Varieties, using methods and beautiful examples for each room – we made a detailed guide on the use of glass blocks in the interior.
Glass blocks quickly became popular as a building material in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, we can safely say that the material is experiencing a rebirth: the combination of excellent technical characteristics and decorativeness gives a huge potential, which is revealed in the design of any premises. In this article, we will tell you how to use such partitions in the interior of a house or apartment.
Pros and cons of glass blocks
Pros
- Strength – a partition or wall made of glass blocks is close to brick in this indicator, so it will serve you for decades.
- Moisture resistance – glass is not afraid of moisture, steam, and direct contact with water, which is why it is so often used in bathroom interiors.
- Environmental friendliness – the material is completely safe for health, it does not contain resins and other harmful substances.
- Excellent sound insulation – a thick glass wall will absorb up to 70% of sounds from the outside. You will not interfere with loud conversations on the street, music, or the noise of cars.
- Thermal conductivity – such structures retain heat well, therefore they are suitable for living rooms in an apartment and private houses, where it is important to maintain a balance of temperatures.
- Transparency – despite the thickness, the design practically does not block light. Thanks to such transparent elements, the room will be much brighter – this technique is often used in areas without windows (for example, in the hallway or bathroom).
- Decorative – finally, glass blocks just look stylish, unusual, and spectacular. They can fit into a variety of styles: contemporary, minimalism, eco, loft, boho, and hi-tech. This finish is poorly combined only with the classics.
Cons
- This material cannot be cut – so you have to work with the existing size and shape of the source.
- Big weight – one square weighs about 3-4 kg, so it is not recommended to decorate the entire wall with such blocks, especially if the floors are not too strong so that the structure does not collapse. It is recommended to fill the area up to 15 square meters.
- Difficult installation that a beginner can not handle. You need either special skills or a budget for a professional craftsman who will install it correctly.
- There is no air circulation inside the glass squares. This is not a problem for a partition, wall, or finish, but it’s definitely not worth decorating all windows in this way.
- Also, it is impossible to carry out communications and wiring in glass blocks – consider this.
Varieties
The material is air-filled glass briquettes. The wall thickness is about 1 cm. There are many varieties of glass blocks.
By shape allocate:
- Squares.190x190x80 mm or 240x240x80 mm.
- Rectangles. As a rule, they make up half of the square – 190x95x80 mm.
You can also find non-standard options: for example, rounded or corner blocks.
The appearance of the glass itself they are divided into three groups:
- Transparent – colorless, transmitting up to 90% of the light.
- Colored-tinted glass transmits up to 70% of light.
- Matte – has the lowest light transmission rate (up to 50%).
Glass blocks can be smooth, corrugated, or with artistic embossing. Sometimes they are decorated with stained-glass windows, illumination, any objects are placed inside. The surface can also be embossed: for example, in the form of a wave, drops, or some kind of convex pattern. Metalized briquettes look very interesting in the interior – the light reflected by special inserts on the ends of the blocks gives them a beautiful cold shade and creates a backlight effect.
Ways of using
Glass blocks solve a variety of tasks in the interior: from zoning to working with light and decorative tasks.
Glass block partitions
Most often, glass blocks are used for partitions. They can be both large enough, zoning the space, and purely decorative – in 2-3 rows. Visually, they are suitable for any room: such a partition can be installed between the kitchen and the living room, in the bedroom or nursery, and with its help, separate the entrance area from the living space. Often glass blocks decorate the shower in the bathroom or separate the bath (instead of the usual transparent screen or curtain). This design looks original and immediately makes the bathroom interior more interesting.
As a part of the wall
Often glass blocks are built into the wall. Sometimes this is a purely decorative solution, but if there are few windows in a room or apartment, then this is a great way to add more light.
You can make wide vertical stripes from blocks, and place them up to the ceiling or anywhere on the wall surface. The larger the area will be occupied by them, the more light will penetrate into the room. This layout is often used:
- In studios or elongated rooms with one window.
- Between the hallway and living room.
- Between the bathroom and living room.
- In the kitchen without a window.
- In the dressing room or pantry.
Window
Despite the fact that glass blocks do not allow air to pass through and, as a rule, are deaf, they are still often used to decorate openings. The main thing is not to make out of them the windows so that there is sufficient natural ventilation in the apartment or house.
The material can be used in different ways:
- For decorative windows between rooms in the apartment.
- In combination with the usual openings in a private house.
- Opaque blocks – for the window in the bathroom.
- As a decoration – usually stained-glass windows and colored glass.
Backsplash
If you want to design a kitchen apron in an original way, glass blocks will be a great solution.
This is not just a visually striking finish – it is suitable for the kitchen in all technical characteristics. Glass blocks are not afraid of moisture, or temperature changes, they are easy to clean and do not require special care. Mold, fungus, and bacteria dangerous to health will not start on them, and in general, the environmental friendliness of the material allows it to be used in the cooking zone.
Furniture
Despite the fact that glass blocks are primarily a building and finishing material, they are also suitable for making furniture.
The strength of the bricks allows you to make out of them:
- Bar counters for the kitchen.
- Dining tables.
- Nightstands and coffee tables.
In commercial interiors, reception desks are often designed this way.
Ideas for different rooms
Consider how this material looks in the interior of different rooms.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, all options for using such glass are possible: as decoration, furniture, partitions, and decorative inserts in the walls. Most often, they separate the cooking area from the dining group or living room, if it is combined with the kitchen. This technique is especially good for small apartments, in which it is important not to split the space into many small zones with blank walls and partitions. Especially – if the whole room has one or two windows.
Glass backsplashes or bar counters with glass blocks, kitchen islands, and tables look unusual and very stylish.
Living room
In the living room, glass is most often used in the form of partitions or as a decorative element.
In the first case, they are used to separate functional areas: for example, a living room and a kitchen or workplace. In a studio apartment, a sleeping place is also isolated in this way. This is very convenient: the space looks light and spacious, and the daylight is not blocked, but at the same time the material blocks out excess noise.
Both colorless and bright glass blocks are used as decor. With their help, you can place color accents, give texture to a smooth plain wall, and add dynamics to the interior – for example, if you arrange the blocks in a random or checkerboard pattern at a distance from each other. To make the space look organic, it is desirable to supplement such decor with something: objects of the same color or similar in texture.
Bedroom
The bedroom is characterized by a calm design without too bright details, which sets you up for relaxation.
The space should be soft, and enveloping, and all elements should flow into each other, creating a visual unity. Convex glass surfaces create just that effect without overwhelming the room or depriving it of natural light. In this way, you can isolate a sleeping place, separate a dressing room or a private bathroom, and arrange a wall behind the headboard.
Bathroom
The bathroom is the most popular place to use glass bricks.
The texture itself is perfect for this room: glass goes well with chrome details, glossy tile surfaces, and mirror surfaces. In addition, it is not afraid of contact with water, is hygienic, and is easy to clean.
As a rule, shower or bath screens are made of glass blocks – they look much brighter and more effective than standard plastic partitions or curtains. Such partitions can be transparent or, conversely, colored for a bright accent, smooth or embossed – depending on the overall design of the bathroom.
Hallway
Since there are usually no windows in the entrance area (unless it is a country house), the main function of transparent and translucent structures here is to increase the amount of light.
Most often, partitions are made between the hallway and the living area. Or adding glass blocks in the wall: in the manner of a window, in vertical or horizontal lines, etc. In a private house, glass blocks can be used to make decorative window openings from textured semi-matt blocks: they will give access to light while maintaining privacy inside.
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