Living room half wall room divider ideas

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35 Clever Room Divider Ideas to Get the Most Out of Any Space

Whether you need privacy or just want to carve out intimate rooms within rooms.

Paul Raeside

As someone who once lived in a bedroom without its own door to slam shut, I know firsthand how transformative a room divider can be. I used an antique folding screen to create just a tad of privacy, but there are also tons of other designer solutions, from flex walls to interior glass partitions and more. Plus, aside from being functional, room partitions, folding screens, and separators can also introduce texture, dimension, and color. Whether it's the illusion of privacy, some decorative personality, a small-space solution, or a strategic layout you're after, these room divider and separator ideas might be just what your space needs. From folding screens to ceiling-high bookcases and even some makeshift rooms, read on for 35 ingenious (and, of course, stylish) room divider ideas from designer spaces.

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Build a Partial Glass Wall

This guest bedroom in a Toronto loft designed by Natalie Chong features glass separators extending between the partial wall up to the ceiling so that it feels somewhat private and distinct from the rest of the home while letting in natural light.

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Opt for Pocket Doors

Jannette Whitson made this home library extra cozy by closing it off from the nearby sitting room. A pocket door allows for privacy while the deep Hague Blue walls and tented ceiling give it a distinct personality from the adjacent rooms.

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Mirror a Folding Screen

In this small living room designed by Melanie Turner, the mirrored folding screen bounces light, making it feel larger and more open.

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Suspend Shelves from the Ceiling

Rodney Lawrence carved a foyer out of the larger living room by hanging shelves by Zanini de Zanine from the ceiling. They distinguish the entryway and can actually hold books and accessories, even though they look delicate.

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Hang Curtains Around a Nook

Heather and Matt French splashed this media room in bold pattern, dramatic color, and tons of texture, then crowned the design with a curtained trundle bed and added closed door, trellis-inspired cabinets

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Bring the Outside in

An indoor trellis is the perfect room divider between the sunroom and sitting area in this home designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard. It ties the greenery and decor scheme together seamlessly.

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Add Texture With a Trellis Screen

Here's another example of an outdoor used as well decor. In this New York City dining room designed by Shawn Henderson, it introduces texture and dimension. Down the line, it could also be used as a folding screen room divider.

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Match the Ceiling

The cream walls are the perfect off-white tone to complement the warm marigold ceiling in this living room by Casey Smith. Instead of painting the walls the same color, which may feel like too much of a commitment or simply be too bold, opt for a vintage screen that features it.

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Create an Entrway

If your front door opens right up into the living room—and if space allows—create a small makeshift entryway with a floor-to-ceiling folding screen. Designer Juan Carretero used the textural intrigue of a screen inspired by a collage of found objects to create a small, intimate sitting area. It's the perfect place to greet guests when they walk through the door.

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Install Sliding Doors

This primary bedroom in a Berkshire, England home designed by London-based architecture and interiors firm McLaren.Excell has a few great room separator ideas packed into it. First, take note of the barn door. It's much simpler to install and takes up less space than a classic door, and the partial wall behind the bedframe also helps enhance the sense of intimacy and privacy.

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Hide Unsightly Essentials

A blush pink upholstered folding screen in this living room designed by Lisa Tharp is cleverly disguising an exposed pipe while also bringing in a nice sense of dimension and depth by the cozy window nook. Whether it's random household supplies or an architectural quirk like a door to nowhere that throws off the layout, a strategically placed folding screen is a sneaky, stylish way to hide it.

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Renovate a Two-Way Fireplace

An A-frame chalet in Collingwood, Ontario designed by Sarah Richardson has an open and airy feel to it, but Richardson wanted to create a few intimate moments within the open floor plan. A two-way fireplace helps separate the dining and living spaces while also providing a cozy vibe for both.

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Fake It 'Til You Make It

This tip is all about facking it until you make it. Designer Kristin Fine made her family room feel separate from the open plan by placing an 18th-century Swedish long table slash bench behind the sofa custom. If you're similarly floating your sofa, this is a great way to visually separate it from the rest of the space.

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Put Art on the Divider

Soft, organic curves give this corner screen an easy elegance. For an extra punch of character and style, the artwork is secured directly to the screen instead of the wall. It's offbeat and unique without being too visually domineering.

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Flank Art With Two Screens

Upholstered in an iridescent, geometric fabric, the folding screens flanking the moldings frame the living room designed by Frank de Biasi They create a nice symmetry and provide the room with a subtle sense of movement.

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Put Up Traditional Drapes

Not all room dividers are folding screens. Interior designer Leanne Ford got crafty with a drapery rod and curtain to make this attic office nook serve double duty as a guest room.

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Let the Light In

Here's another great room divider idea for anyone who wants to incorporate indoor plants. An open folding screen brings the same dimension you'd get for an upholstered or solid version but doesn't block light.

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Ground Bright White Walls

This eclectic living room designed by Montreal-based Les Ensembliers feels open and airy, thanks to the large windows, high ceilings, and bright white paint. The printed drapes, dark coffee table, navy geometric rug, and mural folding screen with a black backdrop ground the space to prevent it from feeling one-dimensional.

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Opt for a Tall Bookcase

Customized or not, a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf can function as a room divider while also providing extra storage and display space. In this open space designed by Hecker Guthrie, the sculptural wall unit speaks to the geometric motifs throughout, so even though it breaks up the room nicely, it doesn't mess with the flow or feel out of place.

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Liven Up an Empty Corner

Folding screens, especially antique ones, tend to boast intricate designs and textural elements. This means they function as sculptures and works of art, too. In this living room designed by Tasmin Johnson, the room divider in the corner transforms the entire space, infusing it with personality.

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Hang Extra-High Curtains

Hang curtains from the ceiling to create a canopy bed effect—you can even use tiebacks when you want to keep your "doors" open. This trick is perfect for drawing attention to high ceilings and is an especially good call for creating sections in multi-purpose rooms and studio apartments.

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Use it to Set a Scene

In this space designed by Arent & Pyke, an average corner is elevated to gallery status thanks to the dreamy room divider with a silver-brushed ground and painted weeping willows. Even the angles are well-thought-out: the bends in the divider look like they're embracing the chaise.

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Create a Makeshift Wadrobe

In a studio apartment, create a little wardrobe/ dressing room by folding the screen and sanctioning off a corner. You can hang your outfit for the following day there, too, to speed up your morning routine.

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Let It Dictate Color Scheme

If you're not sure how to start the decorating process, choose a large artwork or one statement piece of decor with multiple colors in it. In this bedroom designed by Arent & Pyke, the elaborate room divider sets the tone for the color scheme. The designers pulled out the marigold, navy, and burnt orange-red hues, then softened things up with a cool white ceiling, gray carpet, and rattan accent chair.

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Hang Floating Art

In interior designer Max Sinsteden's studio, he made his sleep zone feel separate from the rest of the room by hanging a super high curtain and then suspending a floating painting to break it off even more. "I hate seeing a bed from the front door, so I added a curtain to partition that space. When you close it, you honestly feel like you're in a Parisian hotel," he tells us. This means you can entertain, too, without feeling like everyone's hanging out in your bedroom. "A small space doesn't hamper me from inviting 50 people over. It's very Breakfast at Tiffany's—I always make room for people and keep plenty of ice."

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Create a Vignette

Corners have a tendency to look awkward when empty, and folding screens are an easy way to liven them up. Then add large plants. To make sure it's not just your floors getting some love, hang a plant high up on the corner wall. It's all about creating dimension.

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Hang It Above the Sofa

Similarly, room dividers can be fastened to the wall (or simply leaned if it's tall enough) for wall decor that brings more dimension than a simple framed piece of art. In this living room designed by Nick Olsen, a hand-painted screen sets the tone.

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Section Off Nooks

Installing curtains won't just come in handy in a makeshift guest room. In this dining room designed by Sarah Richardson, the reading nook becomes its own cozy little space thanks to the whimsical curtains.

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Introduce Texture

Just lean a carved-wood piece directly against the wall to bring more textural intrigue into the space. In this bedroom designed by Cathy Kincaid, the wall divider drives home the Moroccan-inspired aesthetic. The designer actually cut the screen in half to flank each side of the bed for a symmetrical look.

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Use Wooden Slats

Wooden slats that partially section off the room into two areas offer a more open effect than a solid screen. In this home designed by Ray Booth, it partitions the stairwell from the living area nicely—and there's still a sense of flow and easy movement from section to section.

Hadley Mendelsohn Senior Editor Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House.

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