For the interior of a home, contemporary designs can often create the sleek, sophisticated look you want. Modern furniture and decor are typically less extravagant, and have a more minimalistic approach to design. But if you like the flare of international furnishings, and you still want the simple, clean look of modern design, shoji screens could be the best purchase to make.
A Shoji is a traditional Japanese screen room divider, door, or window. It is made with a lattice of wood or bamboo, and fitted with translucent paper. The paper on these frames can be plain, or decorated with Japanese art. Similar to Chinese folding screens, first invented in 4th Century B.C. China, Japanese screen room dividers were used to separate different areas of a room, or section off an entire space. Because bamboo is often used in modern design due to its smooth, glossy look, these Shoji room dividers are often the perfect fit for contemporary design, and are regularly used by interior designers to furnish a space.
In addition to their style, Shoji screens can also be functional, and act as entire wall panels to separate one room from another. You can find Shoji sliding doors that easily close off a closet, or living space. This helps to save space that a swinging door would take up. They also accent a space nicely, and can provide filtration for harsh lighting, as the translucent paper reflects softer light. Because the panels are made of paper, you might think that they would not be able to withstand adverse temperatures, but Shoji panels are often well-built and able to remain stable during humid climates. Some of them are also now built using plastic for durability purposes.
Because of their international feel and modern design, Shoji screens have become increasingly popular in Western modern design. With the help of a Shoji room divider, sliding door, or window, you could have the perfect eclectic, contemporary interior design for your home.