Asian influence can be found in gardens and kitchens, so it's no surprise this popular look has reached bedrooms and living rooms. With its mix of exotic and comfortable, Asian style blends what's hip right now. For a true Asian look, be sure to add a room divider screen to your design mix.

A room divider screen, a paneled folding screen usually made with bamboo or rice paper, can be used as a decor accent or it can be more purposeful. It can literally live up to its name and divide a room into two distinct spaces or it can be used to provide added privacy in a corner of a room.

Asian room divider screens are popular with studio apartment dwellers who like their functionality in dividing a room to provide the feeling of more space, and decor-savvy moms who can use room divider screens to literally divide up a room or space being fought over by siblings. Some decorators like to use room divider screens to break up large great rooms and create more intimate seating arrangements.

When shopping for a room divider screen, it's important to be aware of price ranges. At the low end, you can purchase a screen for perhaps $49, but at the high end, several thousands of dollars. While some are simply utilitarian, others are truly design centerpieces of a room.

Generally available in 3, 4, 5, and 6 panels, room divider screens -- also known as shoji screens -- often have rice paper inserts and sometimes a bamboo frame. In a basic style, you might choose a 3-panel screen with rice paper insets and a stripped-down, basic style. This might cost you $49 to $69.

Upscale

For a little bit more money, you might choose a basic room divider screen with some sort of print on the rice paper insert. Popular in Asian-style screens are bird and floral motifs. Stepped up even a bit further and you can find basic room divider screens with the shelves inset into the folds of the screen. This design adds well to the notion of creating a new space. Here, you can place plants or books to help differentiate one side of your room from another.

If money isn't an object and you want a real design statement, consider room divider screens that come in at the top of the price range. These screens, costing more than $1,000, might feature hand-painted designs and elegant woods. While they can be used for the practical purposes offered by the basic room divider screens, they are often mounted on the wall as artwork as well.