“Divide and conquer” is often used as a search party tactic, or a term used in politics or warfare strategizing. In the case of furniture, the Parawall by Anne Lorenz and Hanna Emilie Ernsting uses this idea as the inspiration behind a mastermind idea: to build a partition that divides a space while conquering the issue of natural light, airflow, and even counter or bookshelf space.

Parawall. Designed by Anne Lorenz and Hanna Emilie Ernsting.

Separate with a Parawall System Full of Options, Designed by Anne Lorenz and Hanna Emilie Ernsting.

Dividing living areas into separate spaces with the use of a wall that doubles as a bookshelf, a counter space, and a partition – all with optional light/airflow portals, makes a large room feel cozy and complete. Since so many people are coming to appreciate the loft spaces and warehouse-feel of urban living, or the old barn-transformations with wide open ceilings, partitions are becoming all the more practical. The Parawall by Lorenz and Ernsting “offers an especially unique solution” to this issue of daunting open space.

A modular structure with optional openings that lets you decide how much or how little of the space you want to reveal. It can stand between living and dining room, back up against your bed as an inviting way to create new dimensions, or weave throughout an apartment to create private nooks wherever an book and an exhale might be needed. As Anne Lorenz describes, “blinds and boxes can be fixed into the wooden frame with magnets in any position, depending on how transparent or shielded the places should be. This allows several activities to take place in the same room, as is the case in loft apartments.”

The wooden panels that make up this system of separators come as a frame with four rectangles cut out, allowing one to explore three customizable options. The first is to leave these windows bare, so that the room divider simultaneously sections off, and reveals what’s behind it. The second permits one to cover these gaps with slats. Lastly, and most compellingly, the Parawall by Anne Lorenz comes with cubby shelves that can be slotted into these openings, fastened in place with magnets.

Leave the wooden panels of the Parawall as a frame with four rectangles, or go for one of the three customizable options: leave the windows bare, cover with slats, or include cubby shelves slotted in with magnets to create the perfect room divider and organizer in one.

About the Designer: Anne Lorenz is a product designer who worked together on the Parawall design with Hanna Emilie Ernsting using their similar approaches to minimal, functional, beautiful design. Lorenz has been designing for various offices throughout Germany, France and Brazil to become the prolific product artist that she is today. Her experiences in those agencies as well as her degree from the University of Arts and Design Karlsruhe/Germany has helped her star in many exhibitions, winning numerous awards since 2005.