Translucent room divider

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We have a minor logistical issue: we live in a small apartment with four kids. This isn't an issue of itself, but at the moment Beautiful Daughter is still sharing a room with us. This was supposed to change soon but with the job situation looking a bit static we need a solution until that joyous day.

Our living room is fairly big, so one solution to this is to make our living room into a bedsit. Of course this means we need to make a space for the bed that is relatively private. We've got a set of Ikea shelving units that can serve as the basis for a partition.

The problem is that the main window is the opposite end of the room from the door, therefore any divider needs to allow light through, and preferably be removable so we have light in the living room when there's no-one here.

Ideally, I'd like to make Shoji screens but that would take too long, and apparently a painted theatre flat isn't acceptable (even when I offered to paint it to look like fine stonework...) This means fabrics and other soft movable things, which to this cabinet maker are a bit of a mystery.

What we need is something:

  • Inexpensive.
  • Translucent but not see through.
  • Removable, as in something we can push aside or roll up or something.
  • Pleasant to look at from both sides.

At the moment I'm thinking in terms of a rail on the back of the shelf and some kind of light coloured material, possibly patterned. Dominant colours in the room are wine red, browns and creams.

Exact products will probably be different here unless they are from Ikea, but any ideas for kinds of fabric or hanging/rolling methods are welcome...
 

Andy_R

Hard of hearing..I said Herd of Herring..oh FFS..
Location
County Durham
Some sort of lightweight linen?
 
I'd just have a long curtain rail with a curtain - either tabs or rings will work, but at least with tabs you don't need to worry about the tape at the top. Should be easy to make if either you or the missus can sew a straight seam, plus they'll be sized to fit the space. Sewing machine isn't essential, but it is way quicker LOL.

There are loads of lightweight / sheer fabrics available. If it needs to be girly, look for fabrics with beaded detail.
 
I'd just have a long curtain rail with a curtain - either tabs or rings will work, but at least with tabs you don't need to worry about the tape at the top. Should be easy to make if either you or the missus can sew a straight seam, plus they'll be sized to fit the space. Sewing machine isn't essential, but it is way quicker LOL.

There are loads of lightweight / sheer fabrics available. If it needs to be girly, look for fabrics with beaded detail.

The plan is that I do this as a surprise while Beautiful Wife is in Japan, so it has to be something a carpenter can do...
 

classic33

Leg End Member
A decent sized table and cans of beans / tomatoes etc are your friend here if you haven't got any spring clamps to stop the fabric from wiggling. And yes, I've stretched and nailed artists canvas to wooden frames. :smile:

P.S. Cats and fabric don't mix. :laugh:
Staple Gun.
 
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