Whether you’re dealing with a huge open space or a make-shift living room in a tiny home, room dividers help to divvy up your home’s space. The easiest, cheapest way to divide your living area is to use a temporary fixture of some sort, but there are also lots of permanent ideas for those looking to keep spaces separate.
Read on to discover some clever room divider ideas to consider for your next interior design project.
Wood Block Room Divider
A woodblock room divider adds an all-natural element to this space while breaking up a fairly large room. The spaces in between the woodblocks allow natural light to filter through, so this room divider doesn’t leave either of the spaces feeling dark.
Curtain Room Divider
Curtains are a low cost, easy-to-install room divider idea. They also add a touch of romance and coziness when added to a room. They’re a less permanent option than other room divider choices, so they’re great for apartment dwellers and kids’ rooms.
DIY Geo Wood Divider
This homemade wood divider is versatile entryway addition. It makes the entry a distinct space apart from the living room and still allows for natural light to filter through.
Wood And Glass Room Divider
The combination of wood and glass provides a beautiful visual contrast while the use of old farmhouse windows is a sustainable alternative to using new materials.
Storage Divider
I love a multipurpose design feature. This room divider is also an armoire. It cuts the room in half and provides privacy from onlookers lurking in the archway beyond.
Vintage-Style Room Divider
If you’re not quite a DIYer, consider buying an antique divider to adorn your room. Adding a vintage accessory makes for an eclectic design scheme. It may even be a conversation starter.
Bookcase Room Divider
This bookcase becomes a divider when placed next to the sofa, and keeps the space well defined and blocked off from the rest of the living area.
Related Post: DIY Bookshelf: The 22 Best Projects To Try
It makes for a cozier living room and adds lots of space for storing knick-knacks and books.
Macrame Room Divider
Room dividers can feel a bit chunky — especially in small spaces. For an airier feel, opt for a macrame divider like this one. Love the look but can’t find one for sale? Try your hand at learning this art.
Plant Wall Divider
I don’t think I’ll ever have enough plants in my home. Unfortunately, I seem to kill them as fast as I acquire them, so I’m in a losing battle.
Related Post: 12 Office Plants to Add Greenery to Your Workspace
One day though, I’ll master the art of houseplant care. In the meantime, I’ll covet this planter divider from afar. It’s a living wall that serves as a growing space.
Fireplace And Sitting Area
This cute little sitting nook and fireplace keep the living room cordoned off from the kitchen. The result is a cozier living room and added seating when you host larger gatherings. There’s still enough open space, though, that people in the kitchen can chat with those in the living room.
Small Geometric Divider
A divider doesn’t need to be huge to separate two spaces. This little divider adds a beautiful touch to the room and clearly cuts off the space at the chosen point.
Living Wall Room Divider
Here’s another idea for plant lovers. Let’s pretend the wall isn’t there. You could easily create a similar living wall to separate spaces. It’s an art and conversation piece all in one.
Wood Slats
This simple, inexpensive room divider idea is a beautiful way to delineate space without breaking the bank. The wood slats provide a natural appeal, and the configuration lets in plenty of sunlight.
TV Backdrop
I adore this geometric TV backdrop. The small console doesn’t provide enough height to really separate the room, but the lace-like geo divider does the job and makes the TV area look a lot nicer than it would without.
Shelf Room Divider
One of the easiest ways to define a room is with a shelf. This open shelving separates a dining room from the rest of the space and also provides a ton of decorative potential. The shelf has been expertly styled with knick-knacks and plants, but you could easily add books or dinnerware to the mix.
TV Unit Room Divider
This original TV unit doubles as a room divider. The slats allow light to come through, and the TV rotates so you can watch from either side of the room.
Pallet Room Divider
Here’s an upcycled, DIY room divider idea that utilizes some pallets. It would be a great way to break a large multipurpose basement into smaller areas.
Wine Rack Room Divider
I’d love to have a wine cellar (I don’t drink that much wine; I just think it’s a classy thing to have) but I’d settle for this room divider wine rack instead. Have all your wine on display in a divider that’s both decorative and practical.
Wood Kitchen Storage Room Divider
This wooden shelving unit blocks off the kitchen area without cutting up the space too aggressively. The shelving is handy in a room that might have limited storage, and it doubles as an attractive architectural feature.
Pet-Friendly Room Divider
This freestanding divider is perfect for blocking off a space for Fido. Whether it’s in a basement or living room, your furry friend deserves a space all to themselves.
Rustic-Style Room Divider
This divider made of repurposed window shutters is an excellent choice for a home with farmhouse rustic decor. I can absolutely see this used to block off a little reading nook in a basement or living room.
Aquatic Room Divider
A fish tank is one of the fanciest divider options on this list, but it’s definitely worth considering if you’re an aquarist. Just know that keeping fish requires quite a bit of upkeep.
Plant Stand
As soon as I spotted this plant stand, I knew I had to include it on the list. An awesome divider for plant lovers living in small spaces, it provides extra room for greenery and is small enough that it won’t overtake a cramped space.
Low Fireplace
No rule says that a divider needs to span the height of a room. It can be as low as this middle-of-the-room fireplace that cuts the space in half and doubles as a credenza.
Art/Photography Display Wall
This is a neat idea for anyone who lacks the real estate to create a gallery wall. Create a whole new wall and use it to divide your room and host your favorite pieces of art or photographs.
Room Divider Uses
Why add a room divider? Here are a few reasons you may want to divide a room.
Keep Spaces Separate
Many homes now have open-concept layouts. This popular configuration, however, isn’t always ideal, and some people prefer to have clearly designated rooms without completely blocking off the spaces with a wall.
Add Visual Interest
Dividers, especially ones that mimic full walls, help define spaces while adding an aesthetic component to the room. Some dividers even serve a dual-purpose — acting as both a space delineator and art.
Add Storage
In some cases, a divider can function as a multipurpose design element that allows for additional storage where there was none before.
Create a Focal Point
In an open-concept space, it can be tough to arrange furniture and organize parts of a room without a designated focal point. A divider can act as a centerpiece even in the middle of an open-concept room design.
Add Privacy
A room divider may also be used to add a hint of privacy to an otherwise open space. In a studio apartment, for instance, you may not want to have your sleeping area exposed at all times. Hide it behind a divider to keep that space private.
Sooo….millions of dollars spent opening up living spaces….now we’re closing them back off again????
hi Linda your right, we are building a barn conversion on our land, more like a dolls house one floor 2bed one bath and a lounge/kitchen. But i am thinking about having a small room divide as you walk through what is going to be the entrance its great having an open space but less walls to put things on. if we go ahead with it, it means we have somewhere to put keys as we come in and go out, and an extra wall be it small to display things on. if i go ahead i’ll take pictures for you if you like. there are some great ideas on this site thanks, but i have it in my head to may be do a Rennia Macintosh i once while on holiday visited a house he had built back in the 1900 he used small planks of wood evenly spaced apart to divide the stairs from the hall fantastic simple but i could not stop looking at them, a man before his time.