Partition Wall vs. Room Divider in an Interior – Tips For Designers

If you need to design a large multifunctional room with different spaces, a wall or room divider is the most logical solution. Room dividers allow homeowners to freely move within a flat while separating it into areas. For example, you can have a studio apartment with kitchen, dining, and lounge zones. To help you understand what is the difference between partition wall systems and room dividers, show when to use them and how we’ve prepared this article. Use our tips for unique and convenient interior designs.

What is Partition Wall vs. Room Divider

Wall partitions are non-bearing walls built by homeowners or professional carpenters to separate space in buildings. They can be solid (brick or blockwork) or based on a framed construction (timber, steel, or aluminum frames covered with timber, metal, plasterboard, or fibreboard). In modern interiors, you can also come across glass and metal partitions.

Room dividers are any objects, including furniture and screens, placed in a room to divide it into several areas. Unlike partitions, construction of which often requires professional help, room dividers are ready-made and portable solutions you can buy in the closest furniture store. Cubicle partitions, shoji screens, closets, shelves, and railings are the most common options.

Tips on Partition Wall Designs vs. Room Dividers In Interiors

Tip #1. Understand the main goal of dividing a room into separate areas

If you are a designer, ask your customers what they plan to do in their apartment and what daily routines they have. It may turn out that these people enjoy an active lifestyle and don’t want to clutter space with massive walls. Then the solution is obvious – offer them a functional and portable room divider. On the flip side, if the homeowners have kids and need some space for themselves, a solid partition is the only right option. Don’t go crazy with creative interior zoning just because it looks nice. Both types of wall partitions must satisfy specific needs.

Tip #2. Always create a space plan before building a partition

Even though space planning is recommended for any professional interior design, when it comes to building a wall, it’s mandatory. Be sure to create a space plan before making any drastic changes. Partition walls may impact the location, size, and type of furniture much more than you have predicted. Decide what exactly you want to place in the room before it’s too late to change anything.

Tip #3. Consider sound-absorbing properties

In case of noise reduction is something you care about, install walls. You can even purchase custom soundproof partitions to filter any noise. For ultimate sound blocking, choose rock wool, mineral wool, or fiberglass. Generally, partitions are preferred for conference rooms located in large office spaces or areas where workers can relax. If you don’t worry about noise, a shoji screen or a shelf may be a great way to organize space without building walls.

Tip#4. Use rendering services to visualize different options

When you need to present your design project, 3D rendering gives you a great backup. The realistic images of the future space enable customers to choose the best option for dividing it into areas. Visualizations are the only way to show the look of the interior before it’s implemented. If you don’t know how to use CAD software, no worries. Share specifications with a third-party rendering agency and outsource this part of the project. Outsourcing saves time and allows designers to get professional renderings with minimum effort.

Tip #5. Opt for dividers if you need communication and build walls for privacy

Decorative dividers do give you some privacy, but you are still not separated from the rest of the world. You see and hear everything that happens around. That’s why dividers are usually recommended for small apartments with one or two residents or large corporate spaces where people need to interact with each other. Contrarily, partitions can fully substitute regular walls. Thus, you should use them to create additional rooms for extra privacy.

Tip #6. Know your budget

The price range of both solutions is broad. You can create DIY dividers by watching a YouTube video or order an exclusive privacy glass wall. Always ask customers about their budget and try to use cost-effective solutions when necessary. For example, a $119 shelf unit or a $12.99 clothes rack are excellent budget options to create several areas.

Tip #7. Add partitions to separate closed offices and dividers in open spaces

When you plan a large office, you need to combine different approaches. Usually, designers use partition walls to separate rooms for C-level executives, managers, independent teams, and meetings. For typical open spaces, cubicles remain a popular choice. In case you work on a project for a creative agency or small teams that are constantly in touch with each other, functional closets and plants also help to divide the space.

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