A room divider is any freestanding piece of furniture used to separate one area of a room from another, while still allowing light and movement through the space. The most traditional form is the folding screen, but bookcases, open shelving units, cabinets and panelled partitions can all serve the same purpose.
Folding screens have a long history, from Chinese and Japanese lacquered and painted examples to the leather, tapestry and needlework screens of European country houses, which shielded sitters from draughts and gave privacy in large rooms. The nineteenth century brought Aesthetic Movement screens with ebonised frames and embroidered or printed panels, while Art Deco and mid-century designers produced lacquered, mirrored and open-shelved dividers suited to modern living. Collectors look at the quality of the panels, the condition of hinges and frames, and the originality of any fabric or painted decoration, since many screens have been re-covered. Today room dividers are invaluable in open-plan homes and studios, defining dining, sitting and working areas, disguising radiators or awkward corners, and adding pattern and height where there is no wall to hang a picture.
