24 Room Divider Ideas to Give Your Space More Function
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Whether you have a studio apartment or a five-bedroom home, sometimes there just aren’t walls where you need them to be. But a full-on renovation is expensive, and sometimes it’s not even an option (renters, I see you). If that’s the case, you might want to consider some room divider ideas.
Room dividers are a great way to break up your space and can also double as decor, even in a small bedroom or small living room. Using things like folding dividers, curtains, large bookcases as room dividers, and more can change up the layout of a room, provide extra privacy, maximize storage space, or just create a change of scenery.
Check out these room divider ideas you can use to create a customized space that’s rental- and budget-friendly.
DIY Dividers
1. Use extra materials to DIY.
This DIYer built a floating wall of copper pipes to separate her sleeping quarters from her entryway in a tiny Chicago studio. The DIY divider offers a place to hang photos, clothing itms, or other decor without making the bed area feel too closed off. This room divider idea is truly one of a kind.
2. Repurpose a clothing rack.
This studio apartment separates a bed from the rest of the space with a clothing rack that houses decor rather than clothes.
3. Repurpose shutters.
The room divider separating the bed from the front door of this NYC studio apartment is actually custom window shutters. They offer privacy when closed and natural light when opened.
4. Pick up beads or a wall hanging.
If it’s simply a doorway that’s preventing you from really separating your spaces, a curtain of beads is one of the easiest solutions, as seen in this Brooklyn apartment.
5. Craft temporary dividers.
How about a temporary wall? The owners of this Dutch home got creative and made two wooden partitions to separate their kids’ beds, allowing for a little more privacy and a small entryway.
Plant Dividers
6. Go green.
Aurora Yim, who lives in a Brooklyn studio apartment, separates her sleeping space from her living space with a vertical plant stand attached to the foot of her bed. You can add height for extra privacy.
7. Create a wall of plants.
A wall of plants is the perfect thing to section off a space and make for more privacy. This crafty Los Angeles loft uses a shelving unit to close off the bedroom area while also providing a statement piece and a workspace. Talk about resourceful!
Furniture Dividers
8. Paint it pink.
There’s no ignoring the giant pink bookcase acting as a room divider in this Washington, D.C. studio. Here, an IKEA bookshelf is made to look like a built-in and painted a bubblegum pink shade.
9. Add a pair of bookshelves.
If you’re working with an open floorplan in your kitchen and dining area, this is the room divider idea for you. Use a pair of bookshelves to separate the two areas. The furniture pieces section off the dining area, creating a breakfast nook, as shown in this Los Angeles apartment.
10. Line up a bookshelf.
Bookworm or not, a bookshelf can be a stylish and effective way of breaking up a space and separating out different “rooms” in an open area. This Pennsylvania loft in an old textile factory shows how a piece like this can look like it was almost built into the space.
11. Strategically place your furniture.
You don’t always have to go shopping for brand new dividers to split up a space. This Los Angeles studio shows how you can break up a room with furniture you already have — in this case a couch — making your sleeping space feel more separate from your living room.
12. Separate a multipurpose space.
A desk, bookshelf, and area rug in this Miami apartment show how the right pieces can make a studio feel like it actually has rooms, or at least designated areas. You’ve got a place to eat, sleep, and work — no doors necessary.
13. Incorporate a bar table.
Extra storage and a room divider? It’s a win-win. The underside of this rolling cart table in an Oakland apartment serves as a movable form of kitchen organization. Plus, it breaks up the space between the kitchen and rest of the house, creating a mini dining area.
14. Section off an area with a rug.
While the chairs, couch, and tables make this area in a Detroit loft look like its own separate room, the rug is what really pulls it together. Using a color that deeply contrasts against your floor can help create boundaries in a space.
Curtain Dividers
15. Use a curtain.
No bedroom? No problem! A curtain at the foot of the bed creates a sense of privacy in this Los Angeles 400-square foot studio apartment.
16. Bring in some curtains to section off another room.
The bedroom in designer Megan Hopp’s NYC home doesn’t have a door, so curtains get the job done in a snap. We love how their marigold color contrasts against the blue patterned wallpaper in the living room.
17. Use curtains to section of a sleeping area.
For ultra tiny living, you have to get creative. Curtains are usually a great option to turn to, as demonstrated in this itty bitty trailer.
Floor-to-Ceiling Dividers
18. Add a barn door.
For a bigger project, you can install a barn door to break up space. This home in Valencia, Spain, shows how you can easily break up an open floor plan with a sliding door.
Further Reading
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
