Curtains can make an inexpensive but effective room divider.
Whether you want to halve a bedroom shared by two kids, create a home office in an area of your family room, or separate the dining and living areas in a great room, dividing a room in two is sometimes necessary. If you're on a tight budget, though, hiring a contractor for the project may not be an option. You don't have to break the bank to create a wall or add a room divider to your space. Depending on how much privacy you want for each space, you can actually choose from several budget-friendly options.
Partition Wall
A partition wall is the least expensive type of wall you can build to divide a room in half. It is not a load bearing wall, so it doesn't require two layers of framing lumber like a load-bearing wall does. You can also place a partition wall wherever you need because it can be positioned perpendicular or parallel to the room's floor and ceiling joists. It's usually easier to build a partition in place -- you can attach a perpendicular partition wall directly to the ceiling or floor joists, or use 2-by-4s as blocking between the joists if you're building a partition wall that's parallel to joists. Finish the wall with drywall and paint it to blend with the rest of the room, so guests will never know that the room wasn't always separated in two.
Curtains
If you don't want to build an actual wall to divide your room in half, a curtain is an ideal, budget-friendly alternative. You can mount a track along the ceiling where you want to divide the room and hang the curtain to visually separate the space. Choose your curtain material based on the level of privacy that you want for the two halves of the room. If you're dividing a bedroom shared by siblings, a heavy, opaque cotton or canvas curtain works best. Use an opaque fabric if you're creating a home office in a corner of your living room or family room. However, if you just want to visually separate a dining room and living room, you can use a sheer curtain so light can pass between the two spaces.
Panel Shades
While curtains can effectively divide a room, they have a more formal look that may not fit all decor styles. If you prefer an understated, causal look, panel shades are another inexpensive option. They are usually made of fabric and can slide open and closed, so they can be used to cover an extremely wide area. The panel shades work well in a space like a shared living room and dining room because you can easily open the room for entertaining by sliding the panels. Like a curtain , you'll need to install a track in the ceiling to hold the panel shades in places. You can find them in a variety of colors and materials, including bamboo.
Line Up Plants
If you're looking for a simple, inexpensive way to visually separate two halves of a room, gather some potted plants or trees together. Use plants that are tall enough to create a strong line of division in the center of the room, and line them up in a row at the point where you want to separate the room. You can use several of the same potted plants or trees for a simple look, or alternate two or three type for a more interesting look.
Tags: partition wall, living room, room divider, visually separate, bedroom shared, dining room, divide room