Shoji Screen Closet Doors: Screen vs Door Curtain

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Quick answer

If you want a shoji look, a walnut double cross screen leans in front of a closet but does not slide. If you want something that works as a door, a door curtain does: the Vatge accordion curtain is 52 by 78 inches and says it suits openings 36 to 46 inches wide up to 80 inches high, and the JILRON magnetic curtain is 42 by 78 inches with 100 percent blackout claimed. Neither is a rigid door.

Quick compare: the products in this guide

Sizes come from the Amazon listings as we read them; check the product page for the current details before you buy.

Product	Listed details	Link
3 ft. Short Double Cross Shoji Screen – Walnut – 3 Panels	41 x 84 in (as printed); 3 panels	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
Vatge Closet Curtain for Open Closet & Doorway, Accordion Door Curtain, 1…	52 x 78 in; fits 36 to 46 in	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
JILRON 100% Blackout Fabric Folding Door Curtain with Magnetic Closure (W42 x…	42 x 78 in; 100% blackout (page)	See details on Amazon Affiliate link

The three at a glance

	Walnut double cross shoji screen, 3 panels	Vatge accordion door curtain	JILRON magnetic folding door curtain
Size on the page	41 W x 84 H in (title says 3 ft short)	52 W x 78 L in	42 W x 78 L in
Material	Rice paper, wood	Polyester	Fabric
Fits	Stands in front	36 to 46 in wide openings, up to 80 in high	Doorways and closets
Closure	None	Tieback	Magnetic
Light	Translucent	Not blackout	100 percent blackout claim

3 ft. Short Double Cross Shoji Screen, Walnut, 3 Panels

The bullets are those of the other Red Lantern screens: fiber-reinforced rice paper, Scandinavian spruce, a short size for a desktop or windowsill, two-way hinges. The table gives 41 by 84 inches, which conflicts with the title’s “3 ft. Short” and the 35.75 inch height of its siblings. We read the table line as an error, so ask for the true size before you plan around it.

Vatge Closet Curtain for Open Closet and Doorway, Accordion Door Curtain, 52 x 78

A pleated polyester curtain with eight rust-resistant grommets, eight hooks and an adjustable tieback. The page says it suits openings 36 to 46 inches wide and up to 80 inches high.

JILRON 100% Blackout Fabric Folding Door Curtain with Magnetic Closure

A 42 by 78 inch off-white panel for sliding doors, closets and wardrobes, with a magnetic closure and an accordion fold for compact storage.

Worked example: fit to a 36 inch closet opening

This is our own arithmetic, with an example closet opening of 36 inches wide and 80 inches high.

Option	Width	Over the opening	Drop vs 80 in
Vatge	52 in	16 in total	2 in short
JILRON	42 in	6 in total	2 in short
Shoji screen (3 panels)	41 in if the table is right	5 in total	Stands on the floor

Both curtains hang 2 inches short of an 80 inch opening, which is a normal gap for a curtain, but not for a dark closet. The screen would need to stand about 3 to 6 inches in front of the opening, which blocks access unless you move it, so it hides rather than closes.

Closets and the fusuma point

The Wikipedia article says fusuma are used where light transmission is not needed, closet doors among them. A true shoji is translucent and therefore wrong for a closet that you want dark. If you like the look, use a shoji screen as a room accent, and use an opaque curtain or door for the closet. For other doors, see room sliding door divider, and for the screen itself, shoji screen divider.

Questions to ask the seller before you order

1. What is the real size of the walnut screen?
2. For the curtains: what rod or track is needed, and is one included?
3. For the Vatge: is the fabric light-blocking?
4. For the magnet: does it hold when the door moves in a draft?
5. Can the curtains be washed?

After it arrives

Hang a curtain before you decide how to fix the rod. Measure the opening twice, from the floor and from the top. If you use a screen, check that the paper does not sit near a light bulb.

A second worked scenario: a wardrobe with no doors

This is our own arithmetic and an example wardrobe. An alcove of 60 inches wide and 80 inches high holds a rail and shelves, with no doors, and the owner wants to cover it.

Option	Pieces	Width	Fit
Vatge 52 in	2 panels	104 in	44 in of extra width, a fullness of 1.7
JILRON 42 in	2 panels	84 in	24 in extra, 1.4 times
Walnut shoji screen	1	41 in (if the table is right)	Does not cover 60 in

Two panels of the Vatge give 104 inches of fabric across a 60 inch opening, a gather of 1.7 times, which looks full. Two JILRON panels give 1.4 times, which looks gathered but a little flat. The shoji screen, even at the 41 inch figure, would need two screens side by side to cover the alcove, and it would stand in front of the rail and block access.

Reading the listings critically

The Vatge page says the curtain suits openings 36 to 46 inches wide and up to 80 inches high; a 60 inch alcove is outside that range, so you would use two. The page lists 8 hooks and 8 grommets in a package, so a second panel needs its own. The JILRON page says accordion style with magnets, and the magnets are at the leading edges, so two panels would close on each other in the middle. The walnut shoji page’s table (41 by 84 inches) disagrees with its title (3 ft short), and the siblings are 35.75 inches high. Do not buy that listing until the seller confirms the size.

Closet doors in the Japanese tradition

The Wikipedia article we opened says fusuma, the opaque sliding doors, are used for closets such as oshiire, while shoji are translucent and used where light is wanted. So a closet in traditional design has an opaque sliding door. If you like the look of a Japanese closet, the closest product here is a fabric curtain in an opaque weave, and the nearest to a real door is a rigid sliding panel that you build or buy as part of a track system.

What to do if you want the shoji look

Use a shoji screen as a freestanding piece beside the closet, not in front of it, and use an opaque curtain on the closet. If you want real shoji doors, a carpenter can build a track and frames, and ready-made shoji door panels exist in specialist shops, although we did not read any on Amazon for this guide. See shoji screen divider for the screens and room sliding door divider for fabric doors.

Care

Vacuum curtains with a brush attachment. Avoid pulling on a magnetic closure from the side, which can bend the strip. Keep rice paper away from the closet’s damp areas.

A last check before you order

Measure the opening at the top, the middle and the bottom, because old closets are rarely square. Measure the height from the floor to the top of where the rod will go. Decide whether you want a curtain that stacks to one side or to both. If you want to keep the closet dark, choose the blackout curtain and ask about light leaks at the edges. If you want the shoji look, buy the screen separately and place it where it does not block the opening.

Mistakes to avoid

Treating a screen as a door. It does not close.

Hanging a short curtain. A 2 inch gap shows the closet.

Using translucent panels in a closet. Light shows through.

Trusting a page whose size conflicts with its title. The walnut page does.

Frequently asked questions

Can a shoji screen be a closet door?

Not a free-standing one. A real shoji door slides on a track.

What is the closet equivalent in Japanese design?

Fusuma, per the Wikipedia article.

Which curtain fits a 36 inch opening?

The Vatge page says 36 to 46 inches.

Are the curtains blackout?

The JILRON page claims 100 percent; the Vatge page does not.

Do they need a rod?

Yes, both need a rod or hooks.

Do you recommend one?

We have not tested them. This guide reports what the pages say.

Products worth checking

We have not tested these products. Sizes and features come from the Amazon listings as we read them; where a listing does not say, we say so.

Sources checked

• Wikipedia: Shōji

Specifications come from the Amazon listings as we read them for this guide. Product details and availability can change, so confirm on the product page before you buy.

How we research our guides