PANE IN THE HOUSE: Designing With Glass
GLASS. In science, it is a solid with no long range order of its physical atoms including plastics, resins or other silica-free materials. In more everyday terms, it refers to a hard, brittle transparent material. The Latin-term glesum itself developed in the late Holy Roman Empire glassmaking center of Trier, Germany.
Rome may have fallen around 1450 AD but the legacy of glass lives on in our homes in ways that neither Caesar nor the ancient Germans could have dreamed. Today, science has created ways to make glass stronger to be used in its most common application. The result can be found in windows in high rises from New York to Indonesia. But it is the use of the material inside our homes that we have become quite creative with.
I love the idea of taking the pane of glass from window to interior. By using a creative design imagination and an array of up to date hardware, the transparent material becomes a functional focal point or a beautiful architectural detail. Consider these different ways of using glass inside and making it a pane in the house:
• Frameless shower doors & enclosures: We are all familiar with the framed shower door but more and more clients are requesting for doors and enclosures without the use of metal headers or frames. I personally design all my bathrooms using frameless doors and enclosures to create a clean uncluttered look. When considering frameless doors, ask your glass company for “star fire” type glass. This style glass is usually thicker (1/4” and thicker) and appears blue, instead of green (which is a lesser expensive tempered glass), when you look at the profile of the glass. Mix it up using frosted or reed glass.
• Passage doors: Translating from bathroom to other rooms, we can create passage doors made completely of glass rather than solid wood or other traditional materials. Great idea.
• Countertops: Bathroom and kitchens can be made lighter with transparent countertops. With varying thicknesses, edge styles and even colors, glass is a great alternative to stone or other related solid surfaces.
• Walls: More and more designers and architects are using glass to create interior separation of rooms. Imagine having a home where you can see from one end of another without looking through doorways.
Rome may have fallen around 1450 AD but the legacy of glass lives on in our homes in ways that neither Caesar nor the ancient Germans could have dreamed. Today, science has created ways to make glass stronger to be used in its most common application. The result can be found in windows in high rises from New York to Indonesia. But it is the use of the material inside our homes that we have become quite creative with.
I love the idea of taking the pane of glass from window to interior. By using a creative design imagination and an array of up to date hardware, the transparent material becomes a functional focal point or a beautiful architectural detail. Consider these different ways of using glass inside and making it a pane in the house:
• Frameless shower doors & enclosures: We are all familiar with the framed shower door but more and more clients are requesting for doors and enclosures without the use of metal headers or frames. I personally design all my bathrooms using frameless doors and enclosures to create a clean uncluttered look. When considering frameless doors, ask your glass company for “star fire” type glass. This style glass is usually thicker (1/4” and thicker) and appears blue, instead of green (which is a lesser expensive tempered glass), when you look at the profile of the glass. Mix it up using frosted or reed glass.
• Passage doors: Translating from bathroom to other rooms, we can create passage doors made completely of glass rather than solid wood or other traditional materials. Great idea.
• Countertops: Bathroom and kitchens can be made lighter with transparent countertops. With varying thicknesses, edge styles and even colors, glass is a great alternative to stone or other related solid surfaces.
• Walls: More and more designers and architects are using glass to create interior separation of rooms. Imagine having a home where you can see from one end of another without looking through doorways.
Great alternative to the standard passage door. I love how the frosted glass "pocket door" runs on tracks and slides open. Great use of space and brings in lots of light to both rooms.
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4 large, tempered glass panes create this clean shower enclosure. Notice how the glass is almost completely transparent. It is probably comprised of glass siimilar to "star fire" glass.
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I love the floor to ceiling, frosted glass doors in this bathroom. The users retain privacy while allowing enough light to enter the rooms.
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Here is the frosted glass shower door's transom allows moisture and steam to escape when hot water is being used.
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Here the shower surround, countertop and even the sink basin creates an open and light room.
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The glass countertop helps create the idea of a floating sink and vanity top. It also helps create a light, airy feeling as well.
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A unique finish of this shower wall is an amazing work of transparent art. Totally great use of glass inside.
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Glass windows are multifunctional here and act now only as a way to bring light into the home but as a solid transparent backsplash. Wonderful!
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A curved, frosted glass wall is both an architectural element that hides a staircase but is a piece of art. A great, beautiful and multi-functional use of glass.
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A fantastic sculptural focal point. A piece of thick tempered glass is worked into a bath sink basin.
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The frosted glass walls are great here!
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Glass used as walls. Both half wall and a full wall, glass here opens up the floor plan and breaks the separation of the rooms.
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An arched glass celing is a great way to top off a contemporary room. Awesome!
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Comments
deodand says:
I wonder, is it expensive to have a glass-walled shower instead of one of those prefab things?
3 years ago ·
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HERMOGENO DESIGNS says:
It all depends on the size of the shower and the details (ie. double door versus a single door, if you only want one side of glass or multiple sides, thickness of glass, etc). But custom and most semi-custom frameless shower enclosures are more expensive than framed. And custom framed enclosures are more expensive than pre-fabricated framed enclosures. Depending where you are located, check out Century Shower Door company (www.showerdoor.com) to see custom options. Kohler (www.kohler.com) also offers a variety of pre-fabricated/semi-custom options you can compare specifications and pricing with.
3 years ago ·
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