Divide a Room Without Dividers

Are you sharing a room? Are dividers too expensive? Without dividers you can still divide your room. Here are some ideas.

Steps

1. Make sure the room is big enough. The room you're dividing in half must be large enough to handle your division gracefully. Dividing a room that is too small will result in a crowded feeling and may also leave parts of it too stuffy and warm.
2. Determine why you are dividing the room. You might want to divide the room to use space better, or to avoid disturbing or being disturbed by those sharing it. You might also divide a room to block an objectionable view or to change the flow of traffic in the room. Privacy requires more coverage than some of the following solutions may provide.
3. Use bookshelves. If you don't already have bookshelves, there are many types you can build inexpensively, and they will add needed storage. Some bookshelves are even open on both sides, so you will not have to worry about covering an unattractive back side. If they go almost to the ceiling (and you have enough books) this can be almost like a wall, dividing a room into two separate rooms. You have to be careful, though, to make sure the shelves are balanced and sturdy. If they get knocked over (like if someone falls into them) it can be dangerous.
4. Use drawers. If you have a dresser or bureau, place it perpendicular to the wall. You may have to place another such piece back-to-back with it, or you may have to cover the reverse side, if it is not intended for display. If it is not tall enough to provide desired privacy, you can place bookshelves on top of it.
5. Place a table or work surface in the middle. If this is a room where you will be working, such as a sewing room, kitchen, studio, or garage, a well-placed table or island can make a world of difference, both in the flow of traffic and in the usability of the space for work. This solution is more for directing traffic and making a large room feel smaller, rather than affording privacy.
6. Set a sofa or desk perpendicular to the wall or in the middle of the room. This does not add privacy, but it can change the flow of the room dramatically. You may wish to try rearranging the furniture in general.
7. Build a divider, screen, or Make a Privacy Curtain. If money is the obstacle between you and the division you want, see if there is something you can fashion out of materials you have or can afford. A simple curtain hung from the ceiling or high on the walls might add just enough privacy. A folding screen may not be out of reach if you find it used.

Tips

• Few dividers will block all sound and light, but the right approach may give you a bit of privacy or dampen the sound from an adjacent space.
• If you want to divide your own space from your siblings in a shared room just lay a strip of masking tape on the ground
• If your improvised dividers block too much light, you may need to bring in additional lighting.

Related Articles

• Divide a Large Room
• Make Your Room Look Bigger
• Brighten Up a Dark Room
• Make a Reading Nook in Your Room
• Arrange Your Furniture

• Create a Room Divider

See also

• Give Your Kitchen a New Look
• Decorate with Vintage Artwork
• Make Your Room Look Bigger
• Use Mirrors to Create More Space
• Make Your Room Look Nice
• Apply Wall Decals
• Design a Room
• Create a Playroom
• Convert Your Living Room Into a Beach
• Make a Sideways Room