Once upon a time, it was fashion that was cyclical: trends burst onto the market, lasted the time of a season, and then were put away in a drawer. Well preserved because, sooner or later, they would come back.
Today, the same trend seems to concern the world of design: just think of the tapestries that, in vogue in the seventies, are now back in an artistic and modern guise. Wallpaper, they are called today. Or wallpapers. But there is also another typical element of the houses of the last century, which is touching the same fate: it is the separe, or screen if you prefer.
In Europe, the separe arrived there in the late Middle Ages: the French fell in love with Chinese screens, even Coco Chanel loved them madly, so much so that she collected them. Born for very practical purposes (parrying the drafts of air), the separe then began to be used, in the classical era, to allow ladies to dress in complete privacy.
And today
Today they serve to separate the different functions of an environment that is increasingly open, or to conceal elements that you want to keep hidden. They are treated like false doors, or false walls, but – unlike these – they have an extra gear: they do not stop the light , and for today’s houses, brightness is everything.
Hence, the screen becomes an original piece of furniture inside, above all, the living area: by choosing a model with neutral colors and modern lines, with a dark but not too opaque fabric, you can separate the conversation area from the relaxation corner, or even the actual living room from the dining area. The important thing is not to create a barrier against natural light: for this reason, in addition to the light fabric models, the perforated and decorative dividers are indicated, or, if you like the genre, those made with plants, real walls . green furniture. Or, again, the screens created with old salvaged windows, or with opaque glass with iron edgesfor an industrial effect that makes a lot of New York loft. Finally, the bookcases: voluminous and important, instead of being leaning against the walls they can be used in the center of the room, behind the sofa, to the side, to divide the TV area from the rest of the room.
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But it’s not just the living room, which lends itself to the use of dividers: in the bedroom they can be used to replace the door, if you have an en-suite bathroom. Or, they can act as a screen for the walk-in closet, or give the bed a romantic aura if – as a screen – soft earth-sky fabrics in pastel shades are used . A sort of curtain, of open scenography on a textile bed with soft and refined lines.
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Finally, the bathroom: here the ideal is to opt for a model in wood or in bamboo canes , which brings an exotic air and a strong sense of lightness into the room. Or, for a multitasking model, such as storage units with a mirrored wall designed to be placed in the center of the room. And in the bedroom It is possible to adopt a creative solution: a cardboard divider , which the children can have fun coloring. Thus, the screen will be unique and extraordinary.
Because the beauty of the separe is just that: cheap and easy to install, they can be changed often. And in turn change the face of an environment, according to our taste and the needs of the moment.
