In 1932, a French architect built an glass home in Paris which has since become an cult object, its block facade undamaged. You might not lust after decoration — or want to live in a glass house — but the choices of today in glass block styles and layout possibilities and new decoration opens up for bringing light in your living area.
Shades and Styles
The hollow glass block is a classicl but it’s only one of a myriad of choices you can select for backsplashes, shower surrounds, entry walls, windows and room dividers. Consider etched, sandblasted, frosted and satin finishes borders and patterns; corner, curved, angled and finish blocks; colored blocks and custom-engraved. Colors rang from intense metallic and stone tones — sapphire, ruby, amethyst, garnet, emerald, topaz, aquamarine, silver, copper and gold — to pastels as fragile as sheers — sea foam, iced-glacier, sky-blue, champagne-pink, apricot, lemon, carrot or lavender.
Sizes and Power
Bricks and glass blocks are powerful: It comes in 4-inch thicknesses that are dependable at a Modern-style guest room shower and operate well in walls for business spaces. Measurements of glass blocks include: 6-by-6-inch; 4-by-8-inch; 6-by-8-inch; 8-by-8-inch; and shapes. Custom blocks for a large job might be arranged in different sizes, and it is possible, but not ordinary, to find a number in metric measurements. The shapes and corner blocks are available to mix and match with sizes.
Cool Tech
Designing light into sidelight, the glass wall or window happens with the magic of fiber optics. Create a rainbow wall of glass blocks that are colored and incorporate fiber optics to get a in-wall light show. Use fiber optics to turn the half-wall between the living area and the foyer into a light source. Glass block which out of stubbing their toes, lights up is a stunning after-dark backsplash in the kitchen and will keep midnight snackers. Glass block on a wall or even a landing makes for design and safe footing. Insert fiber optic lighting to glass block in areas where adjoining light is dim or non-existent to allow the glass to shine.
Past the Decorative
Glass block offers benefits that surpass its color and shape. When selecting the glass block for the design 13, look for these advantages. Clear blocks arrive with warranties. They can offer privacy when transmitting around 80 percent of the light available on either side of the block, according to glass block manufacturer Pittsburgh Corning. Walls are all powerful — a few glass block is graded bullet- and vandal-proof — and the blocks might be affect, scratch-resistant, sound dampening -, weather- and fire-resistant, energy-efficient and low-maintenance. Manufacturers provide specific guarantees about the performance of their glass blocks, which means that you can choose from performance characteristics styles and price points to fit your decoration and your budget.