My sister has been on the hunt for a new apartment in NYC, and has been regaling me with the horror stories one naturally encounters along the way.

I was privy to a tour of one place via facetime which revealed a “living room” that I very seriously mistook for a closet; my sister extended her arms and easily made contact with both opposing walls and my sister is smaller than me. And I was all, “you kids and your big city living.”

It’s gotten me thinking about the division of spaces though, 1-bedrooms masquerading as 2’s, 2’s masquerading as 3’s, and other creative ways to establish distinct living zones.

And so with an introduction that was very nearly on-topic, I give you four options for room dividers.

Bookcase room divider

I love this solution best of all for its ability to blend right in. To either side on which the bookcase sits, it’s just a bookcase in a room. While it’s undeniably effective at separating one space, it also feels entirely natural, and not as though you’ve gone to great lengths to introduce some instrument of faux wall-age.

The bookcase divider also allows for light to shine through, a definite benefit.

Curtain room divider 

Curtains are inarguably the most flexible option of the space divider bunch, as they can easily and constantly be opened and closed as needed.

While not substantial in terms of heft or depth, the fabric does provide a convincing illusion of the blank canvas that a wall might.

They also lend a certain romantic elegance to a space, wouldn’t you agree?

Glass room divider 

Sort of the counterpart to curtains, glass divider walls are solid, yet see-through, as is often the way with glass. They can be easily constructed by using salvaged windows.

I think it’s a winning solution because hey, I like the way it looks.

Wood room divider 

Whether constructed out of wood planks, a large panel or even an old door, the wood partition wall most closely resembles an actual one. So much so, in fact, that one needn’t even extend the partition the full length of the space.

Reclaimed wood materials, especially, will inject your space with a bit of rustic appeal, so there’s that too.

Alright, so go get to chopping up those spaces! And also, tell me which your favorite is because conversation.