The Art of Separation: Six Screens that Redefine Space and Myth

The folding screen has always occupied a liminal space in the history of interior architecture. It is furniture, yet it functions as a moveable fresco; it is a wall, yet it suggests rather than divides. Since the 18th century, when Chinoiserie first captivated the European imagination with its glossy lacquer woods and painted silks, the screen has been a vessel for cross-cultural dialogue.

From the eclectic dens of Victor Hugo to the legendary Coromandel-lined walls of Coco Chanel’s Rue Cambon apartment, these objects have served as backdrops for the avant-garde. Today, contemporary artisans are revisiting this format, transforming the utilitarian room divider into a canvas for material alchemy—where heritage craftsmanship meets modern narrative.

Porte Italia: The Venetian Echo

The allure of Venetian decorative arts lies in their ability to suspend time, capturing the faded grandeur of a palazzo within a single object. Porte Italia channels this specific heritage, moving away from mass production to revive the hand-painted traditions of the region.

Their approach to the folding screen is one of architectural softness. This particular piece, bathed in a delicate lavender hue, functions less as a barrier and more as a framing device for the room. The construction features hinged panels with intricately carved tops and bottoms—available in arched or rectangular geometries—that recall the fenestration of Venetian villas.

A lavender-hued Venetian style screen with hand-painted botanical motifs

The surface serves as a canvas for customizable botanical motifs. Unlike the rigid Chinoiserie of the past, here the flora is rendered with a painterly touch, evoking the misty, water-reflected light of Venice. It is a piece that prioritizes atmosphere over narrative, bringing an 18th-century sensibility to the contemporary interior.

House of Ita: The Fable in Thread and Ink

Where some designers focus on structure, Ita—a designer whose aesthetic was forged between Macedonia and Rome—focuses on the mythic potential of textiles. Her work creates a “mosaic” of cultures, blending the raw tactility of natural fabrics with the precision of illustration.

This screen is a testament to her mixed-media technique, where silk and linen become the pages of a storybook. The visual anchor here is a dramatic scene of pursuit: a silver lion chasing a goat through an enchanted golden forest. It is a motif that feels ancient, pulled perhaps from a forgotten folktale, yet rendered with a modern hand.

A detailed screen depicting a silver lion chasing a goat in a golden forest

Technically, the piece is a study in layering. The base illustration is executed with a delicate pen and brush technique, then elevated with gold and metallic paints. Dimensional appliqué adds a tactile relief to the flora and fauna, allowing the light to catch the “leaves” and “fur” of the composition, turning the screen into a living tableau.

Kabinet: The Silhouette of Silk

Founded in the Veneto region, Kabinet represents a new generation of Italian designers who are reinterpreting the vocabulary of local craftsmanship through a global lens. Their philosophy creates a tension between the rigidity of the frame and the fluidity of the covering.

Drawing direct inspiration from the sartorial elegance of the Japanese kimono, this four-panel screen abandons the traditional rectangular profile for a curved, wave-like silhouette. This undulating form softens the harsh lines of modern architecture, introducing a rhythmic flow to the space it inhabits.

A four-panel screen with a wave-like top covered in emerald green silk

The choice of material—an elaborately embroidered emerald-green silk—suggests the heavy drape of a ceremonial robe. By wrapping the structure in such a rich textile, Kabinet transforms the screen into a sculptural object that feels dressed rather than built, highlighting the tactile luxury of the weave.

Atelier Lecchi: The Alchemy of Lacquer

The art of lacquer is one of patience and depth, a tradition that Atelier Lecchi has guarded since its founding in 1972 by Jeannine and Edouard Lecchi. With a background in restoring antique masterpieces, the atelier approaches contemporary creation with the rigor of conservationists.

The “Dandelion” screen, designed by artist Flore Falcinelli, explores the mysterious, almost microscopic worlds of nature. It stands as a prime example of material alchemy. The panels are treated with Martin varnish—a technique developed in the 18th century to imitate East Asian lacquer—creating a surface of profound gloss and depth.

A dark lacquered screen with gold leaf dandelion motifs

Against this dark, lustrous void, the dandelion motifs explode in light, rendered through hand-painted gold leaf, silver, and mother-of-pearl powder. The result is a shimmering contrast between the ephemeral fragility of the dandelion seed and the permanent hardness of the lacquer, a visual meditation on time and preservation.

Studio Cosma: The Mosaic Breeze

Mosaics are typically associated with the static and the heavy—floors, walls, and vaults. Studio Cosma, led by Paola Picco and Flavia Tummolo in Rome, challenges this weight by applying the technique to the moveable screen.

Their saffron-gold three-panel piece is a study in paradox: using stone and glass to depict the weightlessness of wind. The surface is intricately inlaid with a dimensional motif of grass blades and leaves.

A saffron-gold screen with mosaic inlays of swaying grass blades

Through the careful placement of the tesserae, the artisans create an optical illusion where the vegetation appears to sway. It transforms the screen into a dynamic field of texture, capturing a fleeting natural moment in the permanence of mosaic. The warmth of the saffron tone further enhances the organic feel, making the stone appear almost soft to the eye.

Monica Gasperini: The Architectural Dualism

Architect Monica Gasperini brings a structural precision to the decorative arts. Her work, often found in galleries from Milan to Florence, is characterized by a refined balance between graphic boldness and classical reference.

The Madame Toile screen is a masterclass in this duality. Encased in a glossy black lacquered wooden frame, the piece serves as a stark, modern boundary. Yet, within this dark grid lies the softness of white silk, printed with the iconic Toile de Jouy pattern by Toile Society.

A black framed screen with white Toile de Jouy silk panels

The design plays with perception and reflection. While the front presents a conversation between the glossy black panel and the intricate pastoral narrative of the Toile, the back offers a different reality: smoked mirror panels that reflect the room back at the viewer, dissolving the screen into the surrounding space. It is a piece that acts as both a mirror and a painting, constantly shifting between presence and absence.