Life in a small Philadelphia apartment, loft, or studio is all about making the most of your space. Roommates often segregate areas for eating, relaxing or working. Creating an air of privacy in an open layout apartment can also be challenging. To adapt your living space to best suit your lifestyle, try these easy room divider ideas in your Philadelphia home.

1. Furniture Doubles as a Room Divider

Arranging sofas or chairs around a center table or area rug creates a living room feel even without walls. The rug will differentiate your flooring and give you a more comfortable place to lounge when you’re watching television. To use furniture as a room divider, first decide where to place your largest pieces. With sofas, coffee tables, and sectionals, it may take several tries to get everything to fit together properly. Traffic lanes are another consideration. You don’t want to place furniture in a way that makes it difficult to move around your apartment.

2. Movable Doors or Interior Sliders

Perhaps the best way to close off a space in your apartment is through the use of sliding walls or interior sliding doors. These customizable room dividers come in an array of sizes in clear, frosted, and opaque styles. These walls and doors not only act as a visual buffer but will also work to diminish sound more than other room dividing options.

3. Screens

Room divider screens have been around a long time and are still used frequently today. No matter which style you prefer — vintage, modern or eclectic — you can find a screen to match your taste. Choose a lighter material such as canvas for light-filtering, or a heavier wood for increased privacy. Check out local home-decor businesses for ideas.

4. Shelving

Shelves are a great way to divide a room while adding storage to your living space. Half bookshelves divide space while still providing an open, airy feel in your apartment. Full-size shelving serves as a temporary wall. Shelving is an affordable furnishing, and one that’s easy to buy in a size you need at Philadelphia home improvement stores or discount retailers.

5. Curtains and Blinds

For a simple and easy room divider in an open doorway, hang a curtain rod and add floor-length curtains. The variety of colors and styles available in window treatments provides countless options to match your space and your style preference. Roll up room dividers also give you the option to easily open your space up again when entertaining. Blinds or shades can be attached to the ceiling and rolled up and down. Curtains can be opened to reverse room division.

Many items can be used to separate space in an apartment — you’re certainly not limited to the traditional ideas of room dividers like screens and shelves. Before buying something new, take a look at your existing pieces and let your creativity run wild. By mixing and matching shelves, textiles, and furniture, you can create your own room divider ideas to add depth and character to your new home.

Image Source: Flickr

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