# Collapsible Room Dividers 'Plier' Serves as a Solution to Open-Concept Living Spaces By Ell Smith | Published 2017-09-08 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/open-concept-living-spaces References: [contemporist](http://www.contemporist.com/room-divider-designed-to-transform-into-a-bar-table/) & [issuu](https://issuu.com/laurelhuang/docs/linhueihwang) Open-concept living spaces come with some serious advantages, but the limited privacy and lack of personal space that can result certainly aren't some of them. To address this issue, designer Laurel Hwang created 'Plier,' a multifunctional furniture piece that can transform living spaces into personal sanctuaries. This metal room divider features a hidden lever that, when folded, transforms to a bar table. After it's transformed, this bar table can accommodate six to eight people, offering the perfect solution for small spaces. When it is in use as a room divider, the stylish screen can offer individuals some much needed privacy to work or relax. The perforated translucent panel forms a spatial boundary between roommates or house guests, making coexisting a little easier. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 94% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Multifunctional Furniture:** Designing furniture pieces that serve multiple purposes to maximize functionality and space in open-concept living spaces. - **Privacy Solutions:** Developing innovative room dividers or screens that offer individuals privacy in open-concept living spaces. - **Space Optimization:** Creating collapsible or foldable furniture that can be easily transformed to accommodate different needs and maximize space in small living areas. ### Who This Affects Most - **Furniture Design:** Opportunity for designers and manufacturers to create versatile furniture pieces that address the challenges of open-concept living spaces. - **Interior Design:** Chance for interior designers to incorporate innovative room dividers or screens into their designs to enhance privacy and functionality in open-concept living spaces. - **Architecture:** Potential for architects to integrate space optimization solutions, such as collapsible furniture, into their building designs to optimize living areas in small spaces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Rotating Panel Room Dividers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ro-room-dividers.md) - [Felt-Made Retractable Room Dividers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pixels-1.md) - [Flatpack Cardboard Room Dividers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nook-room-dividers.md) - [Flexible Room Partition Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/room-partition-system.md) - [Sculptural Room Screens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/morgen-screen.md) - [Elegant Innovative Room Dividers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glimakra-of-sweden.md) - [Material-Centric Room Divider Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ren-series.md) - [Movable Room Divider TVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trolley-tv.md) - [Minimal Open-Plan Screen Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arches-screen.md)