What styles and materials are floor screens available in?

·        Frames—The frames of floor screens are most commonly found in wood (cherry and redwood are popular choices), steel, and wrought iron. More extravagant options include gold, black lacquer, bamboo, and posts wrapped in banana leaves.

·        Panels—The panels are what give the floor screens their style. Floor screens typically come with between three and five panels that are usually rectangular in shape, though some styles are rounded on the top. They also provide levels of privacy ranging from nearly none to partial to complete. What the panels are made out of varies as greatly as the homes they will grace. The rectangular panel frames either remain as one large rectangle with a covering in the middle, or, more frequently, they are divided into smaller windows within the panels.

o       Oriental—This is the most popular design for floor screens. Common options in this category include Tatami, Cebu, Shoji, and bamboo. What this translates to, design-wise, is sections of tightly woven straw matting, cabana paper on rattan panels, and other varieties of wood, bamboo, and naturally colored paper.

o       Glass—When used in a floor screen, glass takes on more of a decorative appeal than a functional one, as the floor screen ceases to be something one uses for privacy. Glass often appears as smaller panels within the larger ones acting as little windows in the screen, but you can also find floor screens with large panels of glass similar to what you might find on a storm door. Another popular use of glass in floor screens is with mirrors. This would be an effective way to use glass and maintain privacy as well. Frosted glass, though more expensive, provides another way to use glass both decoratively, while still ensuring privacy.

o       Fabric—Fabric in floor screens comes in a variety of ways and offers new and unique options in terms of style and color. Some floor screens use long pieces of fabric gathered on small rods at both ends of the panels, giving a drapery feel. Other screens utilize smaller fabric-covered panel sections within the larger ones. The most common look in fabric floor screens is the neutral tone, but it is possible to find some decorative flair if you hunt for it.

o       Wrought Iron—These floor screens tend to make little distinction between the frames and the panels, for the design interweaves the two. This is another choice that allows for little privacy and is purely to add to the style of a room. You can find wrought iron floor screens in a more contemporary look, or find them with an elegant look of antiquity. There is even a style of floor screen with scrolled iron called a “votive screen.” This screen has 33 built-in votive candle holders which offers a completely unique look and purpose.

o       Extravagant—For someone who wishes to obtain a floor screen for artistic purposes, there are many hand-painted styles available. These predominantly have an oriental look. Hand-painted floor screens range from decorative scrollwork to story scenes in which each panel shows a different aspect to the story to one large painting, which uses the entire floor screen as the canvas. Another opulent choice is the Asian-inspired floor screen made out of genuine gold. Other options include room themed floor screens in which a beach scene is depicted, or a portion of a room is painted on the floor screen to give the illusion that there is no divide in the room. Black lacquer and mother of pearl is another luxurious floor screen choice. 

o       Multi-purpose—If function is more your goal than design, there are some floor screen options that offer to be more than simply a room divider. Some floor screens come with shelves. Some offer hanging hooks and magazine racks. And some floor screens double as a place to store a CD or DVD collection. The style on these can range from a wood design to a metal frame with canvas panels. You can find these as simple or as sophisticated as you wish.