Recently while browsing photographer Ellen Silverman’s website, we came across this picture of Sally’s old one-bedroom apartment, where Ellen photographed a lot, both to document the space and to do food and still-life photography. The room above was a minimal, mutable space Sally used as both office and photo studio, as its south light was stunning. The curtain, which no one who worked there ever seemed to notice, actually hid a queen-size Murphy bed. At night, it would be pulled back, the bed opened, and the room would transform into a bedroom (below).
A simple linen curtain (even left unhemmed) on a wire can make for a beautiful room divider to define or hide a space:
…the fittings and wire can be found at Ikea for about $13.
Stay-tuned for Sally’s newest Murphy bed iteration, this time as a side-ways berth.
Related posts: xlookbook for our next project: bookshelves + murphy bedx
‘pop-up’ rooms within rooms
‘pop-up’ room redux: interlocking cardboard
improv heart +the snaptastic room divider
d-i-y corrugated cardboard room divider (after pistoletto)
I love this. it is so clean and simple. You have mentioned a site for linen in the past – Rough Linen I think. Is this white linen from there as well?
Also, though it’s not got to do with this posting, I would like to share a good website I just found for jars and bottles – SKS Bottles and Packaging. We’ve just done work in our kitchen and I now have a drawer in which to keep spices. I wanted small, simple jars with plastic lids and after much searching, found exactly what I wanted and very reasonably priced. Better yet, the customer service, even for small orders, is terrific.
As always, thank you SO much for what you do.
Where can the curtain be purchased or where can that particular curtain fabric be found, please.
I created that curtain many years ago out of a huge (King) linen duvet cover I bought on sale years ago. If you want linen, I would recommend buying a sheet, as it will give you one big panel with no seams. You can often buy them on sale. Hardware can be found at Ikea.
What is the hardware – at Ikea, is it a kit? Is it hard to attach to the wall – I am single female but want to section off the bed in my new studio apt. I want to know what to get so I don’t get the wrong thing.
Yes, it is a kit from Ikea for the wire and wall anchors. You’d need to buy the curtain hooks separately. You’ll find it here.
How nice of you to answer the comments 4 years later, Sally! I also had the same question as Zoe but just wanted to say thank you for providing the link!
Happy too. Much of the content on Improvised Life is evergreen…
Thank you for this idea. My son is returning from college this summer to a one bedroom, and I will set this up for him in the living room by a window. Perfectly simple and elegant solution
Dear Sally, we have 8 (at least) huge picture windows that need approx 102″ x 82″ panels of this linen. That’s for the main living space. Our bedroom needs 4 same sized panels.
I can’t see finding this many Kind sized sheets to do this.
I wish there was a linen SOURCE – has anyone fond one?
Thank you (again) for answering this post from 4 plus years ago in advance!
Hi Rmaona,
There are a number of linen sources. I’m going to put them together into an article, hopefully next week. Stay tuned.
Ikea does not deliver to Hawaii. Are there are there other places to buy the hardware
If you google “curtain wire hanging systems”, you’ll find lots of options. Here’s one at Amazon.