Room Dividers - A Look Back

It is the Chinese who are credited with inventing room dividers. Some antique room dividers date back as far as the Zhou Dynasty, which was between the fourth and third century BC. Early room dividers were used in much the same way we use them today, primarily to partition off sections of a room. But early Chinese room dividers were made of heavy wood and carved, then painted with egg tempera paint. These beautiful and elegant pieces were too heavy to be able to easily move from one area to another. Japanese Room Divider The Japanese took the basic idea and then elaborated on it. When most people think of Japanese room dividers, they immediately think of Japanese The word "Shoji" actually means translucent paper doors or windows. This type of room divider is light weight and made for easy transport. It contains a lightweight core that is created with a lattice work of wood that is covered with many layers of rice paper. The paper is translucent, which allows light to come through.

East Meets West
Explorers and traders from Portugal as early as the 1500s appreciated the beauty and utility of the Eastern room dividers. Since they folded, they were easy to transport back to Europe. As soon as rich Europeans saw the room dividers they used them throughout their magnificent homes. But trade bans dramatically reduced the availability of these room dividers in the mid-1600s.

Western Room Dividers
It wasn't until the mid 1800s that the bans were lifted and trade resumed. This was during a time of revived interest in the arts and this time Europeans truly "ate" up every room divider that was brought into the area. Screens were appreciated for their functionality but even more for the art work that graced the sides of most of these imported room dividers. About this same time wallpaper manufacturers were growing and they started introducing room dividers that were covered in wallpaper. These Western versions of Asian room dividers were affordable for most families.

By the 1920's acrylic furniture was introduced in the U.S. But they were easily scratched and yellowed with time. The medium saw a revival in the 1960's. The new wave of acrylic furniture was bold and bright and offered a modern look. Unfortunately the furniture still scratched easily and yellowed with time. It wasn't until the 1990's that non-yellowing, scratch resistant acrylics were being used in furniture construction. In recent years, we've seen a revival of acrylic furniture including acrylic room dividers. Room dividers made of acrylic offer a splash of bold color in the room. Acrylic room dividers are certainly the focal point in any room and create a unique and memorable fashion statement.

Room dividers have enjoyed a rich history. Over the years the styles may have changed, but the basic concept to divide spaces in a simple, portable manner has always remained the same.