Skip The Bathtub Curtain: The Creative Way To Add Vintage Charm And Bathroom Privacy

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For most of us, the bathtub curtain is one of those bathroom essentials we don't really think about. Sure, it can look stylish, but it's more functional than anything else. Bath time, however, means something different for everyone. For some people, it's simply a time to get clean. For others, it's something that borders on a spa-like experience at home, replete with relaxing music, scented candles, and luxurious beauty products. If that's the kind of escape you're after, there's one item you should switch out your bathtub curtain for: a folding screen with an old-world touch.

Screens provide privacy for intimate bath time without making the entire room feel closed off. Incorporating one into your bathroom also happens to be a huge interior design flex. These seemingly timeless pieces of furniture originated in China, where they're called pingfeng. Over the centuries, they graduated from simple room dividers and wind barriers into luxurious, decorated backdrops for rooms dedicated to quiet reflection and contemplation. Even emperors had them. As you can see, putting a folding screen in a bathroom dedicated to relaxation just makes sense.

There are lots of simple ways to make your bathroom feel more private, but incorporating a folding screen into the space has unrivaled vintage charm. Outside of repurposing a screen you already have tucked away unused in the garage or basement, you can ask around family, neighbors, and friends to see if anyone's throwing one out. Alternatively, buying a room divider secondhand likely won't set you back that much — as long as you don't go for a genuine, restored antique piece. Or, of course, there's always the option to make your own screen from reclaimed architectural materials.

It shouldn't be too hard to get your hands on an authentically old and affordable room divider at thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales, or even reclamation yards. In fact, like thrift stores, architectural salvage yards are one of the best places to find everything from rare vintage treasures to stylish home items. You can source pieces at affordable prices and with just the right amount of authentic wear and tear. While each yard is different — though all are stocked with donated or salvaged finds — you'll typically come across antique fixtures, reclaimed lumber, and yes, even vintage folding screens. Pricing varies dramatically, but you can expect lower prices than antique marketplaces like 1stDibs or LoveAntiques, which host a curated selection of restored products. You could nab a gorgeous, timeworn folding screen for as little as $20 or $30 secondhand.

You may have to do some restoration on your find so that it matches your existing bathroom aesthetic. After sanding down and staining the frame or applying a distressed paint finish, you can tackle the inside panels. Cover them with peel-and-stick wallpaper in an antique floral print or decorate them with GSS Designs Large Vintage Flower Paint Stencils. You could also remove the panels altogether and replace them with a gorgeous Vintage Garden Theme Print Waterproof Fabric or even material cut from a shower curtain. If you're willing to put in the DIY time but can't find anything you like secondhand, despite a lengthy hunt, consider buying a cheap new screen and decorating it. This six-foot, four-panel NChanmar Black Folding Room Divider costs about $26 and is made from solid iron.

You can also DIY a folding screen for your bathtub from architectural salvage yard, flea market, or thrift store finds — think weathered timber shutters, ornate full-length mirrors, old doors, or rustic wood pallets. Etsy and eBay are also good places to find used reclamation items. Sets of shutters, for example, start at $50 or $60 on these platforms. Pairs of used full-length mirrors, which are one of the few vintage decor items that'll instantly elevate your home and never go out of style, go for around $200 on eBay. Wood pallets typically cost less than $10 each or can even be free from local businesses.

Most of these items are already panel-shaped. All you need to do it connect three or four shutters, mirrors, or doors together with hinges — like these 3-inch AxleCore Black Stainless Steel Butt Hinges — and your folding screen is ready for your bathtub. Add at least three hinges on each side of the middle panel (or panels) so the screen is sturdy. Drill carefully to avoid damaging the frames. Wood pallets need slightly more work to turn into a folding screen. Disassemble around six pallets with an electric saw and use the wood to construct three panels, filling the frames with horizontal wood slats.

Once you've built your bathtub folding screen, you just need to add some personality. Distress it with waterproof paint or stain for a timeworn patina. Using a waterproof finish protects the screen from mold, mildew, and warping — particularly a problem with timber — in the high humidity of a bathroom. For the finishing touches, apply gold leaf to play up the Gilded Age aesthetic, add ornate accents like WoodUbend appliques and molding, or decoupage on some old maps.