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11 Types of Room Dividers
- Sliding Barn Doors
- Pocket Doors
- French Doors
- Curtains
- Accordion Doors
- Privacy Screens
- Mirrors
- Bookshelf Divider
- Wooden Room Dividers
- Glass Room Dividers
- Modern Room Dividers
What Are Room Dividers?
A room divider can be anything from a sliding door or curtain to a screen or bookshelf. It divides a space without being a permanent, solid wall. Room dividers are great solutions for larger spaces like lofts or studios, or in areas that need a flexible form of privacy. Sometimes, renters will install portable screens or curtains to limit some of the visual clutter that an open floor plan might create.Other times, parents choose room dividers like sliding barn doors and French doors to section off play areas or define rooms that are for adults only. Room partitions provide the solution for all of these spaces by creating division without permanently dividing areas, like in traditional floor plans that utilize solid walls with framing.
11 Types of Room Dividers
1. Sliding Barn Doors
An innovative option for interior room dividers is a sliding barn door. Rustica’s selection of sliding barn doors includes many options of space-saving panels that move along a track, wall, or ceiling mount. A sliding door is perfect for any interior space that requires a fixed door that acts as a wall divider but allows for movement between rooms. Installing a sliding barn door in open-concept spaces innovatively creates faux division within the floor plan, and hanging sliding barn doors over open storage areas creatively and effectively hides disorganization or clutter from the remainder of the house.Rustica offers a variety of sliding barn door types. On their website, these doors come in four different systems:
Standard: Single door, single track. A hanger is placed at the top of each side of the door, attaching the panel to a singular mounted track. Pricing ranges from $298-$1278 for standard dimensions.
Biparting: Double door, singular track. The biparting doors slide in front of the wall as they open, diverging to the left and right. Four hangers are needed in total for this system. Pricing ranges from $1100-$6615 for standard dimensions.
Bifolding: Double doors, singular track. Creased panels fold over one another as double bifolding doors diverge and slide to either side of the door frame. Pricing begins at $1047 and increases to $2400 for standard dimensions.
Bypassing: Double door, double track. Bypassing barn doors each move along their own tracks, allowing them to bypass, moving left to right in front of and behind each other. Four hangers in total are needed to attach these doors to their track. Pricing begins at $1351 and increases to $6637 for standard dimensions.
In addition to meeting spatial needs, barn doors also provide aesthetic appeal. From door finish and dimension to barn door hardware, home renovators can customize each purchase to match their personal design style.
There are a few things to consider when purchasing sliding doors. Though these doors do block more light and sound than curtains or a screen, sliding doors are not air tight and therefore do not entirely prevent sounds or light from entering into a space.
2. Pocket Doors
Pocket doors are similar to sliding barn doors in that they are the perfect wall dividers substitute for conserving space.Rustica offers three types of pocket doors in a variety of price ranges. This chart provides a brief explanation of the three different types of folding room dividers offered through our website.
Pocket Door Type | Standard Pocket Door Size (2’ W; 6’8” H; 1 ¾” L) |
Single Pocket Doors: one panel, sliding left or right) | $1327-$1627 |
Double Converging Pocket Doors: two panels, each diverging and converging in opposite directions | $1624-$2945 |
Stacked/Bypassing Pocket Doors: two or more panels that pass over one another as they run on multiple track systems | $1306-$1606 |
Like a pocket, this type of door disappears when opened into a compartment in the door frame or wall. When closed, it stretches the length of the opening. There’s no need to consider the radius of a door swing or the hanging room needed for a lengthy track system. A pocket door’s track fits neatly into the dimensions of your wall or frame.
3. French Doors
French doors are stunning room partitions for spaces that can allow for a traditional door swing. These doors are also excellent for blocking sound without detracting from a space’s natural lighting. French doors will allow natural or artificial light to flow from one area to the next, creating a linear viewpoint into surrounding rooms and spaces.French doors can easily be installed in virtually any size of wall or door opening. Often, homeowners choose to install not just one but two interior French doors for a more dramatic entryway into the kitchen, dining, living, or office spaces.
Interior French doors can be made of several different materials, including aluminum, fiberglass, and wood. All generally fall within the same price range with little price variation, costing anywhere from $900-$1100 per standard interior door.
French doors may be a bit more difficult to install and can require more upkeep due to the types of materials. Additionally, French doors may not offer complete privacy as there will always be a bit of glass paneling.
4. Curtains
Curtains are an elegant and surprisingly innovative choice for room division. Gorgeous lace or chiffon can be hung that stretches from floor to ceiling in doorways. Curtains can span the width of the room in a larger loft or studio apartment. Like French doors, these sheer curtains allow for a generous flow of light to flood from one room to the next. Or, solid fabric can be hung for a more private effect, limiting light and sight without removing the aesthetic of beautiful fabric room partitions.Curtains are also extremely customizable for your space’s specific dimensional needs. A homeowner can easily move between privacy and accessibility by simply sliding the curtain to close off a space, or gathering the fabric into a wall hook in order to open the space. This could be perfect for a bedroom area in a studio apartment that needs to remain sectioned off when guests are over but reopened to create the feeling of a larger space but exposing more surface area. In essence, a curtain can act as a temporary wall.
As far as installation goes, there are many ways to hang a curtain to create the perfect room separator. Curtains can easily be hung using a cable or wire, a tension rod, or a ceiling-mount track/rod, meaning that these room dividers can be as permanent or temporary as you desire. Pricing varies depending on fabric choice and dimensions. In general, curtains made from low-end fabric or blends will be cheaper, costing around $5-$20 per panel. Curtains made of finer materials, such as silk or linen will be significantly more expensive, ranging from $20-$150.
One downside of curtains, however, is that they sometimes can look a little too much like a DIY project. For this reason, many renters and homeowners choose to install something more substantial, like a sliding door.
5. Accordion Doors
Accordion doors are perfect for partitioning off closet or storage areas or smaller spaces that can’t allow for a traditional door swing. An accordion door is basically a folding screen that is installed along a track so its foldable panels can collapse or stretch (like an accordion) towards a door frame or wall. These doors can be made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mirrors, mahogany, fir, and glass with an aluminum-clad frame. Since these doors are solid and generally opaque (aside from transparent glass), they also act as excellent sound blockers in addition to blocking light.When installing accordion doors, home renovators have several options. Common choices including installing a single panel that stretches the entire length of the door, or installing two panels that converge and diverge to close and open. These panels can be crafted out of several materials, including fabric, plastic, wood, or PVC plastic. Most often, panels can be easily cut and trimmed DIY to easily alter your room partition at home.
Though convenient, accordion doors can be somewhat costly. Accordion doors can cost anywhere from $700 to $1,000 per linear square foot, not including the hardware system. Of course, prices can vary depending on the materials.
6. Privacy Screens
One of the most portable room dividers available for homeowners is a privacy screen. These screens can be single or multi-paneled and are usually mounted on wheels for ease of movement and storage. Most frames are made with a durable material like wood or solid-steel, making this type of room divider perfect for long-term use. The screen itself can be made from a variety of materials: fabric, glass panes, decorative painted or printed panels, or solid wood. In a commercial space, office dividers help break up large areas and provide a space for conversations that need a little more privacy.When in use, privacy screens can serve as an accent or centerpiece to your home’s decor. They’ll capture your guests' attention and bring a daily beautiful aesthetic for the homeowner, as well. Privacy screens can be used throughout a home or apartment’s layout but they especially work well in combination living space and dining room areas, sectioning off each area for intimacy or during more formal events. As portable as they are functional, privacy screens can quickly be stored against a wall or folded up in a corner of your room.
Privacy screens have a few downsides amongst their many benefits. Interior screens are not as stable as other room dividers and could potentially fall down while moving the unit. Some of the screen material can likewise be very delicate. You have to be careful with the fabric while it’s in transit.
