Custom Oak Timber Screen in St Heliers, Auckland

A bespoke oak screen can divide a room without closing it off. For this St Heliers project, INWOOD Furniture designed and installed a full-height timber screen beside the stair, using evenly spaced vertical battens and a stepped top profile that follows the architecture of the home.

The result is a warm architectural feature that gives the stair and adjoining spaces a clearer sense of separation while preserving borrowed light and visual connection.

A timber screen shaped to the space

This was a site-specific piece rather than a standard room divider. The screen needed to meet the stair opening, turn through the changing levels and finish cleanly against the surrounding walls and ceiling. Its stepped profile gives the installation a deliberate rhythm and avoids competing with the lines of the staircase.

Oak was selected for its natural warmth and strong, legible grain. The vertical battens bring texture to the interior while keeping the overall form light and open.

Oak screen components prepared in the workshop before installation.

Close view of the timber screen separating the stair and living areas.

Full-height oak slatted screen fitted to the stair opening.

Stepped oak screen profile following the change in level.

Oak battens create privacy while allowing light through the room.

Front elevation of the completed timber screen in St Heliers.

Angled view showing the screen's relationship to the stair.

Side view of the custom screen and its stepped top line.

Interior view of the oak slats and the open stair beyond.

Measured spacing between the oak screen battens.

Installation measurement showing the consistent slat layout.

Detail measurement of the timber screen opening.

Prepared site surface before the screen installation.

Oak detail installed beside the stair and upper landing.

Completed screen viewed from the lower level.

Vertical oak battens form a warm architectural divider.

Screen detail beside the hallway and glazed entry.

Oak slatted divider viewed from the stair side.

Final view of the installed oak screen at 33 St Heliers.

Privacy without losing light

Open slats are useful where a solid wall would make the room feel too enclosed. The spacing allows daylight to pass between the battens and keeps sightlines connected, while the density of the screen introduces a more private threshold around the stair.

The repeated vertical lines also add height to the room. From different viewpoints, the screen changes from a strong timber feature to a more transparent layer, giving the interior depth without unnecessary visual weight.

Accuracy at the installation stage

The gallery includes workshop preparation, on-site measurements and finished views because each stage matters in a fitted timber screen. Consistent spacing, accurate fixing points and careful alignment are especially important when a screen is positioned beside a stair and viewed from several levels.

The stepped top edge, the transitions at the walls and the relationship between the battens and the stair all had to be resolved together. This is where bespoke joinery provides an advantage: the design can respond to the actual room rather than forcing the room to accommodate a prefabricated element.

Bespoke timber furniture and architectural joinery in Auckland

INWOOD Furniture creates custom timber screens, tables, cabinetry and other made-to-measure furniture for homes and commercial spaces across Auckland. Every project is developed around the proportions, materials and practical requirements of the site.

View the Oak Screen, 33 St Heliers project gallery.

To discuss a custom oak screen or another timber project for your Auckland home, contact INWOOD Furniture.