Over the years, one of the very best purchases I have made were two bamboo Wave Room Screens, made of thin bamboo slats that unfurl to create an organic wave shape. I have had mine at least 15 years in two spaces and they have proven to be endlessly useful. They are a relatively inexpensive, stylish, bamboo alternative to the beautiful, classic Eames plywood screen ($2300) I could not afford. For my purposes, the wave screens are better:  They are a valuable few inches taller and a foot longer than the Eames AND they lend much needed curves in my very angular space. At about $300 each, two 6-foot screens cost a quarter of a single Eames screen, and yield 12 feet of camouflage or partition. Here are SOME of the ways I’ve used them:

In my old apartment, I put two wave screens end-to-end to hide file cabinets and office equipment in a room that doubled as a photo studio AND bedroom (check out the Murphy Bed on the other wall)…

Ellen Silverman
Ellen Silverman

…as well as the TV, which I don’t like looking at unless I am watching it.

Ellen Silverman
Ellen Silverman

The screen quieted the multi-purpose room of clutter immediately.

Ellen Silverman
Ellen Silverman

When I moved into my Harlem space, one screen effectively hid a pile of projects in the yet unfinished bedroom.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

And for months they hid the ugly unfinished bookshelf wall in the living room that was stacked with wood, sheet rock, concrete and other materials for pending projects.

Now that the new Murphy berth wall bed is finished in the living room, the two neatly rolled up screens are ready to unfurl around the open bed to afford a guest privacy.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

Bamboo Wave Screens are available in white, honey, natural and dark mocha (mine are natural), so can work in myriad kinds of decor.

As does the beautiful, classic Eames

eames-molded-plywood-folding-screen-charles-and-ray-eames-herman-miller-1

If you’ve found illumination, joy, or inspiration in this post, please consider supporting Improvised Life. It only takes a minute to make a secure donation that helps pay our many costs. A little goes a long way towards helping Improvised Life continue to live ad-free in the world.

Support Improvised Life ♥

6 replies on “Perfect Room Screen: Bamboo Wave or Plywood Eames?

  1. Downer that you are requiring $$$ to read here now.

    Especially, since most of the contributors have shared their creative ideas FREE!

  2. I have maintained this site 5 days a week since 2009, and paid for every inch of its design and technology. Still do. The Memberhip program is an attempt to keep it viable without advertising. Currently, the jury’s out as to whether it will become sustainable. Maintaining the site means PAYING a part-time assistant, as I think that the tendency to only offer young people unpaid internships borders on abuse. It also means my writing most of the 10 or so posts a week. Once/if the site becomes sustainable, I will gladly pay the occasional contributors who so generously expand its view, and hearten me with their good will and ideas.

  3. Hi, Sally,
    REALLY long time no see. I was your neighbor upstairs on Morton Street many years ago (as Lyna Shirley), and I recently learned that we still have several friends in common. I recently subscribed and think the cost is well worth it since I understand the effort involved in maintaining the site. It’s fun and helpful and worth every penny!
    Lyna

  4. Hi Lyna, REALLY long time…DECADES!!! So nice to hear from you. Thanks so much for subscribing and being part of this very interesting 6-degrees-of-separation community.

  5. Hi! This is so lovely, and I was wondering– which color did you purchase the screen in, honey or natural? I’d love to get the same one for my own space! Thanks so much.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *