No Comments »

Design Trend: Decorative Glass Doors Make a Statement at Home

• Tweet

• Tweet

You may be used to seeing decorative glass doors in restaurants, retail environments and offices, but did you know that decorative glass is making inroads at home too?

That’s because glass doors offer a whole lot of advantages:

1) They are an architectural detail that quickly sets a  tone for a room, creating a focal point and a sense of elegance in one fell swoop. You know a room is truly special when you enter via a spectacular door. For this reason alone, glass doors have long been a staple in Victorian and turn of the century libraries and dining rooms where stately glass doors (often paneled French doors) could impress visitors and guests.

2) They allow light into the dark recesses of your home. If you can’t knock down a wall to let light in, installing a glass door is your next best option!

3) They can be custom made to fit any need. If you need privacy you can frost or texture glass. If you have tall ceilings or a wide door opening, it’s not a problem. Plus, custom made decorative glass doors are not nearly as expensive as you might imagine. Prices range from roughly $300 for baseline doors to $1,000+ for ornate doors.

Let’s take a look at how some homeowners have gotten creative with decorative glass doors:

Textured glass

If you’re looking for a way to add a little pizazz while still maintaining ultimate privacy, textured glass is the way to go. The door above is a great illustration, offering both a texture and a pattern that make it impossible to discern anything other than vague shapes on the other side. Below, a patterned and textured door has a similar effect.

Because of they are so adept at allowing light in while preserving privacy, textured glass is a natural for dark shower stalls. The “Sandstorm” shower door, available at CBD Glass Studios is both elegant and discreet.

Etched glass

 

If you’re less worried about privacy, you might opt for an etched glass door of the sort pictured above. Etched glass is the result of artistic carving of the glass surface to leave a white, frosted finish. It’s the same sort of etching you’ve always admired on fine wine glasses. There are three ways to create a piece of etched glass: sandblasting, chemical etching, and acid etching. The beauty of etching is it provides for an almost unlimited number of custom patterns and designs and can seem particularly tasteful and refined, if done well. Below, an etched glass shower door:

Custom Designs and Treatments

Beyond textured glass and traditional etching, there are a myriad of designs and treatments that move glass into the artistic realm. The only limit is your imagination. Above, a bronzed effect is achieved on a glass door, giving the door an almost sculptural feeling. Similarly, yet utterly different, the glass door below has an artsy, funky, colorful feel with an almost 1970s retro vibe.

 

Doors are not the limit in decorative glass. Many homeowners who admire the versatility and artistry of glass opt to add glass partitions and glass walls. The artful glass partitions below allow light to filter from one room to the next while preserving a sense of separation.

And in the bathroom below, a glass partition helps separate the tub from the toilet in a stylish, richly opulent way.

 

The short take is that decorative glass doors can open up a wealth of possibilities. If you’ve never considered using glass doors at home, it may finally be time to do so!