Adding a screen is an ideal, decorative way to divide a room without making it seem smaller. The huge sliding screen at Dragon-i, a bar and restaurant in Central, is a beautiful example. About 2.5 metres high, the screen has a modern design that recalls the cracked-ice motif found in traditional Chinese window screens. It can roll the length of the white wall it sits against, closing either passageway flanking the wall. Or it can be positioned flush within the borders of the openings, creating a striking architectural feature. The interior of Dragon-i was designed by a team of three based in France: Herve Bourgeois, Guillaume Richard and India Mahdavi. The screen provides a transparent barrier between the dining room and bar that lets in light and sound, but still creates a feeling of intimacy within the large space. Attached near the ceiling by a simple runner and the same mechanism used on sliding doors, this sort of moving divider could be easily adapted to partition a variety of areas in the home. To fit the parameters of the restaurant, the Dragon-i screen was custom-made from dark-wood veneer. Custom-making is an option for home installation as well, but any screen could be adapted with simple hardware to achieve the intended effect. A custom-made panel (50cm-66cm wide by 1.82 metres high), would cost $1,500-$2,500 per panel, depending on the intricacy and density of the open carving work, says Clarissa Wong of Red Cabinet (tel: 2536 0123), an antiques dealer and custom-furniture maker in Central. To make sure the panels pull smoothly, Wong suggests installing an imported top and bottom rail system. Depending on the brand, the system costs from $2,000 to $5,000 per set. Try Hong Kong Hardware in Wan Chai (tel: 2511 7661) if you'd prefer to install one yourself.
