20 Clever Room Divider Ideas That Will Max Out Your Room’s Functionality

Make the most of a wide-open space with one of these creative (and easy!) room divider ideas.

Whether you’re looking to divide up a studio apartment into functional “rooms,” need your kitchen table to double as a WFH conference space, or would like a secluded spot to do a morning meditation among your living room furniture, there’s always a need for creative ways to sequester parts of our rooms. Plus, the open floor plans of years past don’t always jive with the need for flexibility and functionality.

Related: Are Open Floor Plans Officially Over? The Experts Weigh In

Enter these clever room divider ideas, which offer stylish and simple ways of making the most of an open room or studio apartment. From traditional fabric-covered accordion screens to modern slatted wood walls, these creative dividers are as practical as they are pretty, seamlessly increasing both the functionality and style of your space. As a bonus, several of these room divider ideas require zero construction and very little assembly, so you can utilize them whether you’re a busy weekend warrior with little time for a DIY project or a renter who seriously wants their security deposit back.

Add a Metal Partition

If you’re looking for a way to add a more permanent delineation between “rooms” in your home or apartment, consider adding a “glass” and metal partition, as seen here in the home of creator Amal Iqbal. The interior stylist and blogger opted to create a DIY Parisian-inspired room divider out of lumber and acrylic (which is lighter weight than glass) to divide up her studio and living room without blocking the much-needed light coming from the back of her apartment. The best part? The entire project was designed and created with apartment living in mind and can be removed without creating damage when she decides to move.

Hang a Piece of Macramé

To create a slightly secluded desk area where the focus is on work, the team over at A Beautiful Mess turned to a simple DIY macramé wall hanging to add privacy. While actually weaving the rope screen is surprisingly easy (especially thanks to their instructions), you can also buy a pre-made design (like this style from Etsy) if you’d rather spend your free time organizing your desk, instead of crafting.

Create a Slat Wall

When dreaming up room divider ideas, it’s important to remember that in order to be effective, room dividers don’t have to completely close off a space. Case in point? This creative wood slat “wall” by DIY expert Liz Morrow. To separate her living room and adjoining dining room (and make the two spaces feel more intimate), Liz transformed a collection of raw lumber into an eye-catching focal point that adds just the right amount of privacy. The end result is a linear masterpiece that blends perfectly with the Mid-century modern style of her decor. 

Add Creative Metalwork

Utilizing room dividers in small apartments can be especially difficult because you’ll often have to consider how your intended solution will affect the flow, functionality, and even lighting in your space. To help section off the entry of her home without adding too much bulk (or blocking light from the nearby window), interior designer Kalina Juchnevic installed an intricate floor-to-ceiling metalwork divider. The piece, which was designed by Koka Studio and created by Ferwor, basically doubles as a sculptural art piece, adding visual interest along with functionality.

Hang a Beaded Curtain

The ‘70s are calling—and they’re saying thanks for bringing back this retro room divider! Made from hand-painted beaded bamboo and featuring a funky snake design, this lightweight and renter-friendly room divider idea is a great way to add a bit of visual delineation to your space if you don’t need total privacy. It’d work really well to section off a closet or close in a kitchen a bit while adding a playful and fresh twist to your decor at the same time.

Drape a Pair of Curtains

For a room divider idea that looks totally custom (and looks way more expensive than its humble price tag), consider this genius curtain idea from designer Megan Hopp. To help section off the primary bedroom in her railroad-style apartment, Hopp hung two mustard velvet curtains from IKEA across the arched entryway of her bedroom for a flexible solution that blocks light (no more early morning wakeups!) and adds privacy when guests come by.

Shop for Vintage Windows

Sometimes the best solutions aren’t really new at all. To help transform a pony wall into a full-fledged room divider, the team at The Fahnestock Collective snagged several vintage window frames and gave them new life as an airy means of sectioning off the bedroom from the rest of the living space at their Lancaster, PA B&B.

Upgrade Basic Drywall

A builder-basic room divider wall can go a long way in making your space more functional, but it doesn’t exactly up the style quotient quite as much. To bring some visual interest to the open floorplan in this home, designer Ginny Macdonald commissioned a custom wood focal wall in the entryway. The slatted feature adds visual interest (and ties in with the nearby kitchen cabinetry), while a petite bench adds bonus storage and acts as the perfect place to pull off your shoes upon entering the home.

DIY a Rattan Screen

When creator Janet Coon of Shabbyfufu was on the hunt for a room divider that suited her living room, she couldn’t find anything that jived with her personal style—so she decided to make one. The resulting DIY project is as stunning as it is smart, featuring three foldable panels that can be moved about the home as needed to disguise any number of sins, from a pile of laundry to an intimate reading nook.

Create an Entire Room (From Scratch!)

Studio living can be tough, especially if you’re someone who relies on room delineations to inform how you live within (and decorate) a space. Lucky for us all, The Sorry Girls have the solution with this custom-made industrial glass wall enclosure they designed and created in partnership with fellow creator Made With Wendy. The plexiglass and wood frame is lightweight and stylish, providing a chic industrial edge to Wendy’s studio apartment and helping to divide up her expansive living space into more digestible “rooms.”

Mimic a Closed Floor Plan

When it came to renovating a centuries-old Cotswold cottage into a modern family home, designer Lauren Gilberthorpe was on the hunt for a way to facilitate flow and light between the kitchen and dining room while paying homage to the original floor plan. The solution? A dividing wall of expansive windows and doors that still allows for visibility between the two rooms.

Add a Pop of Pattern

While renovating the kitchen of her historic New York home, design maven Jessica Rhodes turned to a patterned room divider to bring visual interest—and fill an empty corner—in the large space. The intricate blue floral fabric she chose from The Inside complements the rest of her cool-toned kitchen while bringing age-appropriate vintage charm to the room.  

Lend Flexibility With Shutters

Talk about a genius way to rethink a classic room divider! Instead of opting for a traditional folding screen, designer Elaine Thompson of Pistachio Designs turned to a set of floor-to-ceiling louvered shutters to section off the bed from the rest of the space in this studio apartment. Not only does this trick lend a bit of extra privacy to the space (especially considering the bed abuts the living room and faces the entry hallway), but it still maintains a light and airy quality.

Use Tall, Closed Shelving

Short of building an actual wall, a very tall closed shelving unit will instantly divide a room into two spaces. Alessandra Wood, the vice president of style at Modsy, recommends something akin to the Ikea Billy System (starting at $69; ikea.com) or the Ikea Pax System (starting at $330; ikea.com). "These pieces come in an extra tall version, so they sit just below the ceiling and give the illusion of a wall. They also add a ton of additional storage, so they're super useful," she says.

Since the shelving units will be floating in a room, anchor them down so they don't tip over. "When I did this in my former studio, I actually put a desk on the backside, bolted everything together, then bolted it to the wall," says Wood.

Use Open Shelving

If you want to create a boundary without completely enclosing a space, open shelving could be the perfect room divider.

"I love this option because the bookshelf itself provides the height and depth that a wall would, but it also allows you to add storage or decor to a room while letting light flow through," says Lindsay Pumpa, an interior designer based in South Florida. "Installing this is as simple as deciding where you want the room divide," she says. "Because this is a piece of furniture, you don't have to worry about it being permanent, and you can move or adjust it as your needs change."

The heavier and wider the piece, the less likely the shelf will topple. (Bolting it down is also a great safety measure.) Pumpa recommends the Modloft Pearl Bookcase ($1,099; modloft.com); the Ikea Kallax unit (from $90; ikea.com) is a less expensive option.

Try a Metal Chain Link Curtain

"When you want to break up a room and make an impact, a chain curtain will accomplish both," says interior designer Katie Stix, the design director at Anderson Design Studio. "I like this wall alternative because it's groovy, different, and luxurious feeling, and it can even be considered art. At the same time, it breaks up a large space to add drama and some privacy." Hire a local metal artist to custom install a piece, or consult a company such as Cascade or Boegger which offers a variety of metal curtains to choose from.

Use the Sofa and/or Credenza

Strategic furniture placement is a simple way to organically divide your room. Pair a sofa with a console table or credenza to create an intimate living room on one side and whatever your heart desires on the other—say, a dining space, a reading nook, or a children's play area. In a studio apartment, an extra tall headboard can offer a sense of division.

"By utilizing furniture rather than building a wall, you can move the items around, and it won't block the natural light, which ultimately makes a space feel larger," says Diana Weinstein, an interior designer and founder of DW Design in New Jersey. "When creating the illusion of division within a room with furniture, I recommend investing in quality pieces that you can have for years and move to different rooms if you get tired of the design layout."

Create a Floor to Ceiling Light Installation

Let there be light and artful division. A floor-to-ceiling light installation is similar to the metal curtain idea, but it doubles as an ambient light source. Kelly Dunn, the head interior designer at Fathom Design Company, says one of her favorites is the Abacus Floor to Ceiling LED Linear Suspension ($4200 to $5200; lumens.com), which is a less cost-effective but still striking solution.

"This particular piece can be customized to any height or width, and each of the bulbs move on a vertical slide," she says. "So you can use it as a living element to add a unique vibe depending on your needs for the evening." You can also DIY a series of down-lit strings or install curtain string lights, such as Twinkle Star 600 LED Window Curtain String Lights ($38; amazon.com) for a less expensive option.

Use Wooden Dowels or Rope

For a floor-to-ceiling room divider that's similar but doesn't involve electricity, opt for a DIY wood or rope installation. "Working in NYC residential, I design a lot of small spaces. One of my favorite recent techniques is to hang wood dowels from the ceiling," says Dunn. "It separates the space organically while adding texture and filtering light nicely. It also helps your overall space look larger, keeps your natural light intact, and still gives you the vibe of multiple spaces in a single room." (You can try this one from Robert Rose Carpentry in Etsy.)

Pumpa agrees, adding that rope also works. "I love a rope wall, because it divides the space and adds a unique decorative element," she says. Plus, you can take creative liberties in the way you fasten the rope—straight tie versus a zig-zag design—and choose whether you want a cleaner rope versus a looser hemp weave." Create a movable stand-alone piece, or anchor the rope to the ceiling and floor for a more permanent feel.

Use Plants and Planters

Those with a green thumb can create a faux half wall with plants and large planters. "Not only will you be creating a sense of privacy, but you are bringing in color and great energy with live plants. And it's no secret that plants also boost the air quality," says Weinstein. "There are a ton of great options in a variety of sizes, and by playing with the height of plants you can create as much division to a space as necessary." Try West Elm's Cityscape Planters, Tall Double ($299; westelm.com) with your favorite plants.

Related: Make a Multitasking Flex Room Work for You

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