireplace inset into a solid room divider adds an instant air of luxury in a multipurpose lounge. Offering warmth and atmosphere from both sides, this stylish feature makes a fabulous focal point, creating a visual connection between two distinct living zones.

Blend in a beaded curtain

A blast from the past, beaded curtains have been used in doorways for years but they're a great way to zone a room too. Laidback and luxe, these retro homewares offer a sheer screen that allows light to filter through. Go for an illustrative floral pattern in muted shades to add a boho vibe to your room. ​

Get creative with a clothes rail

Using a clothes rail as a room divider is an innovative and budget-friendly option, especially if you opt for a design that has wheels. Instead of clothes, trying hanging pieces of colorful fabric or using the rail as a trellis for climbing plants to create a lush living wall effect.

Turn up the texture

Hanging room dividers look artistic in contemporary spaces and create a sense of drama, while faceted designs add plenty of texture. This modern living area uses a bold screen to separate the kitchen from the lounge. The diamond-shaped panels are adjustable so they can be rotated and rearranged to shake up the pattern and regulate light flow. 

Shake up classic shutters

It may be the heart of the home, but cooking odors from the kitchen can easily permeate other living areas if you have an open floor plan. A room divider that's a little more permanent is the ideal solution. Built-in concertina shutters can close off the culinary space when needed, creating a flexible, broken-plan arrangement.

Go for a graphic grid

Instead of a dividing wall inset with windows, lose the glass and embrace a graphic grid partition instead. Not only does it make a bold, contemporary statement, but it'll allow air to freely circulate. In this bedroom, the sleeping zone is screened off to create an intimate sitting area, utilizing every square inch of space on offer.

Embrace au naturel

A room divider doesn't need to be a permanent structure. Classic bi-folding screens offer a more intimate feel in bedrooms and bathrooms. Even if you don't technically need to divide the room, a paneled screen can impart privacy, personality and a stylish decorative touch to your scheme. It can also hide a messy corner at a moment's notice!

Create a living wall

Just as planters create beautiful dividers on garden patios and terraces, they can also provide a colorful and structural way to zone indoor rooms too. If you don't have green fingers, there are plenty of faux versions of tall structural planters that would fool almost everyone.

Bring in a backless bookshelf

A room divider doesn't have to be as tall as a fixed internal wall to define a space, especially when it comes to smaller rooms. In this tween bedroom, a simple backless bookshelf is cleverly positioned between the bed and workspace to allow its owner to switch off from their studies.

Run riot with rope

Add organic texture whilst creating a visual room divide with a rope screen. This kind of partition, where lengths of rope are spaced out within a wooden frame, isn't about privacy, but it is a great way to zone a multipurpose space. If you need something more solid, you could position the lengths closer together or wrap lush green vines around the rope. As you'll need to safely secure the frame to the ceiling, it might be worth calling in the experts for this one!

Make a statement with monochrome

A room divider doesn't have to take center stage in a space to shine. Create a partition that blends in with your scheme by opting for a screen in a color-matched hue. This divider blends in with the wall behind, seamlessly separating two zones in a single large living room.

Call in Crittall-style glass

Crittall-style glass screens are a stylish way to divide spaces without blocking the flow of natural light. In this contemporary scheme by Vita Architecture, a sleek retractable divider can slide across the open entryway, separating the living area from the dining zone to create a more intimate entertaining space.

Hack what you have

IKEA storage systems make ideal budget-friendly room dividers whether stood alone or modified to create a bespoke screen. These HEMNES bookshelves form a clever yet simple partition for a small, cozy bedroom suite. A simple privacy curtain completes this genius IKEA hack.

Inject a bold splash of color

A partial divider can be just the ticket to zone a room and impart personality, especially if it's painted in a striking shade. These lime green panels are safely secured to the wall and floor and add a vibrant burst of color – an ideal way to create separate spaces in a kids' bedroom for siblings that share.

Slide in slats

Rather than a fixed room divider, why not consider installing a section of adjustable slats? This genius design pivots, giving you the option of a solid screen or a perforated wall, depending on your needs. It's a great way to keep your layout flexible while ensuring you can create private corners when necessary. 

Make it multipurpose

If your home is a little tight around the edges, dividers are a great way to create distinct zones in a single compact living area. When space is at a premium, it's well worth opting for a design that works double-time. This industrial mesh screen features hanging space, as well as storage pockets underneath. 

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