Privacy screens are far from new innovations in the world of interior design. These design elements, which are both practical and decorative, trace their origins back many centuries. However, privacy screens are enjoying a comeback in popularity, making these ancient inventions part of the sleekest and most modern decorative style.
Privacy screens were invented in China around the 4th century BC, and they were heavy, permanent decorative features. The trend spread to Japan where they were known as shoji screens. The Japanese reinvented and redesigned privacy screens, essentially making them into the form we see today. These lightweight, portable folding screens were made of wood or bamboo and divided into panels covered by washi paper. Sometimes shoji screens were then decorated with traditional Japanese painting. These ancient privacy screens could also be built to slide across the wall, saving space inside the home or opening up an exterior wall to the outdoors. Shoji screens were used in the home, but also in tea ceremonies, processions, and festivals. When Portuguese missionaries arrived in the area in the 16th century, they were enchanted by the screens and took the idea back to Europe, where they enjoyed a brief popularity, particularly in Portugal. When Japan closed its borders to trade, however, the trend declined. In 1853, however, Japan reopened its borders to trade, and shoji screens soon spread across the continent and across the Atlantic to America. In fact, privacy screens became nearly ubiquitous in houses of the time. Europeans adopted the screens, so that they were not always made in the paneled style. Often, European privacy screens were made of three solid panels, which were then painted with Japanese motifs. Alternatively, they could be made of fabric.
Privacy screens are still used today for both functionality and decoration. Though there are many types of privacy screens, traditional shoji screens are still one of the most popular versions. There are two types of shoji screens. The byobu screen is a portable folding screen, usually divided into three parts for transportation and storage.
Fusuma screens, which have long been popular in Japan, are becoming a hot trend in Western interior design, as well. These are sliding screens, which usually slide along the wall. Fusuma screens save space and look great with today’s design trends of open spaces and sleek, no-fuss lines and shapes. Modern privacy screens can be made of bamboo and paper, but they can also be made of metal, plastic, and glass, retaining the traditional style while making a longer-lasting and sturdier screen. However they are made, shoji screens are timeless and look great in homes of all types, whether Japanese, Western, old-fashioned, or modern.
The Sliding Door Company offers a wide choice in privacy screens, as well as room doors, closet doors, dividers, and even entire walls that open up. Our doors are made of sturdy, environmentally friendly material including tempered glass, aluminum framework, and each screen or door comes with our patented wheel-to-track locking mechanism. We offer a wide choice of colors and materials, enabling you to choose from among our best sellers or design your own screen or door. For more information, to locate a showroom, or to use our interactive design feature, visit www.slidingdoorco.com.
