How Room Dividers Can Be Used to Enhance the Design and Style of Your Home…

How to Make the Most of Open Plan Environments

The humble room dividers are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as the open plan trend takes hold. The past 100 years has seen architectural design shift away from the prison cell like designs of the Victorian period in the UK. Instead, as you are probably aware of, most new homes and buildings feature open plan in various areas throughout the design. Like most trends, there is not a clear reason why this is the case, but the current popularity of the open plan layout suggests it is here to stay. While open-plan homes may feel like a relatively new concept, it’s actually been around in the far east for over 1400 years.

Chinese architecture took shape over many early centuries and evidence suggests that the first room dividers were introduced in China around 600AD. As this style of architecture grew across Asia, this took the room divider across Korea, Vietnam and Japan before eventually being exported to Europe by Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese traders. Early designs featured ornate panels, often adorned by silks and leathers which would then be decorated. Often, they featured in the homes of the elite as well as in temples and shrines, which indicates they were also a sign of wealth. Fortunately, with modern manufacturing, room dividers are now accessible to all, with a wider range of options too.

Starting with the Design of Room Dividers

The design of the room divider is simple in theory. Traditional designs took a wooden frame then paired it with a layer of silk or leather. You might have to pay a premium for a similar style today, however, modern room dividers are capable of far much more. One of the drawbacks of the original design was the heavy panels, which made moving them around an ordeal. Now, room dividers are manufactured from solid lightweight materials and can now even be equipped with wheels at the bottom. Through this, room dividers are far more adaptable, allowing greater flexibility for the area.

So, while the structure of the room divider has remained the same, it’s the core of the product which is constantly changing. Manufacturers can now create unique designs, enabling room dividers to excel at different tasks, in different environments. For example, here at Go Displays, we can create room dividers which are acoustic-proof, upholstered with fabric or even printed using bespoke graphic design. A room divider is not designed to be the centrepiece of the home, but it is possible to have them tailor-made to blend in and even improve upon the existing aesthetic.

Enhancing the Style of the Home Using Room Dividers

When considering additions to the home, how they look is often equally as important as their practicality. The purpose of room dividers is rather unique and it is through their flexibility which is where they can excel. For example, printed room dividers can be customised with printed panels. This introduces rich, vivid graphic design, which can be used in children’s rooms to feature their favourite characters, scenes and settings. Alternatively, the fabric designs can be customised with any lightweight material as it can be pinned without damaging the panel.

This freedom provided in the design process is one of the main advantages of choosing room dividers. Chances are, they will become a key piece in any living area, bedroom, nursery etc. Therefore, investing in quality room dividers at the start will result in an eye-catching and effective product which will last for many years to come. A thorough investigation online will reveal unique room dividers manufactured from woods, plastics, metals, fabrics and printed panels. While room dividers may be temporary in theory, they should be viewed with the future in mind.

Combining the Two to Make the Most of Your Open Plan Room

Enhancing the design and style of your home rests in finding the right manufacturer for the finish you are looking for. Some are created with various practical elements which are suitable for addressing audible and visual distractions in the home. Meanwhile, others are simply effective as a stylish addition. These can provide a break in the open space without creating a permanent divide. Therefore, in the future, should you choose to re-design the room, the room dividers can adapt to the change.

The main factor to be considered when searching is who will be creating your room dividers. There are plenty of cheap and cheerful options out there. However, committing to buy something which looks too good to be true often turns out to be the case. A room divider should be strong and sturdy, especially when children and pets are at home. Wheeled feet are effective at providing stabilisation, although stabilising feet are equally as effective if the dividers do not need to be moved. So, when searching, consider the reviews of other customers and ensure you are committing to buy from a reliable manufacturer.

Go Displays are an expert manufacturer of partition screens and exhibition stands. With over 40 years in the industry, we have extensive experience creating products for a variety of projects. As well as room dividers, we also produce partition screens, office pods, acoustic screens and much more. For more information, please get in touch by calling 01733 232000 or send an e-mail to sales@go-displays.co.uk.