College Dorm Room Dividers

How to Use Privacy Screens to Increase Personal Space

© Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Jul 22, 2009
A Shoji Screen, A Popular Kind of Room Divider, Mark Pulley, Stock Xchange
College students can create personal space in a dorm by using portable room dividers. These room partitions come in many price ranges and styles.

College dorm room dividers don't come with much, and they certainly don't come with much privacy or personal space Sharing a small room with at least one other student can feel a little claustrophobic. A popular way to deal with this problem is by using a small piece of portable furniture called a room divider, which is also known as a privacy screen or a room partition.

What is a Room Divider?

A room divider is made up of of several tall, large wall screens that are attached to each other, often with hinges. The room divider stands on the floor, and the panels can be partially folded up to create more or less of a barrier. These privacy screens usually consist of three or four screens, and are typically between five and seven feet tall.

Uses for Dorm Room Dividers

The most obvious use of a dorm room divider is to create a barrier between roommates. If the room is large enough, it may be possible to create two separate rooms with the use of one or more room dividers. If there's not enough room to do this, a privacy screen can be placed between sections of the room to create at least a small amount of personal space.

For some college students, getting changed in front of a roommate can be very embarrassing, Using a room divider to create a dressing area can take care of this.

Dorm room dividers can also be used to denote different functions for portions of the room. For an example, a portion of the room can be set aside as a study space or an entertainment space. By placing a privacy screen, one roommate can sleep while the other studies or plays video games with a headset. Even if the room is small, this use of a room barrier to create separate mini-rooms can make a dorm feel more like a home.

In addition, room dividers can be used as a simple, cheap way to help decorate a dorm room. A colorful privacy screen is an easy way to liven up a dull, institution space.

Cost of Dorm Room Dividers

Like just about any other piece of dorm room furniture, dorm room dividers can run anywhere from a few bucks in a garage sale to hundreds of dollars at a fine furniture store. As a rule of thumb, it's never a good idea to spend large amounts of money on dorm room furniture, as it could get damaged or wrecked. However, room dividers are very handy and can be used in future dorm rooms, apartments, or houses, so students might want to invest in one that will last.

Simple Room Dividers

The simplest dividers consist of wood or wood composite panels, or sometimes have wood frames with cloth panels on the inside. While it's important to make sure the divider isn't too flimsy (or else it won't afford much privacy), simple room dividers will probably do the trick in a dorm room. For a crafty project on a cold day, consider painting or otherwise decorating plain panels.

Venetian Room Dividers

These privacy screens are made out of the same kinds of slats found in Venetian blinds. They usually have a neutral, practical look, which will be advantageous when moving to a new space.

Shoji Room Dividers

A popular dorm room divider choice is the shoji room divider, which is modelled after a popular Japanese attached door. Typically, these privacy screens use translucent paper over frames made out of bamboo or a similar wood. Shjoi screens can be on the pricey side, but they also evoke a sense of calm that may be welcome in a dorm room.

Photo Holder Room Divider

These privacy screens have built in photo holders, and serve a dual function as room divider and photo frame. Although this might seem tacky to some, this can be a great way to personalize a dorm room and alleviate homesickness.

Room Dividers for College Dorm Rooms

A room divider is a practical, portable piece of furniture that can increase a sense of personal space for college roommates. By shopping around, students can find a room divider that suits their tastes and their budgets.


The copyright of the article College Dorm Room Dividers in Student Housing is owned by Naomi Rockler-Gladen. Permission to republish College Dorm Room Dividers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


A Shoji Screen, A Popular Kind of Room Divider, Mark Pulley, Stock Xchange
       


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Comments
Aug 16, 2009 7:26 PM
Dan NYC :
I used this great new modern room divider product by iDivide (www.idividewalls.com)for my alcove studio apartment to screen my bed and create two rooms. Unlike a folding screen room divider (which tend to fall over), iDivide room dividers are sturdy portable screen wall panels prefabricated to fit snug and divide rooms with style. The iDivide modular wall panel system uses no fasteners, nails or screws. The room divider frame uses sturdy aluminum bars that extend from floor to ceiling. All you have to do is simply twist with a wrench to tighten between the floor and ceiling.
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