In my former house, an old colonial, we had a servants staircase that led from the kitchen to the second floor. This is misleading in so many ways. We didn’t have servants, just the occasional babysitter. And our modest home, the smallest on our block, was certainly not fancy or large enough to warrant a second set of stairs. Tired of looking at that dark and steep liability just gathering dust (too spooky for the kids, too treacherous for the adults), one day I decided to fashion a curtain from a beloved lungi I’d purchased from Aunti Oti, and hang it in its kitchen doorway. Presto: The pretty makeshift curtain not only concealed the depressing stairway, but also created a hidden storage area in the process. I now had a place to stash random household items, like extra paper towels, dog food, and our bike helmets (I told you our house was small). Ever since, I’ve been a fan of curtains in lieu of doors as an inexpensive, fast fix for hiding and dividing.
Lately, we’ve been seeing noren curtains, in particular, popping up in projects. Noren curtains are traditional Japanese fabric panels, hung in doorways, across windows, or on walls. What we love about them, aside from their functional simplicity, is that they do double-duty as art.
Behold:
Above: At the weekend house of Mjolk founders and Japandi enthusiasts John and Juli Baker, a traditional noren bearing the shimenawa (tied rope) motif—a symbol in the shinto religion meant to ward off evil spirits—separates the kitchen from the living room. Photograph by Titus Chan for Remodelista. For a similar style, see the Shimenawa Indigo Noren; $240 at Tenzo. For more on this home, see An Antique Stone House Revived, from John and Juli Baker of Mjolk in Toronto.
Above: Designer Katie Lockhart sourced this handmade noren from Tokyo. “I love this idea of defining ‘public’ & ‘private’ spaces in a home,” she wrote in an Instagram caption. For a similar vibe, this embroidered noren on Etsy is equally sweet; from $61. Photograph via @katielockhartstudio.
Above: The owners of Ozu Cafe in Santa Fe hung up a noren at the entrance. “The blue and white checkered noren is from a historic villa in Kyoto. The motif has become popular recently,” says co-owner Jaimie. (Here’s a lookalike on Etsy for $346). Photograph by Ashley Perry Lynn, from Ozu Restaurant and Market: In Santa Fe, ‘A Trail of Breadcrumbs’ that Lead Back to Japan.
Above: A noren hangs in the bath of a vacation rental in Hokkaido, Japan. For a similar design, consider this striking, inexpensive cotton noren on Etsy. Photograph by @indianakwongphotography, courtesy of @thelittleonsencabins, from Big Sister, Little Brother: Little Onsen Cabins in Hokkaido, Japan.
Above: We recently spotted these noren-in-spirit curtains at Little Mill Abergavenny, a vacation rental in the Welsh countryside. For a floral-themed noren, consider this one on Etsy. Photograph via @little_mill_abergavenny.
Above: Shibori noren announces the entrance to Somoza Restaurant at Shiguchi, an inn in Hokkaido, Japan. For a wide selection of vintage indigo noren, check out this Etsy shop. (For new noren curtains in solid colors, try this.) Photograph by Shouya Grigg, from Design Travel: ‘The Dedication to Making Things Well’ at Shiguchi in Japan.
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