Using the Expedit (and open-backed bookcases like it) as room dividers strikes me as a fairly well-worn path. I'm not sure it's worth an entire post. Great picture find though... love the idea of using a graphic cutout curtain as a divider. Know if there's anything similar available retail?

"it's own seperate space" should be "its own separate space".

If beverage cans still came with pull off tabs, you could do a pretty good version of that screen by building one out of lots of them. The MOMA gift shop has handbags made of them, so they must be in use somewhere. DIY, green and cheap!

Hmm. I say, look through the slide show before you complain. There are some lovely pictures of room dividers Non-IKEA as well.

I say - good post!
~k

I have pretty high standards for what I spend my time on, online, and this meets them - this example isn't anything special, though I enjoyed reading it, but the topic quality is great... oooh I sound like a boring old fart, I'll log-off now!

Good ideas, all of these. I think it's helpful to remember that on any day, new people are discovering AT and other sites, so they may not know the inventory of earlier postings; on that note, it seems important to re-visit familiar "how to" posts every so often.

Love it. I'm currently looking for a 1BR, but these ideas are making me consider a studio as well now!

Amen for not drilling holes in walls. I think the biggest obstacle for me when it comes to improving a room is a reluctance to put holes in walls. Perhaps it comes from so many years living in places that I don't own (and therefore have to repair when I leave) and a distaste for permanent fixtures. In a world where we live mostly without paper, you would think that there would be more ideas like this for improving a room without having to destroy something in the process.

I like the bookcase because when you need more privacy, you can fill it in with books (and an excuse to go to Borders!)

LOVe those Ideas...especially the first one!

excellent post!

I really liked the post, and the ideas. I have a "country rancher" and am casually "hunting" for some old (free) barn louvers - join two with hinges and you have a nice divider screen. I have also used an old louver-style closet door pair. If you have a closed-back bookcase you are using for a room divider, another idea is to staple or tack a piece of pretty fabric to the flat side - you can change it when you move it, or with your mood...

I struggled with this very issue when I moved into my loft. The biggest problem was while I wanted something flexible, I didn't want to hang something from the ceiling because mine are something like 15 feet high. I ended up getting the Ricci divider from Crate and Barrel which happened to match the woodwork in my kitchen (and it was a ever so slightly damaged floor model so it was cheap!).

Just wondering, is there some reason why people with grammar issues can't just email the poster instead of commenting? That's drives me nuts lately.

Cool. I'm into both notions...and both are making some wheels turn as I am about to move into a tiny studio apartment. Thanks for the thought food.

I was in EQ3 this weekend and what I liked most was the near ceiling height black fringe hung on curtain rods to create rooms within the store. Now i'm obsessed with finding something similar for my apartment because it was of course just part of the fixtures and not a product they sell.

I like the divider in image 5, but it doesn't name the company. Did I miss something? I could probably find some floor-to-ceiling poles at a hardware store, I suppose.

Anyone know the company?

http://store.dvider.com/

A couple of ideas I´ve been considering lately (as I live in a studio myself): making a wall using old windows, the big, pretty type with lots of small panes.
And then the one I´m going to realize now, as a divider between my living area and my bed: an acrylic glass wall, which I´m going to hang from the ceiling. I will have it in pinkish red, but other colours would look great too.
Not the cheapest option, though.

charlenemcbride: In this case, I don't believe there's a way to email the poster as she's trying out for a position.

In addition, though it may not bother you, typos like the ones mentioned above (as well as several in the slideshow, such as "theres no installation" instead of "there's no installation", and "using the back or the couch" instead of "the back of the couch") detract from the professionalism of the poster, and thus of the site, something I don't imagine AT wants. It's not like anyone is out here correcting your grammar, just that of the person representing (or hoping to represent) the site.

I liked the slideshow pics and details - I just want more careful proofreading.

Thanks for the great tips on working with a small apartment! I work with La-Z-Boy, and we have a great room planner on our Web site that helps you figure out different ways to set up your furniture in any size or style of room space.

I definitely like the first idea! I lived in an apartment where we drapes!

Yeah, I'm a firm believer in the old bookshelf-as-divider idea -- it's worked wonderfully in my last several studio apts, and is much more functional than a screen or curtain (I admit, I don't have the patience to clean those regularly, so they get gross). My biggest success with this method has been using a shelf to create the illusion of an entryway into my studio. Gives me a place to put my keys and bags, but also stops visitors from immediately invading your tiny living space. :)