There is a range of folding room dividers for sale on 1stDibs. The range of distinct folding room dividers — often made from
wood,
hardwood and
fabric — can elevate any home. Find 105 antique and vintage folding room dividers at 1stDibs now, or shop our selection of 9 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished furniture. There are all kinds of folding room dividers available, from those produced as long ago as the 18th Century to those made as recently as the 21st Century. Folding room dividers are generally popular furniture pieces, but
Mid-Century Modern,
Modern and
Scandinavian Modern styles are often sought at 1stDibs. There have been many well-made folding room dividers over the years, but those made by
Charles and Ray Eames,
Herman Miller and
Atlas Industries are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
Whether they are implemented as decorative accents or makeshift partitions to ensure privacy, antique and vintage folding screens and room dividers easily introduce sophistication and depth to any space in your home.
The earliest examples of folding screens are said to have originated in China and go back at least as far as the Han dynasty. Screens of the era were heavy structures made of wood and had hinges of cloth or leather. They were adorned with elaborate landscape paintings that were typically created on silk or paper canvases and applied directly to the screen’s panels afterward. Just as they had been in the 20th century and today, the folding screens then were recognized for both their practical and purely decorative properties.
Japanese room-divider screens were also decorated with paintings but constructed to be lightweight and mobile. They took on considerable event-based importance when the structures gained popularity in the East Asian country, as the folding screens were used in performing arts such as concerts, tea ceremonies and more. Later, artists elsewhere warmed to folding screens and sought to create their own.
In European countries such as France, where they were known as paravent, folding screens began to materialize in apartments in Paris, gaining favor with the likes of pioneering couturier Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who is said to have accrued more than 30 and used them as a precursor to what we now know as wallpaper.
On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique and vintage folding screens and room dividers, which, given their history, may do a better job of bringing people and cultures together in your home than sectioning off a space. Search by material to find options in metal, fabric or wood, or browse by style for mid-century modern designs and examples from the Art Deco era.